Sounds like the GC's problem, not yours. Sometimes, they are deal with too many details at once, get one idea in their heads, and assume it's your fault when they err. Stick to your guns. I have three garbage disposals in my house. The GC said he never uses his, his assistant never uses hers, so they kept omitting the disposers from my plans. We kept having to get change orders to document that we ordered them, because they kept forgetting. Finally, when the guys were here to install the disposers, the GC threw a tantrum--I say that without exaggeration--and accused us of going behind his back. We showed him change order copies and he quieted down, but never apologized. We got our disposers.

You of course could try to split the cost with your GC. However, if I was redoing a kitchen of my dreams I would not let $500 stop me from completely getting exactly what I want. Keep in mind that my favorite things about kitchens (visually) are the countertops and backsplashes. So I would definately put my money where my backsplash is.

Where's a pic of Bab's backsplash? I'd like to see it since I've done lots of tile work and don't understand why it costs more to do 2x2 vs 4x4? Ask him just where the 'extra cost' comes into play.
Or............is his bid based on NO inserts?

Here is the pic we gave him of babs backsplash

My initial reaction is 'geez, big deal'! Apparently he was going to insert the 4x4's in line with the others and not on a diagonal.
Yes, he'll now have to cut the corners off of 4 tiles around each insert, but for an experience tile guy that's pretty easy.

I don't know how many inserts he's using, but I doubt it's worth an extra $500. The design is pretty simple since all the other tiles are in a straight line and not on the diagonal.

Is the GC doing the work or he's subbing it out?

Good thing you caught it now and not after he's inserted 4 x 4's randomly!

kitchendetective wrote:

...the GC threw a tantrum--I say that without exaggeration--and accused us of going behind his back. We showed him change order copies and he quieted down, but never apologized.

Are you in the Boston area, by any chance, because it really sounds like we have the same contractor. I've come very close to starting a thread here about contractor attitude problems and how to deal with them. Mine yells at me (yes, literally yells) and insults me... for his errors. He's completely unable to admit it when he makes a mistake or doesn't know the answer to something, and instead gets extremely hostile and goes on the offensive. He's ordered incorrect items (meaning not what I asked for or the wrong type for the application) on at least three different occasions, dropped and splintered one of my new cabinets before it could be installed, and so on, but never a word of acknowledgment or an apology--just aggression toward me. I've never been accusatory or upset with him; I've simply requested that the wrong items be replaced with the right ones. In his world, this is apparently wildly unreasonable. He came highly recommended and is not inexpensive, but I can't remember the last time I had to deal with someone so disrespectful and unprofessional. He's turned what should have been a fun and exciting experience (I can deal with the remodel-related issues) into a stressful and extremely unpleasant one.

Sorry to veer off topic. I'm just strangely relieved to know that I'm not alone in the realm of hissy-fit-throwing contractors (although I wouldn't wish one on anybody).

Andrea, I hope that your GC is more reasonable, and that your issue gets resolved to your satisfaction and you end up with the backsplash of your dreams. The extra cost appears to be entirely due to his error. There was no miscommunication, just a lack of attention on his part. I don't think you should have to pay a cent more than you would have had he gotten the information (which you gave him in a detailed and unambiguous manner) right the first time.

My husband's a GC --
So normally, I have no trouble seeing their side of things.
But not this time...

I'd politely suggest that since he does so many of these, he might have gotten your job mixed up with another project. Then I'd show him a picture of Bab's backsplash, show him the invoice for your 2x2's, and ask him to show you your written change order to 4x4's.

If he can't do that, then he has no business asking for extra money to make a change.
And for what it's worth, even if it were a change, it should be nowhere near $500.

Anns,
He said he is doing the backsplash himself and it is going to be 15 inserts at the most. I've been very sick with my pregnancy and so I haven't been able to see what they are doing. I caught things wrong with our cabinets after they finished so it was kind of a fluke when I heard him mention yesterday to someone that he doesn't need the tile saw for our backsplash because he's just sticking them in randomly. I don't know how it would have looked if I hadn't overheard him yikes!

Quantum, OMG, how unprofessional and rude, you are the customer, you definately don't deserve that, same thing to you Kitchen.

Today was the only time that he has been irritated. I've been so sick, I've barely talked to him. We've let some things slide too, like the mess they have left in my house every day they have been working. My wonderful husband has been having to clean up all the puddy on the floors and nails and screws and stuff they have been leaving every where. GC told me before we started he would put plastic up and keep things as clean as possible with a remodel, didn't happen. I'm not backing down that this was not my error like he says because it wasn't. I may be sick but my memory is still in tact.

$500. That's BS. Stick to your guns on this one. Especially since he had the layouts. Yes it is more time consuming but $500 is excessive.

I am a DIY that has done two tiled bathrooms already and own my own tile saw. As annz said previously on this thread, all one has to do is cut the corners off 4 tiles.

Even if there is 20 insets being installed, basically all he or the the tiles guy has to do is set the 45 degree stop on the tile saw and then cut the 80 tiles one right after the other.

Sweeby,

That is the thing, he said that he has it in HIS notes that I changed it to 4x4 randomly inserted. There is no change order. When we changed from a brick pattern to the 4x4 pattern with 2x2 copper inserts and updated some electrical, he gave me a new estimate with those changes on it. He said that I should have told him that I changed it to 2x2 from 4x4 when he was reworking the estimate, how could I do that when it was 2x2 the entire time. I was smart because we don't have a contract, I asked him about it and he said that the estimate he gave me from the initial meeting would suffice as a contract. I'm kind of worried because he forgot to include the tearing out of my old backsplash into my original estimate and said since it was his mistake we wouldn't worry about it, then when the new estimate with the changes came there was the charge for tearing out the backsplash and the price of the electrical went up $25. If anyone is wondering, no I didn't get references because every week they were coming and when we started demo, still no refs could be provided.

I meant to say I wasn't smart by not demanding to have a contract. I am afraid I'm totally screwed!

Don't let him get away with it. If he doesn't have a written change order to 4x4 then there wasn't one. He obviously forgot. Try to handle it professionally with him - but make sure he does it the way you want - you can always refuse to pay the extra amount after the fact - without a contract or written change orders he has no leg to stand on if he wanted to go after you for the extra money. Not having a written contract works both ways.

On the other hand, since you didn't sign a contract, you could have him finish all the other work, ask him to leave the back splash to the end and you will consider the options he has presented you with in the meantime. When the rest of the project is finished, just let him know you have decided not to do the back splash at this time (maybe due to financial considerations) and get someone else to do it. Without a contract, you can stop things at any point as well as him. He appears to be using the lack of contract to his advantange, now you start using it to yours.

Sue

First, I'd remind him that he offered to forget the charge of the tearout.
If anything, this design will probably take less time to install than the one that was a brick pattern. I'd keep an eye on him during the install and make sure you're happy with his work.

Still don't understand why he'd try the install without a tile saw. Cutting ends and fitting around electrical is much easier/cleaner than with a score/cut method. You'll have no extra grout lines around electrical if he knows how to utilize the saw.

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. DIL was going thru morning sickness with their remodel and I can imagine what you're going thru!

Again.........that's not $500 worth of work!
Stand your ground!!

Great advice from Sue!

I agree with both Sue and Weissman. He hasn't got a leg to stand on without a signed change order that specifically notes a change in the insert size (which he obviously doesn't have since you never changed the size...!) You could let him finish (insisting he do what you want), then simply deduct the extra cost from your final payment if he has the gall to include it. He's not going to go after you for $500, especially when there is no contract in place.

On the other hand, in your shoes, I think I would take Sue's approach and just get a GOOD tile guy in to do the job after the rest of the work is done and the GC has cleared out. That's what we did -- the backsplash wasn't done for another 5 months, but we took our time, found a tiler we really liked and for whom the references were phenomenal (which is why we had to wait that long -- he was booked solid) and the backsplash quite honestly is probably the most professional part of our kitchen remodel. I'm not sure I'd let a GC do it himself no matter what, unless he can give you plenty of references (that you actually see) indicating he's done this before and knows what he's doing.

I would tell your GC that given his confusion about your specifications, the "moving target" on the price, and your concern about how he plans to do this, you have decided to engage a professional tile installer instead.

As a question, have you basically paid him everything he's owed on the rest of the work, or did you hold back something? And how serious are the items on the punch list or are they very minor? (since he may be ticked about not having the additional money from the backsplash work and may just walk on you if there's no contract... might be worth letting him do that if the consequences wouldn't be extreme...)

We have only paid him 75%. The remainder is due after the backsplash is finished and (according to me and hubby) the cabinets are fixed to OUR satisfaction, not thiers. He called a little while ago upset saying that the accent tiles won't be in until Saturday. I could tell he was irritated.

Just for a point of reference, I am in the greater Houston area and paid $75 to have the liner added to my backsplash. It is actually 3 pencil liners stacked and I was told he would probably increase that some when he actually did it, maybe 2x that, but if I remember correctly, he invoiced me just the $75 for all three rows.