Help- Is our builder a cowboy?

[Golaz]

He’s currently installing a new bathroom for us. Hasn’t got far yet, but the floor tiles have been laid. (No grouting added yet), and we noticed that the floor is slightly convex in the middle. Should he have checked this and flattened it out before tiling? How concerned should we be about this?

Just ask him tomorrow about floor

Tell him to build a boat out of it and see how long it lasts! 😀

I'm sure he'll have an answer. But the point is why does he think it's acceptable?

You need a bathroom fitter, they have multi skilled workers because a bathroom takes every all trade skills so to have one person complete the work they must understand everything.

This is really good advice , thanks.
we do have a really good plumber coming to install a new boiler. Unfortunately the builder will be around but he often disappears for a while so hopefully I’ll get a chance to talk to the plumber separately.

That floor doesn't look great

is that based on the picture? I don’t think it looks great either, but it’s not finished- grout not added yet etc.,- so was hoping that would be why!

How much work has he done? Are you confident about the quality of the rest of it?
he’s done a fair amount, but it’s mostly been ripping stuff out, plumbing pipes so far so not easy for me to assess whether it’s been done properly. But a few things don’t feel like they are adding up 😭.

Have a chat with him tomorrow morning. Could be it's something he can correct, if not he can explain why he thinks there's an issue.

In my reno so far I have sacked off the job two roofers and two plasterers.
In the past I parted ways with an electrician. There would be more but I've decided to do most of the build myself.

Someone I know just recently chucked off their plumber, unfortunately after they paid 10k upfront.
Someone else discovered that their pleasantly looking ground floor bathroom wasn't connected to any pipework under the floor. So every time they had a bath and pulled the plug, the water was just flooding the floor void... 😵‍💫

I assume they all are cowboys and deal with agreements/money accordingly until proven otherwise.

I'd make up an excuse to stop the job now. Say you're ill or some such. You need to think this through and if necessary/possible get someone in to assess - your plumber? Tell him it's an emergency and you need his advice.
When we were having a kitchen and bathroom refit, many decades ago it got to a stage where it was very obvious we'd chosen incompetant workmen. So I sacked them the next day, they didn't argue as I paid them for some of their work. When we got someone else in they were furious at the work that had been done, it also involved an electric shower and could have (not exaggerating) killed us.
So be sure about what you want to do, and consider that even if your current workman says it will be better/sorted that actually it might get worse.
Get some advice asap. :)

On the plus side, I love your tiles.

At least speak to him. His response will tell you a lot. If he is happy reassuring you and offers to rectify it, problem solved.
There may be a completely valid reason. Not talking to him and getting sneaky second opinions is just odd and causing drama.
You only hear about all the dodgy trades people but there are lots that do a very good job and take pride in their work.

My issue here is that when we’ve had bathrooms done, we’ve used a plumbing company who have various trades they work with. We just did our downstairs toilet which involved some reconfiguration of our hallway and our plumbing company organised a joiner (and his dad who is a plasterer) to do the building work, the company themselves did all the plumbing and they had a tiler to tile the floor and around the sink. When they do our bathroom it’ll be the same. I’d be very wary of one builder doing all the jobs.

How will it tell the OP a lot? They know very little about bathroom fitting atm, as can be seen. He could tell them anything and how will they know different?
You've been told what he's done and he obviously thinks that it's okay. So now he's challenged he'll do a good job?????

Does this one look like he takes pride in his work?!
Tradies doing things according to regulations and best practice is 1 in 4 of them. Taking pride in their work? Like hen's teeth rare.

We are talking here about an unregulated industry that employs vast amounts of unvetted, self-employed men with zero official qualifications. Don't even get me started on proliferation of ex-convicts amongst the lot. We hand over thousands of pounds and life savings to these randoms on a wing and a prayer for a good outcome. And yet asking for a second opinion is "causing drama"? OK, I'll pipe down, little silly woman me; hand over the last of everything I'll ever have and let the men work (or rather talk the talk) .

In the meantime, have a read on what it's like to be left with no savings and/or with a house not fit for habitation. Unfortunately, shockingly common. And unfortunately, the more agreeable you are, the more they'll skim off you.

I actually told one roofer that I don't know how his wife copulates with him at night - with a man who goes around taking the last from single mums, the elderly, those in dire straits who are desperate to stop the water destroying their homes.
And he'd do the same to me, was I not crazy and able and knowledgeable enough to go on the roof to see for myself. I saved myself 10k in that very moment.
Saved money but developed a sore spot, I admit. I'm rather passionate about folk not getting scammed.

Ahh thank you 😍. I love them too. Shame about the wonky floor 😩

All of this. Your floor could be better, also you don't want those cracking if floors uneven. Get a plumber in xxx

I’ve invested all the money I have (and a lot I don’t have - debt) into this house and I’m paying this man 10,000s pounds. All he’s done so far is a load of pipework(which I don’t have the skills to assess) and laid a tile floor that I can clearly see is wonky. I don’t think it’s dramatic to be seeking a second opinion.
He seems to have an answer for everything, so I’m sure he will have something to say , but honestly how will I know how to evaluate it?
I will of course talk to him in the morning. Don’t think I will sleep tonight . 😪

I completely understand, it's scary. Just make sure you are not paying too much money in advance.
If you are unhappy with what he says when you speak to him tell him you are getting a second opinion. If he has nothing to hide he won't be bothered. If you are planing on spending lots more money with this man you need to trust him otherwise you are going to have lots of sleepless nights.
If you aren't happy, pay him for what he has done and find someone else.
Did you go and speak to any of his previous customers and look at his work?

Someone else discovered that their pleasantly looking ground floor bathroom wasn't connected to any pipework under the floor. So every time they had a bath and pulled the plug, the water was just flooding the floor void...

OMG!!! Well whatever he has done at least it can’t be that bad surely 🤣😭

Tell him to miss tomorrow, give yourself time to think this through. If possible beg your plumber to come in and have a look. Take care, and take advice.

If you leave the floor tiles as they are, they will eventually crack. Speaking from experience.

@Golaz
I think I know where the name of waterfall chandelier originates...😂

I also bought a house where half the radiators were purely decorative - they were not connected to the boiler. Couldn't understand why they were not heating up... 😬 The buyers survey totally missed it, so can't say they were worth their fee!

You'll get through it and one day it will be just a tale of adventure to share. Trust me, I've gone from the depths of utter despair, to cracking the project into manageable bite size pieces and doing one job at a time. It allows me to slow down, get informed, control the out-flow of the money better, hire specialists for specific jobs and do a lot myself.
It is slow but I prefer small, steady steps of progress vs fast race to the financial precipice.

@sbplanet is right - buy yourself some time to evaluate and decide if you can trust the builder further. Pause all money outflow until you are absolutely sure.
P.S
It is completely acceptable to pay only for the works that have been carried out according to regulations and best practice. I have refused to pay for jobs that even a random passer-by would know not to be right. Do get a second opinion, it will help immensely.

That’s a problem, they’ll all just crack, and the “builder” should know it.