skip to main content

Tiling job - acceptable or not?

7 years ago

We're having a sunroom addition put on our house and the floor tile started going in yesterday. The guy said he was going to do 1/8 inch spacing with spacers, as recommended by the manufacturer. However, it seems like he did not use spacers, or at least not for everything.

The spacing is quite varied. Some is 1/8 but some butt up tight against each other, and some have much wider gaps. And some boards are slightly slanted (not exactly parallel). He tells us we won't notice once the grout is in. Besides the visual look, we do worry with expansion/contraction that the ones that are too tight will be cracking or coming up.

Additionally, the tiles are not laid perfectly flat in all cases. Some are sticking up a bit on one end or the other (or the adjacent tile is too low). the tile is larger (6"x36") so I know it is probably difficult to get wholly even and matching up flat across every tile. I did not expect perfection, but I expected a professional job to be better than this one.

The installer says that the tile is just difficult because it does not have beveled edges, and that once it is grouted, the grout will smooth out any height differences between the tiles.

Some pics: http://imgur.com/a/ji4qH

So am I just overly concerned or is it really not a good job?

Featured Answer

PRO

Avanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech

7 years ago

I agree with Jellytoast....He is obviously unaware of the techniques of installing this type of tile. You need a Medium bed morter to help avoid the sinking of some of the tiles. You need a VERY flat floor. You need a tile that has little, if any bowing. You need spacers. A floor "Leveling" system adds a bit to the cost, but makes the final product much better as far as lippage goes.

I learned this the hard way..........

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

jellytoast
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
You are right to be concerned, IMO, as he is showing very little attention to detail. What type of mortar (thinset) is he using? Why is he skipping using spacers? He obviously lacks the skill to eyeball his installations. The problems with the spacing and the "sticking up" areas (lippage) could have been minimized with spacers, the proper medium-bed mortar, and a tile leveling system. Yes, installing those long tiles is more difficult, but if it is beyond his capabilities to do a professional looking install with minimum lippage, he should have declined the job. Grouting can help in hiding some inconsistencies in an installation, but it won't hide a poor job and should not be used as an excuse to do sloppy work.
cpartist
7 years ago
That's a hack job and you need a professional to first level the floor and then do it correctly. It's a do over and do not pay him. What he's telling you is a crock of...
Related Discussions
Is this tile job acceptable?
Q
Comments (26)
All I can say is I would be pissed. I could have done a better job myself. I have had one contractor mess up a job and as soon as I noticed they were screwing up I told him to stop work. He told me his plans to correct and I told him hell no this was an official stop work order meanaing he is to leave my premises and not come back. I figured out a price that I thought was due to him, because I did not want him to come set my house on fire or anything and that was that. It was equilivant to the percentage of work he already did. We inherantly want to be nice BUT we also don't want to be ripped off or have shoddy work. People will take advantage of that. You might be able to fix what he did since there was no grout put in. To be sure someone else coming in is going to want to do a whole rip out. I would not personally do that. I would fix what I could by replacing the bottom two misaligned tiles and have it all grouted, have the seat tiled and grouted and call it a day. Its a story that you will be telling for a long time and a lesson learned....that in the future you need to check your contractors work and references.
...See More
Granite Tile Fiasco
Q
Comments (12)
He's on Angie's List and has a number of references. Unfortunately we were so smitten with his BS about his craftsmanship, that we didn't check them out thoroughly. One problem is that despite assuring us that "once I start a job I stay on it until it's done", he took several commercial jobs and put us on the back burner. He would send out his unsupervised helpers now and again, but he would rarely show. He led us to believe that he would be doing everything himself. When he told us that he only charges $35 an hour for his labor because he thought that everything was just too expensive these days, that should have been a clue that something was fishy. He charges $35 an hour mainly for the labor of his largely unsupervised workers. Another problem appears to be that he is skilled at putting the customer on the defensive. "I've worked for 5 cabinet shops, and we ALWAYS do it that way". "I've put in 50 floors and I always did it that way- and you're the first person to ever complain". I believe that he actually can do quality cabinet work if he concentrates on it. However, when he put up the corner cabinet that way and attempted to get away with the crooked looking crown molding, and of course the hideous tile job, we lost all confidence in him. All the delays, mess, mistakes, and countless excuses have all come to a boil, and we are seething. He's had the cabinet doors setting in our living room for 10 days, and has appropriated our garage for almost 3 months. We bent over backwards trying to be patient and understanding, and that was apparently a sign of weakness to be exploited.
...See More
New construction tile job: acceptable?
Q
Comments (9)
Quality? Its on par with builder grade lowest denominator sub contracted tile installation work. Theres also Custom professional master tile installation crews out there. "But builder said the other subs they use would grout and then cover with clear caulk. " As CTEC stated builder is wrong and you dont want his other sub either. What you want is a detailed scope in your next tile contract refrencing industry standards to be met and followed as well as details of layout expected only then will you have written documentation to debate upon.
...See More
Is this acceptable for a pro tile job?
Q
Comments (6)
While the lines between sheets are visible, it's far better than most photos that are posted here. However, we rarely see the good installations, so the bar is set fairly low.
...See More
PRO
User
7 years ago
Definitely not an acceptable tile installation. When choosing a material that requires a slightly higher skill level and knowledge of that material to install, you really should make sure the installer knows, from experience, what they're doing. As far as expansion/contraction spaces.... that's not something you have to worry about with tile. But in one of the pics, it looked like the subfloor might be plywood... That's an entirely different problem all together. Tile is never supposed to be installed over a material that expands and contracts, (ex: wood) The tile and mortar/thinset, don't expand/contract, while the wood subfloor does, causing the two materials to pull apart from each other, causing your tile to crack and come loose. Either wire-mesh and a self-leveling cement or gypsum, or cement board need to be used on top of the plywood subfloor to ensure the longevity of the tile. (That is, if your subfloor is actually plywood) Here are some links with more info;

http://www.thecouturefloorcompany.com/tile-flooring-where-it-makes-sense.html

http://www.thecouturefloorcompany.com/the-importance-of-a-sound-subfloor-.html

The Couture Floor Company
Season Contreras
7 years ago
I'm so sorry, but that is not a quality job. DH and I have just started our first DIY tile job in our mudroom using 8x48 planks (so significantly more difficult to work with from what I hear, but I insisted on this product, lol). Here are a few pictures of our work, again first timers here. The cut is a little raggedy around the vent, but it will be covered so it's ok. We have one tile that has a little lippage, but it's so insignificant that I could not get it to show in the photo that I tried to take.
PRO
Avanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Looks reasonable.....although the spacing is all over the place. Some have a 2" stagger, some with 50% and some none at all. They should ALL have about a 1/3 stagger to minimize lippage.

Related Stories

Your Mission, Should You Decide to Accept It...

By Between Naps on the Porch

DECORATING GUIDES Choose the Right Doorknob for the Job

By Samantha Schoech

Your home's entire style may just turn on the right doorknob. These examples can help you select wisely

BATHROOM DESIGN 6 Elements of a Perfect Bathroom Paint Job

By By Any Design Ltd.

High-quality paint alone won't cut it. For the best-looking painted bathroom walls, you'll need to get these other details right

THE ART OF ARCHITECTURE Design Practice: Why Saying No Can Be Good for Business

By Eric Reinholdt, Architect

When talking with potential clients, ask yourself these questions to determine whether you should accept — or pass on — the job

REMODELING GUIDES Top 10 Tips for Choosing Shower Tile

By By Any Design Ltd.

Slip resistance, curves and even the mineral content of your water all affect which tile is best for your shower

BATHROOM DESIGN How to Match Tile Heights for a Perfect Installation

By By Any Design Ltd.

Irregular tile heights can mar the look of your bathroom. Here's how to counter the differences

BATHROOM DESIGN 10 Top Tips for Getting Bathroom Tile Right

By By Any Design Ltd.

Good planning is essential for bathroom tile that's set properly and works with the rest of your renovation. These tips help you do it right

KITCHEN DESIGN Soapstone Counters: A Love Story

By Alison Hodgson

Love means accepting — maybe even celebrating — imperfections. See if soapstone’s assets and imperfections will work for you

BATHROOM DESIGN Out With the Old Tile: 8 Steps to Prep for Demolition

By By Any Design Ltd.

This isn't a light DIY project: You'll need heavy-duty tools and plenty of protection for your home and yourself

FEEL-GOOD HOME Embrace a Few Beautifully Weathered Surfaces for a Happy, Durable Home

By Janell Beals - House of Fifty

You don’t need to worry so much about scuff marks and dings when you accept the character and beauty of wear

Sponsored

C. David Johnson

Designing Beautiful, Sustainable Homes in Columbus

More Discussions

Need help finding a floor porcelain tile to match wall tile background

17

Help! Dilemma With Red Oak Hardwood Flooring

15

Yellow & blue bathroom?

2

California Classics Mediterranean 9.5 Flooring

0

Gray streaks on newly refinished wood floor.

6