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Discuss When things go WRONG: Why we get called out to jobs to rescue clients with bodge job in the UK Tiling Forum area at TilersForums.com.

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Deleted member 1779

Example of when THINGS GO WRONG:

Case study:

Client uses a general builder for a loft conversion. By the time we arrived on site there was a lot of trauma and finger pointing.

The builder quotes to do all the work himself. What we see is a "basic" job gutting out then plaster boarding the loft. He completes First fix electrics, plumbing, plastering and door furniture, paints etc.

The builder has done a reasonable job. But many angles were off, work is "ok" but not perfect.

Biggest mistake the builder made was not to subcontract the tiling to a pro. The client has purchased an expensive top end selection of porcelain tiles and glass inserts. But although the builder is a jack of all trades he has never dealt with these materials before so wings it. He soon runs into all sorts of problems fitting it.

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Even so his work is not looking too bad huh!

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His Second fix is coming along nicely.

But lets look closer.... To get to this point in tiling the builder had broken about 2 x boxes of glass tiles and porcelain tiles when he tried to "drill" the service pipes.

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Above you can see he used an angle grinder used to "hack" the tiles. from the back. The problem is that the hack over-bored the holes so the capping plates do not cover the mess. He even planned the tiles to "fall" into the four corners to make the waste pipe easy to grind. Thats time wasting and not really necessary with the availability of large 40mm diamond drills. If only he knew they were out there..

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His second error is that when trying to drill small holes for example for the shower rail he tried to cheat and use the grout line. But all this managed to do was split the glass tile. Arrgggg... And to cap it all off his masonry drills were burning out on the porcelain tiles.

At this point the builder gave up and walked off the job.... Client very distressed at losing so many expensive tiles and faced with taking out this damaged tile.

The client gets onto the internet and finds 365Drills. When we arrived at the site the first thing we do is managed to convince the client we can save the tile. Saving it reduces the time on the job removing it, new adhesive, new grout and costs to the client are minimised.

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We ground out the glass with an 8mm core

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The Result (above). YES you can still see the split glass. Yes its ugly. But as luck would have it the broken piece can be covered with the capping plate as part of the shower rail. The glass had not split too deeply.

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Moving on: This next hole looks much better! This is one we started from fresh. PORSADRILL diamond core drills (size 8mm used) can grind out the glass tile and you can see that its a perfect barrel.

This result is really strong and will take a rawl plug and the fitting without splitting the glass.

NEXT:

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We then went on to finish drilling all the holes for the job to include

  • Wash basin screws (16mm) plugs
  • Shower screen rails
  • Mirrors

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The drill plate is so adaptable and flexible that when we came up against this preinstalled (and glued) shower door rail, rather than remove the rail to drill the hole, we cut a piece of the guide plate so that the 8mm guide was ultra close to the edge of the strip. It was just less hassle to cut a bit off than it was to undo the whole contraption.

SUM UP:
Tiles are becoming more sophisticated. A general builder might be able to wing it when dealing with a lot of the construction stuff. Most of it is common sense.

But clients should be aware that they pay (in time and money) for any areas the builder is not competent in.

If the builder had been aware of Porsadrill I am confident he would have saved the cost of those broken tiles when he installed service pipes. He would have saved the embarrassment of splitting a fitted glass tile. He would have saved his own time plus he would not have walked from the job for something so trivial.
 
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Deleted member 9966

Re: When things go WRONG: Why we get called out to jobs to rescue clients with bodge

Nice one Rich :hurray:

In my line of day-job work, I cannot possibly know everything there is to know about the intricasies and detail, so I always speak to someone who does know these things before I make a decision or respond to something.

Just a little bit of reflection and forward thinking can stop a lot of things going completely wrong.

:thumbsup:
 
H

Hawkofeagles

Re: When things go WRONG: Why we get called out to jobs to rescue clients with bodge

WTF !!! I can't believe the mistakes the builder made. I'm no professional but have been tiling for a few years and have always used 365Drills when needed. I have found that 365Drills are the best for drilling Porcelain, Glass, Stone and any other tile I have laid. I thought an angle grinder was for cutting steel or stone :yikes: not tiles

Well Done for turning a half decent job in to a professional looking job.. :thumbsup:

Neil.Col
 
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Deleted member 1779

Re: When things go WRONG: Why we get called out to jobs to rescue clients with bodge


Its an anti-slip guide plate.


Designed to hold the drill on the wall

br3a.jpg


It replaces the need for central pilot drills which cost over £29 each and are only made of carbide metal.

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All our drills are hollow diamond cores.

If you were to use a core with a pilot drill then it also needs to be fitted with an expensive arbour and water jet to continuously flood water to cool the pilot drill.

pilotcolour.jpg

This is core with a pilot drill... WE DO NOT USE PILOT DRILLS

Removing pilot drills saves you, time, water and money.
 
D

Deleted member 1779

Re: When things go WRONG: Why we get called out to jobs to rescue clients with bodge

On Porcelain tiles about 40 holes per pack (10 holes per drill bit) on the SMALL cores at 6mm and 8mm

tile_drill18.jpg


PLUS... The drills dont just blow like a lightbulb on hole ten.

You can get more life out of them it just takes longer to drill the holes. On average about another 5 holes per drill bit is the total lifespan on HARDEST porcelain tiles taking it up to near 15

kit6mm3.jpg


ABOUT 40 TO 60 HOLES PER PACK on the small cores.

(10 TO 15 HOLES PER DRILL)

Remember to drill slowly, use water and dont push the drills.

On Granite you can double the number of holes to about 80 per pack.

On Soft Ceramic tiles you can expect 100 holes per drill bit.

Dsc07746.jpg

On soft ceramics 100 holes per drill bit is easily achievable simply because
there is no work for the diamond holesaw to do. Once you break the
glaze then the drill hits the powder soft clay behind and takes the hole
out in seconds. And with perfect results on Porcelain & Ceramics.

Under test conditions at:
pblogo.gif


The bigger core drills

professional_builder3.jpg


At least twenty holes per drill at the larger sizes (more diamonds - longer life)
 
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M

mikethetile

Re: When things go WRONG: Why we get called out to jobs to rescue clients with bodge

Bye bye Federi !

Those glass tiles in the first post:drool5::drool5::drool5: anybody know who they are by?

tile art at hockliffe in beds stock them

ill nip in and see if they will tell me the maker

if they wont ill get tile arts details for you
 
B

Bolter

Re: When things go WRONG: Why we get called out to jobs to rescue clients with bodge

I am still on my first pack, purchased nearly 3 years ago probably. Granted I havent really use them with Porcelain, and only really break em out for stone/marble jobs, but the little blighters still keep grinding away :)

edit: damn this thread is old! Just realised the date :yikes:
 
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