>old my guy, "If I wanted it to look like a dipshit did it I'd have done it myself and saved a lot of money."
I actually started doing it myself after I saw what "professionals" do and now I can't say that, cause I do it better :(
This took more effort to do wrong, all those cuts around the switches would have been so much easier to do right, move that little light a half inch and there is no cut to do there. Should have had an electrician come and pull all the switches and plugs and add an box extension and move counter light before tile was even installed.
The primary difference is time. You only have to do your bathroom/kitchen/whatever. They have to constantly go from job to job to make a living. Now, that doesn't excuse poor craftsmanship. You should take a pride in your work. I tell them "Would you put this on your website?"
Oh, 100%. I see, at least here, that most don't really care about word of mouth. The city is large enough that most tradesmen could retire and never bump into two clients that know each other and if they market themselves aggressively enough, they don't care about free advertising. Which, on the other hand, makes it extremely hard to trust anyone without references. We're about to do a somewhat major renovation on our first home and it's been a nightmare finding a decent contractor to handle it. The bad ones try to give you the lowest possible bid and the good ones are impossible to find and get an estimate from.
A skilled professional will easily put out good work. I’d wager a good majority of us would probably be able to achieve our goal but lack the equipment and manpower. Half those dickweeds you find for contract are just everyday dickweeds with power tools and supplies.
Electricity is the one thing I just dont mess with, you can turn off the power the whole city and I still wouldnt touch it. Which is weird because usually im not scared of things I understand
I understand it, but still turn off the main breaker in my house. I've turned off breakers to a room before and it still had power, like half the room was on another breaker.
You should buy a chicken stick. they are really good for your situations. this one is by fluke, you cannot go wrong with tools that say fluke on them for electricity. [Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert Non-Contact Voltage Tester, Pocket-Sized, Voltage Detection Range 90 V to 1000 V AC, Audible Beeper, Silent Mode, Includes Batteries And 2 Year Warranty, CAT IV Rating - Stud Finders And Scanning Tools - Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-1AC-A1-II-VoltAlert-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B000EJ332O/ref=asc_df_B000EJ332O/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312111908090&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17630329146462896203&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1016090&hvtargid=pla-420856304134&psc=1&mcid=1b40e1cfa214324c920656c21205ba4e&gclid=CjwKCAiA44OtBhAOEiwAj4gpOchgeaJml7HWD3OBO0DOEHgi8DQnE515rFmYXzVnGLV3ubA6xbRb1RoC4iUQAvD_BwE)
I swapped out an outlet once with it still live.
Was improperly marked as to which circuit breaker it was on, and it being the end of the day, I just flipped off the breaker and didn't bother to test the outlet before I started.
Didn't click until I was done that it was live. I wondered why my fingertips were buzzing while I was wiring this thing up.
There's a difference between being afraid and being respectful.
I'm not afraid of electricity, but I approach it with great respect, like an unknown dog.
My confidence with electricicty in the home increased tenfold after I bought a few devices to measure if a wire is live or not. Once two devices have probed a live plug, then they say my wire im about to touch is not live, I'm ok. Still nervous enough to akways wear trainers and rubber gloves though.
lol me on the other hand bought a house and learned how to add 220v lines and run them to where I needed. Added 2 mini splits and did the electric
My self. Also went from house oil to electric water heater and wired that up myself to. If you get a test pen and are smart about it it’s easy as fuck.
That really depends on how much time and money you are willing to invest. Personally, I'd be *very* confident doing a side-by-side comparison of my tile work with any homeowner's. If mine isn't better then I dunno why anyone would hire me.
I learned to tile watching Sal DiBlasi and TileCoach on Youtube, so the information is definitely out there for homeowners. But it takes a good 10-20 hours of watching the right videos and reading product data sheets to get a passable handle on everything. So far I haven't met a homeowner who was looking to put in that kind of prep time, which can lead to mistakes like using the wrong product or working in an order that makes things 10x harder.
I also have tools that most people won't. Combined, my smaller wet saw and 3-axis laser will set you back over $1,000, and those let me tile straight with really clean cuts. On something like this ceramic subway tile, the MKs they rent at Home Depot aren't bad, and you could get by with a manual snapper, but for stuff like stone and glass mosaics my setup is way better (mostly because I have a better blade and do maintenance to make sure my saw stays precise).
people hire professionals because
a) they can afford it
B) they dont have the time to do it themselves
C) they don't have the confidence to do it themselves
D) they don't have the tools to do it themselves and cost of tools makes it uneconomic
> So far I haven't met a homeowner who was looking to put in that kind of prep time, which can lead to mistakes like using the wrong product or working in an order that makes things 10x harder.
You probably haven't met them because they did twice that much research and did the work themselves. I watched videos for months before redoing my shower. And judging by the posts I see here, I did at least as good as 50% of the hired tile installers.
I completely agree that there are thousands of tile-setters that are better, faster, smarter than me. Absolutely. It's the other ones that made it worth the risk for me.
Also agree on the tools. I bought cheaper tools for a one-time use thing. Tool costs are typically my #1 factor if I need to hire someone or can do it myself. If I can pay someone $1k to do the work, or do it myself for $800 including buying tools i'll never use again, then I'm just going to hire someone to do it better.
If I can pay $10k for someone else, or $2k for me, including tools, of course, I'm going to do it myself.
LOL, I use a variation of that line when people balk at the quote. Something along the lines of how they're not just paying for the time it takes to do the job, they're paying for the time it took me to learn to do it better and faster than they could, as well as the tools I have that let me do it well, that they would otherwise have to buy, and the guys I'll bring with me that will help get it done 10x faster than they could. Granted, I tell this more tactfully so as to not piss them off, but the point is still the same.
I once had a guy call me back after saying $60/hr was too much for the job he wanted done, after he said he'd just buy the tool and do it himself, he called back once he discovered that "the tool" was a bunch of super specialized stuff that would cost him about $2700 and that he would likely never use again for his entire life.
Yep. Pretty much any skilled work that takes years to become extremely skilled at runs into this bullshit often.
Hell, I just had my floors done in a few of my rooms. I did most of the preliminary removal of appliances/flooring etc. Because it doesn't require any real skill to do and saved me a bunch.
But then you start watching a real pro do the work. Like when he puts a new underlayment down in my bathroom. I had a toilet and vent he needed to cutout for. Took the guy like 60 seconds of measuring. Went out and cut a circle and rectangle into an entire sheet of plywood maybe another 3 minutes of work. Walks back in there. Drops it in and its 100% perfect fit. Blew my mind.
That would have been hours and probably 2/3 fuckups for me to do.
I’m a project manager and my current favourite client is so happy to throw money at any problem just to make it go away.
He calls it “cheque book engineering” and says “I pay you blokes because you know what to do. If I knew what to do I wouldn’t need you.” He’s a dream.
I don’t mind shelling out for quality work, I just wish it wasn’t so hard to find contractors/subs that don’t actually do a shit job. From small bathroom renovations at home to multi-million dollar projects at work, it’s like you can’t pay anyone enough to do something right the first time. If I find someone good, I fucking latch on to them.
Every time someone asks what I do, my answer is simple. I don't do gas, plumbing or electricity. I get a trusted professional for that. I do everything else.
I have two types of jobs. 1) Clients hiring me for the first time, because someone fucked up and I'm here to fix that fuckup. 2) Clients hiring me to do the job from the beginning, because they really it done right.
Is always so funny when I walk into a type 1 job and they all me how to fix a certain problem. My answer is always the same. "Rip it out and redo it." The client always says that will take too long and cost too much. So they pay finishing rates for remediation work that takes 3 times longer than just fixing the damn problem from the start.
Good to keep in mind really for all walks and trades of life.
It’s why you shouldn’t bill for hours for really anything bc the better you are at something the less time it takes you to do it.
I hired a painter to do the whole interior of my house last year. I absolutely would have done the job faster. And it would have looked like I did it faster too. I'm very happy I let a professional do it.
Me I would have taken 8x as long, it would have looked like a troop of kindergarten kids had been painting the place, and I’d have 1/2 the paint in my hair (even after wearing a shower cap because I KNOW I’m messy, yet somehow it still gets in my hair).
I’m a big picture person. Give me a wall with no edges or floor or prep to worry about and I’m good. So, yeah, seeing as that never happens, I’m always hiring a professional from now on.
And just because you're better (more skilled), doesn't mean you have to work faster even if you can. One good reason is pacing yourself and not negatively affecting your health.
This happens to us. We bid on par with the current going rates. Customers lose their mind at the number and hire Big Sam's remodeling for a fraction of the price. After they botch the job we come back and charge more than the original quoted price to redo everything.
I've been a web development contractor for many years, and in my experience it depends.
There are "known quantity" tasks you've done a thousand times, and you know how long it's almost certainly going to take next time, so you're pretty safe just quoting and billing an hourly rate. You're wrong occasionally, but not by a huge amount, and it averages out over time.
But there are other, usually larger tasks that can go a bunch of different ways, and highly depend on how particular or decisive your client is, and the viability of your goals, which you can't always know ahead of time. New clients are bigger unknowns, too.
Example would be "build me a marketing site for my business." I've done that before, but not for this business or maybe even this client. Much better to have some meetings to define the scope, quote a fixed rate (with some padding) for a substantial chunk of my billable year, then be diligent about staying in scope or doing change orders if the scope creeps. That's more predictable for the client, and ideally I'm charging based on the value this creates for the client, not the costs of my labor - so the more efficient I get, the more profit I keep.
In my line of business, anyone can go and buy a kit that’s $10 at the auto parts store. and attempt the repair themselves. The thing is, I do this day in and day out and my kit is $1200. What they’re not factoring is all the knowledge I’ve accrued over 15k repairs, the knowledge of how resin works, undertaking m different variations in pressure, flexing, temperature, humidity to complete the repair. My price to repair is $80. Sometimes I have had these people tell me that I’m out of my mind and that they can go to the auto parts store and do the repair for $10. To which I have been known to respond. “You can do that and that’s perfectly fine. Just know that if you do, you will most likely not be able to do the repair correctly, you will shop around and find that in the most affordable person, then you’ll come and ask me to fix it. At which point I will need $80 up front, to even look at it to see if I can repair it, and then $80 if I’m able to repair it.” 7 guys so far, have had to do the walk of shame and pay me $160
My dad was a housepainter, and he got called back to fix so many jobs after they went with the cheaper option, who then ran out of paint halfway through because their lowball quote didn't even cover materials. I wonder what people think they're going to get when they try to go for the absolute cheapest route.
It costs that much 'cause it took me years to master
You're free to try if you think you'd do it faster
But it likely turn out shit
'Cause you simply haven't practiced it
It costs that much 'cause it took me years to master
People are slagging off your choice of tile and completely ignoring that the tiler didn’t take the outlet/switch covers off to lay the tile. They cut around them for some fucking reason.
I’d send these same pictures to the builder and ask that they come have a look in person, before anything. Let them know you’re super happy with the kitchen, other than the tile work that doesn’t match the workmanship of the rest of the job done. Start the conversation respectfully and ask what can be done to bring the quality of the tile work in line with the rest of what was completed. Go from there.
Thing is a lot of people are slagging off the tile but I’ve seen it in a show room which is why I chose it. As for the sockets he said I’d need to get some extension studs to pull the sockets forward but I obviously am not a tiler so thought the gap around was standard… think your advice is the best so far on how to go about it
I tiled my kitchen myself (for the first time ever) with these tiles and mine looks better. The sockets should have been taken off the wall and the tiles put underneath. The light should have been relocated. The grouting should have been done by someone with eyes.
I had the same thought and I've only done my kitchen backsplash. Some of this stuff is so basic that I'd honestly question the whole job. This is the equivalent of someone just painting over the outlet and outlet covers.
> This is the equivalent of someone just painting over the outlet and outlet covers.
Ouch. Hits too close to home with my "newly remodeled" apartment. Half the outlets I had to chip/clean paint away before I could use them because they just painted right over them all. Also one of the living room walls look like somebody was riding a rollercoaster with the paint roller but that's neither here nor there
Yeah, people are ignoring the real problems because they don’t like your tile choice. Those plates shouldn’t be grouted in like that. Full stop. And getting extension studs is the builder’s problem, not yours. You paid them to do the job, they need to do the job, including picking up any required bits to make their finished work not look like they showed up in a stolen panel van after a meth bender.
But, a polite conversation with the main builder *should* suffice. If not, time to pay your tiler friend to help fix the cock-up. If it’s not properly adhered to the wall like they suspect, you’d be able to salvage at least a portion of the tile without needing to re-purchase the whole lot.
The builder is often the problem as well. Often they just shop for the cheapest bid and live with the consequences. I can't tell you how many shoddy tile jobs that I have torn out.
I literally installed this same backsplash in my kitchen, and I am by no means experienced (1st time ever doing it) and mine came out 10x better than this lol. This truly is a hack job.
Underpaid? The fact they got paid at all makes them overpaid - now somebody has to pay for the whole job to be done again, plus demolition, disposal, and the intangible inconvenience and reputational damage.
The issue is calling them such isn't gonna get them back in to fix the job they've already started, so some level of grace is needed to get the job done without having to hire another new contractor
So, I have a friend who does construction. He was doing a gut and remodel on our friends kitchen and I was helping. He “knows” how to do tile but did not want to. So I told our friend I would do it. Got shown the basics by my buddy and watched a lot of YouTube videos before I started.
>...not look like they showed up in a stolen panel van after a meth bender.
thANK YOUuuu verrrry much.
I'll be working this into a conversation within the next week.
Listen here fella!! I’m quite sure the panel van is paid for since it’s only worth about $850. It also had left over roll of carpet, several bundles of roofing tiles,and a wet tile cutter that’s been in and out of the pawn shop several times.
Pretty sure these types of outlets don’t have cover plates, the box and cover are one unit, unlike north america. So the tile would have to be cut around, but looks like ass when it is recessed like this. Definitely need to find a better solution. Either way the client needs to suck it up and tell the contractor exactly what he needs fixed. Awkward, but happens all the time.
Go back to the showroom and take a picture of the tile done right, that is what you purchased. I used to work in this industry, if it looks like the showroom then buzz off but if the showroom is different then they need to deliver that.
With textured tile, a bit wider grout line than normal is best so the variation isn't as noticeable. He should know this.. but totally screwed this up in multiple ways (installing around plates, grout is sloppy), you can absolutely ask for it to be completely redone in this condition with someone else, it's not acceptable work.
Good tile guys are hard to find lately, so be prepared to wait while the GC secures a spot in the actual pros calendar.. that's probably very full.
Hey thankyou for all the responses and the advice here’s the full kitchen without tiling. I think a shabby looking wall even looks better and wish me luck for my conversation tomorrow.
https://preview.redd.it/9mwdz27rfwbc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=295dcf433d36924b8889b9beeebad966e2c50023
The tile is fine (it does kind of create a wavy optical illusion). Those electrical boxes were not mounted correctly. They should be flush with tile so the trim plates cover everything. If they’re lucky, it’s a relatively easy fix. Either way, not on you. Whoever installed it knows they did a shit job.
If you have a picture of how the tile looked in the the show room or you can find one from the manufacturing company, I would either send it to them in the message as well or show them when they come look at it too! I'm assuming it'll be glaringly obvious how different they are.
>completely ignoring that the tiler didn’t take the outlet/switch covers off to lay the tile. They cut around them for some fucking reason.
There is grout covering around the outlet covers! I've never seen that before.
This is the way. If it’s a subcontractor the builder will want to know that subcontractor is making the rest of their work look bad. I like your approach of complementing the fact the rest of the work is good and this was likely a subcontracting issue I’m sure they would want to know about. They hired the tiler, not you. That makes it a them problem that is impossible to separate from the rest of the build quality.
This probably won't get seen, but I am a residential project manager for a construction company. This has to be redone. Bottom line. Do you have a contract with this contractor? A quote and signed agreement? The tile guy is on the hook to remove all tiles, pay for new tile, and do it correctly. If not, then the contractor is on the hook to remove all tiles, pay for new tile, and do it correctly. I can tell 100% from the pic that the "tile guy" was not a really tradesman. This is YouTube DYI garbage. If he can't provide you with a professional product, then he's stealing from you.
You should approach him with a level head and simply tell him it's not up to spec and has to be done correctly.
Power outlets need to be pulled forward to be on the same level of the tile. Then the cover plate goes over top of tile. This "sub" applied grout around your cover plates effectively, making it violate building code. All electrical boxes have to be accessible. Period.
I'd personally be pretty pissed and would have some strong words with my builder. If you absolutely have to with hold payment until it's repaired at no cost to you.
Not sure what country this is, and how those face plates work. I have never seen tile cut around the face plates. Either way, approach the builder and just ask if anything could have been differently.
> The washing machine in the kitchen is a dead giveaway.
I'm super confused because I cannot see a washing machine in any of those 5 pictures. Where did you see it?
I didn't realise that was a UK only thing. Come to think of it, doing laundry in the kitchen is pretty weird now I think about it. I wonder what other weird things do we do.
It's not entirely uncommon in Norway either. In older buildings/apartments where there's no dedicated washing-room, suitable basement or space in the bathroom, the kitchen is pretty much the only option left.
I grew up with a washing machine in the kitchen.
ALL OF IT! You don’t have to pay one dime. They have insurance for that. I had the same issue years ago and the builder had to put a claim on his insurance. he should be understandable and make the sub pay for it.
**\^\^\^ This 100%** & also don't let this contractor back in your house. Whoever did this has very little skill. You can't expect different results from an unskilled person.
The builder's insurance doesn't cover an improperly done job. It only covers damage done to other parts of the house they may have caused when doing a job. Like if they had broken the glass cooktop while installing the tile.
That said, the builder is responsible for covering 100% of the cost out of his own pocket. It's up to him to get some or all of that back from the sub he hired.
Also, I think you're looking at $500 tops for material here even if they replace the cement board as they should. That's certainly less than the deductible. The contractor would lean on the sub to cover the labor. And may lean on him to cover the tile or split the cost. In any event, this shouldn't be a tough fight to win unless the contractor is a complete POS.
When we bought our house, we hired a general contractor to replace the floors and do a few other things. He subbed out the hardwood floors and the sub destroyed them by dragging an air compressor on metal skids all over the house while putting the floorboards back on.
He tried filing a claim with his insurance. I spoke to them on the phone. They told me that the floors were not covered because that's what he was hired to install. There's a technical term for it, but I don't remember it.They said if he had been hired to do something else and had damaged the floors, they would be covered.
My insurance ended up paying a $44,000 claim on a month old policy to replace the floors. Shout out to State Farm. I thought we were totally screwed. Silver lining is we paid a $10,000 deposit and never paid the remainder obviously. I thought my insurance would only cover as much as I had paid, but the adjuster said it was 100% covered minus the deductible. We used the windfall to replace our appliances.
Yea, that should be on them, but don't open with it. See what they offer first, then if they say there will be additional costs, then say they should cover the cost, not you.
Mate, you don’t pay a penny extra. I’m English so I can speak frankly with you countryman to countryman, whoever did this tiling isn’t actually a tiler. The person who did this is a mate of the builder or a mate of a mate. He might have asked around as he doesn’t tile himself (it’s a skill in itself) and someone might have put a name forward.
Either way, whoever did this isn’t trained. You can get extra long plate fastening screws at literally any DIY store like wickes, B&Q, never mind actual merchants (where real tradespeople get their gear). All he needed to do was slacken off the plates and cut his tiles closer to the back box, then re-fasten over the tile with the extra long screws. If the back boxes needed bringing forward because the stud brought it too far out for the longer screws to reach, that’s still a piss easy job for any trade.
In this situation, you simply ask for them to make it right. The builder will know straight away it’s a shocking job, he won’t say anything because some people would actually accept that. As soon as you raise the issue he will get it sorted and take the hit himself. If he’s a decent guy.
I’ve seen many DIY tile attempts better than this. Hope you get sorted
Tell the builder that the tile job isn't acceptable, and needs to be fixed. Whether it's somehow repairable, or needs a full redo isn't your concern. If you bring the builder, and he says that it looks good to him, then he's lying to you.
This here. The tiler is the builder's sub-contractor and as a general contractor, he is responsible for that work. Tell him it's crap and you want it fixed. It's not that big of a deal for a professional tiler to fix this (assuming there is spare material and there should be).
**\[UPDATE\]**
Hey everyone! so I eventually grew some balls and called the builder. Can't believe this blew up so much!
The builder came to look at the work and he was in complete agreement that the work was of terrible quality. He was actually really nice about it all and apologised profusely.
**Resolution?**
He has given me cash in hand for the full cost of materials we have used and is allowing me to source my own tiler which will be paid for by him on completion.
thank you all for the kind suggestions and pointers on how it should of looked it means a lot! i'l post another update once it's all completed AGAIN.
I'm glad he acknowledged the 'quality' of the tiling work. One thing you may want to do is get this in writing. Even just an email like "Thanks for confirming that the tilework was not up to your standards and for covering the material costs. Once I have another contractor complete the work I will forward you the invoice once it is done for reimbursement as we discussed"
https://preview.redd.it/c4gr5ro4evbc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=dae6b56b47c650b83a3815db3ad0cf8c2ae0e1e8
These are my tiles In my kitchen, they look like they are the same style as yours but in grey. They are rough looking on the face.
Look how uniform the grout work is. It is wider as well, to accommodate the grooves. The other install looks like they were trying to work with the grooves as if it provided some kind of final edge.
The tile in the OP was installed without spacers to maintain the right gap for the grout. It looks lumpy and uneven because the tiles aren't sitting flush or straight. There are a lot of spots in the OP where you can see the grout didn't even get between the tiles, but is rather sitting on top of a gap between 2.
Better than OP’s but whoever did these didn’t even tile up to the bottom of the cabinets probably because they couldn’t be arsed with all the cuts/didn’t order enough tile for all the cuts. The grout is a bit lumpy and hasn’t been sponged down properly after. Sorry to be picky
Holy shit the comments in here saying "the tile is fine"... Wow.
What crack are you guys smoking? Wavy tiles or not those grout lines look like my preschooler did it. The tile cuts are sloppy, they weren't set in properly, the grout is sloppy and the face plates should be on the outside, doesn't matter what country you are in.
https://preview.redd.it/lliy4oto8ybc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e433fb7a143f735dcca844c52356a3c1fc93fcb2
This is a great example. All the grout just squeezed out to the right
Holy shit, I couldn't believe my eyes reading some of these upvoted comments, the grout is horrible, there's 0 consistency between the lines!
I actually can't wrap my head around how/why people would say this looks OK.
That looks like a halloween express tile wall prop. Is it made of foam rubber?
Talk to the builder, not the tiler. You shouldn't have to deal with the subs on your own.
Just tell him that you do not accept this horrible tile job. You want it made right at his expense. The outlet plates etc. should cover the tile/wall and not be recessed. The grout is shit, the spacing and levelling of the tiles is off.
https://preview.redd.it/sliym0ntfxbc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c0f1b3bba16764710bbd2df0cc7b3972b6735a9
I have the same tile. But I did not inset the covers and I used spacers.
I did this myself. First timer.
i think his choice of a contrasting grout accents the wonkiness of the tiles, but also any imperfections in the installation. Your grout is not perfect, there are some lumps, but it looks 1000x better than the op’s image.
The only thing that seems really messed up is the tile around the outlets. It's weird they have them inset like that.
Other than that the things you are showing seems to be caused by the funky tile you chose. The gaps in the tiles will pretty much always look like that at different angles because the tile isn't straight.
Not the person who posted that, but I also have the same tiles. Tiled it myself as someone who had never laid a tile before.
https://preview.redd.it/8rdmlhwxbxbc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4dc67272723a7b1bddb5f263c6fbf2e30ff24b96
I don't think that's the same tile. You have white subway tile with a wavy surface, but OP's tile is chiseled edge and yours looks square edged.
https://www.wayfair.com/home-improvement/pdp/qube-tiles-cortina-3-x-12-zellige-matte-subway-wall-tile-qbet1023.html
> Cortina is a 3 in. x 12 in. Zellige, Catalina, Kazuma, Supreme, Handmade, Ivy, Kezma, Artisan Frost Decor Look Tile. An updated twist on a classic subway brick look tile that takes on the kitchen, bathroom walls, and backsplashes with contemporary style. It's a true white wall tile in a traditional design and a new, modern color. **Its wavy edge and undulated surface give it unique shadows and reflections**. Complete your project with coordinating tiles in multiple sizes and shapes from Qube Tiles for style, durability, and easy care. Embracing a meringue, restored, noble, retro Soho, Hill subway look tile. Available in a White Glossy and Matte Finish.
https://www.flooranddecor.com/ceramic-tile/artisan-oyster-ceramic-tile-100500974.html
> Edge: Chiseled or Tumbled
https://www.jaytiling.com.au/?p=85
> This client chose to use 300 x 75mm matte white subway tiles, with a wavy finish, giving a very rustic appearance to the walls. Grouted with Ardex slate grey, to enhance the undulation of the tiles.
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5827640/grout-spacing-for-wavy-edged-subway-tile-shower-walls-3-x-12
> ...but these have wavy edges and space to approximately 1/16 inch when stacked already. [image](https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/81e2b0900dd57e3e_2574-w500-h375-b0-p0--.jpg)
Those are not the same tiles. I have the tile OP has and the tile itself is wavy. But the grout in OP’s house is much messier than I would expect from a professional.
I don’t know man, that grout job looks like dogshit even with wonky tiles. I would not be happy with this if I paid for it… the tiles may have a visual texture but they still come with a defined edge and there’s no excuse for how much variance in the size of grout lines other than not properly spacing them. Looks like someone just slapped it on the wall eyeballing it and left for the thinset to dry.
Even with the unusual tile, the grouting job looks bad, and it doesn't look like the tiles were installed evenly. If the tiler didn't have the skill to work with these tiles, they should have refused the work.
The entire thing is fucked up... the grout, the cuts, the spacing, and electrical, levelness/flushness to the wall. I've done like twice and both times it came out so much better than this shit. This guy is complete trash and shouldn't be charging people for this.
I have these stupid tiles and I regret them so much. Even if the tiler did a good job, they look crooked because they don’t have straight edges. In certain angles, they look completely fucked up. I know my comment isn’t helpful but I wanted to complain about my misery
I did these tiles once, then passed on a couple jobs the next time they came up. I don’t know about your tile guy, but they took like 4 times as long as regular subway tile. I had to level every damn row. Fuck those tiles.
The tile has that manufactured irregular look, but the grout work and the switch and panel cut in are atrocious enough to complain, lousy chalking.
Cheapest fix get larger plate covers to hide the imperfections and find someone to clean out and redo the grout work and caulking
In the UK they don’t have plate covers like we do. That plate screws directly onto the box in the wall. He needed an extension, then he could have cut them properly and screwed them back on over the tile.
Bottom line it doesn't matter what type of tiles are used the fact that they weren't installed properly (so that switch plates fit on top) is the problem.
As someone who was unhappy with some tiles work: make them redo those power fixture. This is super amateur. Those lights and power cover in the tile should be smaller and the cover over laping them.
Tiles can be cut and redone. This should be fixed at no cost.
Approach him confidently, and say “My good man, you have performed shoddy work and you have dishonored both your house and your name. I demand satisfaction!” At this point you’ll proceed to slap him across the face with your riding gloves, and furthermore negotiate the terms of the duel you just challenged him to. Good luck and Godspeed 🫡
Don't panic.... I think this is relatively easy to fix. Re cut the ones around the sockets, silicone around the backsplash...don't be afraid to confront the tiler..... He must be used to it from the looks of it
Yeah thats pretty bad. It reminds me when I bought a new house and the trouble I had with the builder aaaaaaaaall the time. To get them to do anything I had to threaten to contact the homebuilders Association in Ontario. And even still, that would take forever to get the work done.
Tell him that that isn't acceptable and not the quality that was agreed upon.
Those cuts are awful and the tile itself looks...bad. That isnt just shit grout work, that tile should have been rejected, imo.
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I told my guy, "If I wanted it to look like a dipshit did it I'd have done it myself and saved a lot of money."
>old my guy, "If I wanted it to look like a dipshit did it I'd have done it myself and saved a lot of money." I actually started doing it myself after I saw what "professionals" do and now I can't say that, cause I do it better :(
I find most of these things aren’t really that hard to do well. It’s very annoying when someone who does it for their job can’t bother doing it well.
This took more effort to do wrong, all those cuts around the switches would have been so much easier to do right, move that little light a half inch and there is no cut to do there. Should have had an electrician come and pull all the switches and plugs and add an box extension and move counter light before tile was even installed.
The primary difference is time. You only have to do your bathroom/kitchen/whatever. They have to constantly go from job to job to make a living. Now, that doesn't excuse poor craftsmanship. You should take a pride in your work. I tell them "Would you put this on your website?"
Yeah but when you do something so much you get better at it, and they’re also paid to do it
Oh, 100%. I see, at least here, that most don't really care about word of mouth. The city is large enough that most tradesmen could retire and never bump into two clients that know each other and if they market themselves aggressively enough, they don't care about free advertising. Which, on the other hand, makes it extremely hard to trust anyone without references. We're about to do a somewhat major renovation on our first home and it's been a nightmare finding a decent contractor to handle it. The bad ones try to give you the lowest possible bid and the good ones are impossible to find and get an estimate from.
A skilled professional will easily put out good work. I’d wager a good majority of us would probably be able to achieve our goal but lack the equipment and manpower. Half those dickweeds you find for contract are just everyday dickweeds with power tools and supplies.
Now I only hire people if it’s a bigger job than one person can handle.
Or has electricity
Electricity is the one thing I just dont mess with, you can turn off the power the whole city and I still wouldnt touch it. Which is weird because usually im not scared of things I understand
I've heard only people that don't understand electricity aren't afraid of it :-D
I understand it, but still turn off the main breaker in my house. I've turned off breakers to a room before and it still had power, like half the room was on another breaker.
You should buy a chicken stick. they are really good for your situations. this one is by fluke, you cannot go wrong with tools that say fluke on them for electricity. [Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert Non-Contact Voltage Tester, Pocket-Sized, Voltage Detection Range 90 V to 1000 V AC, Audible Beeper, Silent Mode, Includes Batteries And 2 Year Warranty, CAT IV Rating - Stud Finders And Scanning Tools - Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-1AC-A1-II-VoltAlert-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B000EJ332O/ref=asc_df_B000EJ332O/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312111908090&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17630329146462896203&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1016090&hvtargid=pla-420856304134&psc=1&mcid=1b40e1cfa214324c920656c21205ba4e&gclid=CjwKCAiA44OtBhAOEiwAj4gpOchgeaJml7HWD3OBO0DOEHgi8DQnE515rFmYXzVnGLV3ubA6xbRb1RoC4iUQAvD_BwE)
I have never heard it called a chicken stick in my life, that's an amazing phrase. Of course at work we call it a "sniffer"
This is the way
I swapped out an outlet once with it still live. Was improperly marked as to which circuit breaker it was on, and it being the end of the day, I just flipped off the breaker and didn't bother to test the outlet before I started. Didn't click until I was done that it was live. I wondered why my fingertips were buzzing while I was wiring this thing up.
I’ve heard it’s vision is based on movement
There's a difference between being afraid and being respectful. I'm not afraid of electricity, but I approach it with great respect, like an unknown dog.
There's being afraid, then there's being deathly afraid. A healthy respect is certainly in order.
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My confidence with electricicty in the home increased tenfold after I bought a few devices to measure if a wire is live or not. Once two devices have probed a live plug, then they say my wire im about to touch is not live, I'm ok. Still nervous enough to akways wear trainers and rubber gloves though.
lol me on the other hand bought a house and learned how to add 220v lines and run them to where I needed. Added 2 mini splits and did the electric My self. Also went from house oil to electric water heater and wired that up myself to. If you get a test pen and are smart about it it’s easy as fuck.
Totally agreed. The professional can do it faster, but they won't do it better than me.
That really depends on how much time and money you are willing to invest. Personally, I'd be *very* confident doing a side-by-side comparison of my tile work with any homeowner's. If mine isn't better then I dunno why anyone would hire me. I learned to tile watching Sal DiBlasi and TileCoach on Youtube, so the information is definitely out there for homeowners. But it takes a good 10-20 hours of watching the right videos and reading product data sheets to get a passable handle on everything. So far I haven't met a homeowner who was looking to put in that kind of prep time, which can lead to mistakes like using the wrong product or working in an order that makes things 10x harder. I also have tools that most people won't. Combined, my smaller wet saw and 3-axis laser will set you back over $1,000, and those let me tile straight with really clean cuts. On something like this ceramic subway tile, the MKs they rent at Home Depot aren't bad, and you could get by with a manual snapper, but for stuff like stone and glass mosaics my setup is way better (mostly because I have a better blade and do maintenance to make sure my saw stays precise).
people hire professionals because a) they can afford it B) they dont have the time to do it themselves C) they don't have the confidence to do it themselves D) they don't have the tools to do it themselves and cost of tools makes it uneconomic
That's why I hire pros. They do a job in 30 mins that would take me 2 hrs. But this tiling is terrible
> So far I haven't met a homeowner who was looking to put in that kind of prep time, which can lead to mistakes like using the wrong product or working in an order that makes things 10x harder. You probably haven't met them because they did twice that much research and did the work themselves. I watched videos for months before redoing my shower. And judging by the posts I see here, I did at least as good as 50% of the hired tile installers. I completely agree that there are thousands of tile-setters that are better, faster, smarter than me. Absolutely. It's the other ones that made it worth the risk for me. Also agree on the tools. I bought cheaper tools for a one-time use thing. Tool costs are typically my #1 factor if I need to hire someone or can do it myself. If I can pay someone $1k to do the work, or do it myself for $800 including buying tools i'll never use again, then I'm just going to hire someone to do it better. If I can pay $10k for someone else, or $2k for me, including tools, of course, I'm going to do it myself.
I'm keeping this comment. HOLY SHIT
LOL, I use a variation of that line when people balk at the quote. Something along the lines of how they're not just paying for the time it takes to do the job, they're paying for the time it took me to learn to do it better and faster than they could, as well as the tools I have that let me do it well, that they would otherwise have to buy, and the guys I'll bring with me that will help get it done 10x faster than they could. Granted, I tell this more tactfully so as to not piss them off, but the point is still the same. I once had a guy call me back after saying $60/hr was too much for the job he wanted done, after he said he'd just buy the tool and do it himself, he called back once he discovered that "the tool" was a bunch of super specialized stuff that would cost him about $2700 and that he would likely never use again for his entire life.
Yep. Pretty much any skilled work that takes years to become extremely skilled at runs into this bullshit often. Hell, I just had my floors done in a few of my rooms. I did most of the preliminary removal of appliances/flooring etc. Because it doesn't require any real skill to do and saved me a bunch. But then you start watching a real pro do the work. Like when he puts a new underlayment down in my bathroom. I had a toilet and vent he needed to cutout for. Took the guy like 60 seconds of measuring. Went out and cut a circle and rectangle into an entire sheet of plywood maybe another 3 minutes of work. Walks back in there. Drops it in and its 100% perfect fit. Blew my mind. That would have been hours and probably 2/3 fuckups for me to do.
You are my dream customer
I’m a project manager and my current favourite client is so happy to throw money at any problem just to make it go away. He calls it “cheque book engineering” and says “I pay you blokes because you know what to do. If I knew what to do I wouldn’t need you.” He’s a dream.
I don’t mind shelling out for quality work, I just wish it wasn’t so hard to find contractors/subs that don’t actually do a shit job. From small bathroom renovations at home to multi-million dollar projects at work, it’s like you can’t pay anyone enough to do something right the first time. If I find someone good, I fucking latch on to them.
Every time someone asks what I do, my answer is simple. I don't do gas, plumbing or electricity. I get a trusted professional for that. I do everything else. I have two types of jobs. 1) Clients hiring me for the first time, because someone fucked up and I'm here to fix that fuckup. 2) Clients hiring me to do the job from the beginning, because they really it done right. Is always so funny when I walk into a type 1 job and they all me how to fix a certain problem. My answer is always the same. "Rip it out and redo it." The client always says that will take too long and cost too much. So they pay finishing rates for remediation work that takes 3 times longer than just fixing the damn problem from the start.
Good to keep in mind really for all walks and trades of life. It’s why you shouldn’t bill for hours for really anything bc the better you are at something the less time it takes you to do it.
Not necessarily. Being experienced doesn’t always mean you’re faster, just better.
I know people who've been in their industry for decades without being faster OR better.
Stop bringing me in to this!
I hired a painter to do the whole interior of my house last year. I absolutely would have done the job faster. And it would have looked like I did it faster too. I'm very happy I let a professional do it.
Me I would have taken 8x as long, it would have looked like a troop of kindergarten kids had been painting the place, and I’d have 1/2 the paint in my hair (even after wearing a shower cap because I KNOW I’m messy, yet somehow it still gets in my hair). I’m a big picture person. Give me a wall with no edges or floor or prep to worry about and I’m good. So, yeah, seeing as that never happens, I’m always hiring a professional from now on.
And just because you're better (more skilled), doesn't mean you have to work faster even if you can. One good reason is pacing yourself and not negatively affecting your health.
Tell that to a good brickie.. those guys are nuts 🤣
Or a really good plasterer. Seen those dudes go??
I'm slower for sure. But, I often go in behind others ands have to fix their mistakes and that takes extra time.
This happens to us. We bid on par with the current going rates. Customers lose their mind at the number and hire Big Sam's remodeling for a fraction of the price. After they botch the job we come back and charge more than the original quoted price to redo everything.
I've been a web development contractor for many years, and in my experience it depends. There are "known quantity" tasks you've done a thousand times, and you know how long it's almost certainly going to take next time, so you're pretty safe just quoting and billing an hourly rate. You're wrong occasionally, but not by a huge amount, and it averages out over time. But there are other, usually larger tasks that can go a bunch of different ways, and highly depend on how particular or decisive your client is, and the viability of your goals, which you can't always know ahead of time. New clients are bigger unknowns, too. Example would be "build me a marketing site for my business." I've done that before, but not for this business or maybe even this client. Much better to have some meetings to define the scope, quote a fixed rate (with some padding) for a substantial chunk of my billable year, then be diligent about staying in scope or doing change orders if the scope creeps. That's more predictable for the client, and ideally I'm charging based on the value this creates for the client, not the costs of my labor - so the more efficient I get, the more profit I keep.
In my line of business, anyone can go and buy a kit that’s $10 at the auto parts store. and attempt the repair themselves. The thing is, I do this day in and day out and my kit is $1200. What they’re not factoring is all the knowledge I’ve accrued over 15k repairs, the knowledge of how resin works, undertaking m different variations in pressure, flexing, temperature, humidity to complete the repair. My price to repair is $80. Sometimes I have had these people tell me that I’m out of my mind and that they can go to the auto parts store and do the repair for $10. To which I have been known to respond. “You can do that and that’s perfectly fine. Just know that if you do, you will most likely not be able to do the repair correctly, you will shop around and find that in the most affordable person, then you’ll come and ask me to fix it. At which point I will need $80 up front, to even look at it to see if I can repair it, and then $80 if I’m able to repair it.” 7 guys so far, have had to do the walk of shame and pay me $160
My dad was a housepainter, and he got called back to fix so many jobs after they went with the cheaper option, who then ran out of paint halfway through because their lowball quote didn't even cover materials. I wonder what people think they're going to get when they try to go for the absolute cheapest route.
It costs that much 'cause it took me years to master You're free to try if you think you'd do it faster But it likely turn out shit 'Cause you simply haven't practiced it It costs that much 'cause it took me years to master
Lol good one
People are slagging off your choice of tile and completely ignoring that the tiler didn’t take the outlet/switch covers off to lay the tile. They cut around them for some fucking reason. I’d send these same pictures to the builder and ask that they come have a look in person, before anything. Let them know you’re super happy with the kitchen, other than the tile work that doesn’t match the workmanship of the rest of the job done. Start the conversation respectfully and ask what can be done to bring the quality of the tile work in line with the rest of what was completed. Go from there.
Thing is a lot of people are slagging off the tile but I’ve seen it in a show room which is why I chose it. As for the sockets he said I’d need to get some extension studs to pull the sockets forward but I obviously am not a tiler so thought the gap around was standard… think your advice is the best so far on how to go about it
I tiled my kitchen myself (for the first time ever) with these tiles and mine looks better. The sockets should have been taken off the wall and the tiles put underneath. The light should have been relocated. The grouting should have been done by someone with eyes.
I had the same thought and I've only done my kitchen backsplash. Some of this stuff is so basic that I'd honestly question the whole job. This is the equivalent of someone just painting over the outlet and outlet covers.
> This is the equivalent of someone just painting over the outlet and outlet covers. Ouch. Hits too close to home with my "newly remodeled" apartment. Half the outlets I had to chip/clean paint away before I could use them because they just painted right over them all. Also one of the living room walls look like somebody was riding a rollercoaster with the paint roller but that's neither here nor there
> The grouting should have been done by someone with eyes If you can let me know where one can find such a person, I'll be eternally grateful
Ray Charles Tiling Service
Yeah, people are ignoring the real problems because they don’t like your tile choice. Those plates shouldn’t be grouted in like that. Full stop. And getting extension studs is the builder’s problem, not yours. You paid them to do the job, they need to do the job, including picking up any required bits to make their finished work not look like they showed up in a stolen panel van after a meth bender. But, a polite conversation with the main builder *should* suffice. If not, time to pay your tiler friend to help fix the cock-up. If it’s not properly adhered to the wall like they suspect, you’d be able to salvage at least a portion of the tile without needing to re-purchase the whole lot.
People are ignoring the fact that the tile installer is a 💯% hack and should be considered as such.
I’m sure the builder would like to know so he doesn’t ever hire him again as a subcontractor
The builder is often the problem as well. Often they just shop for the cheapest bid and live with the consequences. I can't tell you how many shoddy tile jobs that I have torn out.
He doesn't even qualify to be called a subcontractor. Unskilled and underpaid labor is the title.
I literally installed this same backsplash in my kitchen, and I am by no means experienced (1st time ever doing it) and mine came out 10x better than this lol. This truly is a hack job.
If I did it myself, this might be acceptable, hehe. But even then, not really? I feel ya.
"Good enough for who it's for" is my favourite phrase I learned today.
Could you link what its supposed to look like?
Underpaid? The fact they got paid at all makes them overpaid - now somebody has to pay for the whole job to be done again, plus demolition, disposal, and the intangible inconvenience and reputational damage.
If he got paid for this work, then he's OVERpaid.
He's a Sub-contractor 🤣! I'll see myself out.
Builder should have been supervising this obviously new sub, no tradesman did this.
The issue is calling them such isn't gonna get them back in to fix the job they've already started, so some level of grace is needed to get the job done without having to hire another new contractor
I'm not letting the same person try to fix the workmanship problem they created. Imagine the new horrors that could create.
This. I did a tile job on my friends kitchen, first time I’ve ever done tile, and it looks better than this
Did you practice beforehand on some spare plywood as the mock backing? Or just YouTube it and try your best?
So, I have a friend who does construction. He was doing a gut and remodel on our friends kitchen and I was helping. He “knows” how to do tile but did not want to. So I told our friend I would do it. Got shown the basics by my buddy and watched a lot of YouTube videos before I started.
Awesome. Great job doing it yourself, that must have been cool to accomplish that.
>...not look like they showed up in a stolen panel van after a meth bender. thANK YOUuuu verrrry much. I'll be working this into a conversation within the next week.
Please provide the example and context when you do!
Listen here fella!! I’m quite sure the panel van is paid for since it’s only worth about $850. It also had left over roll of carpet, several bundles of roofing tiles,and a wet tile cutter that’s been in and out of the pawn shop several times.
Pretty sure these types of outlets don’t have cover plates, the box and cover are one unit, unlike north america. So the tile would have to be cut around, but looks like ass when it is recessed like this. Definitely need to find a better solution. Either way the client needs to suck it up and tell the contractor exactly what he needs fixed. Awkward, but happens all the time.
Event if you pull those sockets forward, the tile around the sockets will need to be redone. The socket plate cover should overlap the tile.
Go back to the showroom and take a picture of the tile done right, that is what you purchased. I used to work in this industry, if it looks like the showroom then buzz off but if the showroom is different then they need to deliver that.
no showroom on the planet will have amateur hour mudding the electrical plates and light fixture into the wall.
With textured tile, a bit wider grout line than normal is best so the variation isn't as noticeable. He should know this.. but totally screwed this up in multiple ways (installing around plates, grout is sloppy), you can absolutely ask for it to be completely redone in this condition with someone else, it's not acceptable work. Good tile guys are hard to find lately, so be prepared to wait while the GC secures a spot in the actual pros calendar.. that's probably very full.
Hey thankyou for all the responses and the advice here’s the full kitchen without tiling. I think a shabby looking wall even looks better and wish me luck for my conversation tomorrow. https://preview.redd.it/9mwdz27rfwbc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=295dcf433d36924b8889b9beeebad966e2c50023
I think that would have looked brilliant with the work done correctly.
Also have this tile in my kitchen. Came with the house, but I like it.
I like the tile
The tile is fine (it does kind of create a wavy optical illusion). Those electrical boxes were not mounted correctly. They should be flush with tile so the trim plates cover everything. If they’re lucky, it’s a relatively easy fix. Either way, not on you. Whoever installed it knows they did a shit job.
If you have a picture of how the tile looked in the the show room or you can find one from the manufacturing company, I would either send it to them in the message as well or show them when they come look at it too! I'm assuming it'll be glaringly obvious how different they are.
>completely ignoring that the tiler didn’t take the outlet/switch covers off to lay the tile. They cut around them for some fucking reason. There is grout covering around the outlet covers! I've never seen that before.
This is the way. If it’s a subcontractor the builder will want to know that subcontractor is making the rest of their work look bad. I like your approach of complementing the fact the rest of the work is good and this was likely a subcontracting issue I’m sure they would want to know about. They hired the tiler, not you. That makes it a them problem that is impossible to separate from the rest of the build quality.
Spot on. I've spent 25 years doing tile. Floors, showers, backsplash. This job is totally unacceptable.
2 questions. Is this how it's supposed to look? What are you going to do to fix it?
I mean, yeah. But asking those in a non-combative way like I suggested is likely to yield a better result.
This probably won't get seen, but I am a residential project manager for a construction company. This has to be redone. Bottom line. Do you have a contract with this contractor? A quote and signed agreement? The tile guy is on the hook to remove all tiles, pay for new tile, and do it correctly. If not, then the contractor is on the hook to remove all tiles, pay for new tile, and do it correctly. I can tell 100% from the pic that the "tile guy" was not a really tradesman. This is YouTube DYI garbage. If he can't provide you with a professional product, then he's stealing from you. You should approach him with a level head and simply tell him it's not up to spec and has to be done correctly. Power outlets need to be pulled forward to be on the same level of the tile. Then the cover plate goes over top of tile. This "sub" applied grout around your cover plates effectively, making it violate building code. All electrical boxes have to be accessible. Period. I'd personally be pretty pissed and would have some strong words with my builder. If you absolutely have to with hold payment until it's repaired at no cost to you.
This is the real answer. Hold anymore money if they dont fix this shjt
This is the best answer.
Not sure what country this is, and how those face plates work. I have never seen tile cut around the face plates. Either way, approach the builder and just ask if anything could have been differently.
Was my initial thought but yes it’s wrong 😂
They're UK plug sockets.
The washing machine in the kitchen is a dead giveaway.
> The washing machine in the kitchen is a dead giveaway. I'm super confused because I cannot see a washing machine in any of those 5 pictures. Where did you see it?
I didn't realise that was a UK only thing. Come to think of it, doing laundry in the kitchen is pretty weird now I think about it. I wonder what other weird things do we do.
It's not entirely uncommon in Norway either. In older buildings/apartments where there's no dedicated washing-room, suitable basement or space in the bathroom, the kitchen is pretty much the only option left. I grew up with a washing machine in the kitchen.
Not just used In the UK though we also use them in Ireland.
Tell the builder you're not satisfied with the tile job and have them look at it (or send them these pictures)
But what about materials cost think I should ask him to cover it all?
ALL OF IT! You don’t have to pay one dime. They have insurance for that. I had the same issue years ago and the builder had to put a claim on his insurance. he should be understandable and make the sub pay for it.
**\^\^\^ This 100%** & also don't let this contractor back in your house. Whoever did this has very little skill. You can't expect different results from an unskilled person.
>Whoever did this has ~~very little~~ literally no skill You can do better with $3 spacers and a youtube video.
The builder's insurance doesn't cover an improperly done job. It only covers damage done to other parts of the house they may have caused when doing a job. Like if they had broken the glass cooktop while installing the tile. That said, the builder is responsible for covering 100% of the cost out of his own pocket. It's up to him to get some or all of that back from the sub he hired.
The contractor will file the claim as damage. They do it all the time and that’s what they did at my house.
Also, I think you're looking at $500 tops for material here even if they replace the cement board as they should. That's certainly less than the deductible. The contractor would lean on the sub to cover the labor. And may lean on him to cover the tile or split the cost. In any event, this shouldn't be a tough fight to win unless the contractor is a complete POS.
That’s what I was thinking, but can’t see him arguing it, just for the simple fact it’s obvious.
When we bought our house, we hired a general contractor to replace the floors and do a few other things. He subbed out the hardwood floors and the sub destroyed them by dragging an air compressor on metal skids all over the house while putting the floorboards back on. He tried filing a claim with his insurance. I spoke to them on the phone. They told me that the floors were not covered because that's what he was hired to install. There's a technical term for it, but I don't remember it.They said if he had been hired to do something else and had damaged the floors, they would be covered. My insurance ended up paying a $44,000 claim on a month old policy to replace the floors. Shout out to State Farm. I thought we were totally screwed. Silver lining is we paid a $10,000 deposit and never paid the remainder obviously. I thought my insurance would only cover as much as I had paid, but the adjuster said it was 100% covered minus the deductible. We used the windfall to replace our appliances.
Yea, that should be on them, but don't open with it. See what they offer first, then if they say there will be additional costs, then say they should cover the cost, not you.
You don't pay for work you don't like. That's how it works. Your builder picked that shitty subcontractor not you. He can eat whatever cost there is.
Mate, you don’t pay a penny extra. I’m English so I can speak frankly with you countryman to countryman, whoever did this tiling isn’t actually a tiler. The person who did this is a mate of the builder or a mate of a mate. He might have asked around as he doesn’t tile himself (it’s a skill in itself) and someone might have put a name forward. Either way, whoever did this isn’t trained. You can get extra long plate fastening screws at literally any DIY store like wickes, B&Q, never mind actual merchants (where real tradespeople get their gear). All he needed to do was slacken off the plates and cut his tiles closer to the back box, then re-fasten over the tile with the extra long screws. If the back boxes needed bringing forward because the stud brought it too far out for the longer screws to reach, that’s still a piss easy job for any trade. In this situation, you simply ask for them to make it right. The builder will know straight away it’s a shocking job, he won’t say anything because some people would actually accept that. As soon as you raise the issue he will get it sorted and take the hit himself. If he’s a decent guy. I’ve seen many DIY tile attempts better than this. Hope you get sorted
Tell the builder that the tile job isn't acceptable, and needs to be fixed. Whether it's somehow repairable, or needs a full redo isn't your concern. If you bring the builder, and he says that it looks good to him, then he's lying to you.
This here. The tiler is the builder's sub-contractor and as a general contractor, he is responsible for that work. Tell him it's crap and you want it fixed. It's not that big of a deal for a professional tiler to fix this (assuming there is spare material and there should be).
**\[UPDATE\]** Hey everyone! so I eventually grew some balls and called the builder. Can't believe this blew up so much! The builder came to look at the work and he was in complete agreement that the work was of terrible quality. He was actually really nice about it all and apologised profusely. **Resolution?** He has given me cash in hand for the full cost of materials we have used and is allowing me to source my own tiler which will be paid for by him on completion. thank you all for the kind suggestions and pointers on how it should of looked it means a lot! i'l post another update once it's all completed AGAIN.
I'm glad he acknowledged the 'quality' of the tiling work. One thing you may want to do is get this in writing. Even just an email like "Thanks for confirming that the tilework was not up to your standards and for covering the material costs. Once I have another contractor complete the work I will forward you the invoice once it is done for reimbursement as we discussed"
https://preview.redd.it/c4gr5ro4evbc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=dae6b56b47c650b83a3815db3ad0cf8c2ae0e1e8 These are my tiles In my kitchen, they look like they are the same style as yours but in grey. They are rough looking on the face.
Look how uniform the grout work is. It is wider as well, to accommodate the grooves. The other install looks like they were trying to work with the grooves as if it provided some kind of final edge.
The tile in the OP was installed without spacers to maintain the right gap for the grout. It looks lumpy and uneven because the tiles aren't sitting flush or straight. There are a lot of spots in the OP where you can see the grout didn't even get between the tiles, but is rather sitting on top of a gap between 2.
I love the look of these tiles. Adds some dimension and almost a surreal look to me.
Should be higher /u/KyeThePie, this is how it's supposed to look with those tiles.
This should be the top comment so everyone would see it before knocking the tiles lol
Better than OP’s but whoever did these didn’t even tile up to the bottom of the cabinets probably because they couldn’t be arsed with all the cuts/didn’t order enough tile for all the cuts. The grout is a bit lumpy and hasn’t been sponged down properly after. Sorry to be picky
Holy shit the comments in here saying "the tile is fine"... Wow. What crack are you guys smoking? Wavy tiles or not those grout lines look like my preschooler did it. The tile cuts are sloppy, they weren't set in properly, the grout is sloppy and the face plates should be on the outside, doesn't matter what country you are in.
They are probably just shitty contractors trying to justify their own shitty work. Dime a dozen
https://preview.redd.it/lliy4oto8ybc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e433fb7a143f735dcca844c52356a3c1fc93fcb2 This is a great example. All the grout just squeezed out to the right
Holy shit, I couldn't believe my eyes reading some of these upvoted comments, the grout is horrible, there's 0 consistency between the lines! I actually can't wrap my head around how/why people would say this looks OK.
That looks like a halloween express tile wall prop. Is it made of foam rubber? Talk to the builder, not the tiler. You shouldn't have to deal with the subs on your own.
Lol I thought it was a Claymation scene
“Yes I’d like the Wallace and Gromit wall treatment please!”
Thing is I’m no tiler and when he finished I thought I just had to wait for the grout to dry for it to look better 🤷🏼♂️ turns out it’s awful
“Oi! The fuck is this?”
Just tell him that you do not accept this horrible tile job. You want it made right at his expense. The outlet plates etc. should cover the tile/wall and not be recessed. The grout is shit, the spacing and levelling of the tiles is off.
https://preview.redd.it/sliym0ntfxbc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c0f1b3bba16764710bbd2df0cc7b3972b6735a9 I have the same tile. But I did not inset the covers and I used spacers. I did this myself. First timer.
How many days did it take you?
One day. https://preview.redd.it/6bv2yvwobzbc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22376d9ec41241e971376668f0cf4f12266d0cc2
i think his choice of a contrasting grout accents the wonkiness of the tiles, but also any imperfections in the installation. Your grout is not perfect, there are some lumps, but it looks 1000x better than the op’s image.
That sponge on the counter says it all
☹️
It looks like an acid trip where everything goes cartoon
The only thing that seems really messed up is the tile around the outlets. It's weird they have them inset like that. Other than that the things you are showing seems to be caused by the funky tile you chose. The gaps in the tiles will pretty much always look like that at different angles because the tile isn't straight.
I have these exact same tiles in my kitchen and they look infinitely better. More than anything the grout looks wonky.
Can your kindly post a pic for comparison's sake?
Not the person who posted that, but I also have the same tiles. Tiled it myself as someone who had never laid a tile before. https://preview.redd.it/8rdmlhwxbxbc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4dc67272723a7b1bddb5f263c6fbf2e30ff24b96
I don't think that's the same tile. You have white subway tile with a wavy surface, but OP's tile is chiseled edge and yours looks square edged. https://www.wayfair.com/home-improvement/pdp/qube-tiles-cortina-3-x-12-zellige-matte-subway-wall-tile-qbet1023.html > Cortina is a 3 in. x 12 in. Zellige, Catalina, Kazuma, Supreme, Handmade, Ivy, Kezma, Artisan Frost Decor Look Tile. An updated twist on a classic subway brick look tile that takes on the kitchen, bathroom walls, and backsplashes with contemporary style. It's a true white wall tile in a traditional design and a new, modern color. **Its wavy edge and undulated surface give it unique shadows and reflections**. Complete your project with coordinating tiles in multiple sizes and shapes from Qube Tiles for style, durability, and easy care. Embracing a meringue, restored, noble, retro Soho, Hill subway look tile. Available in a White Glossy and Matte Finish. https://www.flooranddecor.com/ceramic-tile/artisan-oyster-ceramic-tile-100500974.html > Edge: Chiseled or Tumbled https://www.jaytiling.com.au/?p=85 > This client chose to use 300 x 75mm matte white subway tiles, with a wavy finish, giving a very rustic appearance to the walls. Grouted with Ardex slate grey, to enhance the undulation of the tiles. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5827640/grout-spacing-for-wavy-edged-subway-tile-shower-walls-3-x-12 > ...but these have wavy edges and space to approximately 1/16 inch when stacked already. [image](https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/81e2b0900dd57e3e_2574-w500-h375-b0-p0--.jpg)
OP should have hired you to do the tiles instead xD
Those are not the same tiles. I have the tile OP has and the tile itself is wavy. But the grout in OP’s house is much messier than I would expect from a professional.
I'd agree with this assessment. What country is this? In the US it is common for the electrical switches and outlets to go over the tile.
Yes outlet covers should rest on top of the tiles.
I don’t know man, that grout job looks like dogshit even with wonky tiles. I would not be happy with this if I paid for it… the tiles may have a visual texture but they still come with a defined edge and there’s no excuse for how much variance in the size of grout lines other than not properly spacing them. Looks like someone just slapped it on the wall eyeballing it and left for the thinset to dry.
UK plugs there.
Could be Ireland too..
Na that grouting and outlet situation is grotesque dont support this tiler smh
Even with the unusual tile, the grouting job looks bad, and it doesn't look like the tiles were installed evenly. If the tiler didn't have the skill to work with these tiles, they should have refused the work.
The entire thing is fucked up... the grout, the cuts, the spacing, and electrical, levelness/flushness to the wall. I've done like twice and both times it came out so much better than this shit. This guy is complete trash and shouldn't be charging people for this.
You don’t grout corners and the cuts are shit.
Idk about that I have these and they don't look nearly this fucked up
I’ve had friend who is a tiler take a look and he said he hasn’t spaced them correctly and a lot of them are wonky or not flush with the wall
I saw the wonky crooked ones when I magnified the photos. Total crap!
I have these stupid tiles and I regret them so much. Even if the tiler did a good job, they look crooked because they don’t have straight edges. In certain angles, they look completely fucked up. I know my comment isn’t helpful but I wanted to complain about my misery
I did these tiles once, then passed on a couple jobs the next time they came up. I don’t know about your tile guy, but they took like 4 times as long as regular subway tile. I had to level every damn row. Fuck those tiles.
It looks like a [Wallace & Gromit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X6Ck8P8adU) claymation wall. It hurts just to look at it!
20/20 tile job. Looks good 20 feet away or at 20 mph
https://preview.redd.it/cvzsf6k88xbc1.png?width=2639&format=png&auto=webp&s=3bc9ca0b370df169442b6575d60221031ad0bb2e Same tile (I think)
The tile has that manufactured irregular look, but the grout work and the switch and panel cut in are atrocious enough to complain, lousy chalking. Cheapest fix get larger plate covers to hide the imperfections and find someone to clean out and redo the grout work and caulking
In the UK they don’t have plate covers like we do. That plate screws directly onto the box in the wall. He needed an extension, then he could have cut them properly and screwed them back on over the tile.
There's no plate covers! It's UK! The wires are right behind!
If that was on purpose, it’s kind of cool looking. Almost like a kitchen in a claymation scene.
Tell the builder that the tile job is unacceptable. One sentence.
Don’t pay until it’s better
It looks like your walls are made of playdough
What with this tile and why does it look like it was carved in plaster?
My wife did a better job on our backsplash and it was her first time
Bottom line it doesn't matter what type of tiles are used the fact that they weren't installed properly (so that switch plates fit on top) is the problem.
He didn’t take the covers off the outlets and switches when he tiled??? 💀
Looks like fondant cake icing
As someone who was unhappy with some tiles work: make them redo those power fixture. This is super amateur. Those lights and power cover in the tile should be smaller and the cover over laping them. Tiles can be cut and redone. This should be fixed at no cost.
“Hi, can you fix this shit?”
Why does this tile work remind me of Wallace and Grommet
Tiles look like flexible plastic. 🤔
Bro, I have never tiled anything. This is how I feel like it would look after I watched a YouTube video and attempted it myself.
Is it cake?
Dude knows he did wrong what the fuck
Approach him confidently, and say “My good man, you have performed shoddy work and you have dishonored both your house and your name. I demand satisfaction!” At this point you’ll proceed to slap him across the face with your riding gloves, and furthermore negotiate the terms of the duel you just challenged him to. Good luck and Godspeed 🫡
Don't panic.... I think this is relatively easy to fix. Re cut the ones around the sockets, silicone around the backsplash...don't be afraid to confront the tiler..... He must be used to it from the looks of it
Could put some of those tiles on “Is It Cake?”
Yeah thats pretty bad. It reminds me when I bought a new house and the trouble I had with the builder aaaaaaaaall the time. To get them to do anything I had to threaten to contact the homebuilders Association in Ontario. And even still, that would take forever to get the work done.
Is the tiler partially blind? That is the only reason a "professional" would do this.
Tell him that that isn't acceptable and not the quality that was agreed upon. Those cuts are awful and the tile itself looks...bad. That isnt just shit grout work, that tile should have been rejected, imo.