ᐅ Tiles coming loose under stair stringers

Created on: 16 Aug 2016 07:19
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Matthias182
Hello everyone,

We have been living in our house for almost 3 years now. Unfortunately, a defect has appeared.

Several tiles in the area of the front door (first row of tiles) have come loose from the substrate and are now hollow. This is not a big issue, the tiler has already been informed and will fix the problem next week.

However, I see a bigger problem. Right in front of the side panel of the front door is the staircase leading to the upper floor. In the area of the front door, the staircase stands on the tiles, and one of these tiles is affected. When you step on the staircase, you can hear the tile is loose and creaks underfoot. This did not happen before.

Is there any way to fix this without having to dismantle the staircase?

Thanks and best regards,
Matthias
KlaRa19 Aug 2016 14:31
Hello Matthias, any tile can be removed! I am not aware of a situation where this would not be possible for a trained tiler, even considering a locally challenging situation.
Regards, KlaRa
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Matthias182
1 Sep 2016 08:11
Hello everyone,

I can at least provide an update here.

The tile installer came and, according to his assessment, the adhesion between the tile and the substrate was insufficient. However, the tile under the stairs could not be removed.

In the end, the stair builder had to dismantle part of the staircase to fix the problem.

Finally, I am wondering who is responsible for the cost of dismantling the staircase. Do I have to cover it, or is it the tile installer, since he is ultimately responsible for the defect?

Thanks and regards
Matthias
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Legurit
1 Sep 2016 08:53
Your general contractor or main contractor – or did you hire individual trades?
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Matthias182
1 Sep 2016 09:00
I have contracted individual trades together with my architect.
KlaRa1 Sep 2016 09:29
Hello Matthias.
"Who covers the costs?" is your question.
From a purely technical perspective, we now move on to the legal aspect.
This can (and should) only be answered by legal experts, not by those without legal training.
Basically, it’s similar to a saying, jokingly put, like "at the bar":
> Whoever orders the music also pays for it <
In practice, any costs (such as those that may have arisen in your case) must be claimed through legal channels if one party does not voluntarily cover them.
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Regards, KlaRa
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Matthias182
1 Sep 2016 13:58
Hello,

I did not expect to receive legal advice here, especially not for free. That is certainly not the purpose of a forum.

However, I am interested in the experiences that others may have had in similar situations. That was the reason for my question.

Thank you and regards,
Matthias182