[nothandy1]

I don't hire cheap, nor do I low ball contractors, I pay a fair price, and expect professional results, I don't think that is too much to ask? My question is do I have a right to complain about some aspects of this job that I believe fell short of professional standards. So I would ask the pro's here their opinion if I'm being to picky or if this contractor fell short of industry standards, first I'll outline of scope of the job.
Partial kitchen remodel, 22 year old tile that was laid on plywood, cracked tile, loose grout.........removal of tile and sub floor, install new plywood subfloor and cement board. Lay new porcline tile/epoxy grout.

They were neat, and I was happy on the removal of the old tile and sub floor, they had to modify door jams, casings, and doors due to the higher new floor, when they started laying the tile, I asked that they break up the pattern, keep the tiles going in one direction, and avoid lippage. After the job was complete, I noticed many tiles that were the exact same pattern right next to one another, several tiles were laid with the pattern going the wrong direction, and one tile had a small chip in the corner, (which they should have noticed when installing but didn't catch it)...So tell me your thoughts on this......... is this what I should expect from a pro?

 

[Bud Cline]

Only the cheapest tile on the market has surface patterns that are that easily noticeable.

Any tile like that is slower to install if you have to constantly be turning each tile so as not to match the tile next to it in its orientation. If you waited until they started and a price was agreed upon to begin micro-managing the job without an opportunity for them to up charge you as they should have then I would say you probably got what you paid for. Has nothing to do with professionalism. Has to do with getting in and out of there in a timely fashion.

How do you "break up the pattern" and "keep the tiles going in one direction" at the same time?

I'd say you are looking for a way to now discount the agreed upon charges after giving them an inferior product to work with.

 

[vsheetz]

Suggest you have a open and direct conversation with the installer to express your concerns and see what he has to say. Then go from there.

 

[JazMan]

I pay a fair price, and expect professional results

We hear that all the time, but in actuality that statement means nothing. What is a fair price? Regardless of how much less than regular "retail" you pay, the customers will invariably think that the average of the quotes he received is the regular price.

I can't speak to the quality of the work or the prior conditions or if a different installation method would have been better. ( in regards to lippage). There will always be some lippage.

But you changed the scope of the work trying to get something for nothing after a price was established and agreed upon. Bud addressed these issues and he's right. The several things you mentioned required more time and you need pay more for them.

Again I don't know if the work was done well or not from here.

Jaz

 

[Bud Cline]

Oh yow the lippage thing, I meant to address that earlier and forgot about it.

Everyone reading this including nothandy1 (I know you're there) should know that there is always an amount of warpage present in all ceramic tiles. The tiles are not perfectly square and they are warped. Some more than others. Cheap tiles can be the worst of them all. Large format tiles can be severely warped. The problem with this is in fact lippage. Lippage can not be avoided in fired clay tiles and in fact there is a standard to allow a certain amount of lippage based on the warpage-factor of the tile lot. The more warpage the more lippage that is allowed. This is why one should steer clear of the cheap discounted tiles that you see so often. The tiles described above are inexpensive tiles based on the OP's description of the pattern issue. You get what you pay for and no installer can make it better. We do the best we can with what people give us to work with. This is why I interview my customers, I won't work for just anybody these days. I have worked for too many numb-nuts and cheapskates in my early years and I have learned.

There, that's the story on tile lippage.:yes:

And that's the truth!:thumbsup:

 

[vsheetz]

Geez guys, I don't see the need to beat up on the OP about trying to cheap out on the job or gyp the installer. The OP is questioning what appears to me to be a reasonable question - he's trying to ascertain if he is being too picky (his words) or if the job is done ok. Your advise as to the reasons why the job could come out as it has and limitations the installer may be dealing with are excellent feedback to help the OP maybe to set his expectations.

IMHO...

 

[nothandy1]

vsheetz it appears is the only one that recognizes the point of my post, and understands my question. First let me point out that the tiles were NOT cheap, I don't go cheap with remodeling, period. I also pointed out many things that the contractor did do well. In fact, some of you were talking abot lippage, and it sounded like I was complaining about that as well. no where in my post did I say that was an issue, (I suggest you read a post entirely before commenting) they took great measures to prevent lippage. Aa far as the statement "getting what I paid for" this contractor came in at the highest bid of all, I paid MORE because I thought I WOULD get what I paid for, so tell me, having a cracked tile in my hallway, thats ok right Bud>? I thought I would get a fair opinion of what is acceptable in the industry, and instead I"M the one getting critizied.....go figure....any, I would like to thank vsheetz.......................

 

[turbomangt]

Speaking as a casual observer here, Bud and a few others were way off base, the OP was sincere about his concersn, pointed out numerous things that were done right, and only wanted to get info what he thought some pro's here could answer, just my 2 cents