Technically, though the tiling is done, the guys are still finishing up the bathroom and doing some other work. (I haven't made the final payment yet.) I wonder if anything good would come of insisting that I was correct and the strip is the wrong size. Technically, I ordered it. But I also did ask them to check it and called out that I thought the size was wrong.

Ditto. Schluter profiles come in a LOT of sizes...It could look interesting - like a picture frame with the change of depth, but with it wrapping around corners and such it may just look awkward? Change now or forever wish you had...

You bought it - they just installed it. Pay them more and have them swap it out - unless you like the finished look. There is no right or wrong in many of these issues - just what looks best to you....

What profile is that? Do you remember what you ordered?

I got the Rondec white aluminum in 3/8.

Based on the size of the tile, mathematically, it seemed like this would have been the right size. When I realized from the small section that it might be wrong, I shouldn't have listened to them. I should have gone with my gut. I kept bringing it up and they kept shooting me down. I should have absolutely insisted.

I did lose a bit of confidence in the guy's experience with these when he didn't know what "Schluter" was and tossed aside the bag with the interior corner pieces. (I had to go get it and show him what they were for.)

Schluter edging is designed to finish an edge and should give a neat, clean look when done correctly. Sorry, this looks wrong. Do the pictures on Schluter's site look like that? No.

Schluter edging is designed to make up for the fact that you didn't plan it right in the first place. It's what you use as a last resort when you run out of options.

That is always going to look half-baked. It needs a real, finished tile edge, not some jerry-rigged Home Depot handyman trim.

Yes, too big. Get the right sized Schluter and do over. Good news is they only need to take off the top row of tile! When you get the new edging, bring a tile with you to hold up against it.

Okay when tile guy does not know what schluter is you should have run away right then . And the above is correct you take a tile to check which edge piece to get.Tatts Schluter edging when used properly is avery nice finish to tile work and I use it often but I also work with tile installers that know what they are doing.

What waterproofing did they use in the wet areas? That’s more important than the trim detail?

The lead contractor who I had talked to about the work, and hired based on his knowledge, was familiar with Schluter. Then I think he left town--and has been gone this whole time--while two other guys have been doing the work. He said they'd used Schluter strips before.

I've emailed him with my issues, but he also insisted--without seeing it--that the strip was right. (It was just the installers who, when I mentioned that the Schluter might be the wrong size, were super thrown by the term and didn't know what I meant. Nor did they know what the corner pieces were for.)

I had asked the lead contractor if there were any alternatives to the Schluter strip, because I loved this tile but it didn't come with a bullnose. And he said the strip was the best option, or I could do a pencil molding or a different tile for the edge.

Am I out of bounds in expecting that while I come up with the overall look and buy the materials, I can ask the contractor to check what I got and know if it's correct or not? That they wouldn't just blindly install it?

(Also, this isn't the only issue I've had with the work these guys have been doing, unfortunately. It's just the only thing that I'm not sure how doable it would be to fix, and I'm also not sure how much of the blame falls on me for ordering the wrong size to begin with, even though I did try to stop things when I realized.)

Not sure what kind of waterproofing. I'm guessing it's the red material that was painted on, visible in the photos.

I did bring it up with the installer and the lead contractor when they'd just done a small portion--I stopped by the house, saw it, and contacted them immediately. But they pushed back and insisted it was the right size and would look better when it was done or grouted. We went back and forth a few times. They haven't said, "You bought it, so we installed it." They said, "No, don't order another size for the rest of the bathroom. This size is perfect. It's exactly how it's supposed to look. It'll look better grouted. We'll finish it and you'll see."

You are right that I didn't insist. I didn't say, "I am the customer, I'm paying you, so stop working on this while I order something new." I did bring it up and tried to change course, but they were the experts and told me to trust that they knew what they were doing.

It sounds like I've learned a very expensive lesson in going with my gut and not letting people push me.

huh. well I'd tell the lead guy you want it re-done. don't mention cost, let him bring it up. best case; he does it at his cost. second case; he says you have to pay. at that point I would try to get him to pay half. worst case; you end up having to pay for it yourself.

I would change this even if I had to pay for it. I detracts from an otherwise great and courageous use of tile. You want something you barely notice at best.

Design details are on the designer. It’s up to you to check all of those details of how the parts and pieces interact. Just like it was up to you to specify the waterproofing details behind the tile.

If you are going to DIY the design, you have to take the risks associated with that going wrong. It’s on you to figure out what you would find acceptable here, and provide them with the solution. At your cost.

I don’t like Rondec. Too obtrusive in all cases for me unless it’s deliberate design statement in a modern look. I prefer Jolly. Less obtrusive. In the background color of the tile, it blends into the background. That or a pencil tile might be your best option at this point. But the last course of tile has to come off to do that. And that’s another reason I’m asking about the waterproofing. It can compromise it to remove that tile.

The way my role was discussed was that I was picking out the tile, indicating where I wanted it, and purchasing the tile as well as some of the other materials, like a vanity and cabinet. There was no indication that I was leading the technical aspects of the project. I'm hoping I didn't somehow accept that role unknowingly.

Good news .. It looks like they got the waterproofing done high enough. :) The edging, while it looks a little funky at the moment may pull together once the grouting is done -- it's hard to attack a snippet of a room.

I'm really surprised at the comments from a few of the "pros" here as if the customer is the one who dropped the ball here. Her contractor stuck her with some laborers and left town but he approved it before leaving. Wanting to "wrap it up to get to the next job" is no excuse. Design issues and personal preferences aside, Schluter works when installed correctly. A professional does not continue the install when something isn't working. They work it out.

The profile is not even resting on tile properly in the #3 pic regardless who bought it

A few hiring tips for anyone reading , Always ask the prospective tiler whos going to install, is it you yourself or do you send in the B team , the C team etc. Secondly you will know when you have a tile pro in your home, they will start getting less and less interested when you start declining having them order purchase and supply every last bit of tile related material for the project its not always about profiting or markup but more about risk and having a smooth project , this also puts the liability in your favor when things backfire vs attempting to shave a cost.

One must ask themselves if they know enough about the tile business to be qualified to guage the prospective hires "knowledge"as well as select and purchase the correct materials . There is so many new products, methods , industry standards and a million hacks out there coming in with low rates willing to engage in sharing liability be very careful in the hiring process. @OP youve got the C team and i think the B team is on vacation here

If you wanted a large rolled edge like that, then I think pencil tile would be the way to go -- you wanted an invisible edging to cover the side of the tiles, and that's a totally different beast. It should look like an L, the large flat part of which goes under the tile and the small arm of which nestles up against the edge and covers it.

For what it's worth, there are other problems with this install -- look at the gapping of the bullnose tiles in your fourth picture: they don't align with each other in either vertical plane! I suspect you need the big boss to come and have a look at this and then figure out a plan to make it right.

So sorry. Hope you can find a solution that lets you be happy with your neat bath.

E-mail photo to Schluter Tech dept. Ask if this is the correct size profile? Now you will have the answer in writing to show the contractor. End of discussion. This could have been a much shorter thread IMO :)

Well isn't the tile supposed to be shoved into the groove. Looks like they filled the groove with thin set.

Acm is right--pencil tile, or some other tile that was designed for edging. That should have been part of the design from the start rather than slap a piece of cheap plastic (or cheap extruded aluminum) on the edge. Strictly a handyman solution.

Have a solid surface fabricator make some gloss Glacier White Corian molding to cover the Schluter. It's a white-white that will match the white in your tile better than the kinda cream white of the Schluter, plus the installer can customize it around that odd tile end you have.