Plumber has messed up, what are my options?

MassiveJim · 19 Dec 2023 at 11:29

Had a bathroom fitted that is now finished apart from the bath panel.
Plumber days he is aiming to get this week to fit it.

What he doesn't know yet, is that the bath sits 5mm lower at one end so the bath panel doesn't fit.
It's a curved bath and obviously a curved panel.
I have adjusted the leg on one corner which has levelled the bath on the front edge, but the back edge is tiled in so has nowhere to go and won't raise up any more.
If I force the panel under the bath it bows out and looks terrible.

The panel itself has a lip top and bottom,

what would you accept as a solution?

1. Rip out tiles, reset the bath and retile (he didn't tile it himself so will have to get the tiler back in)
2. Cut the panel and lose some strength.

3. Trim 5mm off the bottom of the bath lip to allow the panel to fit.

4.???

any advice would be appreciated at this point.

tom_e · 19 Dec 2023 at 11:35

Ideally you want it ripping out and retiling properly as that's what's been paid for not a bodge after the fact. I'd guess he's going to try and talk you into one of the other options though.

Assuming/hoping you've still got money held back?

Haggisman · 19 Dec 2023 at 11:35

Option 1 is the only "correct" option, 2 & 3 are cowboy bodges.

Maybe acceptable if DIYing and you can't be bothered to redo the whole thing, but if you're paying a professional then you expect it done to a professional standard.

Sounds like the bath wasn't installed level in the first place and the tiler has just tiled up to it?

ristac · 19 Dec 2023 at 12:19

What is right and trying to get him to do what is right are two different things. What about cutting some off the bottom of the tile, would 5mm notice once it has been silicon in

ci_newman · 19 Dec 2023 at 12:31

What this actually comes down to is who you are paying for the work. Did you pay the plumber for the entire project (so the tiler was employed by him), or was he just paid to fit the bath and pipework?

Accountability is important here.

As above, option 1) is the correct answer (and honestly it shouldn't take much work to remove the lowest line of tiles and cut them back to fit properly), but it massively depends on who is responsible for it.

Hyburnate · 19 Dec 2023 at 12:48

ci_newman said:
What this actually comes down to is who you are paying for the work. Did you pay the plumber for the entire project (so the tiler was employed by him), or was he just paid to fit the bath and pipework?

Accountability is important here.

As above, option 1) is the correct answer (and honestly it shouldn't take much work to remove the lowest line of tiles and cut them back to fit properly), but it massively depends on who is responsible for it.

This is my view also.

e; Or are you saying the plumber installed the bath, then the tiler came in, tiled to the bath and now you are where you are?

If so, the tiler will want paying to re-do unless the plumber is going to do it, but that's kind of the plumbers fault really...

Gav_r26 · 19 Dec 2023 at 12:49

Depends on what each option gives you as an end look. If the bath has a 5mm run on it and the tiles are square to the floor, surely the bottom row of tiles has a noticable taper on them? if they are parrallel to the bath, leveling the bath and cutting the bottom row to suit will look rubbish. so if the tiles look ok relative to the bath i'd leave it as is, with maybe a discount, or have them all ripped off and start again. Need a picture really.

SpeedFreak · 19 Dec 2023 at 13:21

You sure the bath isn't designed to have a fall?

MassiveJim · 19 Dec 2023 at 14:20

It was the plumbers job, I did pay the tiler directly but the tiler was organised by the plumber
I have done a fair amount of work myself as well (that is another story)
but the bath was fitted by the plumber and the floor screeded with self levelling to the correct height.

The annoying thing is that the tiler is also a plumber (mainly bathroom fitting)
You would have thought he would have done a quick check for level before tiling to the bath.

The tiler did make a point to say the tiles were very hard to cut, I imagine it would make a horrendous mess in the bathroom if they tried to cut the tiles in situ.

Pictures

SpeedFreak · 19 Dec 2023 at 14:23

Honestly just scribe it and move on

Journey · 19 Dec 2023 at 14:31

The fact that neither the plumber or tiler put a level on it tells me the job is a bodge, even if it looks good.

Ask for a discount if you accept a bodge solution ,as lack of using a fundamentally important measuring tool is completely inexcusable imo.

Gav_r26 · 19 Dec 2023 at 16:23

The problem will be if you trim the panel I think it will look awful tbh.

Thekwango · 19 Dec 2023 at 16:28

tom_e said:
Ideally you want it ripping out and retiling properly as that's what's been paid for not a bodge after the fact.

this is the only proper answer really. unless you're willing to accept a bodge job i'd just be telling him politely to put it right.

jpaul · 19 Dec 2023 at 17:24

MassiveJim said:
I have adjusted the leg on one corner which has leveled the bath on the front edge, but the back edge is tiled in so has nowhere to go and won't raise up any more.
If I force the panel under the bath it bows out and looks terrible.

The panel itself has a lip top and bottom,

aren't you torquing/stressing bath structure if you adjusted legs ?

as said - sounds like he will have to cut bottom lip and maybe provide a former behind bath at base to give it structural integrity,
but - will it need a filler on the vertical ends ... and, negotiate a compensation charge.

Abyss · 19 Dec 2023 at 19:04

That's a pretty simple fix. Take the bath out, disc cut the tiles in situ back to the correct level then reinstall. I'd suggest also asking the siliconing of the bath isn't done by Stevie Wonder, it looks like an amateur has done it.

Any options involving cutting the bath panel are a botch and the panel will forever be weak and wobbly due to taking the structural integrity out of it by removing the lip.

ristac · 19 Dec 2023 at 19:56

Abyss said:
That's a pretty simple fix. Take the bath out, disc cut the tiles in situ back to the correct level then reinstall. I'd suggest also asking the siliconing of the bath isn't done by Stevie Wonder, it looks like an amateur has done it.

Any options involving cutting the bath panel are a botch and the panel will forever be weak and wobbly due to taking the structural integrity out of it by removing the lip.

Was thinking the same myself in regards to the silicon

Journey · 19 Dec 2023 at 20:16

ristac said:
Was thinking the same myself in regards to the silicon

I also saw this, but didn't want to mention it, as it appears like the OP has his hands full already.

MassiveJim · 19 Dec 2023 at 20:28

What is wrong with the silicon?
Need to make sure I'm getting it done right if it has to be redone.

sigma · 19 Dec 2023 at 20:42

MassiveJim said:
What is wrong with the silicon?
Need to make sure I'm getting it done right if it has to be redone.

Pictures 3, 5 and 6 in particular show really uneven silicone work with really poor edging, it should be even (in terms of width) and have a clean edge to it. Someone who does this as a day job should be doing a lot better than that.

Edit photo 3 looks like the tile hasn't been cut smoothly and therefore the silicone is being used to fill gaps. Chimes with the fact that they were difficult to cut.

Photo 5 looks like the silicone is coming away from the grout line which goes up the tile. That's not great.

Really sorry to hear you're having these issue, it seems par for the course these days with the 'trades'.

JRJ · 19 Dec 2023 at 21:22

Ignore the tape and check the level all round with a level, could possibly be the bath? Could be he's set the height tap end and levelled from there.