Tiler needed to replace badly fixed tiles in Greenwich/blackheath

[DazedConfused]

I made a post earlier this year regarding poorly fixed tiles and after much to and fro the contractors agreed to start replacing the tiles. They have since redone the hallway and front room and whilst they now have a nice solid bed under them, they are all at different heights to each other, some not going far enough under the skirting, and the spaces between the tiles are all different despite my providing them with spacers.

Tell me I'm not wrong in finding this unacceptable.

Are there any trust-worthy cscs registered tilers that would be willing to take on the job of removing the existing tiles and fitting new ones.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Your not wrong in finding this unacceptable - however 60 no 900x900mm is about 74sq mts - so are you replacing the whole area or just odd tiles.

 

[Pauly tiler]

60 x .81m2 = 48.6m2 I believe, still a lot though.
As for level, I am always amazed that the clients want the tilers to level the prepared floor they give them to work with. I understand it may not be the case here but may I ask, did the tiler screed the floor, are they confined to meeting critical heights anywhere? manholes, steps, the list goes on. I will be honest here, most of the clients I work for have make no consideration planning the job to what the expect as a final finish. This will spark all kinds of backlash I know and I feel sorry that the clients expectation were no met in this instance I truly do. We do need to know the whole story before we chastise people trying to cut a living. If my wife goes to work (computer programmer) and makes a mess of the code she gets paid anyway, in this line of business we have to compete to get the job, put up with bad organising, deal with contaminated surfaces, deal with indecision, and fight to get paid. Add to the list if I have forgotten anything. Prep Prep Prep is the first stage in this business, and as a tiling contractor, it would be cheaper to get the prep done by others. Sorry.

 

[Bill]

60 x .81m2 = 48.6m2 I believe, still a lot though.
As for level, I am always amazed that the clients want the tilers to level the prepared floor they give them to work with. I understand it may not be the case here but may I ask, did the tiler screed the floor, are they confined to meeting critical heights anywhere? manholes, steps, the list goes on. I will be honest here, most of the clients I work for have make no consideration planning the job to what the expect as a final finish. This will spark all kinds of backlash I know and I feel sorry that the clients expectation were no met in this instance I truly do. We do need to know the whole story before we chastise people trying to cut a living. If my wife goes to work (computer programmer) and makes a mess of the code she gets paid anyway, in this line of business we have to compete to get the job, put up with bad organising, deal with contaminated surfaces, deal with indecision, and fight to get paid. Add to the list if I have forgotten anything. Prep Prep Prep is the first stage in this business, and as a tiling contractor, it would be cheaper to get the prep done by others. Sorry.

Perfect reply.

 

[Bill]

Having CSCS does not mean you are a great tiler.

 

[Pauly tiler]

Now that is another can of worms, why o why didn't they describe your qualifications on that card so we could see what we are getting? By the by I get a gold one for being OLD! Mates of mine who are electricians and engineering people hate that

 

[Dumbo]

Having CSCS does not mean you are a great tiler.

And I'm proof I've even got a gold one

 

[Dumbo]

Now that is another can of worms, why o why didn't they describe your qualifications on that card so we could see what we are getting? By the by I get a gold one for being OLD! Mates of mine who are electricians and engineering people hate that

You would still have to do osat and pay for the pleasure

 

[DazedConfused]

Your not wrong in finding this unacceptable - however 60 no 900x900mm is about 74sq mts - so are you replacing the whole area or just odd tiles.

Virtually every single tile has hollow points so the aim is to replace the whole area

 

[DazedConfused]

First, putting a level on the tiles means nothing. If the floor is running then the tiles will run, unless of course you paid to have the floor leveled as well by the same guys. My motto is I'm paid to make it flat not level. As long as it's flat and no lips then it's acceptable. I can see in that photo that there is variation in joint width.

the picture with the level was meant to highlight the difference in height between adjacent tiles.

I should have said the tiles are not flat as opposed to just leaving a picture with a level.

If I were to drag my trainers across where the tiles join, the tread will catch on the edge of the tiles because some tiles are almost 3mm higher than the adjacent ones

It's also worth stating that they left without grouting (and also left 6 tiles that they took up and primed but didn't have time to tile) and didn't bother to clear the excess adhesive between the tiles so I had to do that before the adhesive set.

bottom line, the ppl who did these tiles are not professional tilers, but main contractors who have likely just seen tiling done before and trying to save a few quid and doing it themselves

 

[widler]

What’s CSCS

 

[DazedConfused]

As for level, I am always amazed that the clients want the tilers to level the prepared floor they give them to work with.

I replied to another comment, I used a level to show the difference in height between tiles as opposed to the tiles themselves being level. The screed underneath is actually level, but the tiles themselves are not flat. It's like lego bricks of diff heights, it's that obvious

60 x .81m2 = 48.6m2 I believe, still a lot though.

given the responses, is the size of this sort of remedial work something that is unattractive to professional tilers? There must be something I'm missing here because I've told the contractors that cost is not an issue. I simply want the tiles done to a professional standard and am willing to pay extra for them to hire someone to do it and they still want to use their own guys for the job. The only reason why I haven't explicitly told them not to finish the job is that I have no idea how to look for a trustworthy replacement that will do a satisfactory job.

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

I made a post earlier this year regarding poorly fixed tiles and after much to and fro the contractors agreed to start replacing the tiles. They have since redone the hallway and front room and whilst they now have a nice solid bed under them, they are all at different heights to each other, some not going far enough under the skirting, and the spaces between the tiles are all different despite my providing them with spacers.

Tell me I'm not wrong in finding this unacceptable.

Are there any trust-worthy cscs registered tilers that would be willing to take on the job of removing the existing tiles and fitting new ones .

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How much did you pay for this job? Be honest

 

[Pauly tiler]

Hi, I tried to allude that I am not aware of your particular job, its just a situation that is all too common regarding bad finishes. Not many tilers like picking up other peoples work though. What is you time frame for the job to be done, I live in Cheam so not a million mile away.

 

[DazedConfused]

How much did you pay for this job? Be honest

the tiling was a small part of a larger low 6-figure renovation. All the bits that the main contractor didn't handle I certainly paid a premium. I asked for the ground floor to be tiled, I expected the contractors to do a proper job or hire someone who could. Had I been given the choice of poorly done tiles for X and properly done tiles for 2X I'd certainly have gone for the latter.

If it's going to cost me £80/m2 to redo it then so be it, but I do know the going rate for a proper job will be more around the 45-60 region. I may have the ability to pay a premium but i'm not going to be a sucker

 

[Pauly tiler]

Would you say who the main contractor is?

 

[DazedConfused]

Hi, I tried to allude that I am not aware of your particular job, its just a situation that is all too common regarding bad finishes. Not many tilers like picking up other peoples work though. What is you time frame for the job to be done, I live in Cheam so not a million mile away.

I absolutely understand, no one likes picking up after other ppl. I used to do a lot of computer programming and having to sort out someone else's code can often be a nightmare as code that needs to be redone often isn't done the proper way.

We have guests coming to stay in August for a few months so ideally we'd like it done by then. If that's not possible (delay in getting the tiles etc) then it would be to start around October. How long would something like this take? It took the contractors a day to take up 7-10 of the tiles and prime the floor in the morning, and then fix some of them in the afternoon. They never stayed past 4 which is why I still have quite a few gaps in my floor.

Even if the contractors were able to do a proper job, what has annoyed me greatly is their reliability. It's taken them since February till now to replace about 15 tiles because they keep failing to turn up and pushing back.

 

[DazedConfused]

Would you say who the main contractor is?

Wish I could but that's probably not a good idea as there's still a good few months till the final retention fee is due and I would like them to still come in and sort out any other issues without it being difficult

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

the tiling was a small part of a larger low 6-figure renovation. All the bits that the main contractor didn't handle I certainly paid a premium (kitchen and bar cost just under 6-figures). I asked for the ground floor to be tiled, I expected the contractors to do a proper job or hire someone who could. Had I been given the choice of poorly done tiles for X and properly done tiles for 2X I'd certainly have gone for the latter.

If it's going to cost me £80/m2 to redo it then so be it, but I do know the going rate for a proper job will be more around the 45-60 region. I may have the ability to pay a premium but i'm not going to be a sucker

First picture here is the going rate you are talking, see second picture is a ''premium rate well worth the money

 

[One Day]

I'd be wary of taking such a job on. Just explaining from a tilers perspective: quite often a customer sees this kind of work as a real pain and it becomes a "grudge purchase". In other words, the customer wants it put right as quickly as possible and for less money than the first time round. Then to complicate things, if there is a couple, one is usually good cop and one is bad cop, venting all the hurt, anger and frustration whilst you're trying to help.

Not always, and I get the impression that op here is totally genuine and has eyes wide open. But personally, I would always spend quite a bit of time talking (read; interviewing) with a prospective customer to get a good feeling before taking on something like this.

It's horrible coming into a project after all the frustration and hurt, but equally it can be very rewarding to see happy faces at the end...

 

[DazedConfused]

First picture here is the going rate you are talking, see second picture is a ''premium rate well worth the money

I assume you're being a little tongue in cheek here. If that isn't the case whilst I trust a professional's opinion, the subcontractor they got to do the bathroom tiles did a brilliant job. Solid adhesive bed and both floor and wall tiles all flat. His rate was 50/m2. I also asked an acquaintance who renovates homes to sell as a living what his tiler charges and he said around 55/m2. Of course I asked him if his tiler could do my job but he said no. The only place I enquired that charged £80/m2 was stone interiors who did my kitchen surface which cost a fortune

 

[DazedConfused]

Not always, and I get the impression that op here is totally genuine and has eyes wide open. But personally, I would always spend quite a bit of time talking (read; interviewing) with a prospective customer to get a good feeling before taking on something like this.

thanks for that. It's hard to know how one will come across to strangers on a public forum but being completely green about tiles when I first moved back into the house post renovation (and the tiles looked fantastic on the surface, all flat as they used a levelling system).

Bottom line, I just want the job done properly. If that involves taking time for both sides to agree on what needs to be done and how what was done prior might affect that, then there'll be no complaints from me. I'd rather get this done right once (or in this case, one more time) than rush through it and suffer from issues in a few years time.

I've been dicked around by the contractors for 6 months now and I simply want someone who acts with professional courtesy. I'd rather someone tell me that it's going to take 3 weeks to do the job and have to start later than I'd hoped than to come up with excuses at each turn for why they couldn't make it.

I've made sure not to pay the contractors for any of the tiling work and I'm not looking to find a replacement on the cheap

 

[Bill]

Why not advertise your job correctly then?....

What I mean is that you need to set a date, add a precise town location and be as flexible as you can with a new tiling contractor.

If you are willing to pay top whack then make sure you get a top whack tiler - the issue is, the top whack tiler will probably have a full diary. Patience and negotiation are key.

 

[Dumbo]

I would think you are at a point where you could kick them off the job now as you have given them the chance to rectify. I think you should now be talking to a solicitor about not paying for the tiling and not paying the retention to help with the cost of relaying the floor .

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

I assume you're being a little tongue in cheek here. If that isn't the case whilst I trust a professional's opinion, the subcontractor they got to do the bathroom tiles did a brilliant job. Solid adhesive bed and both floor and wall tiles all flat. His rate was 50/m2. I also asked an acquaintance who renovates homes to sell as a living what his tiler charges and he said around 55/m2. Of course I asked him if his tiler could do my job but he said no. The only place I enquired that charged £80/m2 was stone interiors who did my kitchen surface which cost a fortune

''the subcontractor they got to do the bathroom tiles did a brilliant job. Solid adhesive bed and both floor and wall tiles all flat. His rate was 50/m2.''
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Why not hire those subcontractors to fix the job then?

 

[DazedConfused]

''the subcontractor they got to do the bathroom tiles did a brilliant job. Solid adhesive bed and both floor and wall tiles all flat. His rate was 50/m2.''

Why not hire those subcontractors to fix the job then?

I have asked the main contractors twice already to get the subcontractors to finish the job and I will pay the difference and twice they've come up with some excuse as to why it's not possible.

 

[DazedConfused]

Why not advertise your job correctly then?....

What I mean is that you need to set a date, add a precise town location and be as flexible as you can with a new tiling contractor.

If you are willing to pay top whack then make sure you get a top whack tiler - the issue is, the top whack tiler will probably have a full diary. Patience and negotiation are key.

I'm kind of in limbo at the moment with respect to timing as the replacement tiles have already been ordered by the contractors but not delivered as they are coming in from Italy. Ideally I would have the tile supplier deliver them to the house but I'm at the mercy of how quickly the tiles get here (if they need to be manufactured first it could be an extra week or so).

For location, greenwich/blackheath is not precise enough?

As for flexibility I would like to think from my posts I've come across as being flexible with regards to timing and cost so long as the job gets done properly

I guess best course of action is to wait till I have concrete details on when the replacement tiles are ready and then post again with more specifics on time, number of tiles and approx budget?