This looks like a messy, not very professional install. The tool mark damaged tile is unacceptable and should be replaced. Small chips in corners I would probably let slide. Your contrasting grout color highlights it more. If there is a change in plane, such as in corners, they should have used caulk and not grout. I would have those redone but with house settling, it is possible the caulk will still crack again in the first year.

This is fairly low quality work and I assume that the Builder is a tract home builder? If that's the case, I would focus only on the damaged tiles, specifically when damaged by a tool. Sometimes the corners are hard to cut without damaging and I would probably just let that one slide. If it was a custom build, then I would push harder on some of the other issues.

Thank you both. Nope he calls himself a custom builder. does only a few houses at a time. The white subway tile -- i told him, i texted him, i emailed him with grout colors and in what bathroom and his guys installed the dark color grout instead of the white i wanted and i wated white on white for this exact reason so it owuld hide any minor issues. Im assuming cause it was already mixed for the dark tile in another area... he wont replace it.

They also installed glossy hex tile in the master shower floor mixed with matte, i specifically asked them to do matte only but they mixed them up as in some 12x12 mesh hex matte is next to 12x12 gloss. I had a PDF with every bathroom layed out with what tile and grout and they still couldnt handle that. All they had to do was follow the list. sigh.

That corner that is crumbling- white marble look tile-- its an exterior corner by the master shower, shouldnt they have used a schluter corner piece instead of running it through the saw on a 45? wouldnt that have been a better solution ? no wonder it crumled.

https://tcnatile.com/products/publications/2023-tcna-handbook-for-ceramic-glass-and-stone-tile-installation/

Sorry to hear how low quality this custom builder has been. Have you already closed? I would not have accepted the wrong color grout or the wrong matte vs glossy tiles next to each other. That's their mistake and they should fix it. If your builder used a reputable tile company, the tile company would gladly eat the cost. No one in their right mind would say that mixing gloss and matte tiles next to each other is okay. Also, they can use special paints on the dark grout to get it to a lighter color, but it can be very time consuming. That's not your problem though. They should make it right.

@T T... yes we closed. we closed under duress though. we sold our house and we living in a hotel toards the end cause he took so long- seems like he would only move when he sold a house, then all of the sudden he had siding in etc and would move along... anyway, mother-in-law was in hospital, father-in-law died 4 days before closing. He threatened to cancel contract and/or charge us his lender fees every day we went over-- if we didnt close that day. Would not allow an inspector and showed up late in the day because "something came up" for the final walk through. we were mentally fatigued from everything and did not notice the poor quality work or wrong colors/tile used until we moved in....if I ever build again, i do know what to do now... doesnt help the current siutation though

Ugh sounds dreadful. Construction is tough enough without all the additional drama, sorry you are going through that. This shower will (hopefully) work fine, so I’d post lots of pictures on review sites and move on. He’s shown that he doesn’t care. Maybe someone else will have more creative suggestions.

Shameless people

Have a solid surface fabricator make a solid color compatible insert with a flange that covers everything please.

That doesn't look good. Not up to anyone's standards. You didn't need me to tell you that. Dark grout doesn't help

Maybe tell your builder that you are going to write to Tile Coach, and have him come look at your install. And then use it as a YouTube tutorial video for how not to tile a bathroom! Does the builder not care about Google reviews?

I would sue. That would hurt their business and they may cave and make the changes.

charlesg270:

When you're building a 900K house, you've got to pick which hill to die on carefully. This ain't it, believe me.