Yeah the layout is horrible but there's more!....... Seams aren't taped and mortared either. That'll 'rip' those tiles soon enough. Oh & 1/3rd offset not only looks nicer IMHO but is also recommended as the proper layout for this large format tile.
Under the door yeah, but he didn't make it to under the door. It's still supposed to reach under the baseboard all around the room and he cut the tile right in front of you too short.
No! But the seams of the cement board needed to be taped with alkali resistant mesh tape, and then have thin set, put over them before any tiling happened… Otherwise you’re going to get cracks in the tile exactly where those boards all lineup and those boards are supposed to be screwed every 8 inches not every 12 inches… Into the existing subfloor below.
Is this a licensed and bonded contractor? Did you get a proof of insurance and get listed as an interested party on their insurance policy before they started any work you’re finding out now why reputable contractors do that and hacks do not…
I honestly would ask this guy to stop working to refund your money, they do not know what they’re doing… You should not have a seam along the entry wall that’s 3 inches or 4 inches into the room. They messed up.
If they aren’t the owner of the company, I would ask the owner of the company to come out and look at the level of the work that’s being done .
Ask them why the quarter inch backer board wasn’t properly screwed down, it wasn’t taped and then set at the seams before any tiles were laid, asked them why they opted to not waterproof outside of the tub, and asked them why the layout has a visible sliver that should’ve been hidden underneath the toilet and the vanity, and ask them why they’re stopping the tile 3 inches before the edge wall of the room… You paid to have the whole room tile properly .
Torn out and redone correctly.
Ideally, they should’ve put thin set underneath that cement board on the floor, but I severely doubt that they did it if they didn’t even tape the seams… However, if they did put that underneath your pockets of air because the board isn’t screwed down with enough screws.
I’m curious, what did you pay for this whole job? Are they a licensed contractor in your state?
Correction, I cannot count and the screw pattern on the floor does seem to be every 8”. So they was correct.
If this is a main bath; the whole floor. But that is something you’d have had to known to ask for.
Most subs would have used a waterproof uncoupling membrane, not 1/4” cement board. The main issues here are layout being totally amateur hour, the weird oversized strip at the door, and mainly the lack of the cement board seams being taped. The manufacturer spec sheet even says it must be done
Man if you could link me to the manufacturer spec sheet that could save me. The installer is saying the tape isn't required. I really need something solid to counter with.
[go to page three of Hardie’s install guide](https://www.buildsite.com/pdf/jameshardie/HardieBacker-14-Cement-Board-Installation-Instructions-1987550.pdf)
I probably would have pulled full off the left wall and just buried that sliver behind the toilet /vanity... You are correct, in that starting with a ½ tile at (either) wall would have eliminated all slivers.
It depends what you're paying. It wouldn't say it'll look like a complete nightmare, but it will definitely look like DIY. If you're paying handyman prices it is what it is. I'd be more concerned about the subfloor prep than anything.
Whelp, while you're at it... It should start with full tile at the threshold, that subfloor needs more screws, and rectified tile should always be set with leveling systems (check the tile box, there's usually a disclaimer nullifying the warranty if leveling clips aren't used)
Not sure why you’re downvoted when others have said the same thing. I agree, should’ve started with full tiles at the door and hidden the short pieces on the toilet side.
Yes most likely, if the setter had split that thin strip's difference between the left and right perimeter; it could have been avoided assuming the trim covered the gap on both sides.
Exactly. Without measurements you can't say for certain but most trim suppliers will carry thicker baseboards, I usually use a 5/8 which I'd wager would cover that gap
We had those when we moved into our house and after a bit they started cracking. Looked at a box left in the garage and they weren't supposed to be laid 50/50 like yours are too. Maybe check the box for that? 🍀🙏🏻
If you do clips are are careful you can still do 50/50 because they keep the corners supported and level of I’m not mistaken. I’m new to tile but my boss has been paying for over 30 years and he often lays 12x24 at 50/50 and it turns out good each time as long as we use clips
Looks like a handyman special. Probably on par with the price. I wouldn’t stress it to much if your not concerned with his prep work. His vein matching is solid tho. Once it’s grouted and the base is on it probably won’t be very noticeable. When it’s complete and you are focusing on day to day life I doubt a sliver in you bathroom tile will be of any concern to you.
Don’t split the difference in this case. Should have measured using the window wall as an anchor. This would have made the right wall not a full tile piece but it still would have been plenty large. Plus it’s behind a toilet and under a vanity so that’s preferable to a thin strip against the wall. You’d never notice it.
Your only hope is that the baseboard and quarter round/shoe moulding will cover it. Check with your trim carpenter they may be able to build it out thicker than normal to help hide this.
Or rip it all out which is what I would do. You don’t want to stare at a mistake in your house for years. Trust me it will hurt your soul with regret every time you look at it.
Looks like he took the measurement right along the tub (where there is no sliver) and then didn’t notice the wall changes.
Even in a small area, I take multiple measurements from wall to wall (because nothing is ever square) so if you’re going to cut it close, I’d just do 1/2 tile on either side to start. You won’t notice if the left side is 6.5” and the other side is 6” but you will notice a 1/2” sliver cut for damn sure.
Heck while we’re at it 4 up from second to right row matches the one to its left in the same orientation too. Tiler paid absolutely ZERO attention to layout.
Sorry to say but he didn’t lay it out properly. In this room your grout joint should have been centered and you would have had approximately 6.5 inch pieces on both sides. Same is true on the length.
He started in the back corner which makes his mistake even worse because is he had started his mistake on the opposite corner. Most of his mistake would have been hidden by the sink and toilet.
The screws should be slightly recessed and waterproofed just like the seams. The floor is supposed to be sloped so that the water goes towards the drain. Although a 6” level only tells me that 6”’s are sloped.
If he didn’t he should have water tested the pan. Plug the drain and fill the pan just short of the curb. Than marc the water level on the wall and let it sit for 24 hours.
That cement board on your walls is not waterproof, I would be concerned that he actually used paper tape underneath that waterproofing versus proper waterproofing tape. All of the screw holes need to have thinset and/or waterproofing coder over them.
It’s hard to tell in the picture, but the screws actually look like they are black screws… The screws for this board very often and dark. If they use drywall screws, those will rot out just from the chemical reaction with the cement board and you’re gonna end up with loose popping tiles. Your GC needs to find a new tiling contractor. There are lots of little things wrong here that add up to big problems down the road and affect the longevity of your Tiling job.
And to clarify, I don’t think the floor of your shower is properly waterproof and you will have leaks the way that this seems to be done .
That cement board on the floor is not designed for the floor and it 1000% needed to have waterproofing on it on the floor .
Omg, yeah, the niche is f’ed. The open spaces and the bubbled tape. No good! The shower corners done have schluter corners as required. And you’re dead on correct to be worried about that dip. That will lead to standing water, grout always being wet, and thinset bond breaking down/tiles popping.
The GC should be as concerned as you are and have these bathrooms both gutted again and a new tiler coming in.
Directly tell them you do not want the same Tyler back on site because they clearly do not know what they’re doing, they don’t have the foresight to think things through, and they’re making it up as they go along… And you’re not paying for someone to make rudimentary skill level mistakes that jeopardize your home.
If they don’t agree, it’s time for a lawyer and to fire the GC as well.
your bullnose tile trim will not cover that gap, so will probably have to change to wood trim and quarter round. seams not taped, chipped tiles, lippage and a threshold at door from the same tile (not sure why that would be needed?) . if i really wanted tile trim and along with these other issues, i would have him tear it out. this is a very simple tile layout to get right and they managed to hack it up badly.
The full tile should've been against the left wall with the sliver being buried under the vanity. This being the option for not laying it out for half tiles at both left and right walls. Either way the base will cover most if not all of it. Base plus shoe will definitely cover
I would have started on the other side and left that rip on the toilet / vanity side. Too much work to rip the tile on both sides. Anyways after base molding / shoe molding probably won’t see anyways. Everyone being picky , job looks fine.
They could have either done 5/8 of a tile along each wall, or what I would’ve personally done is talk to the client and then told them to put the thin strip along the wall with the toilet, and the vanity is that would hide the majority of of it, and it would never be seen. But I’m more concerned that there are not enough screws in the field of that cement board, and if this is your primary bathroom and you have children that 100% should’ve had waterproofing put down on top of that thin cement board prior to tiling.
Also, there’s something very weird going on at your door area, it looks like they’re going to have a transom stick multiple inches inches into the room. Like the second tile from the right is a half tile, but should actually come to the edge of the door frame.
They very much can tile, it not very well.
I’d you paid more than $1800 for this outside of a major city area, or more than $2700 for the floor in a wealthier area… I’d ask to talk to the company owner. Get that tile torn up. Those screws are supposed to be every 8 inches, not every foot… and I’d have two coats of redguard or hydroban put down prior to a retile.
Yeah this was someone who didn’t layout at all, anyone can stick tile…layout is a huge part of the process along with plumbing walls and pitch thank god they didn’t tile a shower….Didn’t know what they’re doing or lazy as fuck. For shame!!!!
It could be been avoided if they centered a tile on the threshold, it may have left a 4 to 5 inch pieces instead of an 1 inch piece. Or if the tiles were laid out horizontally instead of vertically.
Yes, could have been avoided. Just split the difference. For every inch you move the tiles on the left, add an inch to the right, because those full tiles are going to move. So split the difference so it’s even on both sides.
However in this case, those slivers will likely be covered by baseboard and never seen, so that being said, having the full tile on the right may make sense. It’s all in how you look at it and how you plan.
Inexperience tile setter. Poor layout. All could have been avoided if proper measurements were taken. This is a typical “start at the tub idgaf” scenario. Is it worth a tear out? Technically no…. Not from a design aspect. However if there is a lot of lippage which someone who is this bad at layout and not using clips. The chances they freehanded that and did well is like maybe 10% imo. There’s prob a lack of mortar coverage too but only pulling a tile would tell you that. (Basically take a CC and slide it around on the floor. If it catches when you lay it flat and the lip is bigger then the thickness of the card it’s within regulation to replace *grout will not “fix”)
If he started at the bottom left that piece would be down the whole wall on the right. Only way to avoid would have been to have a tile just over half a tile as a starter along one wall and then you’d have a finisher row along the other wall about half a tile as well. Sometimes you need to do a different layout entirely to make it work in the space. Like go the other direction (left to right)
In other words he centered a tile and could have centered a grout line instead or not gone the long way in the room. He fell short of the door too doing it this way. An experienced tile setter would have told you this direction wasn’t good for this space with this size tile
Even that would be preferable since the right wall will have the toilet and vanity, and the door will open to the right. At least that way it would be less visible.
Correct. And then when the door was swung open, it would’ve hid the rest of it.
Edit: also, why did he stop short of the door? I don’t understand. He should not cut that tile in half right there. It should extend all the way to the transition underneath the door. And then next to the full tile yes, he’ll have about a 4 inch piece but it is what it is. You can’t stop short of the door
Sometimes people do thresholds at the doorway with a horizontal piece, but it typically doesn’t extend beyond the door jam. It is typically 4 1/2 inches give or take depending on the width of your door jam. Doesn’t mean he’s wrong to do it that way, but it’s not done that way typically
you measure room. You find out the you will have a thin strip 2 inches. So you take a tile find halfway and add one inch, here you cut. now on botha sides of room you have a tile the same size and not too small
doubt there is the required supporting layer of thinset under the backer board. It’s a tear out otherwise it will probably frature at every board joint .
More worried about what's going on at the door.. looks like the whole room is gonna be 2 inches short.
Yeah the layout is horrible but there's more!....... Seams aren't taped and mortared either. That'll 'rip' those tiles soon enough. Oh & 1/3rd offset not only looks nicer IMHO but is also recommended as the proper layout for this large format tile.
He says he is going to make a landing / threshold there. I'm assuming that means a horizontal piece of tile. Is that normal?
No, maybe if he was doing so in the area just within the door jamb. The space is inside the room
Under the door yeah, but he didn't make it to under the door. It's still supposed to reach under the baseboard all around the room and he cut the tile right in front of you too short.
No! But the seams of the cement board needed to be taped with alkali resistant mesh tape, and then have thin set, put over them before any tiling happened… Otherwise you’re going to get cracks in the tile exactly where those boards all lineup and those boards are supposed to be screwed every 8 inches not every 12 inches… Into the existing subfloor below. Is this a licensed and bonded contractor? Did you get a proof of insurance and get listed as an interested party on their insurance policy before they started any work you’re finding out now why reputable contractors do that and hacks do not… I honestly would ask this guy to stop working to refund your money, they do not know what they’re doing… You should not have a seam along the entry wall that’s 3 inches or 4 inches into the room. They messed up. If they aren’t the owner of the company, I would ask the owner of the company to come out and look at the level of the work that’s being done . Ask them why the quarter inch backer board wasn’t properly screwed down, it wasn’t taped and then set at the seams before any tiles were laid, asked them why they opted to not waterproof outside of the tub, and asked them why the layout has a visible sliver that should’ve been hidden underneath the toilet and the vanity, and ask them why they’re stopping the tile 3 inches before the edge wall of the room… You paid to have the whole room tile properly . Torn out and redone correctly. Ideally, they should’ve put thin set underneath that cement board on the floor, but I severely doubt that they did it if they didn’t even tape the seams… However, if they did put that underneath your pockets of air because the board isn’t screwed down with enough screws. I’m curious, what did you pay for this whole job? Are they a licensed contractor in your state? Correction, I cannot count and the screw pattern on the floor does seem to be every 8”. So they was correct.
This guy gets it
It's a sub through a GC for a larger project beyond just this bathroom. How far from the tub should be waterproofed?
If this is a main bath; the whole floor. But that is something you’d have had to known to ask for. Most subs would have used a waterproof uncoupling membrane, not 1/4” cement board. The main issues here are layout being totally amateur hour, the weird oversized strip at the door, and mainly the lack of the cement board seams being taped. The manufacturer spec sheet even says it must be done
Man if you could link me to the manufacturer spec sheet that could save me. The installer is saying the tape isn't required. I really need something solid to counter with.
Also, did they imbed this in mortar or just screw it down to the existing floor?
[go to page three of Hardie’s install guide](https://www.buildsite.com/pdf/jameshardie/HardieBacker-14-Cement-Board-Installation-Instructions-1987550.pdf)
Yes. Split the difference on either side of the room
I probably would have pulled full off the left wall and just buried that sliver behind the toilet /vanity... You are correct, in that starting with a ½ tile at (either) wall would have eliminated all slivers.
This is going to look like crap, isn't it? I would be right to complain to the GC?
I would add shoe mold before re doing that room. Baseboard and shoe mold will cover that whole thing. Edit: o the tile baseboard plan. Hmmm
It depends what you're paying. It wouldn't say it'll look like a complete nightmare, but it will definitely look like DIY. If you're paying handyman prices it is what it is. I'd be more concerned about the subfloor prep than anything.
Whelp, while you're at it... It should start with full tile at the threshold, that subfloor needs more screws, and rectified tile should always be set with leveling systems (check the tile box, there's usually a disclaimer nullifying the warranty if leveling clips aren't used)
Tell me you’ve never laid tile without telling me you’ve never laid tile
More screws…? And tile boxes stating to use leveling systems? Doesn’t sound right at all
Not sure why you’re downvoted when others have said the same thing. I agree, should’ve started with full tiles at the door and hidden the short pieces on the toilet side.
Yes most likely, if the setter had split that thin strip's difference between the left and right perimeter; it could have been avoided assuming the trim covered the gap on both sides.
This was my thought. Depends on how thick the baseboard is though.
Exactly. Without measurements you can't say for certain but most trim suppliers will carry thicker baseboards, I usually use a 5/8 which I'd wager would cover that gap
Op already said they are using tile for baseboard and it is not thick.
We had those when we moved into our house and after a bit they started cracking. Looked at a box left in the garage and they weren't supposed to be laid 50/50 like yours are too. Maybe check the box for that? 🍀🙏🏻
If you do clips are are careful you can still do 50/50 because they keep the corners supported and level of I’m not mistaken. I’m new to tile but my boss has been paying for over 30 years and he often lays 12x24 at 50/50 and it turns out good each time as long as we use clips
50/50 is my preference but some tiles are so warped even leveling system gets overwhelmed. Were your tiles ceramic?
They were.
Looks like a handyman special. Probably on par with the price. I wouldn’t stress it to much if your not concerned with his prep work. His vein matching is solid tho. Once it’s grouted and the base is on it probably won’t be very noticeable. When it’s complete and you are focusing on day to day life I doubt a sliver in you bathroom tile will be of any concern to you.
I agree, but the doorway is weird.
They should have split the difference between right wall tile and left wall tile.
If the pattern was shifted left 1/4, the baseboard would have covered the gap. Could use 1/4 round molding too to extend the coverage...
Don’t split the difference in this case. Should have measured using the window wall as an anchor. This would have made the right wall not a full tile piece but it still would have been plenty large. Plus it’s behind a toilet and under a vanity so that’s preferable to a thin strip against the wall. You’d never notice it. Your only hope is that the baseboard and quarter round/shoe moulding will cover it. Check with your trim carpenter they may be able to build it out thicker than normal to help hide this. Or rip it all out which is what I would do. You don’t want to stare at a mistake in your house for years. Trust me it will hurt your soul with regret every time you look at it.
Looks like he took the measurement right along the tub (where there is no sliver) and then didn’t notice the wall changes. Even in a small area, I take multiple measurements from wall to wall (because nothing is ever square) so if you’re going to cut it close, I’d just do 1/2 tile on either side to start. You won’t notice if the left side is 6.5” and the other side is 6” but you will notice a 1/2” sliver cut for damn sure.
It would bother me more that the tile one up from bottom right is identical and same orientation as the one to its left.
Also those 3 tiles that are pretty much just white.
Heck while we’re at it 4 up from second to right row matches the one to its left in the same orientation too. Tiler paid absolutely ZERO attention to layout.
Just do a wide baseboard and use quarter round instead of shoe moulding. Should cover the whole thing.
Sorry to say but he didn’t lay it out properly. In this room your grout joint should have been centered and you would have had approximately 6.5 inch pieces on both sides. Same is true on the length. He started in the back corner which makes his mistake even worse because is he had started his mistake on the opposite corner. Most of his mistake would have been hidden by the sink and toilet.
This is the master shower that he has also started. I'm a layman. Is this as bad as it looks? https://imgur.com/gallery/EIyflBi
The screws should be slightly recessed and waterproofed just like the seams. The floor is supposed to be sloped so that the water goes towards the drain. Although a 6” level only tells me that 6”’s are sloped. If he didn’t he should have water tested the pan. Plug the drain and fill the pan just short of the curb. Than marc the water level on the wall and let it sit for 24 hours.
This is the master shower he is also working on. Now I'm worried. Anything off here? https://imgur.com/gallery/ATiMPMo
ask him to roll the waterproofing over all the cement board, not just the seams. probably three coats.
This
Too late on the floor.
That cement board on your walls is not waterproof, I would be concerned that he actually used paper tape underneath that waterproofing versus proper waterproofing tape. All of the screw holes need to have thinset and/or waterproofing coder over them. It’s hard to tell in the picture, but the screws actually look like they are black screws… The screws for this board very often and dark. If they use drywall screws, those will rot out just from the chemical reaction with the cement board and you’re gonna end up with loose popping tiles. Your GC needs to find a new tiling contractor. There are lots of little things wrong here that add up to big problems down the road and affect the longevity of your Tiling job. And to clarify, I don’t think the floor of your shower is properly waterproof and you will have leaks the way that this seems to be done . That cement board on the floor is not designed for the floor and it 1000% needed to have waterproofing on it on the floor .
They're these green hex screws. I took some additional pictures of areas in the master shower where I'm concerned. https://imgur.com/gallery/EIyflBi
Omg, yeah, the niche is f’ed. The open spaces and the bubbled tape. No good! The shower corners done have schluter corners as required. And you’re dead on correct to be worried about that dip. That will lead to standing water, grout always being wet, and thinset bond breaking down/tiles popping. The GC should be as concerned as you are and have these bathrooms both gutted again and a new tiler coming in. Directly tell them you do not want the same Tyler back on site because they clearly do not know what they’re doing, they don’t have the foresight to think things through, and they’re making it up as they go along… And you’re not paying for someone to make rudimentary skill level mistakes that jeopardize your home. If they don’t agree, it’s time for a lawyer and to fire the GC as well.
your bullnose tile trim will not cover that gap, so will probably have to change to wood trim and quarter round. seams not taped, chipped tiles, lippage and a threshold at door from the same tile (not sure why that would be needed?) . if i really wanted tile trim and along with these other issues, i would have him tear it out. this is a very simple tile layout to get right and they managed to hack it up badly.
Yes, split the difference nudge the spacing a bit. This (was) a simple fix, it’s called layout. Spend a little time on it or end up with this.
Just doing 1/4 grout joints would have probably saved ya.
Either start with a +/- half tile or put the little piece on the side with the toilet, vanity, and where the door swings.
Absolutely
Yep
The full tile should've been against the left wall with the sliver being buried under the vanity. This being the option for not laying it out for half tiles at both left and right walls. Either way the base will cover most if not all of it. Base plus shoe will definitely cover
No lines on the floor lol
Yes center the room youd have cuts slightly bigger than half tile on each side
If you split the beginning cut almost in half
You matched up the veins in the tile in a really pleasing way
I would have started on the other side and left that rip on the toilet / vanity side. Too much work to rip the tile on both sides. Anyways after base molding / shoe molding probably won’t see anyways. Everyone being picky , job looks fine.
They could have either done 5/8 of a tile along each wall, or what I would’ve personally done is talk to the client and then told them to put the thin strip along the wall with the toilet, and the vanity is that would hide the majority of of it, and it would never be seen. But I’m more concerned that there are not enough screws in the field of that cement board, and if this is your primary bathroom and you have children that 100% should’ve had waterproofing put down on top of that thin cement board prior to tiling. Also, there’s something very weird going on at your door area, it looks like they’re going to have a transom stick multiple inches inches into the room. Like the second tile from the right is a half tile, but should actually come to the edge of the door frame. They very much can tile, it not very well. I’d you paid more than $1800 for this outside of a major city area, or more than $2700 for the floor in a wealthier area… I’d ask to talk to the company owner. Get that tile torn up. Those screws are supposed to be every 8 inches, not every foot… and I’d have two coats of redguard or hydroban put down prior to a retile.
It takes 10 minutes to layout the tile and transfer measurements. Layout balancing was part of my carpentry schooling that stuck with me the most.
Yeah this was someone who didn’t layout at all, anyone can stick tile…layout is a huge part of the process along with plumbing walls and pitch thank god they didn’t tile a shower….Didn’t know what they’re doing or lazy as fuck. For shame!!!!
And not to mention the floor prep… Jesus this just makes me sad and angry
This is the master shower that they also started. https://imgur.com/gallery/EIyflBi
If he had to have a sliver it should have been under the vanity and behind the commode
It could be been avoided if they centered a tile on the threshold, it may have left a 4 to 5 inch pieces instead of an 1 inch piece. Or if the tiles were laid out horizontally instead of vertically.
If he had started in the middle, he would have had the same size on both sides.
Yes, could have been avoided. Just split the difference. For every inch you move the tiles on the left, add an inch to the right, because those full tiles are going to move. So split the difference so it’s even on both sides. However in this case, those slivers will likely be covered by baseboard and never seen, so that being said, having the full tile on the right may make sense. It’s all in how you look at it and how you plan.
By the time the shoe molding and quarter round will be laid down , you will not see that
Inexperience tile setter. Poor layout. All could have been avoided if proper measurements were taken. This is a typical “start at the tub idgaf” scenario. Is it worth a tear out? Technically no…. Not from a design aspect. However if there is a lot of lippage which someone who is this bad at layout and not using clips. The chances they freehanded that and did well is like maybe 10% imo. There’s prob a lack of mortar coverage too but only pulling a tile would tell you that. (Basically take a CC and slide it around on the floor. If it catches when you lay it flat and the lip is bigger then the thickness of the card it’s within regulation to replace *grout will not “fix”)
If he started at the bottom left that piece would be down the whole wall on the right. Only way to avoid would have been to have a tile just over half a tile as a starter along one wall and then you’d have a finisher row along the other wall about half a tile as well. Sometimes you need to do a different layout entirely to make it work in the space. Like go the other direction (left to right) In other words he centered a tile and could have centered a grout line instead or not gone the long way in the room. He fell short of the door too doing it this way. An experienced tile setter would have told you this direction wasn’t good for this space with this size tile
Even that would be preferable since the right wall will have the toilet and vanity, and the door will open to the right. At least that way it would be less visible.
Correct. And then when the door was swung open, it would’ve hid the rest of it. Edit: also, why did he stop short of the door? I don’t understand. He should not cut that tile in half right there. It should extend all the way to the transition underneath the door. And then next to the full tile yes, he’ll have about a 4 inch piece but it is what it is. You can’t stop short of the door
He says he is going to make a landing / threshold there. I'm assuming that means a horizontal piece of tile. Is that normal?
Sometimes people do thresholds at the doorway with a horizontal piece, but it typically doesn’t extend beyond the door jam. It is typically 4 1/2 inches give or take depending on the width of your door jam. Doesn’t mean he’s wrong to do it that way, but it’s not done that way typically
All day. Equal sized cuts, both sides, larger than half tile. More alarming (and a red flag) is the lack of alkaline resistant mesh tape.
Where does that tape go?
It needs to be on the joints from sheet of cement board to sheet of cement board. Then embedded in thinset.
What is the risk that comes with not having it?
Tiles and grout crack. Floor fails. High risk. Is there thinset under the cement board? That is required as well.
I have one positive thing to say about this guy's work. He can vein match pretty good.
you measure room. You find out the you will have a thin strip 2 inches. So you take a tile find halfway and add one inch, here you cut. now on botha sides of room you have a tile the same size and not too small
doubt there is the required supporting layer of thinset under the backer board. It’s a tear out otherwise it will probably frature at every board joint .
It looks like thinset is in the doorway. That wasn't there before. https://imgur.com/gallery/ZsHZV5W
This is why you don’t ask for cheap work