Tiling quality advice - Tile Advice

[surreyMan]

Hi all,


We've currently got builders in redoing our bathroom and we bought our tiles from Homebase and told the builders this in advance and they had no concerns. One the first day they started laying tiles, we noticed a lot of edges sticking out between each tile. They promised to remedy them but have only done a few and thinking we won't notice have gone on to grout. Can someone please take a look at these tiles and tell me if you'd accept this or request they fix them?

They started to moan that its the quality of the tiles and that they're warped at the ends, I said I'd take them back, but they said no... if that was the case why is it one corner that's poking out vs a whole end? I've laid tiles before and feel the effort I put in supersedes this and I've only done it twice in my life, if a corner of a tile is sticking out I'd have adjusted the amount of cement and reapplied the tile.. am I being too picky?

Thank you!!

 

[Trigger]

Picture could be deceptive but on the last pic the tiles look bowed to me and I think it also looks thicker on the right hand side, but it could just be the angle of the photo.

Ultimately if you were aware that they were warped you should of stood your ground and returned them. The tiler can only install what you supply.

Equally they could just be poorly installed.

 

[surreyMan]

We asked the tiler/builder to inspect everything before they started.. they didn't. What more can I do. :/ They happily started laying them and then made a complaint at which point I said, I'll take them back stop.. and they didn't want to know, so I assumed it couldn't have been that bad and they're just having a bit of a moan.. late in the game.

They've since replaced a couple of them.. I mean if you come across a bowed one, don't use it. Common sense to me.

 

[Trigger]

We asked the tiler/builder to inspect everything before they started.. they didn't. What more can I do. :/ They happily started laying them and then made a complaint at which point I said, I'll take them back stop.. and they didn't want to know, so I assumed it couldn't have been that bad and they're just having a bit of a moan.. late in the game.

They've since replaced a couple of them.. I mean if you come across a bowed one, don't use it. Common sense to me.

Fair enough if you requested they inspect them. Ultimately if you are not happy with it ask for it to be redone.

With regards saying what more could you have done, you could have inspected the tiles yourself prior to the tiler arriving and if you found any the were bowedfaulty you could have taken them back for an exchange/refund. That way the tiler wouldn't have had to turn up to a load of bowed tiles. Common sense to me.

I agree if you come across a bowed tile don't use it, this is diffucult if lets say 90% are bowed.

 

[surreyMan]

To be honest I'm paying him to do the job.. I shouldn't have to check the tiles. If he had checked before he did his job need have avoided the problem. I'd never fit something to a car if I felt it was sub standard. That said lesson learnt can't trust the installer to check his materials and will check everything next time.. but again I'm not a professional so bit hard for me to spot it, and I bet 90% of customers would fall into that category.

 

[Trigger]

To be honest I'm paying him to do the job.. I shouldn't have to check the tiles. If he had checked before he did his job need have avoided the problem. I'd never fit something to a car if I felt it was sub standard. That said lesson learnt can't trust the installer to check his materials and will check everything next time.. but again I'm not a professional so bit hard for me to spot it, and I bet 90% of customers would fall into that category.

Hi SurreyMan

I feel I've upset you as I didn't give you the answer you wanted. Its always difficult to offer an opinion on a forum as I haven't seen or held the tiles or been in on the conversations between the you and your builder.

Like I have already said he may have just installed them badly. I can't answer that for you without knowing the tiles or the state of the wall he was tiling over.

However if you supplied the sub standard materials, you have to take some responsibility for that. The fact that you think they are sub standard is between you and Homebase. Blaming the tiler because you supplied sub standard tiles is not fair, he's only a tiler not a magician. If he has offered to replace the dodgy ones take him up on his offer.

I agree it would be difficult for most customers to notice this problem, but you did notice it and said you could of taken them back, which you should have done if you weren't happy. You could then pay the tiler any additional costs for the extra time wasted.

If you have any spare tiles put them face down on a flat surface and see if they rock, that should show you if one corner of the tile sticks out more than any other. Also put a straight edge across the front and back to see how flat they are.

I hope you get it resolved.

 

[surreyMan]

You haven't upset me I'm just fed up with these builders so maybe that's coming across. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. Like I said in my first message, after day one of tiling it took me to say something about the quality of the timing and it was only then they Mohammed about the tile quality. I said i'd take them back but he insisted it was fine and to carry on. They are a week behind schedule so they definitely won't be getting extra time costs, if anything they should deduct for leaving us stranded for longer. I've put some of the tiles on a table (I bought extra) just today actually to show them there was no rock or warp on between them. My hand ran smoothly across the lips. Sadly I just don't think they're that good which is why I shared photos to enquire.