Were details about a tiled niche spelled out in the quote/proposal/contract? Anything to indicate that he was going to install one or had included the price for one in his bid?

There is not quote/proposal/contract. See, we're not like that, this guy has resurfaced a second floor deck with lovely kiln dried wood, retiled the front porch and the foyer powder room in the same stone tile, replaced a 6'8" front door with 8" double doors, placed hand scraped hardwoods as well as other numerous projects during our 6 years in this house and I write him checks when he asks, he gives me a list of all his materials and costs and I pay what he asks so that is not the problem. I really like working with him because I source my own tile/hardwood/doors, I pay for them, and he buys the other necessary materials and puts it in. Does not charge me a profit on items I have bought myself or that he has bought for that matter. If he gets a discount, he passes it on to me. If it were $ I would pay the additional labor and material up front, I am that confidant that he will do a good job. I just want to know how much trouble, to what extent he has to undo what he has done and to what extent (if at all) I lose waterproofness if we do this. He is enamored of the Kerdi products. I am not into making anyone do work for free!

He can do it. Just demand it.

He's a cool guy. He's all that. You aren't so cool. You just trust him. Are you sure?

You are paying. DEMAND!

Thanks Suzi, I'll do it. It's an opportunity to shop for a nice accent tile. He does not like this large format limestone I bought, for the way it chips, not for its looks. I'll get an attractive mosaic.

You should have said something prior to any work being done. Never assume.

Hey I'll be perfect next master bath remodel, too late for this one. Thank you, Creative Tile, it would be perfect to place it above the current tile. It barely comes to my waist and I'm small. Good to know there is no problem, that was precisely my question.

It looks like your shower is on an outside wall. I couldn't have a normal sized niche because there wasn't enough space to be able to put it in without hitting the exterior wall.

Yes! It is an outside wall. That's where the old niche was so I'm hopeful I can have a prefab one like the Kerdi.

"Hey I'll be perfect next master bath remodel, too late for this one"-that's so spot on! Thank you, you really brought a big smile to my face. Hope your niche works out just fine!

I'm not a fan of the niche, just something else to waterproof. Have you considered a simple corner shelf?

He Jeff, that's where we were at the end of the day, tempered glass if I could get it. But this girl really wants a pretty niche. There are so many gorgeous and creative ones depicted here on Houzz, and entire articles about them. But as for a corner shelf, yes to that too, I think I want both. My contractor and I just exchanged texts and he's on board, I don't know why I made such a fuss.

From experience I know that the homeowner often worries a bit too much and the contractor can quite easily fix stuff when asked.

One more thing, I have seen on Houzz that people have issues trying to cut down large tiles like this for a niche, it does not always have an attractive exposed edge. I do have a pencil edge for the walls, we may try that or look at using some metal edging that Kerdi makes. We have it on exterior tile and like it.

You stated limestone above. No trim is needed. The stone edge would be profiled as standard practice.

Brendapaw:

I'll make you a white Corian shelf or two that your tile man can silicone over the finished tile for free if you like. I have to make two for a job in progress, so it's no bother to make two more. PM me if you're interested. You gotta pay shipping though.

Thank you, Joseph, that is so kind and generous, but I'll let my guy go with the plan he came with this morning. I'll forgo a shelf but he is making a niche and having a local granite shop finish off the tile edge for the niche. I'm grateful to you and everyone who helped out.