Hollow Sounds and Space under edge of tiles? - Tile Advice

[Chris101]

We are having our kitchen redone due to problems with our suspended flooring.
As a result we have put a concrete floor down.
We have just had our tiler start on the job - laying 40m2 of porcelain tiles (60*60)

We have just inspected some of the tiles that were laid and have noticed that a couple of them sound hollow in places and when we look around the edges of the tiles, you can see gaps between the base of the tile and concrete flooring.

Please see pictures attached.

*We also have underfloor heating which had been left on by the builders before the tiler started the job, not sure if any relevance to the above?

Is this normal or do we have a problem?!

 

[Flintstone]

The underfloor heating should be switched off at least 48 hours before tiling, is it on whilst he is tiling ? It's tricky to tell exactly how he has fixed the tiles

 

[Chris101]

The underfloor heating was switched off 30mins-1hr before he started tiling.
I have videoed the project and the following picture is of the method he is using to tile



Please see video of the tiler tiling - Kitchen_20170901_122447.mp4 - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bz6kL5nCR1XKbkg4MWFpREFValE

 

[WetSaw]

As above. Also the floor doesn't seem very flat looking at the edge of the tiles. There does look like a lot of voids on the edge of the tiles.

 

[Flintstone]

The floor does look uneven which isn't great. It's really not right that he's tiling whilst the floor is heated! Did he put any adhesive on the back of the tile?

 

[Flintstone]

We all love a video on here!

 

[Chris101]

Please see video of the tiler tiling - Kitchen_20170901_122447.mp4 - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bz6kL5nCR1XKbkg4MWFpREFValE

 

[Flintstone]

What's the reason for you secretly filming your tiler? Did you suspect something? He isn't back buttering, and he isn't bedding the tiles in in the slightest, very poor methods chris.

 

[Chris101]

Secretly filming?
The whole project has been filmed and each tradesman was made aware so they didn't just turn up with a camera in their face.
Main reason was for exactly this reason - so we do not get done over again and can see exactly what is going on.

 

[Bond]

A cursory glance with a rubber mallet on the face of the tile ,skipping the back buttering process,together with the voids. ( not good practice im afraid).

 

[Italy]

if I understood correctly,
Was the heating turned off an hour earlier?
(that's no good).
buttering, it is not compulsory up to 60cm,
but it is better to do so.
it does not beat the tiles with a rubber hammer,
because the hammer is black ..... primitive)
it needs a white hammer.
when using the clamp to pull clips
I'm crying.

 

[Andy Allen]

Filming every tradesmen !!
What's the world coming to.
Don't know about anyone else but that leaves a funny taste in my mouth..

 

[WetSaw]

Filming every tradesmen !!
What's the world coming to.
Don't know about anyone else but that leaves a funny taste in my mouth..

I'd have politely declined the job. I can understand the owner if they've had trouble in the past but for me if there's no trust to begin with it's not a good start. I also wonder whether the tradesmen agreed to the video being posted on the internet and how that would look in court if problems arose.

 

[Andy Allen]

You would of had a whole video of me farting on a Monday morning after Sunday lunch !!!

 

[WetSaw]

I've filmed myself unblocking clients drains. Strangely they never want to see it!!