La chapuza - The bungle - No gaps - No flex - Clear instructions are required

All known materials for construction & DIY are available here.

Do not assume for a moment that all these materials are actually used. If one hires builders or trades, even when recommended, assuming that your standard is their standard may lead to a surprise.

They can and will do anything that is asked for, BUT you have to ask and make it clear.

The little bathroom we carved out of a box room needed tiling. We used a recommendation and showed him around. The tiles were here and we also told him any material he required could simply be obtained on credit in our name at a well known building supplier.

We went on a short holiday to look after our house in the UK and to attend a wedding in the Czech republic.

Coming back the floor was in and half the walls were tiled. BUT no grouting gaps! The tiles do not “marry up” in corners!

bath room getting there Well we now know that we should simply have given clear instructions. 3mm gaps and matching of patterns. They will do it, but left without this vital instruction, they wont. It looks as if it is a standard here to tile without gaps.

It does not look too bad, so we decided to have it finished in this way.

Unfortunately this was not the end of it. The bath room has under floor warming. I know that I asked if the tradesman knew about how to deal with it and he said he had come across it before.

wrong floor screeding The floor, being laid on wood, squeaked and grated from day one. Later the first tile simply poped up. Upon inspection and taking out more tiles it became obvious why, as one can see from the picture.

Weber Spain has any tile fixing solution one can think of, specifically “Weber.col Superflex“. Ideal solution for floors with a “give” and integrated floor heating / warming. That one doesn’t fix floor tiles with a blob was also one thing I took for granted. Result - a bungle or “la chapuza”.

Solution:

I have to take tiles up in the pattern you see on the picture (some are destroyed in this process). Than one can use the “superflex” in a very thin solution and float it under the adjoining tiles, whilst reglueing the replacements. So far I have done this successful to half of the floor and will do the rest when I have time on my hands.

Bungle is probably to harsh, it’s my fault and hind sight is always 20/20. It simply did not cross my mind to instruct full details, thinking well they have the materials they will use them. Also the existing kitchen and the old bath room should have given me a warning - no gaps.

typical tile pattern no gaps no grout Typical tiling.