It's virtually impossible to have a perfectly level floor in a house that old without doing major structural improvements.

If there is leakage in the vanity, you ought to call your plumber to come check it. You may not have a line connected properly.

When you say no caulk, where are you talking about? Can you post photo's of those areas you feel they should have caulked?

Your contractor sounds like a doozie. Throw his number away, but before you do see if he's a licensed contractor (you can check online for your State) and if he is, file a report with the State about his quality of work. If he's not licensed you shouldn't have hired him unless he came very highly recommended by someone else.

Either he doesn't know what he's doing or doesn't want the responsibility to fix his mess. Either way he isn't being fully honest with you. Our house is only 20 years old but has settled quite a bit. The floor in our master bath wasn't even close to level. Before laying the tile, our contractor leveled it out with self leveling thin set. I'm not a professional, but he probably should have done the same thing. At this point, I wouldn't let that man come back to fix it, I'd bring in another professional to help you find a fix instead. I also strongly recommend you follow Brutuses suggestion about contacting the licening board for your state. You need to verify he's actually a licensed contractor and either report him if he's not or file a written complaint regarding his services. I'm sure sorry you have this happening and hope it turns out well. --Lukki

It depends on how old the house is as to whether using a self leveling compound or something to that effect will be effective. I know with my own house, it's just over 100 years old, and although we're going to take out most of the slope out of the floor by bracing the structure down in the basement, it actually changes with the seasons. I don't know if it's because we have a stone foundation, as opposed to concrete, or if it's because they didn't originally dig far enough down to get past the frost line, but one way or the other, the floors in my house seem to slope even more in the wintertime. So although we'll get most of it out, we won't ever get it all out, unless I go through the cost of lifting a 3 story house in order to pour a new foundation underneath it, and in this case, leveling the floor won't do a thing for you. The best you can hope for is flat, rather than level.

Yes, he is licensed. I used them before to replace our kitchen floor. No problems. Then again, this job was more involved.
The sink (vanity top) is all one piece, including backsplash. I thought they would caulk between the backsplash & the wall? No caulk around bottom of toilet or tub either. No big deal, we could do it ourselves but it is the principal of the thing.

Lesson learned, don't assume, get it in writing.......

Thanks everyone for your comments!

Yes, definitely get every little detail in writing. Good luck.

Thanks
yes, lesson learned. I trust no one now.......

Thanks for the clarification Bill, it's appreciated, but if the floor is out of level and the slope is severe, shouldn't he have explained this to her before hand?

I AM kind of surprised it didn't come up in discussion when the contractor first came out to look at the job.

Yeah, that's why I thought something sounded fishy. With us, when the GC saw how unlevel our floor was, he let me know that there was a problem, what he wanted to do to fix it and why. We spent a good 15-30 minutes going over it. Thanks Bill. :c)

A little tilt in a single room can be taken out by using SLC or floating the floor.

A lot of tilt can be taken out by floating a mud floor, by sistering new framing to the old, or by a combo method that involves shimming.

But as has been written, where was the conversation about "hey your floor is out of level, what do you want done about it?"

When he came out I was the one who actually told him that over in this spot it used to squeek & now it doesn't.
This was back in July, I don't actually remember the entire conversation now? As I said I am very unhappy with the job but it is my own fault for not asking & just assuming the floor would be level. I don't believe how dumb I am. I looked at the estimate he gave me & it does not say the new floor will be level.........
I also cannot believe that he gave me a hard time about replacing that cracked tile.

He still has to get someone out to fix the tub which they chipped (not a big deal but I told him that he is responsible)
I still owe him $900. which I am NOT paying until the tub is repaired & we come to an agreement on this vanity issue.
They were to cut the vanity to 16" overall - the guy didn't include the doors when he measured 16", they are indented an inch or so. Therefore the base of the vanity - the toekick is not 14".
I just want to go & pick out a new vanity altogether!
When the guy put the knobbs on, he chipped the inside of the vanity where they are screwed in, also the knobs are not even. They look like I tried to put them on.
He came out to fix that & the cracked tile. All he did was paint over the chipped part inside the vanity door & the knobs are still not even. I think the cost of the new vanity should come out of the $900 balance due??

I thought I was going to be so happy after the new floor etc. but I am miserable..................

Plus we spent 3 nights in a hotel because I refused to stay in a house without a bathroom! Yes, we only have 1 bathroom.............

Anyone know a good contractor in Philly area!?

Thanks for all your input. I appreciate it, honest!

Another question. I just noticed this last night.
The grout along the bottom of the tub has a thin crack in it. About the middle of the tub going towards the front of the tub.
I know it was not like that before. What would cause this?
The floor is only 2 weeks old.
We sealed it Saturday, used the spray on that the tile store recommended. (Same store where the tile was purchased)

Thanks

What would cause this?

Grouting that joint would cause it-- it should be caulked.

Grout is rigid. Where flexing or movement occurs, grout will crack. So just as Bill wrote, that's why most "changes in plane" are caulked and not grouted. Caulk flexes with movement.

Thank you
This is the bathroom from hell job!

One more question.
Should that grout come out & be replaced with caulk?
Knowing this contractor, he will say, oh it is only a crack no big deal........ I'll caulk over it.......
Cracks don't seem to phase him.
Sorry for the stupid questions, but I appreciate your help! Honest!
Thanks Bill & Mongoct

The only stupid question is the one not asked. Remove the grout, first. Otherwise the caulking will peel off pretty quickly.

Besides-- the whole reason for the caulk joint is to allow for some movement. If you leave the grout in there, it kind of defeats the purpose.

Bill you are so nice!!

Thanks! I just wasn't sure AND I am sure he will just want to caulk over the grout!
Maybe I better stick with white caulk?! He might come up with something that totally does not match the grout color!
What do you think!? Grout is summer wheat or something like that.

Would you believe I found a water bottle on the back bedroom window sill behind the curtain with urine in it.........
I realize they were working on a bathroom & there are no other facilities in the house but wouldn't you have remembered to take it with you? (I had an empty water bottle back there that I used to water my plants)

He just called & left me a message about what color caulk I want. And he said he asked the carpenter about the bottle - he denied he did it. He said he will check with the plumbers. Then he said maybe it was the boyfriend (as in my boyfriend). I have really had it with this guy...........
I don't even care who did it, I just wanted him to be aware of what his workers are doing. Maybe my cat did it!
I wish I never called this place!

Thank you so much for your help & patience!!

Whatever the grout is, you can bet the very same manufacturer has a caulking that matches it exactly, both in color and in texture (sanded or unsanded)

well, whatever he did when he mixed it the 2nd time (after he took the toilet out to replace the cracked tile)
the grout around the toilet is darker than the rest of the grout............I know he used the same one, because the box is still at our house.
I told him white! I am tired of this bathroom now.
I did ask him, you are removing all the grout & replacing with caulk, correct? He said yes. Imagine that!

Again, thanks for your help!