Does the tile itself bow out? I cannot tell from the picture

completely unleveled... the only way to fix it is redoing it

Some tile bowing is common, but that looks like uneven surface preparation too. There also may be a difference between the thickness of the subway and trim tiles that wasn't accounted for in the prep.

Yes, it looks pretty bad to me. I hate when GC do jobs that they are not qualified to do. A real tile guy could make it look great.

It is a terrible installation and starting over is really the only way to make it right. Photos, in my experience, hide flaws in tile jobs. I'm saying that because it looks bad in pictures. The reality in person is probably much worse.

The lippage of the tile is unacceptable. They used too small of a trowel over too ruff of a wall.

The question is; did you get what you paid for?

If you're paying the fair price for a proper job, then, they failed.

If you took the lowest bid... well, you get what you pay for.

This is me here

And here

Did you pick a nonstandard field tile? because every single one looks bowed in that second photo, and I think that's more than surface preparation -- it sort of has to mean that all the tiles are higher in the center. These days, people like a "handmade" tile, not realizing that that means an irregular surface. If all your tiles are perfectly level when set on the floor, then I guess something bad happened here, but it could be you just weren't warned what to expect.

The accent tile definitely looks off in several places, but that's much easier to redo...

Thanks for the comments/confirmation. I'm sick w the project cause the GC is a coworkers husband.

The tile is stock from lowes. He tore out the entire bathroom gutted everything. There's all new backerboard behind the shower so I can't understand any excuses for it not being level.

materials not included I've already paid 3500 in labor

Amateur install. This happens when the installer presses the tile too hard into the setting materials causing the surface to be unlevel. Your lighting right over the corners of the shower are casting shadows from the raised lips and this is why it is sticking out like a sore thumb.

These pics aren't even the worst of it. He said this was due to uneven walls

Amateur "GC". $3500 for that tile job? Yup, you got what you paid for. A good tile job alone, with proper waterproofing would be 1.5-2x what you paid. Especially since it is tiled all the way to the ceiling, and the ceiling is tiled. A real GC would have shimmed or sistered the walls to be sure everything was flat and in plane first. And would have hired an expert tile mechanic for the job. And a real licensed plumber for the plumbing connections, etc. If the whole bathroom cost was $3500? You conned yourself by believing BS. Bathroom remodels are 16-20K for something real.

So sad for you. They even tiled to the door making replacing the door a big problem too.

"Bad tile job?" Yes. A tear-out. My eyes hurt from having looked at it.

Ouch!

Tile from Lowe's, contractor is a co-worker's husband, and uneven walls that were not made square or plumb prior to installing cement board. Oh dear. The perfect storm. Sad to say but backer board won't correct the walls. The studs needed to be dealt with (can take a half day or more just for this) and then the backer board installed.

So long as the water proofing was done properly, this is a functional job...but not very pretty. I hate to even ask if the water proofing was done. Often we will see this type of install (DIY level) over top of a backer board that was not water proofed properly. One can be a good indicator of the other.

I have seen similar with hand made tiles that are different sizes and bowed. You need a much bigger grout joint to mask the imperfections in the tile. That is my first reaction. The tile setter must be inexperienced as the more you try to make it look good with smaller joints the worse it looks. Tiles from box stores are typically of lesser quality and I have seen many bowed tiles and even differing shades of color within the same die lots. Pictures only tell you so much....could be other problems but

cement backer boards don't make walls level/flat/plumb.

are those tiles the handmade look tiles or plain old subway tiles?

did he use spacers? at all? anywhere?

Did he use grout between the tile and tub? what about the vertical joint corners between walls? If the answer is 'yes', then he doesn't have a clue of how to tile. Those both need to be filled w/100% silicone caulk.

Does HE think that this is a 3500 job? Seriously? If this is going to be redone, do not make any more payments to him.

I came across this photo on google image search randomly and it pulled me in onto houzz, to answer your question. Jesus that's awful, even if those ceramics were bowed, there are ways to compensate and with a little elbow grease, proper prep and the proper trowel thickness anyone who cares enough about how their end product looks could make that look so much better than it is, that screams inexperienced. cheap ceramics ie subway tiles are often bowed and irregular, now that being said there's no reason in my mind why that tile should look that bad. That mess too... they shook your hand and walked away knowing they butchered your property. I always say anybody can tile, only few can sell it.