Tell if A Contractor Is Truthful About His Installation Of Bathroom Tile & Window

[annr]

We recently had the tile in our bathtub/shower replaced. This job included the replacement of the window in the shower. We have run into a series of problems and don't know if the contractor is truthful or not and what to do next. Pics added post #13.

Our requirement was that we wanted things to be watertight and maintenance-free to the extent possible. We were receptive to any solution that would achieve those ends.

The problem is with the window casing and the surrounding tile work: Initially the contractor's worker installed a wooden casing and painted it. When I questioned him he said it would be fine after he painted it. Within 2 days the paint was peeling.

I told the contractor that I did not, and never said that I wanted wood or paint. I was expecting tile on vinyl per the pics we had emailed. He agreed with me that he used the wrong material and that we had never discussed painting anything in the shower.

He tore out the wood and installed vinyl. BUT, he left .25" gaps above and below the casing/sill. He filled the gaps with something. (I now see that tile line below the sill is ragged and asymmetric.)

I called him today. He was expecting my call and said that this is the way that vinyl is supposed to be installed--if he tiled up to the casing there would be water damage issues. He wants to come out and put in more filler, which has begun to contract in just a few days.

I think this sounds wrong. What to do? How to handle this? BTW we still have the final payment of $1800.

 

[wolf-man-12]

Think I would look for a different Contractor if I was you. There are do's and don'ts when you come to windows in the Shower and he is wanting to take the cheap way out.! I know because my x-Brother-in-Law is in this line of work and we used him when we built our house. Never had a problem.!*

 

[annr]

Think I would look for a different Contractor if I was you. There are do's and don'ts when you come to windows in the Shower and he is wanting to take the cheap way out.!

I tend to agree with you and am looking for a 'tile man' to see what can be done--not so easy when I have no clue who would be a competent contractor. Our guy said he 'researched the installation of vinyl' and that this is the correct way it is done. (That set off alarm bells. A person who has done this before does not need to research how to do a job, in my opinion.)

 

[softrockrenegade]

If he used a plastic casing and calked around it you should be ok , pics would help determine if the work is quality or not but you have to remember it's home construction and it will never have sebenza fit and finish lol !!

 

[annr]

If he used a plastic casing and calked around it you should be ok , pics would help determine if the work is quality or not but you have to remember it's home construction and it will never have sebenza fit and finish lol !!

Good idea on the pics, will do. In the meantime..... The caulking is .25" wide and separating from the casing, creating a depression around the casing. I am able to see the top and bottom edges of the tile surrounding the casing. If fact, if you press the filler your finger will go right through to the cement board.

 

[RevDevil]

Check with the BBB in your area. Call the city and ask for information on certified/licensed contractors
You need this guy:

 

[woodysone]

I have been doing tile and bathrooms for the last 20 years and when we have a window in the bathroom it is replaced with a vinyl one. The sill is put in (cement board or Dense shield) with a slope to the shower and then taped with mastic and fiberglass tape. Then we use bull nose tile extend a 1/8" over the wall tile. the shower is grouted and then caulked. Since it's rentals we work on (property management company has 140 ) its always has been fun to lean ways to keep water for ruining the floors and sills. At the edge of the tub we extend the tile out approx. 4-6 inches and set it to the floor. So far have not had to replace any of the enclosures. Best of luck to you on getting this right, you invested a lot of money!

 

[CombatGrappler]

Whatever you do, do NOT make the final payment until the work is completed to your satisfaction. Let the contractor know that satisfactory completion of the work is the condition for him getting paid. If you pay before it is done, I can pretty much guarantee that you will never see the contractor or your money again.

If this guy was on the up and up, he would have let you know about his inexperience with the project right off the bat.

 

[annr]

I have been doing tile and bathrooms for the last 20 years and when we have a window in the bathroom it is replaced with a vinyl one. The sill is put in (cement board or Dense shield) with a slope to the shower and then taped with mastic and fiberglass tape. Then we use bull nose tile extend a 1/8" over the wall tile. the shower is grouted and then caulked.

It sounds like we have more problems that we are aware of. I had wondered about the slope and the installation of the sill.
When we were at the juncture of replacing the wood, I showed him photos of bullnose-style jobs (similar to what I had emailed him) He said that could, but preferred not to because our house is 'old construction'--the window and the shower wall do not have the right spatial relationship to one another. Though he could add tile, it would look wrong, and would not be watertight--when the vinyl expanded/contracted with the elements the tile/grout would not, leading to hairline cracks, leading to water problems........

I don't know if this is true or false, but you are right it is a lot of money!!

 

[Crewdawg]

Finding a reputable contractor: when I needed my house in AZ repainted, I got on Angie's List and found a guy that was highly recommended. Checked with others he had worked for, and was very happy with the work done.

 

[AeroNautiCal]

How is this a Gadgets & Gear topic?

 

[st8yd]

This guy is cheezy, I have never heard of anyone putting painted wood casing on a shower window.
What is on the jambs of the window?

If he done this you probably don't even have a good concrete backer board.

Being a tiled shower it should've at least been tiled around and into the window, (sill, sides and header) at a min.
I personally prefer a marble sill, as it will be easier to keep water proof and clean.

The vinyl could work but shouldn't have 1/4" gaps. even though its in a shower its still a more controlled enviroment (not like being outside where it needs room for expansion and contraction. It will not see enough temp change to make it move much.
But to make it look good it still needs paint and caulk. CHEEZY

 

[annr]

Pictures are added. Left, the jamb meets the frame in front of the window;
center left, the gap above the casing;
center right, the gap below the sill
right, entire window.


According to him "this is the way it is supposed to look. His fix is more caulking....

 

[annr]

This guy is cheezy, I have never heard of anyone putting painted wood casing on a shower window.
What is on the jambs of the window?

If he done this you probably don't even have a good concrete backer board.

Being a tiled shower it should've at least been tiled around and into the window, (sill, sides and header) at a min.
I personally prefer a marble sill, as it will be easier to keep water proof and clean.

The vinyl could work but shouldn't have 1/4" gaps. even though its in a shower its still a more controlled enviroment (not like being outside where it needs room for expansion and contraction. It will not see enough temp change to make it move much.
But to make it look good it still needs paint and caulk. CHEEZY

I think that cheezy is being kind. We had the tile replaced to due water damage and decided to replace the window while we were at it. He said that he replaced the old backing with cement board and I believe that to be true, though I don't know if he did it correctly.
We thought that he would tile up to the window (like pictures we sent him) and were shocked to see wood. When asked about the tile he said that he could not do this because our house is old (1959) AND/OR that he would do the job and not guarantee it. Is it possible to have the window removed and re-do the tile as you suggest? without concern?

I'm now concerned for the way he put in the window (maybe he has gaps there too). A neighbor pointed out that there is an exterior gap between the bottom of the window and the house, or siding (I can't see or judge). He left the original wooden sill.

 

[st8yd]

Nobody's perfect but, That's pretty lousy.

 

[annr]

Nobody's perfect but, That's pretty lousy.

So would you ask the guy to rip it out? or hire someone else? Pay him?

BTW the pics don't show the ragged cut of the tile below the sill.

 

[st8yd]

...And he'll guarantee this?

I don't see what 1959 has to do with it, more than likely the worst of the settling is done. The rest of it is tiled what's the difference?

 

[st8yd]

I would not accept it as is.

Should not be any reason to remove the window to redo the tile.
The window is always installed before the tile.

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

Pictures are added. Left, the jamb meets the frame in front of the window;
center left, the gap above the casing;
center right, the gap below the sill
right, entire window.


According to him "this is the way it is supposed to look. His fix is more caulking....

Hello,
I am in the trades, not that far from you...around 40 minutes actually. It doesnt look good Bro! First of all, your pictures are terrible, put some light on the subject for those here that know what they are looking at.
When he tiled the walls, what did he adhere the tile too? I wonder if he used mudboard at all? It looks BAD...get someone else.
Sorry, I am all booked up, or I would come take a look at it....LOL.

 

[annr]

I would not accept it as is.

Should not be any reason to remove the window to redo the tile.
The window is always installed before the tile.

He installed the window AFTER the tile. Maybe that is why he is in trouble.

Re 1959. He said that the house was not built with the window opening in the same or correct plane as the shower wall and that the tile would not meet the window the way it should. And he mentioned that the size of the opening for the window was such that he could not install something needed to compensate for the shrinkage and swelling of the window during the changes in temp, etc. He mentioned that the grout would not give and that there would be hairline cracks that would let the moisture in. (BTW this was all said after he put in the tile, then window, then casing.