Sigh. You selected a mosaic Bisazza tile which requires meticulous wall prep AND a master tile setter. Unfortunately, your tile setter was not of the caliber to install this tile. I just hope all the proper vapor & waterproofing steps were done correctly.

Is this Sicis Iridium? We have the same (gorgeous!) tile in our shower :) The grout doesn’t look too bad to me except along the corner. Is the colour off too (it’s hard to tell on the photos)?

Unfortunately, to put it bluntly, this is a mess. Your corners appear to have been grouted - if this is so, it is a dead giveaway your tile setter doesn't know what they are doing. Hopefully you haven't paid in full for this. Do you know what waterproofing was used? I'm very sorry but this is probably not going to be a good situation.

I'm not a pro but I don't believe corners should have been grouted. Also mosaic is notoriously difficult to set unless the subsurface was prepped in an exacting manor. I would be dissatisfied with the final product. Unfortunately large sections may have to be redone to achieve a uniform and consistent look.

Caulk should be used instead of grout where two planes intersect. Poor job overall.

Bizzazza? yes. very difficult to install. those joints are horrendous. first off, joints do not get grouted, they get a silicone caulk to match the grout. Secondly, his layout is substandard to say the least. some crooked tiles are to be expected so that's not really an issue. It's just those huge joints! if they're over an 1/8", regular grout isn't even an option. those joints will crack and crumble.

those thick joints at the bottom are way to large. The problem is, the walls are out of plumb. that's why the gap is closer at the top than the bottom. (hence, the need for perfectly prepped walls). there is no room for error w/these tiles. You need to start w/a perfectly flat, square base.

You can't even see a joint in this one. and look at the perfectly cut tiles at the top. Does your guy think his job looks like this? how about the close up of the pic below?

glass tiles are extremely difficult to install. thinset oozing through the spaces is just one of the dilemmas. trying to cut these properly to fit close to the ceiling is another. As has been stated, a perfectly flat wall needs to be part of the prep.

the grout work of the actual tile in some spots looks like it's been wiped away too much. the grout should be even w/the face of the tile, no indentation.

this is a beautiful grout job

now look at how much of the grout has been wiped out between each of these tiles

I'm sorry, but he's going to have to fix the problem or he should not get paid. These sheets of mosaics are about, $40-50 each? if not more? I'm sure ripping this out is very very costly. It's on the tile guy if he can't fix this.

I'm with Janelle - this is a terrible tile job, and unfortunately, the only way to remedy it is to tear it out and start over - with a different contractor who knows what he's doing. My sister had a similar situation recently - had the supposedly experienced contractor re-tile her shower 3 times (one he did on his own without being asked) and finally fired him and hired someone else. It wasn't the tile. Or the grout. ;) Your corner joints (any change in plane) should be caulked - and they certainly shouldn't be so ridiculously wide. A good tiler won't have corner joints any larger than any of the other joints. The walls don't appear to be level/straight, judging by the cuts the tiler made. Regrouting will fix none of these issues, unfortunately.

Should have hired me I could have done much better . Bad job.

Crying a little now..It is SICIS Fern 3 tile about $40 per sheet ..The Tile Installer was recommended from our contractor and his sub contractors were singing his praises.....

Then the contractor gets to eat this too. Terrible job and since the wall wasn’t prepped correctly to accept this tile, that is the contractors fault. The tiler should have refused to put up the tile until the wall was straight. That kind of job has the look of someone who hit the sauce over the lunch hour..

Most "contractors" don't know beans about tile...or tile setters. That's why Houzz Pros tell you to go to a tile shop for both tile and an installer who can do the job correctly. Look at the first photo posted by Beth...regular shower...LABOR ONLY for that install would be (low, low end) $6k.

I have actually done a few of these glass mosaics. they are, hands down, some of the most difficult tile to install. Doing a shower of your size, including that ceiling, would be very time consuming. Did he have a partner? how long did this take him to tile? what was the cost for him to prep/install and grout?

As for the grouting portion, did he have help? that grout should be done in small patches, being wiped within 5 minutes or so of grouting. Otherwise, the grout is very difficult to get off the tiles. it's not like regular grout where you could do an entire wall, wait 30 mins, and sponge off.

I would have made sure those walls were as plumb/flat as humanly possible. If he put up cement board, that would mean him making sure the studs in the walls were also near perfect. did he do any of that? Do you know if he 'mudded' these walls or did he use some other type of waterproofing system?

this is the old school 'mud' (metal lath and mortar) method. tile guys like this because they can get the walls perfectly plumb and flat. look at the wall to the left.

Now when you set you tiles, you're not trying to adjust and cut slivers in order to fill in joints. The top is as square as the bottom

do you have any pictures of the walls prior to him setting the tiles?

sofile,,,I found a little blurb about this grout over at JohnBridge Tile.

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=122769

One of the guys said he really like the grout and used a similar color to yours, Morning Dew. here are his pics.

I can see why you chose this grout to go w/your tile. done properly, it looks beautiful w/the Sicis.

btw, lemme just show you this awesome pool job w/these glass tiles. courtesy of JBtileforum-Jerrymlr1. now this, this is some skill...

don't want to even guess the price tag for this job

First off they are better used as an accent tile vs and entire shower. They are set up to fail before the even start. Glass tile after cut needs to be dressed with a stone to smooth out the cut. You could imagine how intricate of a job this would be.

These glass mosaics are thin compared to normal wall tile. Your walls can be dead straight and the tiles come out with waves. Problem is the trowel size used. Mosaic sheets move when bed into thinset. they are also very difficult to keep level while maintaining a good thinset bond.

You have tile Cos selling these tiles and even more uninformed sales people selling them. It is just a bad idea to due an entire shower in accent tile end of story. When you do a pool you don't worry as much at seams or angles.

You need a more experienced tile setter and also a more appropriate tile for your job. Use them as intended as accent tile.

When tiles are set in a mud job you could get away without caulking seams. Cement board moves a solid wall doesn't. Years ago when mud jobs were the norm seams were always grouted.

Also everybody will tell you to use silicone. Yes it lasts longer but it also makes reapplication say in five years an utter mess. If you use a blended caulk and do it every two year vs every four it will keep the perfect seam you worked so hard to get. Ever see a tub that has been recaulked a few times? Silicone lasts longer but doesn't lend itself to a neat re application resulting in always using a larger bead.

Beautiful tile and so sorry such an unprofessional job. That tile is a perfectly acceptable selection for a shower (not just an accent), IF you have a highly skilled craftsman. As others noted, prep is paramount for any tile installation and with mosaics prep is even more important. And no, you do not use grout at that change of plane, ESPECIALLY in a steam shower. You use silicone caulk to match. And to the comment about silicone being a maintenance problem, we respectfully disagree. Silicone caulk is removed and replaced over years with a flawless outcome if you are experienced in doing this. We are not a fan of the color or brand of caulk used in this application (but that can be a preference issue). Very skilled and experienced craftsmen/women have their preferences based on years of experience in various applications. I am so sorry but this is a demo and redo. If the tile was purchased through a local supplier go to that supplier and ask them who they recommend for installation given the skill level required for the tile being used. Who's the "A Team"? We have several specialty tile stores (not big box stores, not floor and decor, not the tile shop) who immediately know when a customer chooses a particular tile that they need the A Team or the project may get messed up and they don't want that to be a reflection on them as the supplier. AND, while you are at it, make sure that whoever preps that shower is highly experienced with steam shower/sauna installations. Adhere to TCNA guidelines for steam showers? I'm a little nervous about how that shower was built (given the other problems already apparent). There are clear specifications for a steam shower that differ from a regular shower. Homeowners, if someone recommends a tile contractor to you, ask to see examples of their work using a similar tile in a similar application. How many steam showers have they done? What prep system do they use? Glass mosaic installations? (not just backsplashes). So sad when we hear these problems as there are plenty of real Pros in this field who are more than capable, although we understand regional differences. Again, sorry you experienced this. It would never past muster for any of our clients. (And we've installed Sicis for a number of them). Good luck.

Hi Beth,

thank you so much for all your advise and research. We had selected the grout called Forever Sky which is almost a blend between blue and green, it has an iredescent finish to it. After they cleaned it looks a lot more gray and really stands out (not in a good way) in the larger grout joints. Here are pictures when they were waterproofing the walls. Then they started with the ceiling.He did have three partners.

I am not exactly sure if they did the grout in sections or not. Just know that the thinset did show behind the grout once he was done. They did have equipment to make sure the walls were flat, looked like laser. But of course looking at some of the tiles now, the walls are not very flat in some areas. We did get very specific installation instructions that we shared with the contractor and tile installer such as :"We urge you to make sure that wall is perfectly straight and plumb. First apply a skim coat of thin set as a primer. That when you apply the thin set you use JUST a skim coat and BACK trowel flattening the teeth marks. " "Please find here below our Installation Suggestions (see installation pictorial on p. 14)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qc0v4tyhu1b16e1/Installation-Manual-WATERGLASS_ENG.pdf?dl=0
**Pay close attention to steps 8 and 9. Make sure to back trowel the thinset for 100% adhesion of the chip. The thinset should only be a skim coat that is 1mm thick to prevent squeeze. " They said they read and understood everything but nothing out of the normal..

We have not got the final bill yet and waiting for our contractor. We have said that we are not happy to pay in full since he says that it is nothing to fix and is happy with the work. We clearly stated our concerns and he says there is nothing else that can be done.

I just want to fix what they did and have a steam sauna that I will love and enjoy for years and years to come. I am at a loss how to take this to a stage where we can get a resolution. Removing the tile and starting over is really not an option. Makes me very nervous when you write that the grout can crack and crumble..I thought the esthetics were my only issue..Feel devastated. We invested so much in this and made that sure to both our contractor and tile installer knew that before starting the project and they ensured that it would be a fantastic job..Which our tile installer still says that we have..

Sofi, I'm sure everyone here wishes there was a magic fix to your issues, alas it's not possible. I would consult an attorney right away. You don't want, or need, the hassle of a mechanic's lien on your property...which is probably what's going to happen when you refuse to pay the bill in full. Show the attorney this thread before talking, and make sure he / she sees it on a big screen, and reads it all. Please don't let yourself be bullied by an installer who never should have undertaken a job that was beyond his skills. I will be following for updates.

That really is awful! I feel for you as it's stunning very $$$ tile. Were you not there to see what he was doing? Is he licensed? If not, you don't have to pay him if you haven't already. An unlicensed contractor can't sue, or place a lien. If you paid him, call your states Department of Consumer Affairs and file a complaint. They might be able to mediate a settlement. They did for me. The contractor probably got a kickback too. Good luck!

The tile installer did say, ”if I did find anyone else who could do a better job” ..I would not have to pay him..To me that is a little beside the point..Of course we care about the $$$$ invested but more than that...I just want to have it fixed without starting over..but seems like that is no option..We did check in from time to time and voiced concerns but was reasurred from the ”experts” that once it was all finished we would be very happy. I asked before we started if he was comfortable working with the tile and we showed pic of what we wanted so they knew the standard. It is a big job about 300 sq feet and did do the prep work with slanted ceiling etc for steam sauna. The tile installer is licensed.

You should check yourself online if he's licensed. Saying he is doesn't count. I think a drunk 12 year old having a seizure could do a better tile job. Tell him what he said and you're not paying him! I wouldn't pay him...no way! Tell him you will sue him for the cost of the tile. Maybe he could dig out the grout in the corners and he can cut the tile to make a narrower join. Looks like he was too lazy to cut the tile to fill in the corners and just grouted the wide space. The grout could be tinted to a color that blends in more hiding some of the irregularities and use low light in the sauna.. Please either go to the Department of Consumer Affairs for your state and check his license or go to the Department of Buildings in your state to do a contractor search.

I wanted to add if you file a complaint with the Department of Consumer Affairs in your state against the contractor, they have a mediation service. Please check that license. You can also see if he carries workers comp, liability, and disability insurance. No workers comp has fines of $1,500 a DAY without coverage and is a serious matter. You are required to have them to get a license. You can use all this as ammo.

@blondelle If you think a drunk12 year old could do a better job, please submit a picture of your most recent tile project for critique. High end tile work requires artistic skill, physical skill, design layout knowledge and lots of experience. It isn't easy work for anyone and insulting comments dont help the OP or anyone else decide how to tackle this situation.

The tile setter was not of appropriate caliber for a project of this expense and complexity. That does not mean the person is completely incompetent, dishonest, casual labor or working without appropriate licenses and insurance. Having the right paperwork is no guarantee of skill, conscientiousness, agreeableness and doesnt guarantee quality.

When it comes to a project like this, there is no substitute for on site inspection of actual work that particular craftsman has completed. Anyone who is an appropriate contractor for that level of project will have an installation available to show off his workmanship. References are great but that requires a knowledgable person to be able to be an expert witness.

Some basic points.

1) Mapei Flexcolor 3D is not for use in steam showers or saunas.

2) Mixing systems - Schluter Kerdi & Wedi leaves you with no warranty.

3 Kerdi membrane is unexceptable for steam showers. Kerdi DS is required.

4) Wedi requires a 2 part epoxy coating for steam applications.

5) Ceiling would require a 2" per foot slope. (so you don't get rained on from condensation.)

This should be all you need. Go to the manufacturers for your information. Not a public forum. The first response to your grout question should have been the product used is not acceptable in steam applications. Instead you got PRO advise on how it should be applied. Sorry for your situation but starting over is the only way. With a professional tile setter.

Lyndee, the OP mentioned her contractor said that the work would be free if she could find someone to do a better job than him. I told her to take him up on it and mentioned that. It wasn't meant as an insult to the OP but as a comment I had hoped she could pass on to the tile setter. Perhaps you should read the whole thread before commenting.

Are the contractors you are presently dealing with sauna installers, or just a GC? For such a specialized job you should be dealing with someone who's job is primarily sauna installation.

Can you explain what this special product is that you use to remove 100% silicone caulk without any residue?

Caulking change of plain is due to movement not sealing capabilities. There are pool jacuzzis constructed every day without an ounce of caulk. I am not saying I don't use but you have to be open minded sometimes and disagree with guidelines. When showers were built as Beth describes it eliminates that movement in corners. Anybody who lives in the NE can see their 1930's 4x4 tile shower and there isn't an ounce of caulk used. Remember those guides are adapted to products being used ta that time. Today the majority of showers are constructed of cement board and that is why these guidelines were adapted.

As for the caulk again what are we sealing? Tub to shower wall? Tub has 3/4 lip and you wall should be 1/2 up so where is the water going? Actually by using caulk you are sealing in any moisture that penetrates your grout and runs down your waterproofing and now has nowhere to go. Caulk fails at that joint often. If you think about it there should be a drainage system like used in plastic pans. We direct all the moisture back into the tub/pan and then seal it in?

My theory is to use a caulking product that is easily repaired and applied. There i nobody that is going to argue 100% silicone caulking is as easy to replace vs a mixture based caulk. Caulk is going to fail so its kind of a wash as to when you do it.

No argument here and I agree with following guidelines but sometimes thought can change those guidelines and we stop using 100 year old technology.

As for the tile well also explain how much more you charge for waste and uncharge for installing that glass mosaic vs a porcelain/ceramic or even stone?

To the original poster your bath is a tear out and YES listen to the advise given in regards to following guidelines they are there to protect you and your investment. Ask to see their work. Ask how they are going to finish corners and edges. Ask what they think acceptable slippage is. Ask exactly what products they are using including exact name brand. Make sure installer is involved with the tile chosen.

Read Dragonfly and Creatives posts, they are educated and obviously in the industry. People have to stop thinking installing tiles can be done by anyone. When a installer can explain themselves as they do you can understand the education and experience required. My posts are simply to provoke thought not argue, well maybe a little.

We constantly remind our customers, especially commercial ones that Bisazza is not a steam room tile. Ezarri is definitely the one to work with.

I am so very sorry for you.  Very unfortunately the only way to fix it is to tear it out and start over. Do not pay him the rest of the money and ask him to remove the tile that is the least her can do. They should have recommend a barrel ceiling so you don't get nearly as much condensation which causes mold a mildew. To save a little money chose 12x24 tiles on walls and use the blue tile for the barrel ceiling. We have a steam shower and are so glad the tile expert ecommend the barrel ceiling. We use ours every other day and it's been 4 years of no mold or mildew. I can only imagine how upset you are......do it over in the long run you will be glad you did because you'll be miserable every time you step into your steam shower. Read the contract you signed with him maybe there is a clause in the contract that states what they will do if you are not happy with the job they do. Good luck.

" Do not pay him the rest of the money and ask him to remove the tile that is the least her can do. "

Post is 5 plus years ago @ Kathy Dominick, doubt he would even answer the phone and the check is long since cashed.