Tiling disaster help

[JLammy]

Could I have some help and recommendations on how I should proceed in fixing these issues done by a so called professional tiler that has since ran away with half of the payment and I can no longer contact him.

I supplied the tiles & tile trim, leaving him to use his choice of adhesive and grout. Walls are all new, as this is a new build house, and I fitted in the shower tray and waterproofed the shower area. All he needed to do was tile.

Problems (photos probably speak for themselves):

• Tiles are not level (some were extremely bad and he has smashed these off and damaged the plasterboard)
• Tile spacing is bad
• Gaps between the tile trim and the tile is bad
• Tile trim cut too short (I supplied more trim than required for the job, so there's plenty of trim left that he could have used)

I'm really not sure what I should/can do right now and it has been left unusable.

 

[Tony_C]

I reckon you perhaps already know this but it all needs to come off from what I can see

 

[bsc ceramics]

😱 😵
What ever this bloke was he was not a tiler. as tony said its a rip out and start again.
Cant believe anyone would do work to this standard. I would hunt him down so keep trying people like this should be named and shamed to stop them doing this to people

 

[Deleted member 54066]

Why the hell did you give him any money before he had finished? Do you pay for your car service half way through? A good Tradesman will never ask for cash up front.
Remove it all and start again

 

[JLammy]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be removing the tiles myself this weekend - one heck of a lesson learnt! Him not finishing the job I can force myself to accept, but doing a terrible job that needs taking down and redoing is the worse part... Not sure if I'm allowed to name and shame on here (I would if it's allowed)

I don't normally pay any tradesman upfront or halfway through the job, but on this occasion, he continuously asked for payment, as he said that he's had financial troubles to pay for some of the materials upfront, so I agreed. Never again...

 

[Perfect Tiling]

Oh my....what a mess. No wonder he's had financial troubles...people probably won't pay for what he's done....he should be paying them as its more work to rectify. Any good tradesman should have a portfolio of work they can show you and even customers who can vouch for you. As its been said.....it all needs replacing. If he ripped off a couple of tiles because they weren't right....what state were they in if he left the others on the wall.

 

[finlay]

Very sorry for you but it’s as bad as it gets definitely not a tiler , be very careful who you use next time , good look

 

[JLammy]

He did have a few 5* reviews from other customers - I'm now questioning whether they're actually customers! He showed me his work in so called hotels, that's why I chose him.

I started taking off a few tiles today. Is there a reason for the plasterboard feeling damp/wet, to the extent that the paper is coming off?

 

[Deleted member 54066]

You saying he has tiled over wall paper?
A lot of these reviews on sites are false and most site don't let customers put bad reviews up. Thought everyone knew that!

 

[Perfect Tiling]

I think he means the paper face of the plasterboard coming off.

Your best bet would be to remove the whole lot.....if the paper face is coming off and you've got holes then you won't be able to tank it properly.....best to start again.

 

[JLammy]

Yep, I was referring to the paper face of the plasterboard. I'm just gutted that I have to redo everything again now, as I spent a lot of time and effort in putting up new plasterboard, fitting in the shower tray, tanking it, all done myself... just for this guy to mess it up completely. Should have just attempted to tile it myself instead!

Here's a photo of it prior to him tiling it.

 

[Perfect Tiling]

Yep....looks spot on....all ready for a decent tiler to come in and do a grand job for you!!!!
You could and probably would have done a much better job of it.
If your'e going to reboard it....I usually leave any shower recesses until I start tiling....this way I can avoid any fragile or unbalanced cuts. I try to get it so the bottom of the recess is on the top of a tile and the top of the recess is on the bottom of a tile.....you have a full tile both top and bottom so no L shaded tiles.

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

Looks like cheap labour to me. Be honest, how much did you pay for that job?

 

[ray coates]

how much had he drank 2/3 bottles whiskey. only a complete drunk could of done such a pathetic job

 

[JLammy]

Looks like cheap labour to me. Be honest, how much did you pay for that job?

£800 for 18m2

 

[Boggs]

Wow 😳

 

[Wayne Brown]

Wow is putting it mildly this chancer has ruined your careful prep work no other option but to remove the shoddy work and start again it should look more like this feel for you this is a harsh lesson to learn ☹️ . Regards Kop

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

£800 for 18m2

No wonder, that's cheap labour, an in and out job.
Customers often think they could get a good job for cheaper rate, but that's not the case, you always get what you pay for. You the customer have to wonder why so cheap, you paid that guy to hack your job. That is sad!

 

[Boggs]

No wonder, that's cheap labour, an in and out job.
Customers often think they could get a good job for cheaper rate, but that's not the case, you always get what you pay for. You the customer have to wonder why so cheap, you paid that guy to hack your job. That is sad!

Sorry I don’t agree.

£800 is not cheap for 18sqm.

It’s a 3 day job start to finish, even supplying 4 bags of addy and grout he would still be looking around £230 a day labour.

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

Sorry I don’t agree.

£800 is not cheap for 18sqm.

It’s a 3 day job start to finish, even supplying 4 bags of addy and grout he would still be looking around £230 a day labour.

Clearly not
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Sorry I don’t agree.

£800 is not cheap for 18sqm.

It’s a 3 day job start to finish, even supplying 4 bags of addy and grout he would still be looking around £230 a day labour.

How long have you been tiling for?
What kind of job can you deliver in 3 days work?

 

[Boggs]

Time served Plumber for 26 years.
Tiling for 16 years.

This was 4.5 days work, full rip out to finish, two of us.

Rip out, full prep, tiles, refit and decorated.


View attachment 112544View attachment 112545View attachment 112546View attachment 112547

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

I am not saying you cannot tile, everybody can tile. But you are a plumber then not a tiler or put it that way, you are a bathroom fitter. If you are a tiler then you should know the trade from head to toe including the price. Even though you can tile that does not make you a tiler and no offence to you or anyone else. Should I post some pictures of a real tiler 23 years in the trade? Grown some grey hair installing hectares of natural stone and ceramics.
The art of tiling is complicated. Takes years, even decades of practice.

 

[Boggs]

Well clearly not everyone can tile 😉

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

Well clearly not everyone can tile 😉

Everybody can tile but not everybody can deliver, that's what I meant to say
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The art of tiling is complicated. Takes years, even decades of practice. ​

 

[Deleted member 54066]

I'm with Boggs on this, this isn't a full stone job.
£800 is spot on in that area for a top class job in porcelain / ceramic.
You're being a knob detro with those comments.

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

I'm with Boggs on this, this isn't a full stone job.
£800 is spot on in that area for a top class job in porcelain / ceramic.
You're being a knob detro with those comments.

Not trying to hurt anyone's feelings
I cannot deliver a top notch job in 3 days. I can throw them tiles on the walls like no other and you get what you get
Don't know what your standards are but I have high standards when it comes to tiling, no matter where you are located I would still charge my standard price
Like I have said, the art of tiling is complicated

 

[Boggs]

Come on, lets not highjack this thread with arguing.
The point is OP has had a bad job done, by the looks of it it probably wasn’t the cheapest quote and wasn’t really underpriced, imho.

The standard he received is totally unacceptable and this will need to be redone in full, and is going to be costly.

As is always the case when getting work done, first hand reviews from friends, family and previous customers is essential to protect yourself from being ripped off, and a few written web reviews are really not enough.

Tough lesson learnt I think.

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

Come on, lets not highjack this thread with arguing.
The point is OP has had a bad job done, by the looks of it it probably wasn’t the cheapest quote and wasn’t really underpriced, imho.

The standard he received is totally unacceptable and this will need to be redone in full, and is going to be costly.

As is always the case when getting work done, first hand reviews from friends, family and previous customers is essential to protect yourself from being ripped off, and a few written web reviews are really not enough.

Tough lesson learnt I think.

Agree with you
Best way to hire is no upfront charges. Pay upon completion. If job does not meet the standards no pay. Simple as that
But all that comes to a price

 

[Deleted member 54066]

As we should all have seen, the more you pay will not mean the better the job.

 

[Tile Marble Granite]

As we should all have seen, the more you pay will not mean the better the job.

No up front charges
Payment upon delivery
If you do not deliver your promises no pay
But all that comes to a price

 

[Deleted member 54066]

In 25 years, ive never taken a deposit, cash upfront.
Invoiced on completion and given 30 days to pay. Thats how i work but know many wouldn't or can't