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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Difficult customer

160 replies

Worzilgummidge · 09/04/2019 11:07

My tradesman dh has carried out a tiling job for a customer he did at a really cheap price has he is trying to build up his reputation.
So far he has a fair few happy customers who have given great reviews.
Unfortunately I'm not sure if we are currently experiencing the customer from hell.
He finished thier bathroom tiling job and the guy and his wife both came and had a look and said it was nice and paid up dh did his best to clean up and wiped the tiles over and they seemed nice and clean.
So on arriving back home he is bombarded on WhatsApp saying what a mess the tiles are with grout stuck on them the tiles are textured ridged so obviously grout as ingrained into the pattern obviously when dh wiped them over they where wet and once dry the grout haze etc came to light.
The guy was saying how can you leave a job like this and that his tiles where wrecked with blown up pictures of grout on tiles.
Dh acknowledged some responsibility for maybe not cleaning them so well and arranged to go back next day to clean them up well I also went to have a look and to be honest all that struck me at the time was how good it looked yes sure there was some grout ingrained.
Dh worked most of the day cleaning them up and at the end the guy took a look and said yes it's fine although he spotted a pin size of grout and pointed it out but he said no problem and thanks I came and wanted to have a look but the guy wouldn't let me see for some reason.
So again on arrival home dh is bombarded on WhatsApp about how he has wrecked his tiles and he has to pay somebody to come and fix it and that he should never do this to anybody else's bathroom and to stay away from grouting.
So what you think are we at fault.

OP posts:
MadameDD · 09/04/2019 11:54

OP - your latest update - tiles appeared good after being clean and were wet - so he needs to take extra time after cleaning to dry them off, polish them? is that what you do with tiles?

I would strongly suggest your DH either do a course or something to upskill himself or even a small business course.

He could in time maybe get contracts for tiling for companies - my aunt used to have a tiling company which fitted out shops, hotels etc - they often used their own in house tillers but when really busy they outsourced to local reliable and good tilers.

ObtuseTriangle · 09/04/2019 11:54

We have just had our bathroom tiled with two different tiles. Friend did the work, cleaned as he was going along but as he did it mates rate I expected to clean the haze from the tiles. The white glossy tiles came up good really easily but the matt tiles were a different matter, I’ve cleaned them a few times and though it look prefect when wet when it dries I can still see some haze.
It’s the type of tiles I think, I chose the tiles, if they require more than the usual cleaning I would expect to do it. If I was paying an hourly rate I would definitely be wanting to clean them myself. I don’t think your DH has done anything thing wrong and I imagine as he gets more experienced will be able to recognise the tiles that will be a nightmare to clean and price accordingly. I also understand that there is a product you can buy that cleans haze off so he might be better to use it when finished.

BlackSatinDancer · 09/04/2019 11:56

Your DH may have done tiling that was perfect with smooth Gloss tiles but, to be fair, they are the easiest to tile with. A professional needs to be able to do a perfect job with any and all types of tiles.

Don't just clean bits of grout that can be seen, clean the whole of every tile thoroughly, that will make sure no grouting gets left behind on them. I also suggest getting DH to have an eyesight check just in case his eyesight isn't up to scratch.

I don't blame the client for not letting you see the tiles again. As others have said, it is totally unprofessional for your DH to have you accompany him.

It doesn't matter that the client paid less for the job while your DH is building his reputation. The client rightly expects perfection for the price quoted for the job.

MadameDD · 09/04/2019 11:57

ObtuseTriangle - bit different because your friend (like my DB) did the work - OP's DH is starting out by himself as a professional tiler, trying to build up a client base and portfolio of work done.

I would be quite angry if I hired a professional tiler and then had to clean haze etc off them myself and then found out the mistake was due to tiler not having experience of these tiles, as I'd have hired a tiler who was able to tile with these special matt tiles.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 09/04/2019 11:58

is your DH new to this trade and more importantly is he qualified or has he just decided that after doing some DIY at home it's something he can do. I was married to a builder for 20 years and no way would I have gone on one of his jobs as back up, that just makes him look unprofessional and quite frankly crazy.

Working for the public is a mare, and if he does a crap job there will be repercussions. Maybe this isn't the trade for him, it's not as easy as it seems.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 09/04/2019 11:58

Pay cheap, pay twice.

Sorry OP but I think your DH left a mess.

He needs to really take the time to clean as he goes and make sure it is spotless before he leaves. He should also take photos including close ups for two reasons. 1) proof he left it spotless 2) his portfolio.

XXcstatic · 09/04/2019 11:59

You have had good advice from weedangerous. Don't beat yourself up: your DH didn't mean to do a bad job. These things happen when you are starting out. But you need to learn from mistakes, and you need to be fair to the client. I think a partial refund of the labour costs would be a fair solution - maybe 50%?

If the client posts a bad review, do NOT respond with an argumentative comment - it looks terrible. Put something neutral like "I am sorry that you were not happy with my work, please contact me and I will be happy to discuss how I can put things right".

BlackSatinDancer · 09/04/2019 12:01

I agree that the client should have told your DH of his complaint before he left. Your DH will need to get used to receiving feedback after the event as often people are too embarrassed to raise complaints in person.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 09/04/2019 12:01

Also as a side note, from the daughter of a tiler. Tell him to look after his knees. Good shoes, good knee protectors, regular stretching and breaks from kneeling. Once his knees go he’s no longer a tiler. Worth thinking ahead about what he will do for work when that day comes. It will likely be before he is retirement age.

BrokenWing · 09/04/2019 12:02

I would be beyond livid if a tiler had his family come into my home for a nosey and a biased backup. I would almost feel as if they wanted to gang up on me in my own home, if your dh cannot communicate confidently with customers without backup he is in the wrong game.

Did the customer pay for the tiles? If they did and your dh has ruined them he may end up having to pay for more than just a refund if the tiles need to be removed, the wall fixed and new tiles bought. Does he have insurance in place for this?

dh has been in business for 25+ years and in that time, like most tradesmen, he's made mistakes, some very expensive but he always puts them right even for the awkward customers.

Nicknacky · 09/04/2019 12:03

ILove That’s very true and good advice about knees! My tiler struggles (although his knees where decked before he became a tiler)

XXcstatic · 09/04/2019 12:04

I don't understand why the guy didn't express his dissatisfaction before Dh left

Do you always tell a hairdresser if you don't like the cut? When the waiter asks if everything is OK, do you say yes, even if the meal's not great? People find face to face confrontation hard. If it's a female client (not in this case, I know), she is unlikely to feel safe confronting a male worker in her own home. You need to accept that most people will not complain till afterwards.

Original poster
Worzilgummidge · 09/04/2019 12:04

Dh has offered a refund. I just hope he isn't taking us for a ride because Dh maintains they where fine after 2nd time

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 09/04/2019 12:05

He isn’t taking your dh for a ride. You seem desperate to believe it is the customer at fault here.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 09/04/2019 12:06

OP, is your DH qualified?

BessieBumptiousness · 09/04/2019 12:09

He'd better get used to customers trying to get money knocked off... it does happen.

However, in this case, I think the fact that he spend an entire day cleaning the grout off means that he's not done a good job (to say the least) and he is entirely at fault here.

BessieBumptiousness · 09/04/2019 12:09

*spent

Original poster
Worzilgummidge · 09/04/2019 12:11

He isn't new to tiling has done plenty of tiling jobs to good standard but it's not his only trade so he doesn't just concentrate on tiling. The issue appears to be not with his actual tiling but with the cleaning part and he probably needs more experience with different types of tile.

OP posts:
BrokenWing · 09/04/2019 12:11

I agree that the client should have told your DH of his complaint before he left.

Not necessarily. On first impressions it might be such a dramatic change to the room the overall look is stunning, but once the tradesman has left, you get to look in more detail, see where grout has dried or maybe your dh/dw comes home and looks at it with fresh eyes you start to see the flaws.

A tiler should know what causes complaints and protect their reputation and save themselves time/money on return visits by sorting them before they go. That includes no raw edges on cuts, no cracks, no grout on tile surfaces, good finish on tile trims, evenly spaced and level tiles. Grout is basically concrete and once dried into textured tiles a bugger to remove without proper grout remover or damaging the tile, the client who paid for the job shouldn't have to do this just because they didn't notice until a couple of hours later.

Fairenuff · 09/04/2019 12:12

It sounds like your dh ruined their tiles. I would be extremely annoyed if this happened to me. I would expect a refund, for him to remove the tiles and to buy more tiles to replace them. And bringing his partner along is obviously very unprofessional so don't do that again.

TheInvestigator · 09/04/2019 12:13

He also needs to not bring his wife along.
Are you employed in the business and handle the complaints giving you a legitimate reason to go and look at the work?

If not, then don't go along to his customers' houses and ask to be let in to see the work.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 09/04/2019 12:14

Sounds like your DH is a handyman rather than a time served tradesman. Is that the case?

Original poster
Worzilgummidge · 09/04/2019 12:14

Willing to do whatever makes him happy to be honest but he is been very dismissive.

OP posts:
KC225 · 09/04/2019 12:15

Taking you to inspect the job is a bit iffy. Are you really going to be unbiased.

Perhaps, he should have knocked next door if he wanted a second opinion.

However, they do sound hard work, especially as you DH has gone round to rectify the grouting issues.

Original poster
Worzilgummidge · 09/04/2019 12:15

No he has served time working for companies but not on his own.

OP posts:
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