bad backsplash job
5 years ago
Hello all! My husband and I recently hired a contractor/handyman to install a new backsplash in our kitchen. We are less than pleased, to say the least… The grout is uneven in places, the border is wonky, the tile was cut unevenly and it’s noticeable just by looking at it. We already have a cracked tile! We are trying to figure out how we can salvage any of this by maybe adding more grout or another substance. Honestly, we’re not going to tear all of this down and have someone redo it. But, we would like to clean this work up a little bit or even hire someone to clean it up a little bit if possible. Any insights on how to clean this up and fix the cracked tile are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Comments (11)
5 years ago
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New backsplash = bad tile job
Comments (25)This just happened to us in a guest bath. I was so distraught and just wanted the guy out of my house so I did pay him and told him how disappointed I was and asked him if he was proud of his work and he said no. I asked what he thought we should do about it and he said well if you hire me to do more work I could fix it then. At this time I considered I was dealing with an unreasonable incompetent, unprofessional and decided to cut my losses and move on. It was not easy as I don't have a money tree in the back yard but I couldn't even look at it. Like you, we had tile falling off and he poured grout and caulk into the places he didn't cut the tile to fit, it was crooked and the thresholds were metal strips he found somewhere that looked more like carpet tack strips. OY VEY. We hired someone else and I had to go and buy new tile because they said it could not be saved. They charged me extra to tear out the old. It makes me sick to think about it, but it looks nice now. Remodeling is not for the fainthearted and heartbreak is nearly always involved. Disappointment in people always included. It can be a little depressing both for the outlay of money and for the things you learn about people that sadden you. Good luck! Cut and run......See MoreHelp - Bad workmanship on kitchen backsplash
Comments (10)Do you have a contract? To properly install glass bs tile you not only need a saw, you need a diamond blade, that these guys brought for the shower install, and inexplicably left at home for the kitchen job. Maybe the glass tile guy quit before your kitchen was tiled and took his diamond blade with him. You also have a pretty serious grout problem (as dc and romy point out) that, while it pales in comparison to the other blunder, is just as big a bummer, and more work, patience, and expertise to fix. All of that grout has to be removed with a multimaster tool, it will take time, and there will be dust. The tile has to be cleaned and VACUUMED, the broken tiles removed, THE MORTAR THEY ARE SET IN REMOVED WITHOUT DESTROYING YOUR SUBSTRATE (presumably drywall; you have to be there to make sure they do all of this, by the way, and make sure they protect your counters and floors, and cover all your HVAC ducts), then replaced, and the properly cut tiles, replaced, properly spaced. They have to set over night, then the whole thing has to be re-grouted properly. No one who left you with that install will have the knowledge or ability to fix this mess. It's time for you to sit down with the owner of the company and determine what he will fix. What I would ask for is either that the guy who did your shower come back with the right tools to fix this, or that they rip out the install and leave you with a smooth, clean substrate from which you may begin again with another installer. [note: they'll probably rip out your drywall. Make them replace it properly. If they don't have drywall skills, and why would they, ask them for cement board the same thickness as your drywall.] If you don't have a contract, you may have to eat the tile - which is beautiful, by the way. I'm sorry this happened, but while an expensive SNAFU, it's repairable....See MoreBad backsplash tile job?
Comments (2)Looks like he used grout some places where he should have used caulk. (in the corner where it meets the wood and at the base of the tile where it meets the counter)....See Morebacksplash tiling job nightmare
Comments (25)he hasn't been back to fix it. says he isn't sure when he will be back to finish it. the guy on his team who did the job the first time had a death in the family. what gets me is when he started my kitchen he left the first two days at noon to go finish a job. he even said "if it was you I would do it for you as well" now it's me and he isn't standing behind that. we have a huge family get together memorial day weekend and I would like my kitchen to be finished and cured by then! I'm tempted to just finish it myself and not pay him for this portion....See MoreRelated Professionals
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