Hollow sounding tiles - is this normal?

[Transform_IT]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a newly built house and paid extra for some upgrades, including £7,000 for tiling the kitchen and hallway. The tiles look great, but I've noticed several have hollow spots when tapped, even after the developer has already replaced or re-adhesived many of them. Typically, about 70% of a tile sounds solid, but some areas, like a corner or a midpoint, sound hollow. Is this normal, or should I address this issue with the developer again?

Thanks,

T_IT

 

[Transform_IT]

It normally means insufficient coverage of tile adhesive and / or dips in surface.

Some cowboy tilers will dot and dab tiles rather than notched trowel with back buttering for full coverage.

Whatever the reason, it's improper installation.

Thanks for your responses. Based on what you've shared, it seems the hollow spots indicate insufficient adhesive, putting the tiles at higher risk of failure. This improper installation is concerning, especially given the cost.

The developer is large and operates multiple sites across the UK and Scotland. We do have a 2-year period to address such issues, but I worry that with regular foot traffic, the inadequate adhesive might cause the tiles to move, potentially requiring a full replacement in the future if matching tiles become unavailable.

Given these points, I'll be reaching out to the developer to ensure the tiling is redone properly.

Thanks.