Classic Tileworks Reviews (%countItem)
Classic Tileworks Rating
Address: 3334 Marsh Rd, Stow, Ohio, United States, 44224-4708
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Classic Tile Works was contracted to install marble tile in our dining room and foyer. After a longer than expected installation, the finished work was unsatisfactory. The grout installed does not match the color we selected and in fact varies dramatically across the floor area. We requested that Classic Tile Works replace the grout which they steadfastly refused to do. We refused to pay the balance due on the project pending repair but Classic Tile Works instead placed a mechanics lien on our property for the full amount due.
Classic Tileworks, LLC has been installing marble floors since 2005 and have never had a complaint. Delays in the installation are a direct result of the client violating several terms in our contract, as well as failing to provide the square footage of marble we said would be required, not being satisfied with the marble she had on hand halfway through the job (which she then revealed had been obtained from Home Depot years earlier), attempting to perform their own prep work and having done so both in an incomplete and improper manner, micro-managing the installation, and limiting the hours when we could work.
This is a perfectly fine marble installation. The clients were shown a grout chart by Custom Building Products, and they chose the color "Urban Putty" together. She was shown a disclaimer that there would be inherent shade variations when using a cementitious grout with natural stone (see attached), because at this point she had been being such a nightmare to work with that I was doing my best to cover all my bases. We upheld our end of the agreement, completed the job, and the grout looked very good.
The day after completion she said she didn’t like it and claimed that she had chosen “Antique White” off of another grout color chart that she obtained herself from some store. I explained that raking and regrouting because she changed her mind would be an additional cost. After about an hour of arguing she recalled picking “Urban Putty” from my grout chart. Upon returning to the job site with the expectation that I would be collecting the payment due, I was told that she would not pay me because the grout looked "blue" in certain areas. I opened the doors and windows for the sunlight, and brought in a few work lights to take pictures and video and to demonstrate that the grout was indeed more consistent in color and very close to the sample throughout installation than they thought they were seeing in the limited light, and reminded them that I had shown them that slight shade variations were inherent in a cementitious grout, all the more so when the color of their marble varies as much as it does, as well as using different types of stone altogether. (See attached)
Figure 1 shows the disclaimer that was presented.
Figure 2 shows how the grout looks “blue” in the shade, but just fine in the light.
Figure 3 shows how the grout will appear against 2 different types of stone as well as in the shade and in the light.
In short, this floor is fantastic looking and well within industry standards. We see no reason to fix something that doesn’t need fixed. Nobody else would be dissatisfied with this installation. As far as marble installations go, we could take pride in what we accomplished in this home and showcase it in our portfolio. We even polished the floor for free. All other suggestions we have made were hastily rejected.
This isn’t a quality of work issue. It’s a money issue masquerading as one.
I am rejecting this response because:
Classic Tileworks' response totally misses the basis of our complaint!
Our complaint is simple - the grout installed does not match the color that was visually selected and the grout installed varies significantly in shade/tint across the dining room and foyer floors.
My wife selected the color from a color sample pack ("Urban Putty" by name) but when the job was completed and she complained that the grout looked more like the color sample "Antique White" than what she had selected. It was at that point she was shown the grout manufacturer's disclaimer about color variation and that was Classic Tileworks' defense for the results not meeting our expectations.
If Classic Tileworks suspected that the finished color might vary from what was expected, it would have behooved them to test the grout before installing it. This is not our problem it is there's!
Now we are told that there is no way to repair the grout - any attempt to remove and replace it risk significantly damaging the marble tiles!
I am working on a more detailed response, but it may take me more than the 10 days you a lot for our response. Please contact me directly if you need to discuss anything in the meantime.