I had a house built a couple of years ago, featuring classic white subway tiles with black grout. Recently, the grout started to fall out, so I contacted the builder, who arranged a warranty repair through a grout company. They redid both showers in a single day, but it was a rushed job—they didn't remove any frames or tile but merely cut out and replaced the grout. Now, the tiles are broken, a door won't close properly, and they used caulk or silicone in the corners, making the whole thing look terrible. I'm really upset and don't know what to do next. I feel like I'd rather have the original messy grout than this. Am I being too picky? I want it done right but I also understand that maybe I'm just expecting too much. I've sent before and after photos to the company to see their response. Any advice from tile professionals would be welcome!
3 Answers
Definitely share your before and after pictures to show the difference directly! You can use imgur or other image sharing sites to provide clear visuals. It's totally normal to want a job done right—especially for your home. And just so you're aware, if they used silicone, that's usually correct for corners, but it should still look neat. Sounds like they might not have done that. Don't hesitate to push for the quality you deserve!
It's important to bring this to the builder's attention, especially since they've already done the work and it looks worse off than before. If tiles are broken, that’s not acceptable, and if they weren't applied properly, they might need to make it right. Don't hesitate to ask them to send a different crew to redo this adequately. Your home should reflect the quality you expect!
Yeah, I feel like they might brush me off since it's been almost three years since I moved in. But the grout issue was a real concern, and I was taken aback that they even responded at all.
Looking at the work they did, I can understand your frustration. Digging out the grout for these subway tiles is a big job, and it seems they didn’t prioritize finishing it nicely since they’re likely getting paid less for warranty work. Best practice would have been to use epoxy grout for longevity once they removed the old stuff, so you’re right to be concerned about the state of it all now. You deserve an effort that matches the love you put into your home design!
Thanks for the tip! I just uploaded the images, but I feel bad complaining because the guys did work hard. Still, it’s disappointing to see it look so sloppy. I really want this fixed properly.