"... 1) can he make it right (ability)"

I highly doubt it, but you may be legally obligated to give him a chance. Do not give him any more money, please.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5725013/what-to-do-when-a-project-goes-completely-south#n=13

What exactly is he working on installing in or on? The pics are too close up to get a clear idea.

I have no idea of where this is what it is so take pics from further back so we can see the project

Taking money from someone for a job doesn’t make them a professional. Sometimes it makes them a con. Having licenses, insurance, industry certifications, and trade group memberships, that is what makes for a professional. Applying for the required permits is a sign of a professional. Correcting issues is professional.

https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/homeowners-guide-to-hiring-qualified-tile-installer

I presume this is a shower? I’m sorry this is happening to you. It’s so disappointing when “pros” take your money and deliver such poor work. Since he said he would do what was needed to make it right, tell him to hire a real tile professional, and for him to pay that person to re-demo and do the whole project over. Have a contract that details what the waterproofing materials and methods will be, and have a phrase like this in the contract:

“All work will comply with industry standards, TCNA guidelines, local building codes, and manufacturer’s instructions.”

This time, take in-progress pictures as things roll along, including pictures of all the buckets, supplies and tool that are on site.

Read on ctef and national tile association websites some tips for hiring a qualified pro. On the ctef site listed above, for my zip code, only 2 companies come up. But when I search on

https://www.tile-assn.com

I got a lot more hits. Even though I know you are super busy with work, you should read up on what a real tile pro should do, especially about waterproofing. If you want to watch a couple YouTube videos, limit yourself to Sal Diblasi’s videos otherwise you could get sucked down a YouTube hole of mis-information. Make sure whoever your GC hires is actually trained and experienced.

Total mystery what I'm looking at. Hope your patients do a better job of describing their symptoms.

The best I can tell is that it involves tile.

Ask him how much it will cost you to get him to pick up his tools & leave. I can see enough to know that he is woefully unqualified.

After you get him clear of the premises, it's a gut & start over.

I can't tell what we are looking at either. Can you step back and take a photo?

What is your picture? It's a close-up of what?

MongoCT, I hope you see my comment which is that your response was one of the clearest and most helpful I have read on Houzz. It provides a framework for a layperson who, even if they lack the knowledge to determine which category applies to their worker, can identify with the categories themselves.

Bookmarking this so I can send people to your answer.

TWI - Tiling While Intoxicated

I see more if I click the pictures. is the top picture a bench seat in a shower with a large black tile stuck to the side, not parallel with the edge? And the second picture a shower corner with an ugly sliver?

either the tile isn’t being laid straight or the walls are way off straight. Looks very bad. If 1 is good and 10 is bad I’d say 7-8 of badness.

Picture 2 the grout lines are enormous except around the sliver.

That’s bad, period..

What process did you use to "learn" about this guy BEFORE you hired him?

It should not matter why the workman did a bad job unless it was due to something you specified or supplied. Even thinking about "why" begins a shift if responsibility from the workman. Don't go there.

The only difficulty would be if the there is no contract cause dealing with correction of unsatisfactory work or no general contractor or design professional involved to help you.

Not being able to see what is actually wrong with the work makes it difficult to offer useful advice other than to not let this person do any more work and to not pay for what has already been done.

In general, the only way to correct bad tile work is to remove it and start over.

"It should not matter why the workman did a bad job unless it was due to something you specified or supplied."

Res 3D, the reason I wrote what I did was because it can matter.

If work is done poorly, the first step in remediation is to give the original installer a chance to make it right. Knowing why they did "bad work" can help with the conversation to decide if they get another shot at it.

If a homeowner simply fires a worker and does not pay per the contract, then has someone else come in to redo the work, the homeowner may open themselves up to a court action or a lien on their property from the original worker, and may have to pay twice. Or at least have to suffer the pains of going through some sort of arbitration process.

If the homeowner and installer instead come to a mutual agreement that they should part ways and put the separation agreement in writing? Much safer alternative for the homeowner.

I am not sure why it is so difficult to take a picture from further back so we can see the whole issue.

I am sorry but this is a mess. I could tile a shower better than this guy. I would ask him to pay for a real tiler to come and rip out and fix the problem.

Whether the contract or state law gives the contractor the right to correct deficient work or not, the reason for the contractor's deficient work is irrelevant and telling the contractor how to correct the work can shift the contractor's responsibility for the work to you. I've been there and done that and learned this lesson the hard way many decades ago.

Tell the contractor, in detail, why the work doesn't meet the requirements of the contract IN WRITING and ask how he intends to correct it. In this case it appears tile work is possibly so deficient that it will need to be removed and replaced (there's no other way to "correct" the little sliver of tile). If his written response is not satisfactory, you should terminate the contract for cause IN WRITING.

Of course, you should take better photographs to back up your actions.

I can’t see what’s happening. Can you please snap a pic from further away?