Bad tiling job - or am I too picky?

sully2010

Deleted User wrote: »

OP Here again.

So plumber came today to finish everything off. Only issue that arose was the radiator was the wrong size, but this is an issue with the shop rather than the plumber, to be fair. He did order the correct size but the wrong was sent (it's only marginal, the rad is going under the window, the correct size, 50cm wide, will fit under the window, whereas what arrived, at 60cm, would be pushed outside the window frame on the left, and it'd be the first thing you see everytime you enter the room, so I decided to hold off).

One thing that did bug me throughout the job was that I knew i had a toilet roll holder that was going to inevitably end up being placed on the "feature" tile. I was considering just binning the holder as I quite confident it'd ruin the look of the whole place. However, when it came time to fit it, and have a think about it, I actually didn't mind it. So I ended up sticking a toilet roll holder slap-bang in the middle of the feature wall. I figured the idea of doing that would annoy me a lot more than it actually did, so maybe I'm just a hypocrite for giving out about the tilers, in the first place.


(I did try to keep it off the feature tile, closer to the toilet itself, but it wasn't comfortable to get to, so i figured practicality has to win out, considering it's something that will be used multiple times daily).


The plumber agreed the corner trim on the box was bad and would need to be re-done, so he didn't use any caulk or silicone on the toilet. You can use the toilet but it's not very sexy where it meets the tile, but he acknowledged the tiles would be coming off there, and as such, there's no point in making the toilet look it's best back there until it's sorted. Again, plumber was excellent.


Here's a pic, and a few others are linked below.






https://i.postimg.cc/YkMyjMJm/IMG-2563.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/L6r3mtZw/IMG-2561.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/BJLmR61R/IMG-2565.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/0xnXwhsX/IMG-2569.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/jtk88NCz/IMG-2566.jpg



I have to do something with the back of the door now. Door itself is warped, which is annoying me a lot, but I'll need to get some architrave stuck on or something, sooner than later. Might also paint the inside of the door a darker anthracite-y kinda colour.


Anyway, all in all, I'm happy enough. I'm hoping the lads coming back to re-do the trim will give that corner a nice, tidy finish, and if that's done, I feel like i can relax a bit then and enjoy it.

Is it a chrome towel rail? They should have brought the pipes up from under the floor with copper so you can wrap them in a chrome sleeve.
https://www.theradiatorshop.ie/radiator-pipe-cover-kits/415-chrome-radiator-pipe-cover-kit-ireland.html

Should still be possible on the pex but it looks bent so not ideal. Another little thing that would annoy me as the cost difference is a few euros but the bathroom looks great and a nice transformation but you should definitely push them to fix the trim junction.

bertsmom

OP I think you have a lovely fresh modern bathroom. I couldn't follow the whole conversation on the alignment of the tiles but just as an onlooker your bathroom looks fab!
The first pic you showed where the tiles weren't yet grouted etc I wasn't liking the tiles at all but the last pic with it all finished I think its beautiful.

Sharpyshoot

sully2010 wrote: »

Is it a chrome towel rail? They should have brought the pipes up from under the floor with copper so you can wrap them in a chrome sleeve.
https://www.theradiatorshop.ie/radiator-pipe-cover-kits/415-chrome-radiator-pipe-cover-kit-ireland.html

Should still be possible on the pex but it looks bent so not ideal. Another little thing that would annoy me as the cost difference is a few euros but the bathroom looks great and a nice transformation but you should definitely push them to fix the trim junction.

Any plumber bringing hosepipe to radiators should hang up their tools. Shabby work.

dodzy

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

Any plumber bringing hosepipe to radiators should hang up their tools. Shabby work.

Do you ever get tired of listening to yourself? You’ve been slagging off this job from the outset. Pretty much every revamp nowadays will see qualpex used somewhere for convenience and as in the case here, it’s fine. The visible pipe on this job can easily be wrapped in chrome foil.

OP, nothing wrong with being a tad anal with finishing especially when you’re paying for a job in your own home but as expected, adding the grout and sanitary ware fixings and after a good wipe down, the job looks really well.

vintagecosmos

Looks great. Well to wear!

Deeec

Deleted User wrote: »

And a quick before / after. Old bathroom was a DIY job by my dad (who never tiled) about 15 years ago. He did it in a single day, whilst getting progressively more and more drunk as the day went on :pac: Still, lasted 15 years. You can tell we weren't as picky back then!

https://i.postimg.cc/8TLf9QtT/Bef-Aft.jpg


(the missing tiles at the sink only happened about a month ago, though. A leak was what spurred this whole renovation on in the first place)

Well done OP. Your new bathroom looks fab.

Sharpyshoot

dodzy wrote: »

Do you ever get tired of listening to yourself? You’ve been slagging off this job from the outset. Pretty much every revamp nowadays will see qualpex used somewhere for convenience and as in the case here, it’s fine. The visible pipe on this job can easily be wrapped in chrome foil.

OP, nothing wrong with being a tad anal with finishing especially when you’re paying for a job in your own home but as expected, adding the grout and sanitary ware fixings and after a good wipe down, the job looks really well.

The pipes should have been chased into the wall and chrome coated pipes used. No pipes coming up from the floor far superior job. What was done there was shoddy and come off your moral high grounds now.

dodzy

OP, out of pure curiosity, if access is needed to the cistern for a repair job in the future, is it a deconstruct or is the top tile just tacked & grouted for potential future access? I can't imagine much room for component service/removal via of the flush plate?

KaneToad

Looks good.

I know nothing about tiling. Just checked my bathrooms. None of the tiles match up in alignment and a good few 'small' tiles wedged in at odd junctions. I'd never noticed this before. I've lived in this place almost a decade...(!)

WildCardDoW

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

The pipes should have been chased into the wall and chrome coated pipes used. No pipes coming up from the floor far superior job. What was done there was shoddy and come off your moral high grounds now.

While I have had this done...

Give over mate.

dodzy

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

The pipes should have been chased into the wall and chrome coated pipes used. No pipes coming up from the floor far superior job. What was done there was shoddy and come off your moral high grounds now.

Shoddy me hole. You're talking sh1te and you know it. One of these people that finds fault in absolutely everything. I'll leave it there.

Sharpyshoot

dodzy wrote: »

Shoddy me hole. You're talking sh1te and you know it. One of these people that finds fault in absolutely everything. I'll leave it there.

It is shiite, if one is paying money for a plumber the job should be done right. Just because you are living in a shabby semi detached boom time Lego house with faults doesn’t create standards that others should have to accept.

dodzy

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

It is shiite, if one is paying money for a plumber the job should be done right. Just because you are living in a shabby semi detached boom time Lego house with faults doesn’t create standards that others should have to accept.

lol:)

Sharpyshoot

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

Any plumber bringing hosepipe to radiators should hang up their tools. Shabby work.

I assume you're referring to the plastic pipe coming from the floor there? If so, I've had 3 Different plumbers here in the last 4 years, all of whom hung rads, and they all used the same pipe.


I haven't seen copper used in a long time.

sully2010 wrote: »

Is it a chrome towel rail? They should have brought the pipes up from under the floor with copper so you can wrap them in a chrome sleeve.

Towel rail will be dark grey ("anthracite"). I have some dark grey, washable/"scrubbable" paint that i used on a radiator elsewhere in the house, so I might see about painting the pipe to blend it in. Or I might go a light grey to tie it in with the tiles (I'll be getting some light grey paint for the inside of the door and door-frame anyway).






I can't seem to find the post to quote it, but someone else asked about getting to the cistern if it needs work done to it or develops a problem or such. The access behind the buttons is tiny, so realistically the tile on top of the box would need to be popped off. I've a few leftover tiles in storage, just incase it ever happens, and the tile (or tiles) get broke in the meantime). I also sellotaped the name of the tile, and maker, to a piece of paper on the back of one of the tiles, so i can try find them online or such if I need one in ten years time and they're not easily available in shops.

WildCardDoW

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I assume you're referring to the plastic pipe coming from the floor there? If so, I've had 3 Different plumbers here in the last 4 years, all of whom hung rads, and they all used the same pipe.

I haven't seen copper used in a long time.

Towel rail will be dark grey ("anthracite"). I have some dark grey, washable/"scrubbable" paint that i used on a radiator elsewhere in the house, so I might see about painting the pipe to blend it in. Or I might go a light grey to tie it in with the tiles (I'll be getting some light grey paint for the inside of the door and door-frame anyway).

I can't seem to find the post to quote it, but someone else asked about getting to the cistern if it needs work done to it or develops a problem or such. The access behind the buttons is tiny, so realistically the tile on top of the box would need to be popped off. I've a few leftover tiles in storage, just incase it ever happens, and the tile (or tiles) get broke in the meantime). I also sellotaped the name of the tile, and maker, to a piece of paper on the back of one of the tiles, so i can try find them online or such if I need one in ten years time and they're not easily available in shops.

You can get a copper finish but it'll be plex or whatever they call it now up to that point and then fittings to go from copper to the Plex. It will up costs a good bit by fittings, although I guess not by much, definitely something that would only be promoted as a "do you want this?" or done by request IMO.

Same as having the pipes coming out of the walls - not uncommon for it to be prompted by the homeowner instead of a default as it increases job time.

I agree that painting it is a good solution that looks good with modern rads.

the_pen_turner

while i agree that copper would look better or chasing them in and hiding the pipes alltogether would be great, you cant just start adding in jobs that the customer doesnt want or never asked for. you wouldnt be able to win the work pricing against other people that only do as asked.

In relation to the pipes on the floor, I've had rads installed with the pipe coming from the wall, but it seems anytime it's been done (in my house anyway) is when the wall was being internally insulated (insulated plasterboard) and the lads could slab over the pipes, or on an internal partition wall.

The wall that the rad is going against in the bathroom is the back wall of the house (concrete block) so I presume that'd add to the job a fair bit. Also, the windowsill is quite low-ish, so i presume floor-mounting the rad will mean it's got more wiggle room to get it to fit and make sure it doesn't extend above the sill, wherears if it were wall-mounted he'd have a lot more work to correct that issue (if it happened)?


Either way, I don't really mind floor-mounted here. It's something I'm fairly indifferent about if I'm honest.

Bass Reeves

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I assume you're referring to the plastic pipe coming from the floor there? If so, I've had 3 Different plumbers here in the last 4 years, all of whom hung rads, and they all used the same pipe.


I haven't seen copper used in a long time.








Towel rail will be dark grey ("anthracite"). I have some dark grey, washable/"scrubbable" paint that i used on a radiator elsewhere in the house, so I might see about painting the pipe to blend it in. Or I might go a light grey to tie it in with the tiles (I'll be getting some light grey paint for the inside of the door and door-frame anyway).






I can't seem to find the post to quote it, but someone else asked about getting to the cistern if it needs work done to it or develops a problem or such. The access behind the buttons is tiny, so realistically the tile on top of the box would need to be popped off. I've a few leftover tiles in storage, just incase it ever happens, and the tile (or tiles) get broke in the meantime). I also sellotaped the name of the tile, and maker, to a piece of paper on the back of one of the tiles, so i can try find them online or such if I need one in ten years time and they're not easily available in shops.

I would not have an issue with plumber using Qualplex. I would not have an issue with him coming up from the floor either. Qualplex is much less prone to corrosion than copper therefore less likely to fail.

The tilers took a load of shortcuts to make it handy for the themselves. They started with full times on walls on numerous occasions when there was no need. They should have matched up with the feature tile as well.

I would not have enclosed the cistren. There are so many different manufacturers of bathroom sanitary ware that trying to get parts for them are an issue as plumbing suppliers do not carry the spare. The tiling and ware suppliers can go out of business or the manufacturer can. Tiles are something similar you would be lucky to get the same tile 2-3 years down the line not to mind after 10 years.

CoBo55

I wanted a boxed in type of toilet like the op has but the man who did the job wasn't keen for reasons of access so we got a toilet with the cistern on top that sits on the pan. I'm happy with how it worked out as it's back against the wall giving more room in what is a very small bathroom. The finished pics of the op's bathroom are very nice, it looks great with everything in place.

Bass Reeves

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I would not have enclosed the cistren. There are so many different manufacturers of bathroom sanitary ware that trying to get parts for them are an issue as plumbing suppliers do not carry the spare. The tiling and ware suppliers can go out of business or the manufacturer can. Tiles are something similar you would be lucky to get the same tile 2-3 years down the line not to mind after 10 years.

I get what you're saying about replacement parts, but the stuff came from Sonas who seem to be around forever, so I feel confident they'll still be in business in a decade or so. Could be wrong of course, though.

I wanted the clean look of a concealed cistern, although if I'm honest, it was also probably done just for the sake of doing something different in the room.

Our other toilet sat there for 15 or so years without needing maintenance (that I recall anyway), so I'm hoping I'll not have m/any issues with this one. It will kill me having to break tiles away to get to it if it decides to suddenly stop filling with water or some other silly issue. But for the moment ill just hold my breath and try to enjoy it. 🙂

CoBo55

CoBo55 wrote: »

I wanted a boxed in type of toilet like the op has but the man who did the job wasn't keen for reasons of access so we got a toilet with the cistern on top that sits on the pan. I'm happy with how it worked out as it's back against the wall giving more room in what is a very small bathroom. The finished pics of the op's bathroom are very nice, it looks great with everything in place.

I don't know why I'm having difficulty picturing that. Sounds like just a standard toilet, but I presume I'm just reading it wrongly. Got any pics? 🙂

And thank you. 🙂

If you are not happy with the job then you need to make them aware of that!

This is something that you will be looking at until it gets done again!

I'm sure that it's costing you enough anyway.

Bass Reeves

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I don't know why I'm having difficulty picturing that. Sounds like just a standard toilet, but I presume I'm just reading it wrongly. Got any pics? 🙂

And thank you. 🙂

His toilet has a pan that fits flush with the wall behind it. They are becoming more standard nowadays but you can get toilets still where there is s pipe visible behind or where there is a gap of a few inches behind it

CoBo55

Bass Reeves wrote: »

His toilet has a pan that fits flush with the wall behind it. They are becoming more standard nowadays but you can get toilets still where there is s pipe visible behind or where there is a gap of a few inches behind it

Yes that was the what the old toilet was like, the new one has the toilet against the wall with the cistern on the back of the pan.

Alun

Bass Reeves wrote: »

His toilet has a pan that fits flush with the wall behind it. They are becoming more standard nowadays but you can get toilets still where there is s pipe visible behind or where there is a gap of a few inches behind it

That's what I have, called "fully shrouded", no ugly waste pipe visible from the side.

eurokev

Enjoy your bathroom OP, looks great

CoBo55

Alun wrote: »

That's what I have, called "fully shrouded", no ugly waste pipe visible from the side.

That's it!! Couldn't think of what he called it.

Ah yeah I know what you mean now. I don't like the waste pipe at the back, either, but would I not be right in saying that those toilets and a "Standard" toilet are the same size? Just that the design of the toilet effectively "covers" the waste pipe part?

CoBo55

It doesn't seem to be as intrusive as the other toilet but because the bathroom is completely changed maybee it's a placebo effect, it was more from a future maintenance point of view it was decided to go with the shrouded type. I took a few pics but the room is so small it's hard to get decent ones. We (she) went for a lighter coloured tile than yours as it's an East/NEast facing room and doesn't get much natural light from September to March and would be too dark.