Is this floor tile alignment acceptable? - Tile Advice

[dkotouza]

This is the tiling on a Victorian house bathroom floor after a renovation. Is this alignment / setting out acceptable? How can it be remedied if not?

Highlighted to the contractor from the start how the tiles do not run parallel to any of the walls, and was told the room isn’t square, so the tiler began from the middle of the room, focused on the entrance threshold. However the tiles aren’t aligned with the doorway wall or threshold either. At some point in the process, husband and I were about to ask them to remove and realign, but after going to speak to the contractor alone, he was convinced it would be ok to just make sure the bathtub is aligned with the tile pattern (by cutting into the wall slightly). Now the skirting and boxing are in (note the boxing is also not rectangular, trying to meet the tile pattern lines) and we have moved in, I think the pattern does look really off and makes the room feel wonky.

My questions are, is this acceptable or a bad quality job? Is this something nobody would notice except me (as hubby argues)?

If not acceptable, is the contractor/ tiler still responsible for remedying this, given we signed it off, not knowing how to judge the job?

Many thanks for your advice.

 

[Trigger]

Hi

Difficult one. Zoomed out it looks ok, zoomed in I can see your concerns.

As to whether it is acceptable really depends on how far out of square the room is. If it really is that far out you are on a hiding to nothing, smaller tiles will highlight the problem more than larger tiles.

Normally if a room is out of square I would decide the best place to square if off, normally where the eye is drawn to or most visible place like along the bath panel or shower tray then discuss and explain this with the customer. But if the room is not square it will always run out somewhere.

You can get a large folding set square from the likes screwfix etc if you want to check it, that way you will see if the room is out or the tiler has messed up.

 

[dkotouza]

Hi

Difficult one. Zoomed out it looks ok, zoomed in I can see your concerns.

As to whether it is acceptable really depends on how far out of square the room is. If it really is that far out you are on a hiding to nothing, smaller tiles will highlight the problem more than larger tiles.

Normally if a room is out of square I would decide the best place to square if off, normally where the eye is drawn to or most visible place like along the bath panel or shower tray then discuss and explain this with the customer. But if the room is not square it will always run out somewhere.

You can get a large folding set square from the likes screwfix etc if you want to check it, that way you will see if the room is out or the tiler has messed up.

Thank you for responding, Trigger.

These are actually large tiles but they are patterned to look like smaller ones. Hadn’t considered the effect this could have when buying.

Thanks for the folding set square tip. I will look for one.

The concern basically is that the entire tile pattern/square seems twisted to the left in relation to the whole room, including the wall where the bathtub is. Is there a reason why anyone would set out that way deliberately?

 

[Trigger]

Yes, the pattern highlights the issue.

Its difficult to be sure as it could be the angle of the photo, but if you look at the 3 sections I have highlighted they look relatively evenly spaced from the wall/skirting. If you were to twist the layout back to the right as you think it should be, it would correct the window wall but throw out the 3 sections I have highlighted (if that makes sense).

Like I say its always difficult to know whats going on without being there and measuring up.

I'm sure the tiler would be happy to show you the problem with the room if there one.

 

[GAZ5518]

Unfortunately Small geometrical patterns always show up discrepancies ….in my mind that the left hand corner is out of square
You could not swing it that amount to compensate as it would affect visually everywhere else
GW

 

[dkotouza]

Yes, the pattern highlights the issue.

Its difficult to be sure as it could be the angle of the photo, but if you look at the 3 sections I have highlighted they look relatively evenly spaced from the wall/skirting. If you were to twist the layout back to the right as you think it should be, it would correct the window wall but throw out the 3 sections I have highlighted (if that makes sense).

Like I say its always difficult to know whats going on without being there and measuring up.

I'm sure the tiler would be happy to show you the problem with the room if there one.

Hi Trigger
Thank you. I cannot see the sections you highlighted. Could you explain? I am reading the website on my phone.

To clarify, the alignment is as follows:
Wall 1, with door and stairs: Alignment almost parallel but not completely. Gap narrows from left to right.
Wall 2, with bath and boxing: Significant gap narrows from left to right. Tub digs into wall and boxing is trapezoid to match tile pattern.
Wall 3, with window: Significant gap narrows from left to right.
Wall 4 with chimney breast and toilet: Smaller gap narrows from left to right.

My non professional logic tells me that if Wall 1 was completely parallel then the other gaps would still exist but they would all be lessened. Although it would still not be perfectly parallel.

What confuses me is that the tiler did not start from wall 1, to which tiles are now almost parallel. The only wall whose line was followed exactly is the small chunk at the corner of the chimney breast. Is there a particular kind of technique that suggests this is the way to go?

 

[dkotouza]

Unfortunately Small geometrical patterns always show up discrepancies ….in my mind that the left hand corner is out of square
You could not swing it that amount to compensate as it would affect visually everywhere else
GW

Thank you, GW. I responded to Trigger to explain how the pattern is in reality because the images can be a little deceptive. Interested in your opinion on it.

 

[Trigger]

Yes, the pattern highlights the issue.

Its difficult to be sure as it could be the angle of the photo, but if you look at the 3 sections I have highlighted they look relatively evenly spaced from the wall/skirting. If you were to twist the layout back to the right as you think it should be, it would correct the window wall but throw out the 3 sections I have highlighted (if that makes sense).

Like I say its always difficult to know whats going on without being there and measuring up.

I'm sure the tiler would be happy to show you the problem with the room if there one.

Sorry I thought I attached this image.