Advising people that a contractor is ultimately responsible for protecting them from their own decisions and communication is removing all onus from the homeowner who decides not to hire either a design-build firm or an independent designer or project manager for a large remodel project, like this one.

That is not what happened. If that were the case then I would absolutely agree with many who say the OP is at fault. There is not any reasonable doubt that this is not what the OP wanted. If the OP asked for this design specifically and then regretted that decision, I would be completely on the other side. This is not a question of whether or not the OP made a bad decision, it is one of communication and the burden to ensure that you understand the installation instructions.

At what point is an installation irregular enough that a contractor has a duty to clarify? If for example he believes the client asked for the tiles to be installed face side down, would it then be acceptable to do so without clarification? The answer to that is obviously no. You have a duty of due care and that is simply not in question, even if we want it to be. This gets debated here somewhat regularly, I believe a recent example is when the KD who ordered cabinets didn't catch that the range handle (model supplied to KD) would prevent drawers installed right next to a perpendicular run from opening.

What complicates this is that this installation on the whole is not at all unusual and it is only unusual when selecting wood look tile. That moves this from obviously right and wrong to a debatable question. I believe that wood look tile is not regularly installed this way.

I further believe that in this case the installer should have asked for clarification of his understanding of the instructions. Even Joseph pointed out, "Sorry, but that pattern deserved at least an "Are you sure?" from the GC to the homeowner. I guarantee he got one from his tile man."

And you wonder why so many people are worried to work with contractors/GC/designers. Sure, the contractor here is probably in his right, but the idea that most pros here do not think they should check whether the customer understands the technical terms used is amazing (and worrying).

Sure, the contractor here is probably in his right, but the idea that most pros here do not think they should check whether the customer understand what is a technical term is amazing (and worrying).

The funny thing being, I bet you dimes to dollars that 95% of the pro's who post here would have made sure they understood. I am confident that Virgil would ensure he understood a client's wishes for an unusual design choice, as I strongly suspect Mark, Charles Ross and Kristen Petro also would. I think there is a tendency to empathize with a group you are a part of and see a mistake as reasonable even though you wouldn't have made it.

I am not qualified to say that or anything, just a guess.

I most certainly would because I'm a designer and it's what I get paid for. I'm not a contractor, but I work with them enough to respect that they need specifications and documentation to do their jobs properly.

Let's assume that the OP takes your advice and decides that this problem is 100% the contractor's fault and demands that he pays for all of the demo, re-installation and new tile and threatens him with a lien if he doesn't comply. What do you think will happen? Will he agree and lose the majority of his profit? How do you think he'll finish the job knowing he will not make any money on it? Or will he, mid-project, decide that he will not proceed until this is resolved, bringing everything to a stop for potentially months.

There everyone's perception of right and wrong and then there's coming to a pragmatic solution that keeps the project moving in a positive direction. Taking an aggressive position that removes yourself of all culpability and places all blame on the contractor will not help finish this large remodel in a quality way.

I think most pros here WISH the contractor clarified the OP's layout choice. But he didn't and now her focus should be how to proceed. Most of the comments from Pros here about how this could have/should have been prevented are directed at other homeowners reading these threads in the hopes that it protects someone else in the future from experiencing the same issue.

Let's assume that the OP takes your advice and decides that this problem is 100% the contractor's fault and demands that he pays for all of the demo, re-installation and new tile and threatens him with a lien if he doesn't comply.

I never said that this is 100% the contractor's fault. Nor did I say the contractor should bear 100% of the cost, but neither should they be let off the hook for some of the cost. My comments were largely directed at those who posted saying that the OP answered and therefore is solely responsible. So if you are reading my comments in a vacuum, you are not reading them correctly, I specifically and with no small measure of snark directed my comments at the people who were implying or saying that this mistake was simply OP's fault.

I have many times before posted the value of negotiations, and advocated for reasonable settlement over legal action. In fact, I have done so to the extent that I feel like a broken record typing that same thing in every dispute post. If we had signature lines on this board mine would probably be some version of the same thing I have said a hundred times before, "Remember: your goal is to build the best house you can for an amount of money you can afford, don't get so hung up on winning an issue that you lose sight of that goal."

I admit that my post was not directed at the OP nor was it advice for the OP so much as a check on the idea that it was OK'd and therefore the contractor bears no responsibility. Maybe I should have also responded to the OP rather than to the responders.

Most of the comments from Pros here about how this could have/should have been prevented are directed at other homeowners reading these threads in the hopes that it protects someone else in the future from experiencing the same issue.

Most of my comments are aimed at correcting a misconception for future readers also. This may seem an unusual question, but in reality this is exactly the same question in most contracts, it only seems different because of our different perspectives.

In reality this is a deficiency in the contract. The verbal portion of the agreement between the OP and the contractor failed to sufficiently describe the terms. It is no different than any one of the many posts we have when posters when the terms of the contract are in dispute. In fact, I would bet 99.5% of contract disputes are this exact same thing.

Well...just to keep this thread going...

A number of folks, myself included, have said they like the tile pattern and think it's attractive.

What if the contractor, after asking the OP for her desired tile pattern and getting her answer, thought it would also be a handsome solution as well?

Why would he then question the OP about her choice since both were in agreement about the desirability of the choice by the OP?

Many responders have assumed that the contractor had a duty to second guess the OP's decision before beginning installation.

But why, if the contractor agreed and believed the OP's decision was sound.

After all, it was only after the tile was installed that the OP developed buyer's remorse. And it was only after the installation that the OP realized she had given improper instructions to the contractor based on her own admitted lack of knowledge.

I empathize with the OP, but the selection decision was hers and hers alone. I like the final result. Perhaps the contractor does too.

The OP has every right to dislike the result after seeing it. But with that right comes the commensurate responsibility of accepting the responsibility for her initial selection decision and the implications of replacement if that's her decision.

What if the contractor, after asking the OP for her desired tile pattern and getting her answer, thought it would also be a handsome solution as well?

What if the contractor believes installing expensive ceramic tiles with the grid pattern on back showing is a handsome solution and after understanding that to be the direction he installed the tiles with glazed side down? Would that be OK?

The amount he agrees or disagrees with what he heard is immaterial and will probably be harmful to his position. The question is simply: would a reasonable person in the contractor's situation have taken further measures to ensure s/he understood the installation instructions? The farther away from typical the more a reasonable person would question, regardless of how they personally feel.

Many responders have assumed that the contractor had a duty to second guess the OP's decision before beginning installation.

I have not seen anyone saying this. Questioning decisions by a customer is not the same thing as ensuring you understand those instructions. This was a breakdown in communication, not a breakdown in the decision process.

The tiles were not installed according to the OP's decision. I don't understand why this is a hard concept. The OP had a design and contracted with someone to fulfill that, that was the purpose of this portion of the contract. The contract was deficient in describing the job and thus the job the OP proposed was different than the job the contractor completed. So the question isn't about the OP making a decision and regretting it, it is about who has the burden to clarify the job.

I know that many people here really feel like the OP contracted with the contractor and it was her job to ensure he understood. However, there are always going to be deficiencies in contracts, at some point you are going to ask your installer to function in a way a typical installer would in that situation.

Aside from everything that was already said, the elongated wood tile is intended to look like wood flooring and it should be installed in a pattern just like the hardwood flooring and everyone with common sense knows that especially people in the business because everyone knows to install wood pattern tiles straight it defeats its purpose.

That said, I think there was a huge misunderstanding on both sides... because when the GC asked Lidia if she wants to install tiles straight he was actually thinking "If she wanted the tile to be installed in any way, other than a pattern style (that should have been made clear to her)". When she said straight, he should have made sure she got what he was asking, I know for a fact that I would make sure this is exactly what she wanted (just a natural instinct that there could be a misunderstanding on HO part) because I know HO who choose this type of tile they want a wood floor appearance.

Madam, I am concerned that the paint color you selected for your interiors is not the right and proper color. Would you mind confirming your decision, and while you're at it, please sign my hold harmless agreement stating that you, solely, made the selection decision, and should you change your mind after completion, 100% of all remedial costs will be at your sole expense?

Oh, and by the way, would you also sign the hold harmless agreements, for your kitchen layout, your choice of exterior stone, brick, lap siding, shingles and board and batten siding, roofing, nested gables, snout garage and light fixtures?

Just doing my duty to make sure you aren't screwing things up...

If this were my job (which would never happen, because proper diagrams, pictures and sign offs occur) I would seek a compromise for all. The labor is the bigger portion of any tile job, so asking the GC and tiler to swallow that wouldn’t be fair. It would be fair that the tiler be paid a base amount to redo. And that the homeowner buy the new tile and contribute to the labor costs of the tiler. It would be fair for the GC to place no markup on labor or materials and to contribute to the labor costs of the tiler.

How that tile labor cost cost was split among the GC and homeowner would be variable based on how the project has gone so far and what the source of any communication issues might have been prior to this. In this situation, a larger burden on the project designer seems fair also, since project documentation was not done.

You can't tell me the contractor hadn't installed wood look tile before this. You can't tell me the contractor doesn't know that most people install wood look tile to look like a wood floor where the boards are offset. It was not regular tile where it is commonly installed straight. It is wood look tile which is most often installed offset. You would think that a contractor would make sure the client understood how the tile was going to be laid being that it is not commonly installed that way. The OP is at fault as well for assuming what straight meant and not questioning the contractor to be sure it was going to be installed offset. It amazes me that people feel that the contractor has no fault in this.

Let's say a homeowner tells an architect they want a specific item on their house. An item that is rarely ever used where the homeowner wants to use it. Turns out homeowner is using terminology that they don't understand and what they really want is not the requested item. Would the architect not say something to them? Or would they just say ok sure.

The OP was not asked by the contractor "what is your desired tile pattern". She was asked do you want the tile run straight. If she would have been asked what is your desired tile pattern then this thread would never have started. And to answer OP's question "Who run's wood look tile like this?" the answer is not many.

There are only a few people here arguing that it is entirely the homeowner's fault or entirely the contractor's fault. I think most agree that they are both accountable for the miscommunication. I agree with The Cook's Kitchen that they should work on a fair compromise. This project is far from over and they need to focus on moving forward in a positive, mutually-beneficial way.

About your architect analogy, I've worked with a lot of clients in the past who regretted that their architect didn't talk them out of their bad ideas. One told me that the architect gave them whatever they asked for, but once the house was built, they realized that it was not an ideal design. None of it was against code, just not aesthetically or functionally ideal. There are thousands of decisions that go into a large remodel or new build. And a contractor or architect is not always going to know if you are making them thoughtfully or not.

All I see is a lot of assumptions in this thread and even if OP comes back it’s a he said/She said thing. Maybe he did ask are you sure. Maybe OP cut him off when the contractor said straight or.... he may have been asking straight or staggered or maybe he should have clarified. We don’t know but many things are being posted as fact that aren’t known

"There are only a few people here arguing that it is entirely the homeowner's fault or entirely the contractor's fault."

I don't see anyone arguing this is entirely the contractor's fault. I see a lot of people saying tthis is a communication mistake by the OP that the contractor should have caught. Thus he shares some of the burden of correction.

"Would a reasonable person in the contractor's situation have taken further measures to ensure s/he understood the installation instructions? "

I don't think the answer to that is entirely clear cut. If her previous postings are anything to go by, the OP has made some very idiosyncratic decisions throughout the design and construction process - decisions that most people would not make but that she has decided will work for her. I think it's very arguable that the contractor acted quite reasonably, based on his experience with her, in assuming that this was another "outside the box" piece of design.

I think it could work really well with all other elements considered. It’s fresh and modern. Think of furniture, window treatments etc. You can make it an inspiration item instead of an eye sore.

"...I see a lot of people saying tthis is a communication mistake by the OP that the contractor should have caught..."

And what if the contractor didn't think it was a mistake? What if the contractor thought it was a sound and common method of installation? What if he agreed with the owner's selection decision?

In such case, why would he second guess and question the owner's decision?

This is getting a bit past ridiculous...

And what if the contractor didn't think it was a mistake?

Of course he didn't think it was a mistake. If the contractor believed he was making a mistake and continued anyway then he is intentionally damaging property and that is getting dangerously close to a crime. So all of the things I have discussed are assuming the contractor didn't think it was a mistake.

What if the contractor thought it was a sound and common method of installation?

Is it is a common method of installing wood look tile? Because my quick research says it is not. I will ask the tile supplier in our area tomorrow afternoon and I suspect he will tell me that it is exceedingly rare in my area.

What if he agreed with the owner's selection decision?

You are really just saying his bias was confirmed. It doesn't have anything to do with him liking it.

----------

This is a mistake by both parties. There are many people here who feel like the owner answered a question that the owner misunderstood and therefore is at fault. However, it isn't so simple as that.

A very simple test that usually works is to ask, which party was in the best position to prevent the mistake? If you present yourself as an experienced person in a field and accept payment, you have a heightened duty to prevent mistakes. Even if they were not the party who made the mistake.

Suppose you come home and only to find your lovely white house with navy blue shutters gone. The demolition company called the client to confirm that it was the house with navy shutters before tearing it down. In reality they were supposed to tear down the house that had light blue shutters. Who is wrong in that case? The client is absolutely wrong, but I guarantee you the demolition company is going to be the party on the hook. They have a heightened duty to be sure before they go around and start tearing down houses. A tile setter is going to have a heightened duty to understand the pattern the client wants.

The best defense for heightened duty is the reasonable person test. The reasonable person test is a defense that has largely itself become an easily understood standard. Was this installation typical for this product in your area? The more typical an installation gets the more relief contractors get from that heightened duty, they are not completely relieved from it, but it is not easy to overcome.

It doesn't matter how quirky the OP is. It doesn't matter if the contractor really likes the pattern. It doesn't matter if this is typical for other products.

This may sound legal stuff, but it really isn't. The idea being that the party who takes money to do something has an obligation to do that thing, and not some other thing.

question- who lays wood look tile like this?
answer- your gc, that's who.

rofl

Bry911 - It is a little ridiculous that you keep writing inaccurate and inapposite legal diatribes, which you then acknowledge aren’t actually based in any law. To that end, I haven’t seen any mention of what part of the country the OP lives in, let alone a specific state. Any attorney can explain to you that the imposition of duties in this context is rarely as simple as you claim, and it’s wholly dependent upon the jurisdiction and the laws therein. Of course, this is in addition to the specific facts of the case (ie contract language), which we don’t have here. Simply put, general principles of law are rarely helpful past law school. There’s a reason the bar exam requires you to learn the laws of a specific state; common laws vary widely. I don’t know why this thread is still going, but since it is, I figured I should address the incomplete information you keep stating with such authority.

Kristen you keep taking my comments as advice to someone, which they very clearly are not. You are claiming I am doing something, which I have not, that you actually did! Your first post said, "I also agree that the ultimate responsibility for the error ultimately lies with you for agreeing to something you didn’t fully understand."

Every single post I have made has been in response to the assumption that a misunderstood acceptance is sufficient to relieve the contractor of fault. I have said not a single thing that was not clearly in opposition and to that assumption. So up there on your ridiculous high horse when did you ask for specifics before you gave advice?

Every single single state has a reasonable person test. In every single state contracts between parties with asymmetry of information create a higher standard for those who should have more information. EVERY STATE! I am not giving the OP advice, so I really don't need to know their state. Nor if I knew their state would that add any great insight as I only have a blurb to go from.

However, what I do know with absolute assurance is that contractors owe due care to clients, in every state. As I noted before, this may meet due care in that area, I really doubt it would in most areas.

On this forum, I’m a lay person with an opinion; I’m not the OP’s attorney. And, unlike you, I don’t hold myself out as a legal expert when giving my opinion here. That’s for ethical reasons, and also because that’s not why I’m on here. Further, when I do give my opinion, I don’t state it as fact. Me explaining to you why you’re wrong doesn’t put me on a high horse, it just hurts your ego. The irony in you saying that though, is that the only reason I addressed you directly in the first place was your condescending use of the phrase “armchair legal experts.” If you really want to understand how the imposition of duties might play out in this context in YOUR jurisdiction (since we don’t know OP’s), do a google, you might learn something valuable If you’re actually willing to acknowledge what you don’t know. Have a nice day.

@Virgil Carter Fine Art I think the contractor went by what GC told him is to install straight after the conversation with the HO, because contractors go but what GC tells them.

I wouldn't be surprised if the contractor asked the builder "are you sure?" after he told him to install that tile in a straight pattern, some contractors will double-check to make sure if asked to do something irregular so to speak.

That said there is no point to try and figure out who is at fault here... The OP is 100 miles away and it doesn't sound like she took the time and ask what he meant when he asked: " if she wanted the tile installed straight". IMO this should have been discussed further to make sure both parties are on the same page, especially when a customer is 100 miles away.

Now the tile is down and I doubt anything can be done at this point other than finding a way to resolve this and move on... Or tear everything out and start over if anyone is willing to pick up the tab... which I doubt anyone will agree to do that.

Good luck

In my opinion, in this day and age this shouldn't happen. In my opinion, if you are a contractor and you are running your business like this, you are asking for problems. How long did Worthy spend finding a picture to explain this? How much trouble would it be to snap a picture in progress just to be sure?

So frankly, in my opinion, the contractor deserves a good solid spanking.

----

However, the idea that industry experts are giving opinions rather than advice because they qualify it, is naive. I am obviously not a construction professional and so I give my answers with a lot of support, often that support is legal or financial as that is the nature of the question. Believing you are completely in the wrong is very different than believing the average contractor wouldn't have let this happen.

I don't think anyone here would mistake me for their attorney. However, if I lead them to contact their attorney instead of just hanging their head and living with an unfair cost or undesirable feature, then I am OK with that.

Bry, you should take a walk around the block and get some fresh air.

Installing something the wrong way because of some misunderstanding or even a mistake is not considered to be any property damage or dangerously close to crime action...

If the contractor got pissed-off because he didn't get paid and entered the house with a sledgehammer and broke all the tiles, that would be considered property damage, that would be criminal, that would be trespassing, and a dozen of other charges you can pile on top of it.

After my 1st post here I spoke to my tile distributor, my tile guy, and a few contractors and they all said that they never saw or installed wood-textured tiles in a straight pattern, not only that nobody ever requested to be installed straight. The only place elongated tiles installed in a straight pattern is in the showers, etc and they don't use wood-pattern tiles on the walls.

But why ask anyone... Just Google "textured wood tile flooring" and see how many images you find with tiles installed in a straight pattern.

That said, there is no property damage, there is no crime... Just a case of simple misunderstanding and it happens all the time when people don't take the time and make sure everyone is on the same page. Period.

Installing something the wrong way because of some misunderstanding or even a mistake is not considered to be any property damage or dangerously close to crime action...

That is NOT WHAT I SAID. Virgil asked what if the contractor didn't know it was a mistake. Of course, the contractor didn't know it was a mistake. If the contractor knew it was a mistake and intentionally did it wrong then it would be intentional damage to someone's property.

Something I then clearly noted I didn't think happened.

ETA: Just to be very clear...

Misunderstandings happen and they are not criminal in any way. However, doing harm to another person by intentionally misinterpreting what they say is absolutely criminal. It probably wouldn't go anywhere because you are going to struggle to prove it was intentional unless the contractor actually said to the tile guy, "I know this isn't what the customer wants but I tricked them into saying yes... so screw them."

bry911

"In my opinion, in this day and age this shouldn't happen. In my opinion, if you are a contractor and you are running your business like this, you are asking for problems. How long did Worthy spend finding a picture to explain this? How much trouble would it be to snap a picture in progress just to be sure?

So frankly, in my opinion, the contractor deserves a good solid spanking."

I agree ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. I have shown this thread to about 4 co-workers....(none of them professional contractors of course) and every single one of them agrees.

Every attorney and contractor here can (and will) have their own opinion. But if you know (and anyone reading this thread now knows) that a homeowner would not interpret "lay the tile straight" to be what is shown in the picture, then I would think it would be logical, and in the contractor's best interest, to present said homeowner with a picture of the suggested pattern.

Now, that said, I find it hard to believe that any contractor would use those words. If he had said "stacked", then that would be a much more accurate and descriptive term. Why would anyone in the business NOT be as accurate and descriptive as they could be?

And I have to add, that if it had been me - I would have responded "Of course I want the tile laid straight. Why would I want it laid crooked?" And then we would have gotten to the bottom of it.

If it were my home, I would be there to check on the contractor at the start and from time to time during the project to be sure everything is going well. The homeowner is putting an awful lot of trust in a contractor-have they worked with them before on numerous jobs to ensure they “get” each other? Are we too busy to have a vested interest in a project that matters and that we are paying our hard earned money for to check on the workmanship? We cannot just expect that things will go well when hiring someone and that they know our intentions.

Bry, there are many contractors in the industry who were in the business for many years and they still haven't learned anything and they do jobs the wrong way all the time...and they swear they doing it the right way.

Go and try to prove he knew he was installing the wrong way or did so on purpose... maybe if he installed this tile on the ceiling or the walls, maybe... If he would have said I will screw this job up because I don't like you, there is a better chance proving that... other than that not in a million years.

Wrongdoings happen every day, in every business... you can prove something was done wrong but you will never prove it was done on purpose to make a criminal case out of it.

@ GN Builders - I don't understand where our miscommunication is coming from. I have never held or presented the idea that the contractor knew it was a mistake. Virgil did so when he posed the inverse as a question, "And what if the contractor didn't think it was a mistake?"

Virgil and Shead have both suggested some form of intentionality. I haven't. I merely noted that nothing I said above was predicated on this being an intentional mistake. Further noting that an intentional mistake would be much worse.

------------

there are many contractors in the industry who were in the business for many years and they still haven't learned anything and they do jobs the wrong way all the time...and they swear they doing it the right way.

Go and try to prove he knew he was installing the wrong way or did so on purpose

You don't have to and there is no reason to even bother doing so. It is sufficient to prove that they should have known they were doing it wrong.

lmmcnitt

I"f it were my home, I would be there to check on the contractor at the start and from time to time during the project to be sure everything is going well. The homeowner is putting an awful lot of trust in a contractor-have they worked with them before on numerous jobs to ensure they “get” each other? Are we too busy to have a vested interest in a project that matters and that we are paying our hard earned money for to check on the workmanship? We cannot just expect that things will go well when hiring someone and that they know our intentions."

I agree. I have had the most awful experiences with workers in my home, and at my parents. I never EVER leave my home when work is being done. Ever. I know there are some pros out there that can be trusted to "do things right", but sadly they are harder and harder to find. I think the OP has learned a hard lesson here. I learned mine a long time ago.

I"f it were my home, I would be there to check on the contractor at the start and from time to time during the project to be sure everything is going well. The homeowner is putting an awful lot of trust in a contractor-have they worked with them before on numerous jobs to ensure they “get” each other? Are we too busy to have a vested interest in a project that matters and that we are paying our hard earned money for to check on the workmanship? We cannot just expect that things will go well when hiring someone and that they know our intentions."

I agree. I have had the most awful experiences with workers in my home, and at my parents. I never EVER leave my home when work is being done. Ever. I know there are some pros out there that can be trusted to "do things right", but sadly they are harder and harder to find. I think the OP has learned a hard lesson here. I learned mine a long time ago.

Do you people not have jobs?

Op said they live hundreds of miles away from the build. How are they suppose to be there everyday? And do you think being there everyday prevents mistakes? On our build we were there every day and there were still mistakes. We both had jobs and could not be there watching workers 24/7.

H202 "Do you people not have jobs? "

If by "you people" you mean ME, yes. I most certainly do have a job. 9 to 6:30, 5 days a week with a 30 min commute.

I use my leave to take off work when workers are at my house.

vinmarks

Op said they live hundreds of miles away from the build. How are they suppose to be there everyday? And do you think being there everyday prevents mistakes? On our build we were there every day and there were still mistakes. We both had jobs and could not be there watching workers 24/7.

I did not read where the OP lived hundreds of mile away, or that this was a new build. If I were doing that, I would absolutely have insisted on progress pics - ALL THE MORE REASON to do so.

I never stated that being there "prevents mistakes" - but I guarantee you that it will prevent a helluva lot of them!! My sister had a new build last year - she happened to have a BF that was able to stop by the site during the day and he sent her pics and they were able to catch a ton of crap that would have been done incorrectly.

I stand by my statement - you want to trust someone to do custom work while you are not there - I hope you have a good luck charm. You will need it,

You don't need to be there every day you just have to make sure when a question comes up everyone is on the same page when an answer is given.

In this case, all the OP had to do is make a quick note, snap a picture and text it to the builder to make sure he understood how this tile should be laid. It takes a min to do this, and all it takes is something like this.

When working with customers who are at work, or on vacation, or out of state on a business trip, this type of communication at a spare moment happens all the time and nowadays it takes a few minutes to clear up pretty much any matter.

"I agree. I have had the most awful experiences with workers in my home, and at my parents. I never EVER leave my home when work is being done. Ever."

I threw a lady out of her own kitchen several weeks ago. I just heard all I could hear. Her sink turned out great and she and her husband loved it.

GN Builders my comment was for the poster who said this happened because the OP was not there everyday which is not why it happened.

Vinmarks, I wasn't replying to your comment, I was just adding to it after I read your comment... Because most of the time when we work the homeowner is at work and on some occasions, they go away on vacation and want the work to proceed so the phone and pictures are the only sources of communication to make sure everyone is on the same page.

"I threw a lady out of her own kitchen several weeks ago. I just heard all I could hear. Her sink turned out great and she and her husband loved it. "

Great that works for ya. Joe - you know that you are VERY different from most contractors. I wouldn't even put you in the same category. So don't act like we should treat all contractors in the way that you have come to expect. Quite honestly, I have never had anyone (other than the company that put my roof on) that has that sterling a reputation. They just don't exist here.

The person who laid that tile is a know-nothing grunt. The contractor subs the work to the lowest bidder. Even if it's not in the direction you want - those tiles should be laid 1/3 over 2/3's the next tile. Not 'jack on jack'.

Holy cats...lots of discussion here! I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and sharing. It’s been super tough being nearly 1000 miles away from the build. I do ask for pictures ALLTHE TIME and updates/progress. One, I don’t believe the GC would do anything out of spite, they’ve been really good. They’re so busy I think they took too many projects,and that’s where he doesn’t check up,on things as often as he should and then the subs just do their thing. I do need to be more forceful but I also don’t want to be rude. UPDATE...the floor is being ripped out and retired. Hubby agreed to pay 1/3 of the cost as we were 1 of three involved in the snafu. I thought that was too generous but he’s nice like that. I told the GC that we MUST communicate more,and question EVERYTHING. He agreed that would be good. The on site communication was impossible until we had satellite installed. No cell signal at the house and with the GC rarely around, communication wasn’t happening during the day with his subs. Hopefully now things will be better! Thanks all for the lively discussion.

@jm1837 I did adopt much of the advice offered by Houzzers! And I’m glad I did, they’ve been so helpful! The house is looking great and turning out better than I had envisioned! Also, we did have an architect initially, they provided us with the most expensive and awful,design that we left them and went with. Craftsman that actually listened to us. Nothing against architects, except the one we used that we felt was just milking us for money and experience for one of its novice staff.

@judygdesigns...you’re sweet and thanks for the positivity but I hated they way it was payed. They did. Great job, joints look perfect, everything straight, which killed me even more since they did an awesome job but to me very ugly. It is modern, I don’t really like modern and the entire house is very traditional. But thanks for trying to see the sunny side!

@bry911. Thank you. I’m sorry some folks just went a little off the deep end in replying to some of what you wrote. I’ve read your other posts on other questions and you seem To always be thoughtful and wanting to help. You helped me, and I thank you very much - I always learn something and am very appreciative.

@live_wire_oak...wow...and BTW it was the spendy big city architect we fired that did the breakfast nook in the stairwell that we later had to pay to “fix” because her dimensions and other decisions were a Charlie Foxtrot that cost us money down the road.

@kristin petro...we are paying the GC to manage the project. We have stated from the get go,on this project that we have no experience or knowledge in building a house and have deferred to the pros. Im frequently reminding the GC that though I try to do my homework and learn, I don’t know the terminology and given we love in different parts of the country, even that terminology differs. Im a planner and would’ve loved everything spelled out to a T but the GC and builders work on a need to know timing so I find myself repeating myself all the time...”remember we asked fo this or that this way” to the contractor all the time. It’s not the best scenario but we are doing our best and appreciate the GC and builder’s lives too. No one is perfect and we aren’t machines, so flexibility and understanding is just the way it will need to be. Hopefully better anticipation of issues on my part.

@linsey_CA. Not true. Been a bit busy with life.

@ virgil. You must have some very understanding customers who think you are awesome!

To any tile pros out there...this is the living, dining and kitchen flooring...they did a great job, no?