Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Aug 11, 2008 5:36 pm We are about to move into our lovely new home in Perth.
Our highly recommended tiler called me on the morning he was due to start laying our tiles (large porcelain) to show me how uneven our slab was (and it really was). He said that there was no point in trying to even the floor out because it was uneven in so many different places. If he was to build it up it would have to be to the level of the highest point which would be too high. He said he would be unable to butt joint (spelling?) the tiles as I had wanted but would lay them as close together as he could. I am so disappointed with the result! The uneveness of the floor is quite apparent and it seems that at least half of the tiles don't seem to be sitting flat. They aren't sticking up a long way but it is definitely noticeable. Was the tiler correct to not even attempt to even out the floor or improve it in some way (just by the way he charged absolute top dollar)? Is there is anything that can be done now? I read about a company in Queensland that corrects "lipping" in tiles - does anyone know of a company in Perth? I'm so upset! We have paid so much money for both the tiles and the tiling and to be honest it looks horrible. Fingers crossed someone can offer some suggestions! Would photo's assist? I don't know if I will be able to capture the problem with a photo but I could try? Thanks, Annie Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 2Aug 11, 2008 5:43 pm Annie when you say new home do you mean newly built? If so and the slab is uneven this is the builder's problem not the tiler's.
If your slab is that uneven you're going to have bigger problems to worry about long term than your tiling..... Jo I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 3Aug 11, 2008 5:53 pm Yes, newly built.
In fact, we haven't even received the keys yet (later this week) - the building company allowed our tiler to start early. In hindsight I should have told the tiler not to start and taken the issue up with the builder. The tiler had the tiles all set out and was gung ho to start so I didn't even consider this as an option. The tiler told us that the building supervisor came around before he started but he didn't mention the uneveness because it wasn't his place to do so. We have had our pre-handover inspection but didn't check the eveness of the slab. The tiler said that he took photo's of the floor before he started (he was obviously mindful of the fact that the result might not be good - I had no idea). I suppose it is too late to go back to the building company because they will just say that we didn't give them an opportunity to fix it. I think our inexperience has put us in this position and we now just have to live with our mistake. Thank you so much for your reply Jo. I hate to ask but what other problems might we encounter with having an uneven slab? Annie Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 5Aug 11, 2008 6:01 pm Thanks Paula. What should I be asking the building company to do? I can't imagine that they would agree to bear the cost of ripping up the tiles, evening the floor and tiling again.
We thought it was great that we managed to get our tiling in before handover but I think we have just complicated things! Thanks for your replies - this issue is literally keeping me awake at night! Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 6Aug 11, 2008 6:07 pm Umm, all sorts of problems. Your slab is your foundation so everything that came after it will also be uneven. DO NOT cop this!! Take this as far as you have to.
I'm not a builder, I'm sure someone more knowledgable than me will be on and give you a better answer, but if your slab is uneven, then so is the frame and everything else. I don't know what the tolerance levels are con cerning slab evenness but if it is outside the tolerance surely you don't have to just accept it. Jo I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 7Aug 11, 2008 8:22 pm If the slab was so uneven that it had large bumps and valleys, then as you said, normally you would build it up. In this case the bumps were to high so they should have been ground down. Then the whole area could be made level and at the right height. Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 8Aug 11, 2008 8:25 pm Your tiler was correct!
For him to do the job properly….would mean doing just what he said to you! This is your builders (or concreters) fault. BUT your SS should know better Now when you go to place furniture on the tiles it may wobble! I would be extremely ***** about this! But I think the damage is done, and there is not much you can do about it now. I would be pulling for a HUGE discount for companies stuff up! Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 9Aug 13, 2008 10:15 am Annie
This can be fixed first call the builder is a must you can grind down the high areas to level with the low areas I have a few numbers for you email me and I will give them to you.. Craig Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 10Aug 13, 2008 10:42 am Uneven slabs are quite commonplace. Before ANY floorcoverings are installed, the contractor should determine that these variations are brought to within Standards. It was WRONG for the tiler to begin the job without first ensuring that the slab was within tolerances that will be in the Australian Standard for tile installation, and probably also as specified by the tile manufacturer. The tiler had disregard for you to proceed with the job when HE KNEW there was a problem with the foundation. Don't accept it. Demand they are taken up, slab prepared to within proper tolerances and standards, and the tiles laid properly.
Slight lippage can be corrected by specialised contractors, but it is expensive, and NOT the answer. I disagree with Craig on this point. It is a band aid solution at best. Hope you have satisfaction ultimately. You are going to have to demand that things are undone, and redone properly. Ash. Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 11Aug 13, 2008 11:00 am Grout Perfect Annie This can be fixed first call the builder is a must you can grind down the high areas to level with the low areas I have a few numbers for you email me and I will give them to you.. Craig This is all well and good….but aren’t the tiles laid already??? Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 12Aug 13, 2008 11:07 am Hi Annie, We had to let our builder know in advance what flooring we would be doing in our living area, that we he made sure the concrete was finished correctly.
They had forgotton we were tiling our alfresco area and didn't finish the concrete off properly so they had to come back and they in a way sanded back the concrete to a level slab. It wasn't a big deal for them to do it was just that we made a big deal about it that they got annoyed. I do believe though that porcelain needs alot more preperation on the slab side of things than other ceramic tiles. If the tiler has said the floor is that bad that you can't lay anything on it then that is a different storey. My cousin built here in Perth through a reputable builder and they messed her slab up so much they had to relay concrete over the top and guarentee in writing that should anything happen to the wood floors they had laid because of the relaying of concrete that for the life of the warranty, the builder would be responsible in that area. They had an independant building inspector come out to help them find out if it was that bad. The building company has its own building inspector but you can request someone not affiliated with that builder. Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 13Aug 13, 2008 11:08 am Michelle Grout Perfect Annie This can be fixed first call the builder is a must you can grind down the high areas to level with the low areas I have a few numbers for you email me and I will give them to you.. Craig This is all well and good….but aren’t the tiles laid already??? Yes, and they never should have been! There are contractors that grind and polish floors, (mostly natural stone floors) and smooth out irregularities. But it is unlikely to correct serious level issues with this porcelain floor (IMO). Ash. Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 14Aug 13, 2008 11:20 am Sorry I didn't read the post properly I didn't realise the tiles were actually laid already. Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 15Aug 13, 2008 11:22 am I know you can grind cement….. but by the sounds of it, the level was very bad, which would have been a LOT of grinding!
It’s a shame Annie and her husband didn’t pick it up earlier, it could have been fixed. BUT since the tiles are down…there really is not much that can be done! I’ll bet you anything the building company will not hold responsibility for it now the tiles are laid. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 16Aug 13, 2008 11:27 am Bullshit!
The tiler KNEW the subfloor was not level, and proceeded anyway. He should not have proceeded. This should NOT be accepted. Removing the tiles, preparing the floor to proper Standards and laying new tiles is what should be done! Ash. Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 17Aug 13, 2008 11:27 am Hi Annie,
I can sympathise with this - I have had to live with an uneven tiled floor for the past year and it is driving both my wife and I mad; even to the point where we have considered selling the house and buying a finished display home. Long story short we had an unlevel slab and the builder advised us that this would not pose a problem and that the tilers would correct the mistake when they did the tiling (after handover of course). The tilers came in and said "Wow this floor is terrible" but still did their best to make it work - the end result is shocking - in fairness to my builder I think it is a combination of bad slab and bad tiler. We have issues with furniture not sitting straight on the floor, dining chairs and bar stools wobbling, doors not opening all the way due to hitting a 'higher' tile, fridge recess slopes backwards, washing machine slopes sideways, etc, etc, etc. Whilst it can be managed (just be careful about what furniture you pick and how/where it 'sits') I would never do it again. Unfortunately now that your tiles are laid there are not alot of inexpensive options - we have decided to live with it as it is our first house and we do not want to invest $15-20k to fix the problem (remove existing tiles, clean off floor glue, leveling compound and grinding of the floor, replacement tiles and tiling) and then move out in a couple of years time. Good luck with everything - part of me would love to see the photos but understand if you do not want to share. Regards, P1T http://thecambridge.blogspot.com Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 18Aug 13, 2008 11:37 am Its not just the tiler Ash, the bloody builder would have known right from the start that the floor was uneven! As far as I’m concerned it’s the builders fault for not ensuring the level was correct in the beginning, then allowing shotty work to continue.
As the builder…. it is his/their responsibility to ensure quality work through out the whole building stage! So while we can run around and pick the crap out the tiler…..I say it comes back to the builder to start with. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 19Aug 13, 2008 12:05 pm If you keep 'growling at me', I'm gonna cry!
A really flat slab is rare. Level variation is nothing new, and there are STANDARDS that should be adhered to BEFORE any floorcoverings are laid. It is the tilers job (in this case) to determine that the floor is within tolerances before laying the tiles. Whatever it takes (grinding high spots, filling holes, applying levelling compound) this MUST be done. Who's cost this is, is a matter for the building supervisor, but it MUST be done. The bottom line is, its a ** job that should NOT be accepted. Ash. Re: Very disappointed with tiling.....any ideas? 20Aug 13, 2008 12:12 pm royalblue If you keep 'growling at me', I'm gonna cry! Ash. I’m not growling at you …..I’m growling about the builder!! I would never growl at you Ash!!! Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Hi - thanks for your reply. Yes I think 'Ill go for whitish with very speckly bits rather than pure white something like this. PS was actually 2008 I built the… 2 8684 Looking to tile the facade pillars rather than rendering. Builder is quoting 2500$ laying cost for upto 10msq. The 2 pillars come to be 16msq. So laying costs are 5000$… 0 3983 Hi, I'm clearing the tiles from our horrid 50 year old bathroom and preparing to lay new ones. Bugger of a job getting the old… 0 6075 |