What a mess. Sorry for your troubles, these things just shouldn't happen. Here's what I advise you to do: Write down the original problem, then each blunder that followed. Have it ready in an email. No emotion. Just the details. 1) This is what we ordered. 2) This is what was installed. 3) This was the problem with the installation. 4) This is what was done in an attempt to repair the problem (vinegar, stain, paint). 5) Is there a way to repair what has been done so we can have what we wanted in Step 1)? 6) If there isn't, what is the best course of repair so you can be made whole? (Full grout removal and replacement?) 7) Is their an alternative course of repair? (Mask it with Aquamix Grout Colorant?) Now one thing, you certainly don't want to use the AquaMix colorant if you don't like any of the offered colors. Call Custom's tech department. Ask the tech for his email address and while you are on the phone, fire off the email to him so he has the details in writing. I've even emailed photos to techies whole on the phone with them. Have your discussion, and have the tech reply to you in writing via an email. If the tech can't assure you that repairs can be made to the grout "as is", then have him write that the only way to get a proper installation is for the grout to be removed and replaced. The goal is to get specific answers back from him in writing. Some tech guys can suffer from the "I don't know" syndrome, and it's fine if they do...but they still have to recommend a final course of action. The point-of-view I use when dealing with tech support is that if they can't assure me that everything is okay, well, then it's not okay. And if it's not okay, the best course of action is usually full removal and replacement. With it being replaced, then you know it's okay. Your do have a few choices. One would be to have the grout removed and then new grout installed. That would "make you whole" in terms of you getting the installation that you originally wanted. One of the risks with that is when removing the grout, sometimes the tile edges can get nicked here and there. Any damage to the tile can just make this whole experience sink further into the abyss. Small nicks to the tile might not be a huge issue if the tile is a through-body color tile, ie, the color of the "inside" of the tile is similar in color to the surface color. An alternative repair, and it is a "repair" versus "making you whole", can be attacked on two levels, but the overall "repair" is using a grout colorant over the grout you have. Not a grout stain, but an epoxy-based grout colorant. I don't use colorants often, but when I do it's Aquamix Grout Colorant. AquaMix is a product from Custom, so it'd be right up the tech's alley in terms of a product that he could recommend. But again, you have to like one of their offered colors to want to use the product. One level of repair depends on the "paint added to the grout". I'd get an answer from Custom Tech on this. Is the grout okay? Will the paint prevent the epoxy colorant from adhering to the grout, etc? Will the stain used create adherence issues? If the messed up grout is a concern, would a proper repair be for then to remove the polluted grout from those sections. Install new cementitious grout. Then the grout colorant can go over the entire floor? It's difficult because your proper repair is removal of the grout and installing new grout. But the nature of that repair can cause damage to the tile...and sure, damaged tiles can be pulled and replaced. But does your C/H have the ability to carry out a repair like that without causing more problems? Your interaction now is pretty much between you and your contractor/handyman. Sure, your tile guy did the installation. But once your C/H jumped in with the paint and stain, he sort of absolved the original tile guy of all his installation sins. The fact that your C/H followed bogus advice from the tile store versus calling the grout manufacturer's tech department for repair advice, that's all on your C/H. He can certainly blame the sales guy at the tile store for giving him bogus advice. But that's not a concern to you. Let the C/H argue with the sales guy about that. Only your C/H is a concern to you, he's the one you hired, he's the one who really buggered up the installation. He should have done what you're going to do...and what it says on every bag of grout to do...if you have problems, call tech support. Sorry for the wordy reply. This is one of those cases where I was interrupted by several phone calls while typing, etc...ramblin' man...oh yes oh yes oh yes...oh nooooo.... Custom Customer Support 800-272-8786 Custom Technical Services 800-282-8786 Good luck.

We talked to our contractor yesterday and everything has been worked out to our satisfaction. Regarding the bullnose, he agreed to pull off two of the worst and replace them with tiles that are more square. Regarding the uneven 12 x 12s, he explained that our wall is not the same size all the way up (our house was built in 1970) and he said he purposely jogged the tile ever so slightly so there wouldn't be a big gap at the top. He said if we were worried about the grout lines not looking straight because of this, he wound use a diamond edge against the tiles to remove a bit of the edge and help the grout lines look straight. We looked at the way he set the 12 x 12s, and he did indeed jog out each line very slightly--there was nothing haphazard about it at all. All's well that ends well, except that we chose a terra cotta-look tile that has a fairly high degree of variability between the tiles, and he set 3 of the darker ones too close together, so that they really stood out on the shower wall that you see as you walk in the door. So today, my husband asked him to take off 2 of the tiles and replace them with different tiles ( DH has a more flexible schedule since he's self-employed so I got out of the task of telling the contractor something he probably wasn't happy to hear). The result is absolutely gorgeous. Now that you guys (mongo and bill vincent) have informed me that Florida tile is notorious for being out of square, I probably won't use it in future projects, but this tile is just stunning. I'm VERY happy with the look. We are sticking with the light chocolate grout and I will post pictures after it's grouted. Thanks for all the incredibly helpful input.

First, I am a DIYer so take this advice for what it is worth. 1- if you do succeed in removing all those tiles and reapply them to that greenboard, in a couple of years they will all fall off again anyway. I had that in a condo we were renting in the city a few years ago and as soon as the smallest bit of water gets through your grout (and it will) that board will rot away quickly, the tiles will pop off one by one, and the entire project will need to be done again. 2- if you call in a professional now, they will not apply to that greenboard either (not if they are reputable anyway) and will charge you for ripping it out and installing cement board. Even if some DIY people would apply tile to green board, the green board has now been compromised by you removing the tile. Green board is only coated drywall. The green coating is a waxy coating that is supposed to keep it water resistant. If you look at it, do you think it is going to be water resistant now? If I were you I would cut or score around where the tile currently is and was and remove the green board and tile. I would go buy cement board and screw it to the studs. It goes up just as easy as drywall, you patch it like drywall, and then you have a nice EVEN (your tile is not going to lay nice on that current surface), clean surface that is waterproof to go ahead and install your new tile on. And you are not going to have to worry about having to re-do it in a few years. I promise the extra time spent will be well worth it down the road. It is up to you whether or not you want to call someone in or not. You should know that it will be more than the professional simply laying tile though, he will be charging you for re-doing the backing also. Best of luck, Kalindi

This should have all been handled in the prep. Was completely avoidable with the proper prep. But what we don't know (or understand) is why the shower walls were built out so far. One common approach would be to build jambs. Again, this is all part of the planning. Doubt the walls were that far out of plumb that you couldn't achieve a better result than you have. You should have been given your options before anything was done as what you have is not standard. There are so many ways to rectify this in planning. This stuff hurts my head.