Tiling Problem

[medsecslave]

My Mum has paid a guy to re-fit her bathroom. On the wall running alongside her bath, she paid �25 per tile for three really nice ones to add a bit of colour but he's placed them very oddly - one in the top left and two almost together on the bottom right hand side. It looks completely wrong but she says she'll get used to it. Is it a big job to call him back in and get him to re-set those three? I know I'm a perfectionist but the whole bathroom re-fit has cost her nearly �2000 and I've told her she should have it the way she wants it. Am I too picky?

[pelowskicoli]

I agree with you, get him to change it. it's not a big job and no-one should have to "get used to" a job having paid that much.

[kazza12345]

he will of course have ever right to charge her for the change, unless she specifically stated where she wanted the tiles on t he first place

[pelowskicoli]

you may be right but, he should be the professional and know where the tiles should go in with the rest of them.
I would be a bit miffed if I asked for a tiling job with 50% pattern tiles and found them all together on one wall. Accepted I wouldn't have told them where to fix them but it is what a reasonable person would expect.

[kazza12345]

maybe that arrangement of tiles is what they are doing at all the swanky hotels? Maybe the tiling guy thought he was doing her a favour by giving her something contmporary?. If she had said " i want to make a feature outta these 3 tiles" but not specified where maybe thats what the tiler did?

[pelowskicoli]

perhaps he was 'on the border' of asking! ha ha

[WendyS]

I think your mother may be partly to blame because the tiler is not a mind reader and she really should have given him some direction as to how she wanted the tiles fixed.

However, if she's paid all this money she ought to have the bathroom finshed as she wants it, but I think the workman would not be unreasonable if he asked for a further sum of money to fix it.

[medsecslave]

She left him to it assuming three tiles on a small wall would be placed at appropriate intervals. I hope he doesn't charge her to re-fit - she's 74 and if there's any breakage involved that could be �75 together with his extra charge to come back. I would argue that he should have checked with her first. If my kids can notice it straight away, it's bad.

[naz_nomad]

I'm a tiler ... and you do have to be a mind reader sometimes ..but common sense always prevails ...your tiler obviously didn't have any ... get him to change it, don't pay extra...

[cheater123]

Get him to come back and sort it out. I agree with you meds in thinking that he should of asked where your mum wanted them placing. It doesn't sound very professional to just 'shove them anywhere' espescially when its a �20000 job.

[cheater123]

or even a �2000 job!

[bubblebubble]

i fit bathrooms and kitchens,and as with naz-nomad ,would say that many people do not have a clue as to what they want, but i always ask, discuss and try to show the options.these jobs are involved and can be expensive ,and,normally in service for many years. Its got to be what she wants and should have been asked. its not a big job to replace e few...but he would have to come back after they have set to do the grouting.

[buildersmate]

Although Naz doesn't say so, I reckon the chance of getting three tiles off the wall undamaged is next to nil. The ONLY way to try it AT ALL would be to sacrifice the (cheaper) wall tiles around the three �25 ones, and prise these off first. Tiles aren't intended to come back off the wall. I hope you have some spares over if you decide to try this.

[naz_nomad]

buildersmate ... If I'd done that, I would change it (not that I would have done it in the first place) ... If the tiles break (which, as you rightly state, they probably will), then I would expect to replace them from my own pocket, not the customers..

[medsecslave]

Just to let you know everything is ok now! He came back and was most apologetic. He's re-arranged the tiles with minimal breakage (not the expensive one) - she did have some spares of the others luckily and he didn't charge her so it's a happy ending!