Advice Please - Is This Tiling Acceptable?

[javeiro]

Currently having a new bathroom installed, and the builder has used subway tiles. I noticed that a few were not even after he put them up, and I though maybe would look better when he grouted. However they still look uneven to me. I would like advice as to weather i am being too fussy. Any advice welcome, thank you. Here are a couple of pics.

 

[StevieBoy]

Don't really know what to comment about the floor

I agree - words fail me.

 

[javeiro]

Don't really know what to comment about the floor

Honesty is always the best policy. The damage has already been done here.

 

[White Room]

It's ***** then....IMO

 

[javeiro]

It's ***** then....IMO

Haha! It's not even level. I will try politely to tell him tommorow that I am not happy. What a waste of materials.

 

[White Room]

Haha! It's not even level. I will try politely to tell him tommorow that I am not happy. What a waste of materials.

And your time....

 

[Ste-G]

Has the floor been grouted???

Remember, grouting can make a good job look bad and a bad job look goo....nah scrap that I'm not kidding anyone am I.

 

[javeiro]

How do I go about this problem now. I have paid him upfront for the materials, do I refuse the rest of the payment? Ask him to stop immediately? Very frustrated.

 

[Joe]

Tell him you've had a professional tiler see it and that you've been advised not to pay for it then tell him you're not happy with it and point everything out. Ask him if he'll refund the money so you can get it done properly. You have to tell him.

 

[One Day]

How do I go about this problem now. I have paid him upfront for the materials, do I refuse the rest of the payment? Ask him to stop immediately? Very frustrated.

i think the kind thing would be to give him a voucher for an eye test.

 

[javeiro]

Tell him you've had a professional tiler see it and that you've been advised not to pay for it then tell him you're not happy with it and point everything out. Ask him if he'll refund the money so you can get it done properly. You have to tell him.

Even refund the money I have given him for materials ? The work is that bad you think ?

 

[Joe]

I'm afraid so. There's a high chance he won't refund you. But if he has any idea at all he should know his work is unacceptable. It's you who'll have to pay for the materials again. Why should you ? It's up to you obviously but I would imagine that most people would want that redone.

 

[Ste-G]

Even refund the money I have given him for materials ? The work is that bad you think ?

All joking aside, I feel for you. It's very easy for everyone to say do this or do that, me included, but if you're not a confrontational person it can be very intimidating to front someone and tell them their work is so poor that you want a full refund, it can feel easier to just cut your losses and start again.
I'm not saying do that, just do what's best for you. It's just a shame you've been put in this horrible situation.

 

[Rich Midge]

Education, education, education! What is it with our trade that so many people can't tell a good job from a bad one? Luckily this forum exists for amongst other things people can be informed exactly as to how a wall should look or how a floor should be set out etc. I go to so many jobs where the customer has done a bit of tiling or had diyer in to a job and is genuinely impressed with it whereas all I can see is mistakes. It doesn't seem to happen with other trades. If a Plumber does a bad job, he may have a leak. A dodgy painter may have runs in the gloss etc. Customers see this but so many can't spot misaligned tiles or poorly finished grout. I just don't get it. Rant over. Soz.

 

[p4ulo]

Whatta mess. Thing is, the walls are finished so might have to live with them, but the floor could come up fairly easily, and it looks a much worse effort than the walls. I suggest, don't pay any more, forget the parts payment that's gone I'm afraid, but I would get a pro to do the floor (with some nice tiles) and that will at least soften the impact of the walls if the floor looks nice?!

 

[Joe]

Education, education, education! What is it with our trade that so many people can't tell a good job from a bad one? Luckily this forum exists for amongst other things people can be informed exactly as to how a wall should look or how a floor should be set out etc. I go to so many jobs where the customer has done a bit of tiling or had diyer in to a job and is genuinely impressed with it whereas all I can see is mistakes. It doesn't seem to happen with other trades. If a Plumber does a bad job, he may have a leak. A dodgy painter may have runs in the gloss etc. Customers see this but so many can't spot misaligned tiles or poorly finished grout. I just don't get it. Rant over. Soz.

I've done 3 years of an apprenticeship years ago and I don't consider myself anywhere near a pro. Before I started I thought tiling looked easy. I understand exactly what you mean and it frustrates me how many people think they can tile simply because they can stick tiles down. I see substandard tiling all of the time. I just assume the people responsible for it don't know what professional tiling is. I also think maybe it does happen with other trades but we don't notice because we do not see it. Tiling really is a skill you can only learn from being on the job with a professional for a long time.

 

[macten]

Christ!

 

[Bathfix Bob]

What is the latest outcome of this?

What did he tile onto? 6mm plywood probably on the floor?

 

[dynamictiling]

Very true there!!! My dad agreed to have the bathroom done by him as he was recommended by another relative, personally I would have used a dedicated SKILLED tiler, not a painter and decorator. He has just done the floor, Ill put a picture up for you to see. This just keeps getting more hilariously bad !!!! Look at this!!!

View attachment 78447 View attachment 78448

What you really need to do is take the tiling tools away from him and give him a paint brush. Judging by these pics, I would personally recommend stripping the lot and starting again. There is to much wrong with this job to fix.

 

[javeiro]

Look at this finishing around the window and corner of ceiling.

 

[Meddler]

Look at this finishing around the window and corner of ceiling.

View attachment 78613 View attachment 78614

I’m coming in a bit late to this thread but this week has certainly has highlighted the bodgit, fleecum & run brigade.

As with any job (as an experienced tiler or not) its taking the time to appreciate how the job will turn out and the likely problems before starting. The temptation for a lot of people is to just get stuck in and (try to) sort out the problems at the end. A bit of effort with the planning, taking time and pride of workmanship is key. The advantage of an experienced tiler working full time (or any other skilled tradesman) is that he has encountered most problems already and is immediately aware of the pitfalls – unfortunately they also know how to cut corners which can also detract from the overall appearance of the finished job.

I’m not a pro tiler but do small tiling jobs, generally where these are part of a project, and would be horrified if my jobs ended up like those exposed by Javeiro or Tianqiang Situ. If you employ a skilled tradesman at a reasonable rate you are right to expect a reasonable outcome. If you are not happy then don’t pay and for a real mess that you cant live with you should be entitled to the materials and the cost of reinstatement. However, unless your tradesman recognises the problem and agrees to rectify the work himself the courts will be the only way to get full recompense – but easier said than done. Just keep a good record of both his workmanship and conversations / agreements in case he tries to recover his costs from you.

Naming and shaming is one way you can help others not fall into the same trap – ie leave reviews.

I hope you get a satisfactory resolution.

 

[Lakey]

Painter decorator. Walk your dog if u like . All i do is tile. Theirs ur problem multitrader.jack of all trades king of nothing

I fit bathrooms for a living which makes me a 'multi-trader'.....you can be 'more than' competent at multiple things you know!

 

[dynamictiling]

I fit bathrooms for a living which makes me a 'multi-trader'.....you can be 'more than' competent at multiple things you know!

Lakey, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I believe in being the master in 1 trade. I can do plumbing, joinery and electrical work ( obviously I get my electrician out to check and sign off ANY electrical work I carry out). This all started at the recession as I wasn't working and all my best mates were. They are joiners, sparkys, plumbers and plasterers. I don't touch gas works, not gas registered. But typically speaking I would rather lose money and save face than try and do another trade on a customers house.

I am not trying to say tradesman can't be multi skilled but typically plumbers are good at plumbing, tilers are good at tiling, plasterers are good at plasterering, so on and so forth. My dad is a builder he is multi skilled. Great at tiling, plastering, electrics (NICEIC registered) and plumbing but he is absolutely pish ***** at joinery work. So much so, he never touches joinery work.

The point I am making is everyone has an Achilles heel, something they aren't good at. In my opinion no one can truly be top notch in every aspect of building work.

I also do bathroom renewals. I always get other trades in. Always! Typically I carry a joiner, plumber (gas safe registered), plaster, electrician (NICEIC registered) and a Tiler (myself or one of my guys). In my opinion it is much better to spread yourself over 3 to 4 jobs as appose to 5-6 guys tripping over each other on the 1 job.

 

[One Day]

In my opinion no one can truly be top notch in every aspect of building work.

WRONG!!! I'd say pretty much every builder I've come across is a complete Master at everything he condescends to turn his God-like hand to.

 

[dynamictiling]

I fit bathrooms for a living which makes me a 'multi-trader'.....you can be 'more than' competent at multiple things you know!

Lakey, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I believe in being the master in 1 trade. I can do plumbing, joinery and electrical work ( obviously I get my electrician out to check and sign off ANY electrical work I carry out). This all started at the recession as I wasn't working and all my best mates were. They are joiners, sparkys, plumbers and plasterers. I don't touch gas works, not gas registered. But typically speaking I would rather lose money and save face than try and do another trade on a customers house.

I am not trying to say tradesman can't be multi skilled but typically plumbers are good at plumbing, tilers are good at tiling, plasterers are good at plasterering, so on and so forth. My dad is a builder he is multi skilled. Great at tiling, plastering, electrics (NICEIC registered) and plumbing but he is absolutely pish ***** at joinery work. So much so he never touches joinery work.

The point I am making is everyone has a

 

[Italy]

talking to honestly, I 50 years, I saw the first tile I was 10..
right now every day there are new, glues, fillers, primers, tiles of all types, that's 50 years many times I'm in trouble and I just laying tile.
Now, I wonder how one person can do an excellent job making plumber, electrician, carpenter, bricklayer, painter etc.etc.
always be a job + or - good ...... more -
This is my thinking, no offense to anyone

 

[Meddler]

Dynamictiling has hit the nail on the head. The key is knowing what you can do and not tackling jobs you cant do or are “pish *****” at. Unfortunately, many trades either dont know they are doing a ***** job or don’t care.

It’s the details that make a good job stand out. It goes without saying that a good trade works expediently but, for example, a good plumber can not only join lengths of pipe but also arranges them in a neat and methodical manner. Similarly, a good tiler avoids the unsightly corners and will look at this work and “tweak” a gap to ensure it looks right – unlike the examples illustrated this week !.

It is so easy to set up in a trade these days (being successful is a different matter) and many clients are unaware of the standards to expect. If only more customers were aware of reasonable standards and were unwilling to put up with poor workmanship it would help raise standards all round.

 

[Andy Allen]

I actually quoted one of the bad tiling threads on the forum and left my plumbers number with the customer. ...He could of had a tiler with 34 years experience and a plumber with 40 years experience instead he's ended up with an unsatisfactory job..
I would say 99% of bad tiling is done by crossover trades.
Some trades need to realise when there out of there depth, just doing an average d.I.y job, just isn't exceptable to a paying customer.
And customers need to do more research, choose the right trade for the right job.......and don't put up with tiling that's not to a high standered ...

 

[javeiro]

This is what the floor tile grout looks like after 2 days. Rubs off on my finger. What's gone on here ??????

 

[Andy Allen]

Are the tiles fixed to a wood substrate?

 

[javeiro]

Are the tiles fixed to a wood substrate?

I believe so yes. When will the grout dry properly ? Is it usual to have bits coming away like that ?