Help please for elderly lady who has plumber trying to cutting corners!

[Nico]

Advice please. Having a disabled level access shower installed through the Grant system. I have concerns about the project thus far. Plumber did not want to channel main wall where shower will be so used normal plasterboard.  

 

I know from experience this is not suitable due to it going to being a wet room/shower.  Sadly he said he always does it, no tanking or taping of joints...very worrying. Planning on just tiling over PB. Gaps to the sides and bottom.  When I mentioned tanking was as if I was speaking a 2nd language. 

 

Wall not prepared correctly - raw plugs protruding, some gloss paint still, and remnants of wall paper and a few holes.

 

Also there is some movement cracks, not subsidence have had a Surveyor, on the window end wall.  One is large enough to get a pen a little way in. I queried the filling of these as not done and plans to just fill with tile cement.

 

I told him to cancel tiler as not happy with works todate, he suggested I let tiler do 3 of the 4 walls until we sort it out with Grants team. Did not agree to this as not how I understand tiling is done, especially as main wall is where the tiling should be started and obviously all bathrooms run off one way or the other.

 

Clarification, does tiling commence prior to the shower tray is inserted into the floor or after as the vinyl flooring needs to be heat sealed a little way up the wall? Either way means will be a few inches or bare PB at the crucial bottom part...a disaster in my mind as have woiden floor boards and kitchen below...will always be waiting for a leak.

 

4 days in of a 3 week job! Never heard anything like it. 

 

My gut instinct is to tell him to not proceed with any further works.

 

[Nico]

[Nico]

[Nico]

This the shower cable plumber put in..PB affixed with adhesive...edges bare....just plans to tile....

[Marvin]

It's very easy to be critical and some of the tried and tested techniques I use may be just as effective as the plumber's Also without knowing all the work details one starts guessing what would be right. 

 

 

Fill crack all way down. However definite concern about the possibility of movement cracks changing in the future: could cause tiles to come off the wall or gaps to appear in grouting or corner of room.

 

 

Fill all edges, tile adhesive fine. But paint on waterproof sealant after.

 

 

any type of filler to level gap and seal after.

 

last photo not sure what it is.

 

Don't like the idea of bits of old wallpaper still on the walls.

Rawplugs I would run a sharp scraper over and that would cut them flush. Holes if small fill with tile adhesive as you go. The thing about existing coatings on the wall is are they going to stay there? If the gloss paint was widespread and slippery I would run a stanley knife and score it to give the tile adhesive a key.

Shower tray down and sealed to walls, then walls tiled down to tray and tiles sealed to tray after grouting. Some trays have a upstand bit that fits in the wall behind the tiles...

I assumes the floor is to be boarded before flooring?

 

I use a lazer level to keep the same height all the way round when tiling and before that I used to draw a level line all around the room. Either way it didn't matter which wall I started on. However if fully tiled I would always try to finish above the door where small errors can be hidden.

 

Anyway I'm sure they will sort it all out.

 

Regards Marvin

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by Marvin
Can't spell

[Temp]

If its any help there is a makers installation vid here for heat sealed shower flooring..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_e9ImlUMiU

 

On 10/05/2021 at 07:58, Nico said:

Clarification, does tiling commence prior to the shower tray is inserted into the floor or after as the vinyl flooring needs to be heat sealed a little way up the wall?

 

Looks to me it should be floor first then tile down over the upstand or the sealing applied at 16:07. 

 

On 10/05/2021 at 07:58, Nico said:

Also there is some movement cracks, not subsidence have had a Surveyor, on the window end wall.  One is large enough to get a pen a little way in. I queried the filling of these as not done and plans to just fill with tile cement.

 

Are they still moving? I think as a precaution I would board over those before tiling.

 

On 10/05/2021 at 07:58, Nico said:

..so used normal plasterboard

 

Behind tiles I would use Waterproof/Water Resistant plasterboard or a cement board like Hardi Backer Board.  If he's putting vinyl on the walls as well then might not be so important.

 

 

[Nico]

Thank you all for your sound advice and time. Tiler coming tomorrow then plumber going to grout Monday. Movement gaps have been filled in but still previous old adhesive and rawplugs protruding.....apparently tiler starting in nearest corner of window wall then going round room......always thought work from centre point of main wall (in this case where shower head is on back wall) so adjustments either side can be made.

 

Wet room base has been sunk in floor, but vinyl heat sealing on floor will be done later in week....I know this goes up wall a few inches with trim onto the bare waterproof backing boards, is this normal...

[Nico]

Plastered ceiling then taped backing boards so taping goes into ceiling...

[Nico]

Gaps  ..tile cement will be used apparently!

[Nico]

Gaps  ..tile cement will be used apparently!

 

2nd ceiling gaps...a few like this...disappointed at all these things....

[Deejay]

All I can say I would be extremely unhappy with that work.  I had a new shower enclosure fitted 2.5 years and am still dealing with a leak.  We removed everything ourselves prior to plumber coming and taped and tanked the two walls with Mapei.  The plumber fitted the Rearo shower walling that I had supplied - looks like tile and is wonderful to keep clean.  However very thin and not easy to cut.  He also put sealing tape around two sides of the the shower tray before fitting.  Initial leak started from where enclosure meets wall in bottom corner - leaked into our bungalow hall.  I had glass enclosure refitted twice.  We still had a leak.  Had plumbers out and none of them investigated anywhere else other than the original corner leak.  I decided to dig up the floor myself under the tray and found waste trap was leaking.  Difficult to get to as very shallow shower tray and trap sitting in dug out in floor.  Managed to remove trap from above and reseal and now waiting to see whether problem is solved.  After 2 months still appears OK.  All the work done by the original plumber (who moved away) was done properly but I don't think he put sealant on the trap (which you don't have to do).  Every other plumber who came to look advised ripping out and starting again.  It's a lovely shower and easy to clean.  In future, I would purchase a deeper shower tray, stone resin, with apron to remove for access.   I've learned that ll the fitting basics are far more important than just concentrating on the final look.  As you are having this installed through the grant system, can you stop the work and ask for an inspector to come and look at the job before you progress further.  Honestly our leak has been a nightmare so I would advise you not to proceed until you have the work to date "signed off".  I am also an old lady but am still capable of knowing how things should be done, thanks to the Internet, and you seem well versed in what standard to expect.  Don't let them convince you this is OK.  You have got to live with it.