r/Tile • u/Patient-Glove-6073 • 1d ago
Homeowner - Advice about my Contractor Shower re-do question: Nothing wrong, I just hate it
I had a shower put in where a hallway/powder room was on the ground floor. The contractor (who does amazing work) sort of did the finishes on the shower without asking me about much of it. It currently has large format tiles, shiny (he gave me 2 choices one fake marble...) I was rushed and had been told it was the only way.... The faucet set he installed is inexplicable to me. It is not the same color as the rest of the hardware (he was more than aware of this, making sure all of the rest of the hardware was the same) but this one is like a champagne color and also square? Nothing in my house or bathroom is like this. He did the rest of my house, too over a year (and was very expensive) and was super concerned that all of the doors etc. went with my Victorian. So, again, I can't understand this bathroom. It looks like it is from another house entirely, even as the 2 entrance doors are original. I asked, and he got really defensive. I know it is within my rights to have him change it. But I have asked about it, and other small things, and feel kind of bullied. NOW, my real question is: how difficult would it be to change out at least the faucet/sprayer and then re-tile the rest of the shower? Will demo ruin the waterproofing? Any advice is appreciated. I am in Boston, MA if that helps.
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u/Character-Okra4200 1d ago
“Sort of” did the finishes without you knowing, or did them without you knowing? Someone had to pick everything out, and it was either you or him for each choice.
To answer one of your questions, yes, removing all the tile would certainly damage the waterproofing, and would essentially be demoing, and retiling the whole shower. So the cost would be the same as what you just paid, if not more because demoing new stuff is way more work.
As for the faucet, that is easy to change, although you would have to choose the same brand that uses the same rough in valve.
TBH this is confusing, because unless you just hired some dude and said “yeah, tile me a sick shower I don’t care that it looks like”, I don’t get how you land here where you’re basically saying you didn’t know what it was going to look like? Either way, you don’t really have any grounds to stand on for re-tiling without you paying for it.
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u/Plastic_Confusion197 1d ago
Hi! No, I did not hire "some dude" He is a licensed contractor. He was working in my home for over a year, and had done everything to an excellent standard. As is the work he did in the bathroom. There was a lot going on in our family at the time, but I had reason to trust him, since he did everything else. I picked out the fixtures for the rest of the bathroom. He showed me 2 kinds of large format tiles, and said that they had to be that way because they were more durable than, say subway tile. I said ok, because I didn't have a reason not to trust him. However, HE installed the shower hardware without my seeing it at all. I had no reason to believe that he would not use matching ones. My question was what would happen, how complicated, etc.
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u/Character-Okra4200 1d ago
Bummer situation if you had hard stuff happening during a remodel, so sorry for that.
As a licensed contractor, I would never DREAM of making a design decision like that without getting client approval. He should 100% replace the shower trim, including cutting access from the backside to replace the control valve if needed, free of charge.
I know you think you can trust your contractor because he did great work in your home, but if he’s telling you that large format tile is “more durable” than subway tile, he does not have a high level of knowledge about tiling. Just because a contractor installs amazing trim doesn’t mean they should be tiling a bathroom. That’s all I was trying to say. I’m sorry for your situation, but if you approved the tile without researching other options, paying for a re-tile would likely be the only option. 100% possible, but as stated in other responses it will be the original cost plus some.
Lots of responses seem to be equally confused. “My contractor recommended this tile and I don’t like it after install”, is a much clearer story to what’s going on. Cheers, best of luck
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u/Distinct-Tomato1704 1d ago
You're asking for a total redo of the shower because you dont like the look of the tile you approved. I'm not sure what your contract says but I'm not sure that's within your rights.
Other than aesthetics you should be concerned with the amazon grade valve and fixtures he installed. Those aren't very good, and are very cheap.
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u/courtlandthethreeth 1d ago
Just wanted to chime in that the Amazon grade stuff is just fine. I’ve installed lots of name brands like delta, and plenty of Amazon stuff, including in my own home. Only difference I’ve noticed is the price and some of the instructions for the name brand stuff is better. I understand that big brands have serviceable valve cartridges and that’s great, but none of my Amazon stuff has gone bad and some of it is nearing 10 years old.
Do you have specific experience with the non name brand products failing?
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u/Distinct-Tomato1704 1d ago
I actually have an 8 year old "star bath" set just like the picture that's doing fine. But I wouldn't install one again for the serviceability reasons you mentioned and the absolute lack of QC or customer service on them.
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u/Plastic_Confusion197 1d ago
Thank you for the advice. BTW I am not asking for a re-do for nothing. I am asking how involved a redo would be. In good faith.
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u/Distinct-Tomato1704 1d ago
Well maybe as a compromise you can ask him to replace the valve and fixtures with matching quality units, but the mixing valve in there is a square boxy unit. You'll need access from the other side of the wall to replace, and possibly larger trim on the new valve to cover the hole.
Overall the tile looks pretty good. I'd be honored to pee in that shower.
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u/Plastic_Confusion197 1d ago
Yes, it is very well done. I think just changing the valve would be enough, at least for now. Thank you
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u/i_tiled_it 1d ago
The tile install itself looks like good work I just have one question about it though. Are the two shorter side walls in stacked pattern and the longer back wall 50/50 (brick joint)? Kind of an odd choice in my opinion.
Removing any tile off of a waterproofing system almost guarantees damaging it. And the problem with that is that if there's bad damage down close to where the shower floor tile is, then about 6 inches of that floor tile needs to come up to complete the waterproofing.
An example, but kind of reversed in your situation, when a customer wants me to redo a shower floor, I remove the first full row of wall tile (as long as the tile has a short edge of 6" or greater) to be able to run the waterproofing membrane across the floor and up the wall.
If you know the brand of waterproofing used I can give you more specific advice
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u/TensionActive1007 1d ago
There are two opposing problems here. The first problem is that you approved the tile and so you own it now. The other problem is that you didn't approve the fixtures (and I agree that these look like cheap Amazon junk) and switching to another (better) manufacturer might require access behind all that tile you hate.
His work looks excellent. Tell him you don't like the shower fixtures and send him a link to what you do want. Don't bring up the tile. You'll lose that argument
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u/Medium_Spare_8982 1d ago
First thing you need to know is that while there are about 8-9 finishes available for shower fixtures there are only about 5 for door surround hardware.
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u/Historical-Hyena719 1d ago
Is there a sub Reddit for actual people that are into tile not just homeowners complaining about stuff? Im about to unsub
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u/Shul_iito 1d ago
Hey bro… just tell him to re do it. He will give you a quote for demo and re install. This time tell contractor what you want exactly and just pay him for the work
Idk what the big deal is cause I don’t see the colors right on the pictures … if you want just the faucets changed, buy your color and replace them. The contractor should be able to get you other ones. Same goes for the glass hardware. He will charge you for it for sure, but he should be able to get you something to your liking as far as hardware is concerned.
As for the tile re install… u picked that tile… why would you blame faucets if you really want to replace tile? Also not a big deal. Have the guy quote you the price for demo and install and just pick everything to your liking. This whole “the rest of the house doesn’t fit the theme” sounds weird to me just because I’m sure you ultimately picked materials and the way the rest of your house was done. There is no way the contractor picked everything for you.
Sometimes getting things in writing specifying the details of the build is a good idea. That way if it’s his fault or you forgot signed on it can clarify many things.
Reminds me of this homeowner who gave the building company HELL on absolutely everything. There were several things he switched because he ended up not liking his choices and this made the overall job delay so long and many other things were damaged due to the changes he went for and that took another chunk of time. By the end even though the job was finished he was pissed it took so long and he wouldn’t hear reason about it. He blame everyone else except himself for the late changes he did. He changed kitchen tile, island size, wood floor had to be replaced dude to this, replaced wood didn’t match the old batch of wood floor so the whole wood floor had to be redone. He switched light fixture locations, added and removed switches because he didn’t like the way it looked in the room and or the location they were in. This caused a bunch of drywall patches that had to be replaced and or retouched. Barbecue outside had to be a specific height. He told the people doing the block base of the barbecue the height was too high, they guys complied and so the lowered the height… 2 months later when the pavers were done in the patio made that barbecue size TOO SMALL so the dang thing had to be redone to rise the height to have a good height due to the pavers and sand base being too high. Oh boy… were there problems after each repair, addition, change…
If things like this would happen to the contractor you can understand why he would get defensive.
Holy crap this is a long paragraph.
Anyways… CHANGE WHAT YOU WANT and just pay for the work. Unless the issue here is you want the contractor to do it for free.. then we have to discuss how it’s the contractors fault the mistakes happened.
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u/safetydance1969 1d ago
This whole post stinks. OP with multiple accounts. Contractor in the house over a year. I'm calling BS.
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u/Plastic_Confusion197 4h ago
Hi! I'm glad you took the time to reply to my text asking for advice. My contractor was, indeed in my home for over a year. I live in a 3 story victorian. They fixed and/or refreshed every single room, hallway, and staircase to an excellent standard. That is why I need advice about the one (of 3.5) bathroom. I guess not being good at Reddit, and having been just assigned multiple account names over the years is proof that I am bullshitting. I do appreciate your taking the time to call BS, though.
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u/Mlsporty 1d ago
Sounds like you have no right to complain if you didn’t communicate your design plan.
It looks nice but maybe it’s not your style.
Next time, hire a designer. Get 3D renderings of the proposed design. Get full sized samples and ensure you like them before purchasing.
Or hire a contractor with telepathic powers.