Unless you can prove that the subfloor was not perfectly done (sounds like they got it as close to flat as possible) then we have to look at the TILE. Tiles this large are almost always warped. The LEVEL of warping is now the question. As Sophie points out, you need to find out HOW warped is "warped". The easiest way to do so is to put two tiles "face to face" (pretty side to pretty side) and then "back to back" (ugly side to ugly side) and take PICTURES (if you can get a ruler or a measuring tape in the pic that would be even BETTER). Post those pics. And now the crucial part: who chose the tile (s/he who picked them is responsible for them)? Who gave instructions as to installation pattern (1/3 off-set, 1/5 off-set, 1/2 off-set, etc)? Who was on site to receive the tiles and signed off on them? Who gave the 1/8" grout line as the required amount? The person (or persons) who made all those decisions will have to answer to them. For this reason, many of the "outstanding" tile setters will insist on choosing their own tiles (or Kitchen Designers will insist on using their own suppliers) so that this does NOT happen. And Joseph is correct. The "worst offenders" are worth dealing with if the entire floor has lippage issues like this. The fix is often worse than the disease. As Sophie is fond of saying, "Lipstick on a pig." This is either a "live with it" or it is a complete redo.

Oh boy. This is where things get ugly. We have to 'split' the blame into small measurable units. Here we go. The homeowner picked the tile (was it rectified? Square edged or eased edge?) and the grout (I'm assuming you picked the COLOUR and not the quality?). You picked the FINISHES. OK. The 'look' is on you. The GC chose NOT to QUOTE for the subfloor work (preparation should be $2-$4/sf x 2200sf = $4400 - $8800 for this job). Which means you did NOT pay for subfloor work. A wonky subfloor = wonky tiled flooring. As cruel as this sounds, you got what you paid for. $0 paid subfloor prep = $0 owing for subfloor prep offered. Next point: The GC picked the STRUCTURAL MATERIALS. That's on HIM. His choice of 'thinset' (LFT requires a different technique) was wrong. That one's on him. His installers did NOT use the proper spacing requirements. Again, the GC OWNS the work his subcontractors produce. Again, this is on him. At this point, this requires a redo. And I mean complete gut and removal, repurchase (if the grout has not gone down you might be able to salvage ++ of these tiles....*might) and reinstall. The GC owes you: Replacement tiles for the one's that cannot be salvaged Proper thinset/mortar materials PROPER TILE SETTERS not just 'some guys' who use a trowel!!! His workers = his headache! Proper leveling system and staggered 1/3 off-set tile setting Quote for subfloor preparation What you owe the GC: 1. Payment for subfloor preparation (budget for $2 - $4/sf...just to be safe) You did not pay for subfloor prep. Sadly, both of you owe this to one another. The GC needs to FINISH his quote and you need to PAY the price for subfloor prep once the final bill (labour + materials) come in. As someone in the flooring industry, I have seen enough flooring mistakes to last a lifetime. This is an expensive lesson that the GC MUST LEARN. Don't feel 'bad' about this. Obviously he's skated by on flooring up to this point. He thought he could do it again...but he thought wrong. Now he pays the price for not knowing something he ought to have known. What you owe yourself: A critique of the overall work of the GC. You need to ask yourself if your GC messed up on such a massive job, is there anything else they messed up on? I do not wish to scare you, but a bad flooring job could be the indicator for other problems with this build. Please make sure you move cautiously with any of the other work that has been done or is supposed to be done in the future. Obvious places to look: Plumbing and Electrical. These require expensive professionals (in a hot Canadian market a Red Seal Plumber or Electrician bills $180/hr = more per hour than a Family Physician = $122/hr). A PROFESSIONAL tile setter is one of the other BIG EXPENSES on a build. They are so expensive that many GCs (yours included) will try to save money by using 'guys who swish a trowel'. If your GC cheaped out on tiling, what else did he cheap out on?

Sean - I’ve previously had mosaic tile installed that is EXACTLY the same re: tile extending past the edge of the mesh backing - and no lippage issues created. Also, I have two new mosaic tiles that I’m using in two bathroom renovations - and they BOTH are made the same exact way. I think this is typically how mosaic tile is installed on mesh backing. They are simply making an excuse - and hoping that you will accept it. These are the two new tiles I’m having installed (the spacing between the individual tiles looks uneven in some spots because the mosaic sheets are not laying on a flat surface) Notice that the tiles extend past the mesh backing along all four sides This sheet has some individual tiles removed - using them to replace some tiles on the sheet I’m actually having installed - but you can still see how the tiles along the edges extend past the mesh backing The mesh backing isn’t very thick - adjusting the amount of thinset used will make the edges even anyway.

What you can expect is dependent on whether the tiles were flat to start with. If they are not dead flat, then the amount of lippage will depend on the layout as some patterns are a bit more forgiving. I presume you have some leftover tiles, and you could check them for flatness by placing them face-to-face or back-to-back to see if there are any gaps. While this should have been done before the tiling started, at least checking now will tell you if you have bowed tiles or a less-than skillful tiler. My master bath floor has 24" X24" tiles with a 3/32" grout line and the tiles were absolutely flat before being laid and display no lippage at all.