Bad bad bad tiling - edited in first post

OMG I feel like crying..the tilers that we hired to do our kitchen have made a real mess of the floor, its not parallel to the walls or the cabinets and its just a total mess! They have tiled our boiler cupboard closed and they have now told me, on Wednesday night, they aren't coming back until Saturday...I have my parents flying in for a visit on Tuesday, this won't be finished until Monday. I can't use my kitchen, I can't take the baby in there, we are holed up in one room really and its just such a huge freaking mess.

I called the other partner in the business and he has said he will come around this morning to look at the mess that the other tiler has made...he has laid 82 tiles, all crooked.

I don't know how to make sure these contractors do a good job, I don't know anything about tiling, I surely can't be expected to follow them around with a bleeding spirit level all day to make sure its done correctly...I am so disappointed with the whole thing.

They came recommended by the company that built the kitchen, who did a wonderful job. I can't imagine that this guy knows what he is doing...I am trusting that they will set it all right, but who knows!!!

eta: Well we had a master tiler come today to look at the job and he said it was done all wrong, they used the wrong focal point and that the whole thing will have to come up, the tiles will be no good (thats 82 tiles that cost £2 a pop (thats like $3.60) and he will have to level the whole floor, and start again. The guys who did it before used inappropriate adhesive, they did them all wonky and just a shi*t job really. Also, the backsplash has to be finished off, grouted, cleaned up and has to have an enhancer put on...so there is still a bit more to do! So he will get back to me tomorrow with a quote for the job and he can start the week after next if we decide to do it (which we most likely will) So wish us luck!!!

Message edited 11/21/2006 5:26:44 PM.

Re: Bad bad bad tiling

have they grouted yet? Sometimes it looks odd until the grout is in. For the boiler - could you plane the bottom of the door to get it to open - I know it's not the best situation, but at least you will be able to open the door then.


I'm sorry you are going through this stress

Re: Bad bad bad tiling

As someone who just redid her kitchen too, I have to say - that s*cks!!! I'd be livid. I hope you can get some resolution....I hope the partner can fix it. Its a shame that they came recommended too and did such a bad job.

Re: Bad bad bad tiling

I'm sorry you are going through this. It's so exciting to get a new kitchen and you shouldn't have to deal w/ this!

I would take a level to it and make sure they are off. My tilers used one of those laser levels and they just followed the lines. If it's not as perfect as it can be I would make them rip it all up and start over. It may sound drastic and I am a bit of a perfectionist/control freak but when I'm paving for a service I expect it to be done right. I'm sure the guy coming today will give you a resolution!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling

Thanks for your support, it isn't that the actual tiles are crooked, its just that they are not square to the kitchen cabinets and plinths.

They came tonight and ASSURED me that its right. They said that when tiling an open room you use the exact mathematical center of the room to start, however our island is in the middle of the room so they have to choose a focal point to use as their center, so they chose the island and have squared the tiles from there, I am not exactly sure what to do now because I do know from watching HGTV type shows that is how tiling is done. Oy vey, what a palaver!!

Part of me thinks as they are ASSURING me that its right and that they will finish it correctly, I should let them finish and then go from there...I haven't paid them a penny, so I have the upper hand here...

So, thats the story! I hope they are right that its right...

Re: Bad bad bad tiling

Can you take pics and post what your referring to as not right?

Re: Bad bad bad tiling

So the off cuts along the cabinets are not going to run parallell to them cabinets....
Here are some pictures:

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

I see what you mean that they are not parallel. But I wonder if you will notice when they finish and grout. Of course now that you know - you will see it all the time.


Can you try to see if you can find the mathematical center of the room yourself and see if they really did start there?

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

That's RIDICULOUS!!!!

Ummmmm.... have they heard of snapping a chalkline?

Even if for some reason the room wasn't parallel, and yes it can happen in older houses, then they can compensate by doing everything at a slight angle parallel to the cabinetry.

Why didn't they lay the floor before the cabinets? especially if there is an open toe kick

I would make them do the entire job over.
Definitely, do not pay them one more pound!!!

If any of my FIL's tile guys did something like that he would be fired.

I'm sorry Rachel

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

They're definitely off. At this point you don't have much choice. It looks like they attached the tiles to the floor with thin set already?

Those cabinets look new. Didn't you post those cabinets recently? Usually the floor is installed prior to the cabinets.

Did they attach the tiles to the floor with thin set already? If not, they can just lift the tiles and start over. If they did, they will have to chisel up each tile, hopefully not break the tile and scrap or power sand the thin set off the floor. This will be a lot of work and very noisy and dusty if they power sand the thin set off the floor.

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

Message edited 11/16/2006 10:02:21 PM.

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

Here in the UK most floors are done when the kitchen is finished, we checked with around 6 kitchen installer before we did it. The kitchen DOES have kickboards, so the style here is that the kitchen is tiled up to right under the kickboards, they go back on when the kitchen is finished. I might ask them about putting the tiles on diagonally as I am quite desperate to get them finished...

I really do not know what to do...they assure me that this is done right, however my husband is livid and is thinking about firing them this weekend, HOWEVER the house is in complete chaos because of the mess etc...

I just don't know what to do...

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

I am so sorry! That is a horrible job and i would haul a*s down there to get your money back!!!!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

Just to let you all know, I have taken these pictures of the tiles to several tiling places this morning, the place that built my kitchen (which cost a SHEDLOAD OF MONEY) and my neighbour came in to see it and we have decided that we are going to cut our losses and fire these guys. I have another tiler coming on Sunday to give me an estimate...he was highly recommended by the man in the tiling store. I am going to tell them that I will pay them once I find out how much fixing all their bad work is done and I will make sure that they receive a fair amount for the work that they have done already!

What a pain in the arse!
So I have my parents flying in on Wednesday, I was hoping to do Thanksgiving on Thursday, and I have a baby who is locked in one room! So to say I have my plate full is fair enough!

Thanks for your support!!!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

Oh, Rachel, I'm so sorry

I hope it all works out!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

omg Im so sorry! that really stinks!!! I cant believe what a horrible job they did..I dont know how much you paid up front but we learned through the home renovation process to only release a small amt of $ at a time and the bulk of it only when the job is completed to your satisfaction.

Good luck!!

ETA: I would still have the guys you hire to fix the tiles give you a list of references so you can make sure their customers are happy.

Message edited 11/17/2006 10:17:54 AM.

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

well, the tile itself is beautiful!

the crookedness isnt!

I think you are smart - cut your losses and hire someone else. Good Luck!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

Good Luck!

Let us know how things turn out.

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added

We just fired the tiler! We decided to cut our losses and just finish with him. He was fine with it, he said it was fine, he had so much (building) work that it was fine with him. He said we should come up with a figure to pay him for the work they have done...so we will wait until after our other estimates to pay him something. He did do some work, the backsplash came out okay, so that we will pay for (most of, because its not grouted...)

We have someone coming to give us an estimate on Sunday who is a master tiler...

So will keep you all up to date!!!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added - added some pics of the blacksplash

I love the blacksplash!- and the rest of the kitchen!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added - added some pics of the blacksplash

I love the backsplash!!

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added - added some pics of the blacksplash

The bAcksplash and the cabinets look great

Re: Bad bad bad tiling - photos added - added some pics of the blacksplash

Thanks! The lights need to be changed and the kitchen will need to be painted...but HOPEFULLY by the time I go back to work in January, it will be finished..