Another image showing the uneven tile cuts on an outside corner.

One showing the thin slivers and poor tile layout. Also notice how the bottom row grout line does not line up with any above it.

Another showing the poorly cut tile edge on the corner of the niche. All cut tiles are similar with sharp edges and some with random chips.

Another at the corner bench. Uneven grout lines.

Another of the shower valves. Not sure if this fine or not.

Good grief! You really shouldn't have to ask if that work is acceptable. I wouldn't want anyone who did that work, to try to correct it.

Time to start from the beginning with a different contractor.

No.

There are way too many mistakes/miscuts/improper tile placement/edge misalignments/tile placements to go into here.

Holy hell, did he do the work underneath the tile also? If he did from looking at his tile work I would almost guarantee that will need to be completely redone as well.....

Thanks everyone for responding. I assumed what you all said was correct but wanted more opinions. Hopefully the general contractor will agree about the sloppy work of his tile guys and we can find a way to get a new contractor. I have only paid for 1/3 of the total bill which included the entire bathroom. Should I refuse to pay anymore or should I try to come to an agreement on how much more to pay based on the amount of work complete. Thanks.

eba656:

Do not even think about paying anyone anything until this is done over. You are in a position of strength right now, do not surrender it.

Furthermore, this type of work makes me question the substrate. Insist on an independent inspection verifying that the manufacturer's instructions were followed to the letter before allowing the do-over to begin.

A little more information. Durock was installed by the drywallers before the tile guys came in. It seemed to be installed well and all seams were meshed and mudded. The tile guys came in and then installed all the Kerdi and pre formed base. However, when they installed the drain they put Kerdi membrane under and on top of it, which does not follow the manufacturer instructions. I would assume to redo this right, this all would be to be torn out down to the studs.

The cost of the entire renovation for the labor and building materials was $10,500. This included plumbing, framing, drywall, and some subfloor repair from a leak, and all the trim and finishing. We have paid about $3,700 so far. Tile work made up a little less than $5,000 of the estimate.

I am hesitant to continue using this contractor due to tile guys poor work. I do not necessarily want them trying to redo all this. If I decide to find a different contractor, how should I work out settling money with this contractor. I have paid the $3700, but he has done more work than that amount paid for.

Thanks for all your help.

"I am hesitant to continue using this contractor due to tile guys poor work."

Your GC turned this unqualified bozo loose on your job. I'd be hesitant, too.

"I have paid the $3700, but he has done more work than that amount paid for."

Does that include the above tile work? If so, I sure wouldn't count that as work completed.

This post was edited by jellytoast on Sun, Nov 9, 14 at 0:14

I definitely will not be paying anything for that tile work or the Kerdi material that they have ruined with the crappy tile work. The shower tile work and material was about $4000 of the $10,500. They have completed a lot of the other work, which included moving plumbing, subfloor repair, framing, drywall, a hallway closet addition, painting.

I will also be needing to purchase more tile since there will be waste for all the stuff already installed that will need to be removed. Any insight on how difficult it is to remove this tile without damaging the Kerdi?

I assume I should try to make a fair deal with him on the work they have completed vs the expenses they have caused me to now incur on more tile and finding someone else to complete the work.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

You are right. Your GC needs to absorb your losses for having to tear out and start over, before any payment for other work.

For a technical rundown of the situation, head over to john bridge tile forum. I wouldn't trust the foundation this was laid on.

Good luck.

eba656:

In all fairness, and in a court of law, your contractor deserves a shot at making this right. I'd give it to him before pulling the plug.

"In all fairness, and in a court of law, your contractor deserves a shot at making this right. "

What is unfair here is what this consumer is being put through and both the damage and potential damages to their home (due to a bad underlying shower system or in continuing with this outfit). Where was the GC, that things could even progress this far. Seems he already missed his opportunities to get it done right.

Sure sometimes they should get an opportunity to correct a problem, but I doubt any laws allowing contractors a chance to correct problems are black & white across the board. That is, that a consumer must allow an incompetent to finish a job. This type of situation usually involves them making light of things or "fixing' in a way that best serves the contractor in minimizing expenses or losses. And if they don't have the knowledge, skills and integrity now, that is not going to change.

absolutely not. no way. I would fire them and rehire someone else. I of course NEVER pay up front because the laws don't protect the homeowner and it's easy to get scammed, but this person would be locked out. better to rehire before the mortar goes in!!! GC needs to go too. holy hell I'd never accept such bad work and for over $10 k?????? now way. I seriously question the substrate work too.

This post was edited by wintergaarden on Sun, Nov 9, 14 at 21:23

I'd rather take my chances in a court of law than take another chance on this contractor.

Okay all you "tough guys", disregard my advice to give him a chance. That's an excellent way to get a lien slapped on your property.

The tile work is poor and for nearly 50% of the price of the job, the tile work would not be acceptable. It does seem that you are satisfied with GC's other work like plumbing, electrical, etc. I would talk to GC letting him know that the tile work is not acceptable and needs to be re-done and not by the same contractor. (Who knows, it could be a first-time-use sub by the GC). I'm with Treb - I would give GC an opportunity to do something to my satisfaction. Again it seems from posts that you are not totally unhappy with quality of the entire job, just the tilework - which can 'make or break' a bath remodel.

"What Is a Mechanic's Lien?

A mechanic's lien is a method used by those employed for the purpose of improving property to ensure that property owners will pay them for services and materials. If the property owner does not pay for the services or materials, the worker can initiate a court proceeding to force a sale of the property to pay for the services and materials."

Operative condition here is, payment for an "improvement" to property. What you have here is a devaluation. Only a fool would think he could collect by way of a lien on that job and no judge would rule in his favor. I would be very wary of any work done by this gc. He should have stopped the job a long time ago, without any homeowner involvement. It does not seem he was even communicating with them on the tile project. Worse yet, if he was.

That looks like something a first timer would do. Not a professional job. Let the GC deal with it, make sure he sees it and knows that YOU know this is not a professional quality job.

Wow! ...just wow.

Never assume anyone is competent in their field.

Here's a horror story for you ...tilewise......
1. Water leak behind tiled shower wall
2. replaced wall
3. Tiler came to replace tile and grout......tile is pale yellow with white grout originally
4. Tiler lays tile and grouts it with BLACK grout.
5. When asked "WTH???" he suggested that I could get a bottle of white enamel paint and paint the grout lines so they'd match the existing ones.
6. Say "buh bye' to tiler and immediately call my insurance claim guy who had sent this idiot to do the insurance coverage retiling.

SO.......never say never.
They are out there and they are waiting to have you hire them.

One or two looked eh, debatable but the rest? NOPE. ESPECIALLY around the shower heads? WHAT? We did our own and did better than that.

Really, if you think to yourself this will bother me, then you need to speak up! Cause every time you look at it you'll hate it.

All I can say is I would be pissed. I could have done a better job myself. I have had one contractor mess up a job and as soon as I noticed they were screwing up I told him to stop work. He told me his plans to correct and I told him hell no this was an official stop work order meanaing he is to leave my premises and not come back. I figured out a price that I thought was due to him, because I did not want him to come set my house on fire or anything and that was that. It was equilivant to the percentage of work he already did. We inherantly want to be nice BUT we also don't want to be ripped off or have shoddy work. People will take advantage of that. You might be able to fix what he did since there was no grout put in. To be sure someone else coming in is going to want to do a whole rip out. I would not personally do that. I would fix what I could by replacing the bottom two misaligned tiles and have it all grouted, have the seat tiled and grouted and call it a day. Its a story that you will be telling for a long time and a lesson learned....that in the future you need to check your contractors work and references.