Advice please, bathroom fitter has dot and dabbed tiles!

[Mitchell]

Hi all, I'm hoping you can help with some feedback, please

My parents are currently having a new bathroom installed, all stripped back to bare walls and floor.

The fitter has done/hasn't done some things that I'm 99% sure aren't good practice, but he has convinced my Dad it is fine.

I have only done Able skills basic tiling course, but I was soaking up info like a sponge, so maybe I'm wrong, but so far my research and gut says otherwise.

The biggest issue I have, is that he has dot and dabbed the tiles to the wall. 800x800 porcelain at 8mm thick. His excuse was that the wall wasn't level, which is no excuse really because surely he should have leveled the wall before tiling. I called him out on it, he told my Dad it is perfectly fine.

He then proceeded to dot and dab the tiles onto the new wall that he built, which presumably is flat and level. Although he has done it in ply, which to my understanding isn't a suitable substrate for a shower wall?

There is no tanking on the plywood shower wall or under the bath.

I then came back yesterday to find the bathroom floor is about 16-18mm higher than the hallway carpet floor, which means a massive lip.

To top it off, it looks like the floor has been dot and dabbed too.

Some tiles aren't lined up properly or grout lines are different widths. Not big discrepancies, but considering the size of the tiles and there are only 6 tiles laid, seems a bit pony to me.

I've attached some photos. As I said, I'm a beginner when it comes to tiling, so help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bsc ceramics]

Not the best practice. Heavy tiles. I personally wouldn't have gone on ply and I think I can see some OSB there as well. Walls look well out and should have been sorted. All in all not great.
What's with the timber at the bottom?

 

[bsc ceramics]

Is he a tiler by trade or the plumber?

 

[Mitchell]

Not the best practice. Heavy tiles. I personally wouldn't have gone on ply and I think I can see some OSB there as well. Walls look well out and should have been sorted. All in all not great.
What's with the timber at the bottom?

Thanks for the feedback mate.

I guess he is a tiler by tradesorry supposed to be, as his son is the plumber.
Yeah I only noticed the OSB last night not even flush with the ply, and a load of rubbish chucked behind the walls they built (even though we have a skip)

The timber at the bottom is what he used to set off from.

It's only been a few days and one of the top tiles has popped off the ply already!

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

WOW. The plywood is the biggest concern/OSB

 

[Kastar UK]

Hi all, I'm hoping you can help with some feedback, please

My parents are currently having a new bathroom installed, all stripped back to bare walls and floor.

The fitter has done/hasn't done some things that I'm 99% sure aren't good practice, but he has convinced my Dad it is fine.

I have only done Able skills basic tiling course, but I was soaking up info like a sponge, so maybe I'm wrong, but so far my research and gut says otherwise.

The biggest issue I have, is that he has dot and dabbed the tiles to the wall. 800x800 porcelain at 8mm thick. His excuse was that the wall wasn't level, which is no excuse really because surely he should have leveled the wall before tiling. I called him out on it, he told my Dad it is perfectly fine.

He then proceeded to dot and dab the tiles onto the new wall that he built, which presumably is flat and level. Although he has done it in ply, which to my understanding isn't a suitable substrate for a shower wall?

There is no tanking on the plywood shower wall or under the bath.

I then came back yesterday to find the bathroom floor is about 16-18mm higher than the hallway carpet floor, which means a massive lip.

To top it off, it looks like the floor has been dot and dabbed too.

Some tiles aren't lined up properly or grout lines are different widths. Not big discrepancies, but considering the size of the tiles and there are only 6 tiles laid, seems a bit pony to me.

I've attached some photos. As I said, I'm a beginner when it comes to tiling, so help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Is defect after defect im afraid , at least is not finished and can be salvaged .

 

[Mitchell]

WOW. The plywood is the biggest concern/OSB

Im glad I wasn't going mad! Got him to change it all to tile backer board 👍

 

[Mitchell]

Is defect after defect im afraid , at least is not finished and can be salvaged .

Yeah, discussed it all with him, got him to change all the ply to tile backer board and tile with the correct method of adhesive application 👍

 

[Kastar UK]

Yeah, discussed it all with him, got him to change all the ply to tile backer board and tile with the correct method of adhesive application 👍

Would of gone cement board can get in 6mm and 12mm , or a green plasterboard or tile backer certainly not wood .
Looks like a easy in bath probably would of done the room while leaving the bath in the garage
Your going to have to project manage that job or going to end up with a mess

 

[Dan]

I appreciate you all chipping in here lads. *bows down to you.

 

[Lou]

Have you got any photos of the redone tiling?

 

[Mitchell]

I appreciate you all chipping in here lads. *bows down to you.

Me too! My folks were on the cusp of letting him leave it as it was. So I'm grateful for the back up 🍻

 

[Mitchell]

Have you got any photos of the redone tiling?

Just these so far, Lou. I will get my dad to said me some pics when all finished 👍

 

[Kastar UK]

Just these so far, Lou. I will get my dad to said me some pics when all finished 👍

Few more fixings not go a miss imho is why i like cement board , can drive lots of screws into it sink the heads and dont need those plates

 

[Samerlam]

Yeah this guy doesn’t know how too tile I’m sorry you’ve got such a bad tradesmen doing your bathroom. I’ve been tiling 12 years tiling is a different game nowadays using large format tiles takes knowledge and skill. so many cowboys out here taking on jobs that they can’t do I can’t get my head round people still dot and dabbing they use a notched trowel but dot and dab tiles 😂😂. 30 years ago that was the practice but now there’s a lot more too it what ever you do don’t pay this guy and kick him off the job.

 

[Samerlam]

Prep is key with tiling. walls dont have too be level as in in the bubble as some times with old houses and certain circumstances it’s impossible but bows and bumps can be sorted using bonding and a straight edge prior too tiling. Flat is what your looking for building tiles out with adhesive shouldn’t be done as you end up with hollow points.

 

[TimelessJohn]

So has he taken the tiles already fixed to plywood on other wall off - or just leaving them?
Looks a really disappointing effort so far!

 

[Kastar UK]

Prep is key with tiling. walls dont have too be level as in in the bubble as some times with old houses and certain circumstances it’s impossible but bows and bumps can be sorted using bonding and a straight edge prior too tiling. Flat is what your looking for building tiles out with adhesive shouldn’t be done as you end up with hollow points.

Technically tiling out of plumb is a defect unless the customer is willing to accept it , like you say some walls are 1 and 3/4 inch out of plumb

 

[demi34]

Hi all, I'm hoping you can help with some feedback, please

My parents are currently having a new bathroom installed, all stripped back to bare walls and floor.

The fitter has done/hasn't done some things that I'm 99% sure aren't good practice, but he has convinced my Dad it is fine.

I have only done Able skills basic tiling course, but I was soaking up info like a sponge, so maybe I'm wrong, but so far my research and gut says otherwise.

The biggest issue I have, is that he has dot and dabbed the tiles to the wall. 800x800 porcelain at 8mm thick. His excuse was that the wall wasn't level, which is no excuse really because surely he should have leveled the wall before tiling. I called him out on it, he told my Dad it is perfectly fine.

He then proceeded to dot and dab the tiles onto the new wall that he built, which presumably is flat and level. Although he has done it in ply, which to my understanding isn't a suitable substrate for a shower wall?

There is no tanking on the plywood shower wall or under the bath.

I then came back yesterday to find the bathroom floor is about 16-18mm higher than the hallway carpet floor, which means a massive lip.

To top it off, it looks like the floor has been dot and dabbed too.

Some tiles aren't lined up properly or grout lines are different widths. Not big discrepancies, but considering the size of the tiles and there are only 6 tiles laid, seems a bit pony to me.

I've attached some photos. As I said, I'm a beginner when it comes to tiling, so help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi they have to come out and walls replaced with hardiebaker boards

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks for all of your feedback.
Here is a little update for you all.

He installed took the tiles off and installed tile backer board...then proceeded to do a bad job.
I told my folks to sack him off, unfortunately they didn't listen. Now he says they're just being fussy, thankfully they withheld the next payment, so there is that. I will post some photos of the mostly finished job.

Also no tanking or anything under the bath.

Oh and where the tiles aren't cut level.with each other, apparently that is ok because they will mask it off and paint over the tiles 🤣🤦🏻

 

[Kastar UK]

Thanks for all of your feedback.
Here is a little update for you all.

He installed took the tiles off and installed tile backer board...then proceeded to do a bad job.
I told my folks to sack him off, unfortunately they didn't listen. Now he says they're just being fussy, thankfully they withheld the next payment, so there is that. I will post some photos of the mostly finished job.

Also no tanking or anything under the bath.

Oh and where the tiles aren't cut level.with each other, apparently that is ok because they will mask it off and paint over the tiles 🤣🤦🏻

Sorry to see
Really if with-holding payment need to serve the contractor a Notice of intent .
To cover basic points
1, The problems , snags , whats wrong with the job , a list
2, What you want doing about it .
3, When you want it doing by
4, When he will get his money

 

[Mitchell]

Sorry to see
Really if with-holding payment need to serve the contractor a Notice of intent .
To cover basic points
1, The problems , snags , whats wrong with the job , a list
2, What you want doing about it .
3, When you want it doing by
4, When he will get his money

Thanks mate. We are going to get an invoice from another tiler, to see how much it will cost to put everything right and go from there.
He has already had way too much money up front and hasn't actually finished the job yet, so it is a bit tricky.

 

[Kastar UK]

Thanks mate. We are going to get an invoice from another tiler, to see how much it will cost to put everything right and go from there.
He has already had way too much money up front and hasn't actually finished the job yet, so it is a bit tricky.

In UK contract law before getting quotes to put the job right must first give the original contractor fair notice to correct alleged defects , is only if he fails to rectify , next step would be to get estimate from expert witness , not a tradesman .
The cuts for the niche id a spent an hour lugging a 40kg wet saw around just to do those few cuts , its just not fair he can get away with that and i cant be so much as 0.5mm out

 

[Mitchell]

In UK contract law before getting quotes to put the job right must first give the original contractor fair notice to correct alleged defects , is only if he fails to rectify , next step would be to get estimate from expert witness , not a tradesman .
The cuts for the niche id a spent an hour lugging a 40kg wet saw around just to do those few cuts , its just not fair he can get away with that and i cant be so much as 0.5mm out

Ah ok, thanks for that. Is there a specific place/protocol to.find an expert witness? I've googled, but not having much luck. We definitely don't want him attempting to put the issues right himself, as he is arguing there are no issues and to be honest, from the quality of work so far, he can't be trusted!

 

[Kastar UK]

Ah ok, thanks for that. Is there a specific place/protocol to.find an expert witness? I've googled, but not having much luck. We definitely don't want him attempting to put the issues right himself, as he is arguing there are no issues and to be honest, from the quality of work so far, he can't be trusted!

I understand but still , must serve the contractor with a notice of intent offering fair opportunity to rectify the work , is pre action protocol .
In an ideal world you want him to come put things right .
Hopefully it shows him your serious and you have followed proper procedure
Understand is probably not going to happen but still must follow the process .
If the contractor fails to attend or rectify by a reasonable date , then one might employ expert witness to prepare a report for the courts.
Usually some kind of building surveyor acts as expert witness

Need to be careful is not throwing good money after bad .
Be aware if with hold payment is nothing stopping him taking you to court , other than shame .
Without a notice of intent from you , he would probably win in court and be awarded judgment .

If can put it another way , you have with held his money, without a notice of intent offering reasonable solutions , looks like your trying to rip him off .

I know its no help but ive seen jobs the homeowner had 5 buckets dotted about lounge dinning room because of all the leaks from a new bathroom install , abandoned by the contractor , jobs where they had even removed the old kitchen and never gone back
At least is only issues with tiling and finishing

Also i did say you would need to project manage the job, the chips where visable before he grouted , myself would of just smashed them with the hammer and he would of come into that the next day ;-)

Depends , how you look at it ? if you have with held enough £ , and he not bothered & they can live with it , then in some respects is a job well done

If this guy cares about his business once served hes going to have someone round asap to put things right or reach compromise