Pooly fitted worktop, how big a gap will tiling hide?

[darrude]

Hi,

I've had my worktops fitted 'professionally', and to say its a poor job is an understatement. Just wondering how big a gap between the wall and worktop will I get away with when it comes to tiling. Ive not yet seen it as I've been working away all week, but my wife said she can fit her hand in the gap.

Thanks,

Darren.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Hi,

I've had my worktops fitted 'professionally', and to say its a poor job is an understatement. Just wondering how big a gap between the wall and worktop will I get away with when it comes to tiling. Ive not yet seen it as I've been working away all week, but my wife said she can fit her hand in the gap.

Thanks,

Darren.

Sorry Darren, but someone saying that their hand can fit between the wall and worktop, this must be a wind up.

Andy

 

[darrude]

I wish it was a wind up..... My wife is very slender though. I have pictures but can only get online using my phone....

 

[darrude]

View media item 37397
View media item 37398
Uploaded from my phone, hopefully it will work.

 

[StephenW]

I guess it's possible if the wall is not square or flat then maybe the base units will not go far back enough. If you then fit a standard width worktop you might need to bring it forward slightly in order to have sufficient overhang at the front. If the gap has to stay, ie you cant mitre the base units further back to the wall, then you'll probably need an upstand. Or, for that not-so-good look, worktop trim will cover the gap.

(Written before seeing the pictures!! )

 

[HERTS P&D]

OK Darrren, I was wrong.

Did the worktop fitter fit the base units? and what was their excuse for the gap?

Andy

 

[Crickleymal]

Surely if the workmanship is not up to standard then you should call them back to make it good?

 

[darrude]

Well like I said, I haven't actually seen it yet, but thankfully my wife didn't pay him yet, so its going to be an interesting conversation with him on friday. He also damaged a cupboard door and smashed a light fitting which we've only found out about after he'd left. No wonder he was demanding payment straight away, cheeky sod.

If its as bad as looks I'm not sure really where I stand,.I'm guessing we would need new worktops to put it right, so who would pay the 500 quid for them....?

 

[darrude]

View media item 37407 View media item 37408 View media item 37397 View media item 37398
More pictures, im guessing tiles aren't going to cover this and I shouldn't pay him until its fixed.

 

[foxhole]

Depends if the wall is as bad as it looks you might be able to plasterboard under the cup'ds and then tile on top which would cover about 20mm gap.
Not ideal though.

 

[darrude]

Unfortunately there isn't any wall cupboards on that wall, so was only planning on tiling up to the height of the wall cupboards on the adjacent wall.

 

[cajar]

He should've scribed it to the wall. Making do with it will just be a major headache. Put the onus on him to fix it and dont pay him unless he does.

If you feel particularly scorned about it, you could take him to small claims court to recover the cost of the worktop. He ought to have carried out the fitting with reasonable skill and care, which he plainly hasn't.

 

[darrude]

well I'm going to put this one down to experience, he came round today. I showed him the damaged door (knife cut on the top edge and 10mm square indent about 2mm deep), he looked at it and said and I quote "that's water damage, I haven't done that"

I have measured the gaps, and it is upto 30mm in places, which in his words "I can tile to" (I can fit four tiles down the gap!).

He got very arsey, I asked if he thought i should be paying for this work (started to get very aggressive), so i just handed the money at him, told him he is not doing the front door (had agreed he would do a splice repair on the door frame, and he'd just told me that he'd ordered the wood) and get out of my house.

I am really wishing I just hadn't paid him. Typically I have since found some negative comments on the web about him (i did a search before I went with him)...... so i now have to find upstands that will cover the gaps. Luckily the mitre joints are quite good......!

It's a shame because cowboy's like this give the good guy's a really bad name.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Darrude, you have learnt the hard way, finding people on websites is not a good idea, they pay to go on there.

Out of interest, did you get 3 quotes for the work? and what made you choose him/was he the cheapest?

This may sound sexist, but its always best if the man is in the house as the tradesmen will not normally take advantage.

Next time find tradesmen from family or friends.

Andy

 

[WestmidsChippy]

had a quick glance at the pics.

you say he fitted the worktops?
did he fit the units aswell?

just curious