Go to the owner and put a stop to this crap immediately. Sit down with him, explain everything you've just told me, and let him know that you're not going to accept "thrown together" work just because his installer and salesperson are having a pissing contest, and the installer is pressed for time. The tub REQUIRES either a vapor barrier behind, or waterproofing over, the backerboard. End of story, no questions asked. You will not give him another dime until it's so. You'll also not give him another dime until all work is completed to industry standards, and you've got someone on call with both a TCNA handbook and ASNI 108 and 118 to guide you on what is acceptable and what is not.

Tile setter works on installing backer boards since we have no tile. He works maybe 5-6 hours a few days and the bathrooms are ready - minus the shower pans (2).

Also, if he's NOT using a surface waterproofing, I'm curious how he's putting up the backerboard BEFORE the shower pan.

He started the walls on Monday, starting around the tub from the top down. I would have thought he would start from the tub up?

Doesn't matter. Personally, I also prefer to work from a level line down , because I can't count on existing surfaces to be level and plumb, so I'd rather go from a line I KNOW is level, and then cut in the abutting surfaces. However, no matter if you work from the bottom up, or the top down, you KNOW what your pieces are going to be before you start, and make sure you won't have any slivers. You adjust your level line to MAKE SURE you avoid it.

As for the 6600.00 for the master bath tile, You'd have to have an incredibly big bathroom with all kinds of custom touches to it, or located in a penthouse across from Central Park West to justify that price to me. But you've agreed to it, so you have to honor it. That IS, however, just one more reason why they should be bowing to any request you make.

yikes... thanks Bill, not sure this is what we wanted to hear! I need to show DH your information.. I feel a bit sick!

Re: shower pan, he did use a rubber shower pan liner, it goes up the wall.. maybe 10".

RE: Level Line, he did use this when laying out the tub surround. The tile wraps around into the shower, and it is the shower that has the sliver at the top, and now.. the tile that touches the floor. We will have to use a baseboard so it looks okay. I know he didn't think and plan out the whole layout.. and once started.... that's what we have ended up with.

Re: 6600.00 OUCH. They said because it is all subway tile, it is labor intensive.. that is where the price comes in.

They said because it is all subway tile, it is labor intensive.

Horsecrap. Subway tile is one of the easiest things to install. yes, he's handling alot more tile, but they all butt together, so there's no spacing, or shimming tiles to keep them straight. It's literally elementary tile setting 101.

Re: shower pan, he did use a rubber shower pan liner, it goes up the wall.. maybe 10".

That's fine then, so long as he put something under the membrane to make sure it slopes to the drain.

Hey Tinker, I don't know if you remembered me but I admired your house back before you bought it and you were posting photos on the old house forum. I've been silently admiring your progress.

Sorry to hear about this snafu. I recommend getting a copy of this book by Susan Solakian:
The Homeowner's Guide to Managing a Renovation: Tough-As-Nails Tactics for Getting the Most from Your Money

She has a contracting method where the worker doesn't get paid until the project has both met milestones (% complete) and is on schedule. I couldn't understand it when I first read the book, but reading about your tiler, I get it.

If I were doing it myself, I'd grant schedule slips for unanticipated problems (for example, I wouldn't fault the guy for material shipment delays or surprises inside the walls), but otoh, if he decides to work a 5 hour day or take a week at Disney, it becomes HIS problem to figure out how to get the work done on time, or he doesn't get paid when the milestone is complete, because the milestone is not just defined as getting something done, but getting it done by a certain date.

There is a lot of other good information in the book. I've read several reno books that came highly recommended on Amazon; this one I'm actually buying to keep for my own reference.

Slateberry, yes - I remember you! Thanks for the info on the book, and thankfully - we never pay until things are finished!

I went around town to 7 different tiling companies and stopped at 3 builders, and NO ONE uses a vapor barrier! They all said it is not required with Hardie Backer. I finally got a hold of someone from James Hardie, and they insisted that it is not required to use a vapor barrier, only if local codes require it, our local codes do not. At this point, I can only hope they are right, because I can't make them redo a job that passes our local building code. I wish I had the barrior - for peace of mind, but it is what it is at this point.

The vapor barrier is needed for more than peace of mind. Without it, water WILL get into your wall cavities. All the hope in the world won't stop it. And water typically leads to mold and other damage. The potential for damage exceeding the cost of this shower installation needs to be considered.

On the other hand - there are probably millions of showers out there constructed this way or worse. But that's one of the things that keeps contractors in demand too. Good luck.