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.

 

[Mr Punter]

Your instinct is probably correct.

 

Wall tiling is always done after the shower tray is installed.

 

You could consider shower panels instead of tiles.  No grout joins to go wrong and they have watertight profiles at the bottom and the inner corners.

 

Please make sure your new tray is non-slip.

[joe90]

Yes he sounds like a cowboy to me, definitely not the way to do it, I suggest you get a quote from a “proper plumber” and his recommendations and take this to the grant team. We have someone on this forum that had a heating system installed via “grants” and it was a real cockup.

[TonyT]

Shower tray with upstand and wet wall  should equal no leaks.

 

contact Company managing the grant immediately and complain. 
 

 

[SteamyTea]

@Ed21 pointed this out on another thread.

 

BS 5385 Pt 1

 

https://www.tiles.org.uk/tta-urges-awareness-of-changes-in-british-standard-bs-5385-part-1-2018-wall-floor-tiling/

 

So ask the grant people if the fitter is really qualified and ask to see the certificates.

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, joe90 said:

We have someone on this forum that had a heating system installed via “grants” and it was a real cockup.

I am not sure it was really.

 

[Ed21]

2 hours ago, 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? 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.

Depends. 

If it's a large tray this can get in the way of work especially if the wall has any mosaics/cutouts etc.
Then it's easier to start above the gasket level and fit the base once done.
Still need to make good the gap, but that's way easier to do in a small area than to work over the whole lot. 

However .................
In your case the prep and materials used are suspect and the heat vinyl adds another layer of mess.  

Given your description I'd not be happy at all with this. 

[saveasteading]

I installed a couple of home showers recently, and learned so much! (So much about how the trades sometimes know or care so little)

 

In both cases I invested in special tile backing boards. They fix to the walls, either direct or over plasterboard.

 

Utterly waterproof (with attention to joints) , and very hard, and easy to tile over.

 

For one shower we engaged a professional tiler and he was pleased to see the board. For the other I did it myself and it was the easiest (and best) tiling I ever did.

 

Other boards are available. I tried the Knauff but didn't like it so much, and I used this.

 

https://www.toppstiles.co.uk/fixing-finishing/preparation/hardiebacker-board/hardiebacker-backerboard-6mm

 

Perhaps professional builders can advise if this should be expected as standard.

 

 

[Nico]

Thank you all for your input which I appreciate.

 

I stood my ground with Surveyor of Grants team and pleased the normal PB was all removed Aquaboards put up and jointed. Ceiling got mist coat today. Insert has been laid today, tiler weekend, heat sealed flooring next week. Small bathroom with largish tiles, no mosaics etc. 

 

Politely suggested they review their specifications on future jobs in accordance with B/Regs good practice and to do a job fit for purpose. 

 

 

 

 

[Temp]

If not too late I recommend Zinsser paint on bathroom ceilings. Very good at preventing mould above showers if you like them hot and steamy.

[Nico]

Thank you Temp, appreciate this. If not this time then will bear in mind for my own bathroom I intend doing shortly. 

[Nico]

On 10/05/2021 at 11:21, SteamyTea said:

@Ed21 pointed this out on another thread.

 

BS 5385 Pt 1

 

https://www.tiles.org.uk/tta-urges-awareness-of-changes-in-british-standard-bs-5385-part-1-2018-wall-floor-tiling/

 

So ask the grant people if the fitter is really qualified and ask to see the certificates.

 

[Vijay]

9 hours ago, Temp said:

If not too late I recommend Zinsser paint on bathroom ceilings. Very good at preventing mould above showers if you like them hot and steamy.

 

Any particular one?

[Temp]

15 minutes ago, Vijay said:

 

Any particular one?

 

I used the 123 primer to cover old stains and the Perma-white Matt on new ceilings (they also do Satin). All at Screwfix etc.

 

I've not tried their "Ceiling Pro" yet.

Edited May 13, 2021 by Temp

[Vijay]

 

18 minutes ago, Temp said:

 

I used the 123 primer to cover old stains and the Perma-white Matt on new ceilings (they also do Satin). All at Screwfix etc.

 

I've not tried their "Ceiling Pro" yet.

 

Cheers mate