Can you post better photos? From what we can see in the posted photo, the work looks great.

They work does look great but everywhere you see the blue dots there is a small chip in the tile. I don't know if I should let it go or do something about it

What type of tile is it? Is it a "tumbled" look, if so, leave it alone, its fine...If it is a smooth tile, then the issue is likley not with the installer but the manufacturer of the tile, though perhaps the installer should have noticed it..Having done a similar "frame" as you, i question why the corners of trim pieces aren't mitered, as oppossed to butt joint

It's porcelean tile and it's already grouted. As to the corners of trim pieces being mitered that's a story for another time.

the trim pieces that form the frame are not only not mitered, they are not the same..The top horizontal trim runs the length of the "frame", but the bottom horizontal trim is inside the vertical trim ...this would bother me VERY much..Time to call for a re-do

They couldn't miter the corners because the glass chipped badly when they tried. I didn't really pay attention to the vertical and horizontal trim for some reason but now that you mention it it is an issue. The thought of a redo makes me sick. What to do, what to do..............

Does the manufacturer of the trim pieces have "corner" pieces you could buy? If it is that difficult to miter, perhaps they make corner pieces...The horizontal and vertical issue would really aggravate me, you need to address that asap..good luck

No they don't have corner pieces.
Right now my major concern is all the little chips in the tile. The tile store looked at it and kind of stumbled on what to say

Honestly, the chips are not as noticible as the lousy trim work....I'd have the tile store replace ,at their cost, all the field tile inside the trim, and have the installer redo the whole framed area inlcuding the trim work... Best of luck,but don't concede anything

IMO, the glass tile border looks fine.

Who ever is responsible for the tile is the one who should pay for the fix, if that it the route you end up going.

Vern, if you bought the tile and brought it to the jobsite, you might be stuck with it. But if the tile contractor paid for the tile and brought it to the job, you might be in a better position to complain.

But first you need to decide if you are so dissatisfied that you want to struggle over this.

brewbeer, you're not serious? That is NOT a professional job, by any means...Perhaps you might find it acceptable if both the vertical and horizontal trim aligned properly..But to have the upper horizontal not match the bottom horizontal is definitely unacceptable...

The tile contractor paid for the tile and brought it to the job.

"But first you need to decide if you are so dissatisfied that you want to struggle over this."

That is the million dollar question. I wish I had the answer but I'm so unsure. We paid alot of money for this and I will have to live with it for a long time but the thought of it being redone makes me feel ill.

vern, taking a shower EVERY day for next 10 years looking at that tile job would make me ill EVERY day...You paid for a professional to do the job, and the job is not a professional job..It needs to be fixed..Good luck

Well, in order to get the frame to line up with the large tiles, cutting of the glass tile frame pieces was required.

Vern already said that the tiles were glass and the tile contractor had problems with cutting them. Given that they are glass, I'm not surprised.

If the cuts were done on the vertical pieces of the frame, then the cut pieces would be prominently placed near eye level at the top, in order for there to be a symetrical layout. The way the installer did them, the cuts are down low, where they aren't all that visible. To me, it's six to one and a half-dozen to the other whether the verticals of the bottom horizontal was were the cuts ended up. Others may have a different view.

As far as the job not being professional, I most respectfully disagree. The glass accent inlays in the diamond pattern field appear to be right on the money. The diagnol cuts at the edges of the diamond field all look good (at least in the posted pictures). This kind of precision is the mark of someone who is skilled with both the tools and layout.

Vern, the job is not absolutely perfect, but almost every job one would hire out around the house is a compromise between "perfect" and "affordable". The question comes back to "is it good enought (for what it cost)."

As far as the job not being professional, I most respectfully disagree.

So do I. The only thing I've seen that I question is all the chipped tiles. That should have been addressed before the tile ever went up on the wall.

the upper horizontal and lower horizontal are not the SAME.. NOT good at all....I would be less vocal if the horizontal lines were the same, but they are not for some reason..I'd be interested to see what Bill V thinks

" The only thing I've seen that I question is all the chipped tiles. That should have been addressed before the tile ever went up on the wall."

Bill I agree but what do you think I should do about it?
Also could you please look at the post about the shower slope question, I posted pictures there and I'd appreciate your input as well. Thanks

Bill, are you saying the fact that the upper horizontal line that runs end to end to the outside of the vertical trim vs the lower horizontal that runs INSIDE the vertical trim is fine?

I'm having a hard time seeing the chips. The grout color is an excellent match to the tile.

Can you post a really close close up, perhaps with a arrow made of the blue masking tape pointing at the area in question?

One other question vern, your shower floor doesn't seem to have a curb. Can you explain?

Here is a link that might be useful: Vern's other shower thread

The shower floor sits below grade and I wanted an ADA floor
instead of stepping down into it as I did before the remodeled. As far as pics of the chips I'll try to get a good picture

The flash on my camera whited out the whole picture.

Try a shot with good backlighting and no camera flash.

" The only thing I've seen that I question is all the chipped tiles. That should have been addressed before the tile ever went up on the wall."

Bill I agree but what do you think I should do about it?

That's something for you to decide. You have every right to demand that he pull out the chipped pieces and replace them. If it really shows up and/ or bothers you, you should. I'll leave it at that.

Bill, are you saying the fact that the upper horizontal line that runs end to end to the outside of the vertical trim vs the lower horizontal that runs INSIDE the vertical trim is fine?

Let me put it this way-- I've got a touch of OCD, and it would bother me all to hell, too, to install it like that. But from an industry standpoint, no, there's nothing wrong with it.

Vern-- see if your camera will take the pic without a flash, and on a macro setting, if your camera has one.

Also could you please look at the post about the shower slope question, I posted pictures there and I'd appreciate your input as well. Thanks

I looked back as far as page 4 and couldn't find the thread. Give me the url, and I'll check it out.

I found it. I don't know what kind of input you're looking for. In the thread, you sounded satisfied, and I don't see anything wrong in the pics.

Re the border tiles, I think it would have looked weird to have the border cutting into the large tiles on the bottom if it matched the top.

And if the border tiles on the bottom were placed on the outside, as above, (the border shortened) there would have been a space on each side. (I know I am not explaining this well.) But IMO, the design looks fine given the tiles involved. Gorgeous color, too.

Nice camera work, vern!

Is that a 1/8 inch grout line?

If so, the chips are very, very small.

I don't know, vern, the chips are there, but they are very small.

If it were me, I am not sure I would invest the energy that would be required to struggle with your tile contractor, who otherwise, did a nice job and built a beautiful shower.

But if I were someone else, I might make some more hay.

Anyway, like Bill said, it's up to you as to what to do now. I think you could either route and not be wrong.

chriskelly, i would have shortened the last vertical trim piece and then matched the top horizontal trim across..I was not suggesting cutting into the lower full field tiles

I don't know the size of the joints but they used the red colored spacers if that helps. I know the chips are small and if there were only a few I wouldn't even have mentioned it

That's probably 1/8". Are these the spacers?

yes those are the ones

I think I can understand why the tiler did the frame that way. If he cut the vertical section to make it symmetrical, he would have had to cut both the top and bottom sections to keep it even. Given the chipping that was happening, he would've then had a chipped piece at the top that would be very noticeable. Instead the only chipped pieces are on the bottom horizontal border. I'd find it a little annoying, but understanding the reason why it was done that way would help me get over it.

"Nice camera work, vern!"' ---Thanks, now I know what to use the macro setting on my camera for.
"Let me put it this way-- I've got a touch of OCD, and it would bother me all to hell, too, to install it like that. But from an industry standpoint, no, there's nothing wrong with it"

My tile installer spent a good part of one day and the next morning trying to lay out the pattern to get it just right. He played with it and played with it until the company foreman showed up and basically said that it was taking him to long. After that I could see and sense the installer was angrier then hell and BAM all of a sudden the tile started getting hung really fast.

Yesterday when then company foreman looked at the chips he implied that because they had to play with the pattern so much to get it right that these things happen. It wasn't what I wanted to hear. A little sympathy woud have gone a long way.
There is also a chip in the middle of one of the accent strips that I hadn't posted before. Anyway after sleeping on it all nite I'm still undecided on what to do

vern1,
This is what you should do. Speak to the foreman and tell him that you are unhappy with the cracks. If they were un avoidable, then they should have been pointed out to you as the job was progressing. Tell him that you want to take some time to "sleep on it" and see if you can live with it. If after a week or so it still bothers you then it must be redone at his cost.
As for the trim pieces, if you didn't even notice them then they aren't a issue. I for one can't even see what they are talking about.
Donna
In the meantime DO NOT pay for the work.

It's a job I could live with, no problem. I have high standards, and while this isn't an A+ job, it's no D- either. I'd consider it a solid B to B+, and the problems aren't due to workmanship, they're due to materials. Now, the installer should have indicated that there was a problem with the materials to you before he began the pattern, and who knows, he may have communicated it to the foreman instead who told him to stop being a PIA perfectionist and hurry up every chance he got.

If it were me, the inconvenience and uncertainty of getting a "better" job (you still are gonna have the same materials and the same inherent problems with those materials) would far outweigh keeping the better than average job that you have currently.

live_wire_oak-
You summed the whole thing up very nicely, I am happy with the workmanship it's the material thats the issue. I have a left over box of 2 x 2's and they have chips as well. The Shower floor isn't grouted yet and when I looked clesely at it I found about as many chips as there are on the picture frame.

organic_donna
Thanks for the great advice that is exactly what will do.

vern1,
There are chips in the tiles not yet installed? If that is true, then as painful as it would be I would have them redo the job. It's in your favor that the tile guy bought the tiles. He can't try and blame someone else. Show him the chipped tiles in the box and tell him it's a redo. If you can't go through the stress, have him give you a HUGE discount on the job.
Donna

Donna,
Yes I have about 7 sheets of the 2 x 2's left over and although the chips aren't as significant as the chips in the installed tiles they are clearly there.

"HUGE discount on the job" I hadn't thought of that!

Vern

"Have him give you a HUGE discount on the job"

I've never been in a situation like this before, how do you ask for a huge discount? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciate

TIA
Vern

vern, I'm sorry you're dissatisfied with your tile work. That's a lot of money and a thing of beauty to enjoy for many years to not be happy with it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my master bath redo with the SAME crushed glass tiles (different colors) will be an A+ job...think I'm delusional? (lol) I just pulled out 4 sheets in one of my two boxes of glass 2x2s and didn't see any chips on edges of the tiles. Did you use these glass tiles elsewhere or are you going to? That's a lot of tile (and money) to have left over.
Monica

Monica,

To ease your mind, the chip is on the picture frame edge piece not the squares themselves. The tile store gave me the square pieces left over from another job so I didn't have to buy those but I did buy all the trim pieces and I'm certain that chip wasn't there before it was installed. Good Luck with your job I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too.

Vern

Vern,
First you have to decide how much discount will be enough for you to live with tiles that are chipped. Do you want 1/2 off? That's your decision. Then, you must always remember this is business not personal. Tell him that you are very dissatisfied with the work and this is the dollar amount you want taken off. If he says no then the only other option is a tear out and redo. Show him the boxes of chipped tiles. He will decide if it's cheaper to give you money off or redo the job.
That's it. Don't apologize for asking him for a discount and be very firm but polite.
Donna