Grout: If your grout is too light and not matching your sample - then your tile installer added too much water to grout mixture. This causes oxygen at the surface of the dried grout, causing the white color. There are (2) ways to correct the issue: #1: remove and old grout and re-grout or #2: dye the existing grout. Tile being uneven: I can't really tell in your photos how uneven the tiles are... but at the very least, your tile installer should have used a tile puck. It is a level that installers use to ensure that everything is even and that there is a correct amount of mortar under each piece. Grout in the tile: This is actually what a lot of people do ON PURPOSE because they like the natural / rustic look of it. If you did not want that look - then the installer should have sealed the tile BEFORE grouting so that the grout could be cleaned off the tile easier. To get the grout out at this point would be difficult. They do make a heavy duty cleaner that breaks up the grout and makes it easier to chip out. You could use a grout removal tool add-on for drill or roto-zip. Very, very tedious work though... and it may be easier and quicker just to retile. *** Although I know a lot of clients that LOVE the way this looks... Oil stain on tile: No, I don't think you ruined the tile. But I am wondering why you put the stain. Did you want the tile to be glossy? You should be able to get the oil stain off with mineral spirits and mineral spirits will not damage the tile. Just wet some rags and wipe. You will probably have to wipe it down a few times. Was your tile pre-sealed? Most tiles (unless noted) are pre-sealed at the factory so it is going to be pretty impervious to any other liquids or sealers. So that means - if the tile was not glossy when you bought it, then you cannot just put a gloss seal on it to make it glossy. Basically the tile will have difficulty absorbing the gloss sealant. If the tile is truly un-sealed (such as a marble, travertine, limestone, ect.) then you will need to seal it before you start using it to avoid stains and dirt. Your tile looks like the Rialto or Roman stone series from Lowe's. If that is it - then it is a porcelain pre-glazed tile and you cannot make it glossy. The finish that is on it (dull) is how the tile is made. Hope that helps!

I disagree to an extent that availability, especially for a small project like this back splash, is an indication of inability or lack of skill to do the job. There are legit reasons why a subcontractor might be able to get to a job quickly, including last minute delays on other projects. There are also plenty of tile subcontractors who manage experienced crews of setters/helpers and are therefore able to take on multiple projects and fit in small jobs between larger ones. In the OP's case, the "busy" contractors were too busy to even return his calls. But he didn't even ask "Justin" if he had a tile contractor's license, but based his decision solely on Justin's availability to start the job immediately. I've nothing against contractors advertising on Craigslist because a LOT of people look there, but in my area, Craigslist is full of unlicensed and unskilled people looking for work. I've even seen them advertise with a license number, but if you take the time to look it up, you'll find that it is not unheard of for them to flat out lie because their license is actually suspended or revoked. Or, the number doesn't exist or doesn't belong to them! And checking the license should only be the first step in checking their qualifications to do a job! There are legit contractors on Craigslist, but you have to sift through the rubble. Spending the time picking out the perfect tile is pointless if you aren't going to spend at least equal time choosing someone knowledgeable to install it and being patient enough to be worked into their schedule if necessary. A decent tile setter can make even simple and inexpensive tile look nice.

So, as of today we had a bathroom tile job in progress for 2.5 weeks; this morning the installer got fed up with our decorative mosaic tile choice stating that the "pieces were falling off the backing" and he packed up and left us high and dry. Just like that! I had let him know he could proceed with hanging the sheets of mosaic and my husband and I would happily apply thinset to the pieces that fell off and pop them in place ourselves (per the recommendation of a mosaic manufacturer), but he responded with a text message reading "I have been doing this for 30 years, I am done", he didn't even have the professional courtesy to call us. I thought I was misunderstanding him so I asked him to send a picture (maybe he meant done with the install?) and he texted me the message, "I quit". We have been without a working shower for close to three weeks now and in all that time he only got 2/3 of our shower tiled, nevermind the rest of the bathroom. My husband and I are both in the construction industry/have construction experience and treat our contractors very well (having felt the brunt of rude clients before). Our relationship had been altogether jovial and pleasant until his failure/meltdown today. He has a vacation next week and banged out sick the past two days, so all I can assume is that he is no longer able to provide meaningful service to his clients. So my question is, do we owe him anything? We had verbally agreed on a price and he said he didn't charge for change orders and things like that. But since the price was quoted for a finished and complete installation, and I have all of his mental breakdown text messages including one stating he quit the project, is there any recourse on his part or is this a hands wiped clean situation? Thanks!

I have both. We have an all gas Bluestar range, and we have electric Miele wall ovens (speed and CSO). Yes, they do behave a little differently. But honestly, the differences are small enough that I can cook food just fine in either oven. The different set of features (i.e. humidity control vs. great broiler vs. microwave) are a much bigger deciding factor than the fuel source. We are very happy with our combination of appliances. Having multiple different types of ovens is quite nice, as I can pick the one most suitable to what I am making at any given time. And as much as Wolf is generally a good brand, I am put off by their reported decades long unresolved issues with failing enamel coatings in the dual fuel ovens. I don't want to find little shards of glass in my food. I am continuing to be surprised that every few months I read about this again on Houzz. It seems to only affect the electric (i.e. dual fuel) ovens from what I can read. So, I'd probably recommend sticking to all-gas until there are no new issues reported here.