Not to be cruel, but if that was my work, after I sobered up I'd tear it out and do it again.

Is this the original work or the repair?

Mongo

This is the repair. Here is the original.

to top it off they chipped a few tiles while they were digging out the grout where the cracks were so they could regrout them and then turned around and left a few more cracks and bubbles to boot.....I am so tired of this. This is an expensive tile job from Home Expo....which is suppose to be a cut above the rest.

I do feel for you.

If you were up for changing the grout color to a less contrasting color, it might camouflage some of the flaws in the installation.

Aquamix makes a very good grout colorant.

This certainly won't make you feel any better, but I know no one worth hiring that subs through HD.

Several years ago they solicited me, the prices they were willing to pay me were about 1/4th of what I normally charge.

Mongo

I think it's the grout color that's making the problems so conspicuous. Were it grouted white you probably wouldn't notice any of the things which are bothering you now.
It's very important, when using a contrasting grout color, to get absolutely everything "tight and right". Using the Dal Rittenhouse tiles didn't help any either as the "cushioned" edges are often irregular also which emphasizes the wide and narrow appearance of the joints.
I really don't like the super-big (technical term) joints in the rear of the soap niche. I can't think of an excuse for that besides laziness.
Shaughnn

Complain to Expo Manager, and don't settle for less.

I think a white grout will make the tile work look much nicer. in general, i prefer to use grout that matches the tile, not contrast it.

You should be able to get your way with HD. The minute you sense resistance from them, walk away. Go onto Yahoo Finance (link attached). Write a confidental letter to the CEO explaining what has occurred and the lack of help from the local store to resolve. Make sure it is confidential. That is your best hopes it will make its way to his secretary and possibly him.

Here is a link that might be useful: CEO

i can understand why they choose a off color grout but i wouldnt of went that dark.. its tough to do white tile with white grout. because the grout stains alot easier than the tiles.. soo in a matter of months the grout will look sloppy.. but in your case you probly would of been better off with white grout..

definatly call and complain.. i wouldnt settle for that.. any of my workers did that i would fire them on the spot and even the sales man that helped u pick out those colors..

The repair is better than the original.

I spoke to the store manager and she showed genuine concern for the funky way things are going in my bathroom. They are suppose to send someone to my home to evaluate the problem within 24 hours. She also told me that they had a design team that the sales staff should have told me about from the begining. Apparantly the design staff are able to help out and make sure things are done properly and take away some of the headaches that have occured during this whole process. I don't think they would have been a total substitute for this forum....but I think they would have been very helpful. Have any of you ever used the services of the Home Expo design team?

I do want to add my thanks again for all the help you all have given me. I would have been a blind sided fool without you.

Hi

I am with mongo on that.

But I be bit nicer

I would recommend installing one piece glaze niche ceramic, would look better, I believe expo have them, if not I am sure you can find at dal tile near you.

Consider re grouting the whole tile to white or sand color, I promise to be nicer, but to be honest abut your tile, it dose not look good with that grout color, and it bring up the finish detail out ( and the are not that good)

If this work under expo warranty, try having them re-do their job, or at least re-grout.

Good luck

Yes....it was suppose to be sand color....they tell me this is sand color but not the color that I saw at the store. This is much darker. The color seems even darker along the rim of tile where it meets the wall. The caulk that they put in does not fully seal the crack between where the tile was floated out and the new wall board that was added to come up to meet it. I'm afraid that the crack will be a place for moisture and mold to grow and that it will really look bad if they don't find some way to seal it better.

Is there anything else I should be worried about with 1 inch of wall board (2 1/2 inch pieces) on my walls? Now that I think about it...I wonder how they are stuck together and if they can come apart? I am also wondering how this might effect finding studs or hanging pictures, towel bars, light fixtures and the recessed medicine cabinet?

Its been more than 24 hours and I haven't heard from the Expo expert guy yet. I guess I'll have to call them tomorrow to see whats happening.

I'm getting pretty discouraged thanks for letting me vent a little.

Don worry, you are one of the lucky ones, Expo are a big company.
You got few option, and if I where you, I would use all of them to threat them 1. BBB 2. Contractor state board, depute the charge on your credit card ( if you pay with cc), and a small claim court.

DonÂt settle for less then re doing the whole job, if I was you, I would ask my money back and find a tile contractor in your area, with some references

"Is there anything else I should be worried about with 1 inch of wall board (2 1/2 inch pieces) on my walls?"
Well I would be worried just seeing their finish product.

Again donÂt worry much, just donÂt let the pressure down of expo until the refund your money or re do their job.
This time you should post pictures as you go, so you get advice while you can still fix it. :)

By the way, is their any way i can keep specific topic in a way I can follow them?

Just save the thread to your favorites, or bookmarks, on your computer.

well,

The big fix it guy from Expo thinks that my tile job meets industry standards. He likes the soap niche the way it is. I will need a few pictures of the way they are suppose to look to show. Does anyone have a great looking tile soap niche they can send me a picture of?

He also didn't think the crack between the tile and the wall (along the sides of the tub surround) are anything to worry about....he says I'll just have to caulk every year or so to cover any holes that open up. Of course there are already a few holes even though they just caulked them. What is the industry standard for recaulking?

Because of the surface of the wall being almost level with the top of the curved surface of the radius bullnose tile it is like trying to draw a straight line on a flat surface and looks really bad to me. The caulk is mostly on the wall not the tile. Am I just being picky?

I plan to sell this house in a few years and I am afraid that this will make potential buyers run. The picture below shows what it looked like before the extra wall board was added to cover up the big grout. By the way It is unsanded grout that has not been sealed and the bathroom is a pretty moist place. Will this stuff start running out onto the floor some day?

Meets industry standards? Only if he works in a slaughter house.

Again, as we've mentioned before, a lot of the visual distractions can be taken away by using a grout colorant more in tune with the color of the tile.

Less contrast = less sadness.

I do have a question, how is the niche detailed behind the tile? ie, what waterproofing was used? Was it a preformed niche? Custom built on site?

Just curious, because all that grout and/or caulk inside the niche scares me.

I consider TCNA to be the sort of unofficially official "standard" in tile work.

Bill is much more familiar with TCNA than me, perhaps he could chime in.

And if recaulking once a year is no big deal, then I'm sure the Expo "big fix-it guy" won't mind making a yearly trip out to your house, eh? Gratis, of course.

Again, my apologies. Good tile can look oh so good, but bad tile is just ever-so-saddening.

Mongo

Although this guy always seems to be atleast a hair off acceptable, That niche, other than the grout being gumped up in the corners is marginal enough that it could pass. he doesn't know how to use inside corners, and he's certainly just a hair big on each of the four sides, which gives it the "crowded" look, but it's not to the point where you'll be able to get someone like the big box stores to say okay-- lets rip it out again.

Tara, don't get me wrong. I do understand your feelings on this. But what I'm seeing, although certainly not anywhere near perfect, is alot more acceptable than you think. The flaws you're seeing, are mostly flaws that could be found in just about any installation. The ones that are installer error, like the pinholes, etc., are an easy fix, and SHOULD be fixed. As for the glaze flaws, you'd never have noticed them if it weren't for the grout color. The reason you DON'T find them in other installations is because of the matching or soft contrasting grout. Probably the best advice you've been given to this point is to have them change the grout color. I believe it'll make a world of difference.

I WOULD like to hear the answers to Mongo's questions about the rough makeup of the niche, though.

Here are some pictures of how it looked before the tile was put on. I hope this helps you to understand what they are doing.

Thank you for all the help so far.

I am still wondering what Mongo thinks now that I have posted the pictures.

thanks again,

Does the prep work on the soap niche look ok? What about the hole in the corner?

I'm still hoping that someone will let me know about the hole in the corner?

Home Depot has a 100% satisfacion guarantee. It used to be listed in all of their ads, (I would think it still is). I had a problem once with carpet they had installed in one room and after many calls back and forth with the manager I mentioned the 100% guarantee they advertise when I was speaking with the store manager.He said "oh, okay if you want to approach it that way." It was re-done with absolutely no problem, and we all went on our merry way. I don't blame you for being upset. You should be able to have the color grout you want and have it be excellently executed by their professionals.Good Luck

Home Depot professionals. Now THERE'S a contradiction in terms.

Sorry for the tardy reply, this thread dropped off my screen.

No, the "hole" should no be there. The "paper" behind the mesh should extend over the flange so that any condensate running down the face of the paper will run over the flange and into the tub.

With that hole and what appears to be inadequate overlap in other areas, water could potentially go behind the flange and into the framing cavities.

Mongo