Tiling Options

Could you put up the other photos again please, but not so close up. Take pics from a distance and I will zoom in.

Did they by any chance use a leveling system? (spacers with wedges) they are notorious for lifting tiles off the bed of adhesive and leaving hollow spots. I definitely wouldn't be happy with the finish you've been left with.

He’s right any tile with a space will break.

Large format tile should be getting 90%+ coverage, so it's important to back butter them etc. The issue with the leveling spacers, (which are a good product if used correctly) is that to level the tile they will generally pull one upwards, when this happens that tile should be lifted and more adhesive applied underneath.

It's hard for me to explain in text, but lots of good videos on YouTube demonstrating.

Yeah if it has hollows the tile isn't set correctly and is in danger of cracking if anything drops on the etc, you hardly have pics of the floor pre tiling? I'd be interested to know what prep they done.

Like I said its not the worst job I've seen on the face of it, but voids under the tile is not what you'd expect from a pro. The small finish issues, to me it sounds like lads trying to get out of a job today instead of coming back tomorrow. Not the way it should be left but very easily sorted.

I agree the finishing is not great but it looks ok overall. The leveling clips are not notorious for problems but iam curious how they ended up with 5mm spaces because the clips only do a 1.5 mm space maybe 2mm at most. That would be printed on the bag. The tilers should have provided these as part of their tools. Doors and skirtings should be replaced by the tiler if he removed them. Or he should have pointed this out when pricing the job. Looking again at the tile with two pieces around door, this most definitely has to be replaced. Any half decent tiler could do that, in a year or so when the grout is darker it will stand out way to much. The minor gap at the back patio door and under skirting can be filled with grout. When the gaps are grouted and skirtings painted all should look perfect.

Now your main problem the hollow sound under tiles. This most definitely needs to be rectified, and is caused by maybe no adhesive under that part of the tile or the adhesive not making contact with the tile or ground below. This is why a tiler should spread adhesive on the tile and the ground to help ensure a decent contact between tile and ground. I would suggest using a coin and tapping each tile all over. This will help get a better idea where the hollow voids are, then use a pencil to draw a line where the hollow and solid sounds start plus finish. Do the full floor area and take some photos. When you stand back and see how many circles you have drawn around the voids you may need legal advise.

I presume you bought the tiles adhesive and grout and the tilers were labour only. Considering each tile is nearly 1 Sq yard and you have seven maybe nine tiles to replace , who is going to pay for this ? plus adhesive grout.

Disagreeing with me over the leveling clips is no good to the OP, Dont know how often you experimented with them, but they are a good and handy leveling system. OP I didnt see your before post but a few inches hollow ( maybe 3 or 4 Sq inch is fine on large format tiles). Do as I say and tap each tile with a coin to find the voids. Not sure what a golf ball you mentioned is going to prove.

I was trying to put the OP mind at ease when he asked was a 2-4 inch circumference hollow acceptable, On a large format tile I think its not worth worrying about. Large format tile should be getting 90%+ coverage is what you said above. I am well aware adhesive manufactures will say no voids. As you are also a tiler you must appreciate the time involved in removing a large tile and the risks of breaking other good tiles, not to mention the dirt and dust raised.

The OP says he paid €2400 for 65 Sq m of tiling which I feel is not costly. On the lower scale of pricing but still not cheap. The tiler who did the work got €1000 which works out at €15 per Sq meter. When have you last charged €15 for tiling ?? and what do you think is the likelihood of the original tiler doing the repairs.

I agree, I wouldn't have picked the tile. I know even with the best setting out you can still land on a problem but coming through that door with that size tile would have been one of the first areas I would have looked at.

The door frame lands almost right in the centre of the tile.

As to the other poster if the 4/5 square inch void isn't something he'd worry about, OK but if that void is towards the edge and corners of tiles thats a massive issue. And in my opinion it's down to incorrectly using tile leveling clips.

I personally wouldn't have left them like that but if I did I'd put it right. It's not the op's problem her tiler shafted a subbie.

What are RPT tiles ?

Tiles are graded in terms of toughness. No issue with right price tiles imo.

Tiles are graded also in terms of quality/uniformity. I forget the gradings now but they're marked on the boxes so lower grade tiles might need larger spacing/grout lines to allow for irregularities and may be more difficult to avoid lippage.

Again first guess is not enough adhesive. It's also possible if there was a crack from movement in the subfloor, it can translate up through tile. That's why sometimes on floors I use decoupling mats.