That is one way of doing it, but I might have chosen something different. Hard to say without seeing all the walls and measurements.

Many of the perfect photos on Houzz are because designs and specifications are taken into consideration at the same time and built accordingly. You could have made your shower wall 2 inches shorter and the tiles would have fit perfectly!

Right!!! I wish they would've asked me if I wanted to just shorten it. There is a half wall to the left but the door is going where the photo is being taken from.

I feel like the seam could've been on the end. I'll try to get better pictures.

My eye first went to the sliver cut tile in the corner. Then to the shower niche that doesn't line up with the joints. Then to the bench that doesn't meet the joint. What's the seam you are talking about?

Next shower you do, then you'll have experience and know what to ask for.

The sliver cut tile in the corner.

If you can't shorten the shower, it will look much better if the sliver cut tile is on the end. People's eyes are drawn to the corner, so it is nice to start the full piece tiles there.

The niche will bother me as well, especially given you are using a contrasting color to finish the niche edges. Is there anyway to use a similar color around the niche edges?

I wasn't consulted on that at all. I was told that was the only place the niche could go as they wouldn't put it on an outside wall. I haven't had the chance to look super closely at what the niche edges are finished with but I will definitely inquire about that. Thank you.

Post a closeup of the niche ends and someone here will likely be able to ID the finish.

Depending on the proportions of the shower and the proportions of the tile, it looks like there might have been a sliver cut *somewhere.*

It will help if you do a grout as close in color to the tile as possible. Certainly do not do a contrasting grout.

From here the bullnose trim looks like Schluter Rondec in Graphite or Black. I assume the finish of the fixtures will match.

The niche I mentioned as not which wall, but when you have an edge trim of such contrasting color and large format tile it would lessen the "hey look at me" by placing the niche in the exact position of one piece of large format tile.

Hi Kristine, at this time, it may help to understand what can be changed without significantly impacting your budget and schedule. Is it the grout, the layout or anything else? Personally I would not use a contrasting grout, as it takes away the beauty of the tile. Using a matching-color grout will make all the issues - the sliver tile, the niche, the corner bench - less visible. I like to use matching bullnose tiles around the shower niches, but if you like the Schulter system, take a look at the Jolly style in matte white. Even better, take a piece of tile to a store that carries the Schulter products and find a finish that matches best with the tile so the Schulter system "disappears". Good luck!

Match the grout to the lightest color and it will be less noticeable.

This is a live and learn. It is upsetting to me that professionals find this acceptable.

The sliver issue happened to me with a kitchen backsplash.

I was sure to talk about placement when I did my shower and backsplash installations this time around.

Sorry this has happened. I agree that once the grout is in, it will be less noticeable.

The sliver is unacceptable to me and any builder that I have worked with. It is tile install 101 to not have slivers. You can always avoid slivers - but it does take an additional cut on the opposite wall and a little planning.

My current shower has a niche on an outside wall. Their rule is silly.

As has been said here already, contrasting grout is generally a bad idea. Only done when you have a master tile installer.

What I learned building 2 years ago is that tile installation has become a problem in my area (and maybe yours). It is a skill. This skill is often from Mexico. Many went back over the last few years and so we have a significant labor shortage. This is true is many construction trades of course but the worst I saw was tile. The owner of our tile install crew was the only one with true skill. So many projects would wait for his guidance. It was comical to see jobs 90% done and crews waiting around for hours for the boss to come by to finish it up. (We had a backsplash extension install and an outdoor patio done after we moved in).

I am glad they waited for him. But I suspect, nowadays, 2 years later, the job just gets finished poorly.

Lastly, the cost of tile install is the single item that grew the most since our prior build (at least that I noticed).

I find that my renovations have aged well. Many of the problems I found when I first moved in have receded as my eyesight has worsened with age.

So we are supposed to accept shoddy work because we get used to it over time?

As long as the terms of the contract were met, and the work Isn’t sloppy (which judging from the evidence it isn’t), you have no recourse for this type of issue because there’s nothing technically wrong with it.

While I appreciate your insight, please know that this was not ignorance on my part. We are building a new home and didn't have a choice as to who did the tile. This wasn't done by a “handyman” but supposedly by a reputable tile craftsman selected by the builder.

This is not a “poor me” because of trying to save a buck by me- I assure you. I believe “you get what you pay for”... In this instance, we simply didn't have a choice.

Unfortunately for us, this is the grout colour that was chosen.

@Ying Wang, could you pls share what you used on your shower curb?

Do you mean you didn't choose the grout color? It can be changed of course but fairly messy work. Cheaper than ripping out tile.

Custom build or tract?

Have you talked to GC? Sometimes stuff gets done that they aren't happy about either and they will pay to have it fixed or pressure installer to have it fixed.

The issue is that many will find this acceptable - and as someone else said, it isn't shoddy or in anyway "wrong" by a certain standard.

There are lots of places in home construction where standards vary. Tile with contrasting grout is one area that really stands out when not done with attention to detail. And unfortunately no paint or landscaping or furniture will hide it.

@Ying Wang, can you provide the exact tile, its size, and grout color used? Also what grout line size was used? Thanks!

The builder probably does a dark grout so that he doesn't get callbacks from homeowners, who might not be great housekeepers and will call and complain about white/light grout turning black/moldy after a few months!

Not to excuse the swing and misses here, but it looks like a decent lay job, and they did pretty good on the veining IMO. If the tile guy shows up, and nobody is there to direct him on a decision like the sliver, he will do what is aceptable in his mind, or take the easy way out, but he isn't going to stop and wait. We haven't seen a larger picture, so maybe he took a lesser of evils with the sliver.

What you're wanting is what's called a "no-cut" tile layout. It can be done but it's also a little tricky to get right, somewhat akin to "frosting the cake before baking it." In order to get the look you're wanting, you would need to ask the contractor to lay out the shower framing for the recess based upon the tile layout, the thin-set thickness, and tile thickness. Sadly, it's a big job to fix this after the fact, now that all of the waterproofing has been done. Still, they could tear out a section, re-frame it, re-waterproof it, and get things "on module." If it's going to drive you nuts (as it would me) that may be your best bet.

Oh wait, maybe you're not even talking about the recessed shelf. I see, the sliver cut. Same issue here really. The only fix I can think of is to find some way to create an accent stripe with the sliver cuts, perhaps using another color of tile all together. Of course you'd have to find a way to make that look purposeful by incorporating it throughout the design in some legible/understandable way. Possible.

So sorry about this. I hope you can find a fix that you can live with.

-Ben Parco