Opinion On Bathroom Please - Tile Advice

[saliboti]

Hi,

I've just joined to ask for an opinion on the following situation.

We are in the process of having a new bathroom, which is slow progress due to a number of problems with the fitters, (6 weeks so far, for a 12 day job.) The first guy working on the job was sacked by the boss for a number of **** ups, the main one being installing the shower valve upside down (the plate was etched, so unfortunately it mattered.) Anyway, the boss has carried on now (after 2 weeks of no work while we waited for him.)

In the process of correcting the valve he obviously had to remove a number of tiles from the shower area. Ultimately this now means that he has run out of tiles for the job and has bought some more (it was a 100% supply and install agreement including the tiles). The pictures show some of the new tiles that have been fitted so far - which obviously look like a different batch. He has attached these on all 4 walls in places - and there is still a fairly large area left to tile with the new lot as well.

We pointed this out to him after the days work, and unfortunately he decided to quit the job as we had "unobtainable standards". This is combined with other outstanding issues from the previous guy he sacked (eg. scratch in bath and on waste, poor plastering around light fittings plus some other things we were originally promised will be sorted when we pointed them out.) He is always a little argumentative when we mention a problem by blaming us for the issues, even though they were caused by his fitter.

The fitter has since requested that he carries on the job, repairing the issues with the bath etc, although he is obviously not keen on correcting the tiles saying that it would damage the plasterboard if they were removed.

We have tried to be reasonable all the way through this process, but we would like some further advice on what we should do next. Should we give the guy an opportunity to carry on, and if so should we be expecting him to replace the tiles to match. (This may be problematic as the first fitter appears to have disposed of all the boxes in the skip which has now been collected so I doubt he could find the batch number?) There is £1500 remaining to pay, and the guy originally said we can use that to get someone else to finish it. However if new tiles and fitting is required it would cost a lot more than that. I don't think I am comfortable accepting the miss-matched tiles as they are obvious, but your advice would be appreciated.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks in advance. I can't appear to upload photos, so I've linked to a folder on my OneDrive:

tilersforum

I've downloaded from your one drive and inserted them.

 

[Old Mod]

@saliboti
If u'd like to explain each picture to us, from the top down, it may help.
Also any information u may have on the tiles, their sizes and what material.
Thanks.

 

[saliboti]

@saliboti
If u'd like to explain each picture to us, from the top down, it may help.
Also any information u may have on the tiles, their sizes and what material.
Thanks.

Hi 3_fall, thank you for adding the pictures.

The link to the tiles are: Rectified White Matt Tile | Topps Tiles
They are 60cm x 30xm rectified ceramic tiles in matt white.

Working from top to bottom with the pictures:

1) The 2 half tiles on the shower wall with the hole appear to be a more yellow shade. The same is true of the 1 and a half tiles adjacent to these on the other wall.

2) The quarter tile in the top corner is a different shade.

3) The second whole height tile from the top appears a different shade.

4) The one and quarter length of tiles on the top row from the corner appear a different shade.

5) The quarter tile in the bottom corner above the worktop is a different shade.

Incidentally pictures 1 & 4 also show the plasterwork around the lights.

Since my OP, I have spoken again to the fitter. He admits that 2 of the corner tiles stick out, won't acknowledge any in the shower area, and refuses to fix any of them stating that he doesn't have the time or money to carry on, and he would rather pack up his business than provide matching tiles. He does however accept that there would have been enough tiles if it wasn't for the shower valve being installed upside side, and also that he didn't check the batches of the original or new tiles.

Thank you again.

 

[macten]

The Topps store should have a record of what batch the initial tiles belonged to - then hopefully they can source some more.

 

[Andy Allen]

Topps are renowned for supplying mixed batches. .

 

[saliboti]

macten, that is useful to know, as we can try and ask them to find the original batch.

Andy, in this scenario it's not Topps fault though - the fitter bought more tiles separately because he ran out due to needing to take them off to correct the shower valve which was incorrectly fitted first time. Although he informed us this was necessary, he did not inform us that the batch would be different. He has conceded that he noticed on the wall, but did not see the need to tell us until we raised it as an issue that night. It's after this that he has quit saying he doesn't have time to put it right. He has since conceded he could try and match 2 corner tiles, but he won't acknowledge the tiles in the shower area are different - although he fitted those on the same day from the new batch as the other tiles that he has admitted to.

 

[Andy Allen]

So all the tiles that are different shades are tiles that were replaced?

 

[saliboti]

Not all of them no. The lower part of the shower wall was completed with the remaining tiles the guy had left. The majority of the new different shade tiles were actually added to areas that were still outstanding to the tiled after he fired the first guy. There are still about 4 or 5 large tiles to add to another area that also wasn't finished. That area isn't shown in the photos, but will obviously have to be done with the new ones.

 

[Italy]

cobbler that .......
He could not do a whole wall with a shade and other wall with other shades?

 

[Andy Allen]

Not all of them no. The lower part of the shower wall was completed with the remaining tiles the guy had left. The majority of the new different shade tiles were actually added to areas that were still outstanding to the tiled after he fired the first guy. There are still about 4 or 5 large tiles to add to another area that also wasn't finished. That area isn't shown in the photos, but will obviously have to be done with the new ones.

So he was given mixed batches at the start of the job ?

 

[saliboti]

cobbler that .......
He could not do a whole wall with a shade and other wall with other shades?

Given the situation we would have been happy with that situation. Additionally, there are some areas that will be hidden behind a towel rail or cupboard that we wouldn't mind being the wrong shade - however he has fitted the new batch in the most prominent area in the shower that you can see as you walk in the door. Plus other visible areas.

So he was given mixed batches at the start of the job ?

Well when asked if he checked, he has admitted he didn't check the batches initially. But given they are all the same colour I think we can say that they likely were.

The issue now has arisen because he had to buy more tiles 3/4's of the way through the job to replace removed ones that were due to the miss-fitted shower valve.

 

[Andy Allen]

Difficult one really, your not happy with the job but you still owe him alot of money and if he's not willing to come back and rectify the work then I would just use the money to get the job sorted..

 

[One Day]

Point 13 here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1982/29/part/II

Definitely not used reasonable skill and care. He's not got a leg to stand on and should correct the errors on your pics - no questions. As for damaging plasterboard? So what?! A decent tiler can cut out and make good without damaging the surroundings.

Word of advice (seriously) - if you are dealing with Topps and batch/shade variations - you will need to give them written advice of the batch/shade you want. In my experience the type of staff they employ can just about read. Verbal instruction tends to go horribly, yet somehow predictably very wrong.

 

[bcd-87]

Point 13 here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1982/29/part/II

Definitely not used reasonable skill and care. He's not got a leg to stand on and should correct the errors on your pics - no questions. As for damaging plasterboard? So what?! A decent tiler can cut out and make good without damaging the surroundings.

Word of advice (seriously) - if you are dealing with Topps and batch/shade variations - you will need to give them written advice of the batch/shade you want. In my experience the type of staff they employ can just about read. Verbal instruction tends to go horribly, yet somehow predictably very wrong.

Too right, there all Mc Donald's rejects

 

[bcd-87]

Given the situation we would have been happy with that situation. Additionally, there are some areas that will be hidden behind a towel rail or cupboard that we wouldn't mind being the wrong shade - however he has fitted the new batch in the most prominent area in the shower that you can see as you walk in the door. Plus other visible areas.



Well when asked if he checked, he has admitted he didn't check the batches initially. But given they are all the same colour I think we can say that they likely were.

The issue now has arisen because he had to buy more tiles 3/4's of the way through the job to replace removed ones that were due to the miss-fitted shower valve.

The whole thing sounds unprofessional to me