I recently hired a grout contractor to completely restore my shower, which included sealing the grout, replacing the caulk, and applying a protective coating. Unfortunately, during the work, they damaged a tile (check it out [here](https://imgur.com/a/DRdlHf3) — it's about the size of a dime). The owner admitted to having before photos proving the tile was fine before they started, but he downplays it, claiming the tile would have needed some significant force to get damaged, like being hit with a baseball bat. He suggested that it might have had a stress fracture already. However, I hadn't used the shower at all between the photo and the start of the job due to a leak, so it seems likely one of the workers hit it with something hard, maybe a caulk gun.
Now, the owner says fixing it would mean replacing all the tiles on that wall, estimating a cost of around $10,000. As a goodwill gesture, he offered me a 10% discount on the $950 job without really admitting any fault. Honestly, I'd prefer to have the tile repaired instead of just a discount, but if it's going to cost that much, I need to figure out what would be a fair solution. He seemed open to increasing the discount after I pushed back. This house is only 7 years old, and the damage really bothers me. I could use some advice on what a fair resolution would be. I've already paid a $100 deposit and have $850 left to pay. Any thoughts?
3 Answers
It sounds like they may have used a tool that was too aggressive for the job if they damaged the tile. If they just cleaned and sealed without regrouting, it’s hard to see how it would lead to needing to replace the whole wall. Try asking them for a more reasonable repair option, like fixing just the damaged tile instead of a full replacement.
Honestly, it's just a tile, and it might not even be that noticeable in the grand scheme of things. If it bothers you enough, though, I would suggest pushing for a slightly higher discount rather than diving into a big repair. Maybe around a 20% discount could be a middle ground?
That’s fair, I just feel like it’ll bug me daily if it stays like that. How did you come to the 20% figure? Just curious!
I think a chip that small can definitely be repaired with minimal fuss. Many people wouldn’t even notice it after the repair settles. You might just ask them to cover the cost of a chip repair kit. That way, you’re not dealing with something bigger than it needs to be.
Totally agree! There's a lot of kits available for chip repairs, and since it’s such a small area, they should be able to fix it without a complete redo.