And here's the cutout itself, just in case that is helpful.

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Who is hiring the Tile Setter? What are the Tile Setters thoughts? What is being used for a base? Photo of board to base detail.

CBU Fastening schedule is 8" max. What waterproofing method will be followed?

Why are you planning to fix issues? That does not make sense. Difference at the straight edge in your photo is not 1/4". Eliminate fabricated niche insert and build one in place. No big deal. Yes it is up to board installer to provide a flat & plumb surface period.

Reflect on the beginning. It’s not too late to begin again. https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/homeowners-guide-to-hiring-qualified-tile-installer

Hi @Creative Tile Eastern CT. My contractor said he wasn't building a niche, that I should buy a prefabricated one, so I did. He also told me it doesn't matter that the wall isn't straight, the tiles can be made flush with more or less mortar. You are right, it doesn't make sense that I am paying someone to do work for me, yet find myself constantly on this forum trying to find ways to fix his F*&k ups. So here I am at an impasse and want to find a way to fix this.

My contractor has a tiler. You can only fool me once though, so I'll find my own. I was hoping that the tile shop where I picked out my tiles will have some recommendations, though dealing with anything during this pandemic is trouble enough. I was also hoping to have everything ready for the tiler, ie. a flat, waterproofed bathroom, ready for tiling. As a tile professional, isn't that what you expect to find when you do a job?

As I move the straight edge up the wall, particularly half way up the niche, the walls dips much further back than the top and bottom. The top/bottom is ~1/8" off, the center is 1/4" off.

As for waterproofing, I bought RedGuard to paint everwhere.

Does this photo show you what you need?

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Yes, build a niche in-place as Creative Tile Suggests. Done all the time.

Ok, the niche is one thing, but what about the bigger picture of having to tile this uneven wall? And I'm sure it is done all the time by quality contractors, but like I mentioned, my contractor said no to building one himself.

Hire a more qualified contractor, as per the link.

As Creative Tile implied, your 'uneven' wall is negligible. And now you've stated what you have found out: ".... done all the time by quality contractors ....."

Rachel, you listed to WoW and my advice on the window forum, Mike from CTECT IS who you want to listen to here.

I've clearly conveyed my panic in this post. You are right @Creative Tile Eastern CT, it is too easy to get overwhelmed and I need to stop and breathe. I read the guide @User shared - thank you - I'm a little more educated now!

Your suggestions were all rational and sensible - something I can't seem to come up with myself lately given everything happening. This forum is invaluable for that.

Taking a step back I called the shop where I found the tiles I'm going to purchase and asked for some recommended tilers. Stupidly, I hadn't even considered doing this at this stage - my plan was to wait to have a prepped worksite ready to go for them. It is now completely logical that this happen FIRST.

Long story short, reached out and the recommended guy came by after finishing a job. Yes, he saw the wall was quite uneven, though unlike me, he was complete unfazed by it and said it won't affect his ability to create a flat plane with the tiles. I felt relieved by his confidence, probably because I knew it would save those drastic measures I was about to undertake. He asked what the waterproofing plan was and though RedGuard wasn't what he normally used, he said it was a good product and would be fine working with it.

He is going to put a proposal together. In the interim, I'll seek out some more quotes, with a view to find someone with a CTI badge of honor! :)

Thanks everyone. I needed that splash of water to the face!

@Creative Tile Eastern CT, as a professional tiler, if you show up to a job site and find an uneven wall, what do you do - work with it or tell the customer to get their contractor back in to level it?

I still have a little trepidation in the back of my mind given I chose an expensive tile and want the best result without setting the tiler up for an uphill battle.

The last picture I uploaded with the straight edge didn't give a good representation of the situation as it gets worse as you move higher up the wall. If this is what you arrived to and chose to work with it, would you be confident you could avoid lippage?

Most professional tile setters will do everything from the studs out so they would work with what they have been given. They will not install tile on someone elses cement boards.

Then I'm going to be in a predicament if I'm seeking a professional. I put in a request through Houzz for local tilers to get back to me, but nothing yet. They probably read this post and want nothing to do with it :(

@Rachel L - The issues simply become a portion of my scope of work. Yes you will pay me for the required prep work separately so that you can pass the cost along to your contractor. 80% of the time the GC installs wallboards they require fixing. Your scenario is common. Do NOT attempt adjustments yourself!! This is a minimal issue for a good Tile Setter and not worth you losing sleep over.

Example - Your idea and many others is to patch everything or R&R cement board. My first thought is to remove the fasteners around the niche, place quick set mortar between CBU and stud, set flush, refasten, (aka wet shimming) DONE. How much I charge for this will depend on my mood and the home owner / GC's attitude:)

you dont get a tile pro by placing a request they chase youre job on houzz, thats a sure way to this hacks handyman buddys to call you and bamboozle you.

Houzz requests are red flag requests. They are usually garbage leads. If you want better, you have to do better. https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/find-certified-tile-installers

Thanks @Creative Tile Eastern CT. I'm going to continue losing sleep until I find this unicorn you describe. The only levity I can find in this moment is imagining the conversation between a professional and my contractor.

@User, Brooklyn clearly dictates I can't do better, try as I might. This screenshot summarizes my situation. I'll give the ONLY place listed a ring and see how that goes. Thank you for the link. There are some listings a bit further out, but they are unlikely to want to come. I can try none the less.

So who are the red flags - the people putting in the requests (aka me) or the tradespeople that respond to the requests? @Mint tile Minneapolis, no one is chasing the Houzz request I put in, though I sure wish some quality people would.

All this headache and still on the list is finding someone to install the kitchen, the floors, etc. etc. I'm running out of steam.

And remember Rachel L, if you want the tile setter to own his install (warranty it), he will only want to do the entire package, from the studs out). This means furnishing the supplies (tile, gout, backer, waterproofing, etc, etc) as well as he will to know what what he is using and from where it came.

millworkman is correct. I told a customer I could rebuild her failed shower completely and have a warranty or I could fix the leaking half without. She chose the latter to save money. If there were a problem, how would we know whose fault it was?

It's been 4 years with no callback, so apparently she bet well.

To be frank, it kind of works like this around here. People come and go, and a warranty means nothing when the warrantor is nowhere to be found. Therefore you try to get the job done well because once that person leaves your premises for the last time, you are likely to never see them again, warranty or not. So that being said, this is where I'm at now.

The first tiler (recommended by the tile shop) that spent 10 minutes with me and said everything will be fine tiling on an uneven wall never got back to me with a quote. I guess he changed his mind.

@User, I then turned to your certified list. Slim pickings in Brooklyn, but I contacted the one listed tiler. No website, nothing to be found on the internet by way of reviews, but he did get back to me promptly and courteously, which is a good a start as any around here. We live in the age of reviews, so I don't know if that should be a red flag?

Anyway, he came over and the difference between this guy and the first was night and day. He got out a level and checked the whole area out. We talked about the tiles I picked, designs and layouts. It felt like a legit conversation. He was there for 1.5h (though there was a language barrier and admittedly, that slowed the process down - nothing a pencil and paper can't fix).

The outcome was that the walls are f#@^ed, though it extends further than what I had imagined. His solution to the protruding niche was to cut the drywall out behind it. He also said the floors were off by 1/2" from one side of the bathroom to the other (a span of only 4 feet). Just great, right, considering new beams, new sub-floor, new walls went into this place and NOTHING is straight. It really left me feeling pretty crappy.

Now cue the part of the discussion where he said everything I had learned from reading this forum 1) the thinset should be uniform behind all the tiles 2) to achieve this, the walls need to be flat. The floors also need to be leveled.

So here is his quote (tiles are not included and are to be provided by me).

Some quick details: bathroom is 5x8 with an 8.5' ceiling. I've asked for the full tub enclosure (tub is 3x5), tub to ceiling, and a half wall (4x5') be tiled. Then there is the floor area 5x5' and of course the niche. Does this pricing feel right @Creative Tile Eastern CT, @Joseph Corlett, LLC, @Mint tile Minneapolis?

Project scope : Installation of tile in the bathtub area including one part of wall and floor bathroom.

Surface adjustment to bring the substrates to the wall and floor in acceptable condition of the standard tile installation. If the depth irregularity exceed 1/4 inch cement backer board with screw will be installed,for thicknesses less than 1/4 inch skim coat will be used,the company carries out regularization like level surface , but square irregularities may occur.

Estimated surface 125 sq = $ 800

Waterproof installation type liquid supplied by customer, the company supplies waterproofing tape to reinforce corners/junctions and primer which is applied before the waterproofing coat
125 sq = $ 400

Tile installation,

Pattern tile; installation of tile in the bathtub area will be brick type with joint between tile 1/16 . Adhesive (thin set) and grout is supplied by the company including silicone to seal corners. pattern floor will be decided together with the customer, For installation niche the price will be the same both with metal profile or without.
Adhesive (thin set) type Laticrete 254 Platinium,

Grout type Laticrete Permacolor

Silicone Laticrete

125 sq = $ 2875

For a total price of $ 4,075.00

The request for payment and; 33% at the start of work 33% at mid-work and the rest at the end of the work.

Company have insurance General Liability with 2 000,00 coverage, Company have tools and skilled labor to meet customer expectations from all points of view

Thanks everyone.

Let me shorten my novel to hopefully extract some help from you guys. Is this quote from a CTI a reasonable price?

Project scope : Installation of tile in the bathtub area including one part of wall and floor bathroom.

Surface adjustment to bring the substrates to the wall and floor in acceptable condition of the standard tile installation. If the depth irregularity exceed 1/4 inch cement backer board with screw will be installed,for thicknesses less than 1/4 inch skim coat will be used,the company carries out regularization like level surface , but square irregularities may occur.

Estimated surface 125 sq = $ 800

Waterproof installation type liquid supplied by customer, the company supplies waterproofing tape to reinforce corners/junctions and primer which is applied before the waterproofing coat
125 sq = $ 400

Tile installation,

Pattern tile; installation of tile in the bathtub area will be brick type with joint between tile 1/16 . Adhesive (thin set) and grout is supplied by the company including silicone to seal corners. pattern floor will be decided together with the customer, For installation niche the price will be the same both with metal profile or without.
Adhesive (thin set) type Laticrete 254 Platinium,

Grout type Laticrete Permacolor

Silicone Laticrete

125 sq = $ 2875

For a total price of $ 4,075.00

The request for payment and; 33% at the start of work 33% at mid-work and the rest at the end of the work.

Company have insurance General Liability with 2 000,00 coverage, Company have tools and skilled labor to meet customer expectations from all points of view

4K sounds pretty typical where I am.

Very fair quote. Low if you want any type of glass or specialty tile though.

I should probably note that the quote does not include the actual tiles, just the labor. The tiles will add another 1.5-2k on. So I'm looking at ~6k for the tile job. Does that change your opinions?

This is Brooklyn NY, right? That is a good price. I live in Queens and several of my neighbors have redone the bathrooms. (The developer used wallboard on all the bathrooms in the building when they built in 2005.) The going rate depending on design of tile work is between $9,000 to $15,000. Some chose to tile every wall, some wanted several fancy designs and some just replaced the white subway tile with more of the same. Hope that helps.

Hidey Ho Neighbor! I have no sense of what any of this work should cost, so that is indeed very helpful @hcbm - thanks!

HI!! Remember NYC has different codes than the rest of country. For example, no wooden studs. I don't know how that works in showers, but it is for fire safety reasons. Also no plastic, PVC pipes, no Romex wiring only BX shielded cable. I am no expert, these are just a few things I have learned. Also unfortunately in NYC insurance and permits are hugely expensive. You must get a permit to move any plumbing fixture more than a foot or two. I am not sure if you are just redoing everything exactly like it was just different tile if you need a permit.

Over two years later and I FINALLY have a beautifully tiled bathroom. What a monumental undertaking this was, though the best advice that brought this to fruition came from here on Houzz. Thank you all! Lesson to anyone reading this, find a certified tiler from the beginning!!!

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