Botched work in the bathroom? Drywall instead of plaster

Hello everyone,

my parents' bathroom is currently being modernized/renovated. For this, we selected and hired a plumbing company on site. We ourselves live several hours away by car and therefore could not supervise the construction work. However, it was important to me to be present in person at the initial meeting and to discuss all the work in detail. Afterwards, we received an offer that met my wishes and signed the contract.

Now, after a month, I was at the construction site and was surprised to see that the craftsmen had attached drywall panels to all walls. We had previously agreed that the walls would be plastered and tiled. I then measured the walls and found that by using this (unagreed) drywall method, we lose about 15 cm of space on one wall, for example. As a result, we probably can no longer place our washing machine there. A washing machine connection was installed on that wall especially. Also, the toilet niche has become extremely small (69 cm). The company generously paneled several free-standing walls (without connections).

I have now read through the contract again at home and find the drywall item only "At WC and riser pipes". Furthermore, it states that the walls will be “leveled and smoothed” before tiling, but nothing about all walls and ceilings of our old building bathroom being paneled without exception.

I now fear, as mentioned, that some of the planned sanitary objects and furniture will have no or very tight space as a result or that the drywall walls will not withstand the tiles in the long term; the bathroom is supposed to be tiled up to the ceiling.

Is this botched work and who bears the costs of rectification?
Does anyone perhaps have experience with this?

Best regards
MarinaS

Gypsum plasterboards are a common means in modernization or renovation to straighten and even out old walls - especially in the bathroom or kitchen wall as a substrate for tiles. This is not shoddy work. I see no reason for rework. Of course, it is unfortunate that some centimeters are missing now, but no one is to blame. Perhaps it should have been better communicated how the leveling takes place. Laypeople sometimes have different ideas…

… if you were to level with proper mortar, probably "just as much" surface area would be lost minus of course the 18mm of the drywall. It is usually very difficult to estimate how much the wall deviates from being flush or is uneven.

Drywall sheets are a common means in the modernization or renovation field to straighten and level old walls - especially in bathrooms or kitchen backsplashes as a substrate for tiles.
This is not botched work.
I see no reason for rework.
Of course, it is unfortunate that a few centimeters are now missing, but no one is to blame. Maybe there should have been better communication about how the leveling is done. Laypeople sometimes have different ideas…

But what is missing is communication: Why doesn’t a company give notice: We are doing something different than in the offer because a, b, c… that can be a valid reason.

Hello,

thank you for the response. The bathroom itself was not very old, only 30 years old, and was already properly renovated and leveled in the 90s. It needs to be modernized. For example, my parents will get a walk-in shower because they increasingly had problems with the old one due to the high edge.

At the first appointment, we also discussed the topic of „Trockenbauweise“. He advised me to use surface-mounted fittings because „with built-in fittings, I would lose about 10-15 cm due to the dry construction method“. I chose the surface-mounted option because having more space is much more important to me. And I clearly communicated that. Multiple times. Therefore, it cannot be due to a lack of communication.

I rather suspect that the company aimed to minimize work here to save time and money.

I would actually make a complaint there. In particular, the toilet space with 69 cm is relatively narrow and possibly not a suitable space for a washing machine. And I would do that before tiling is done. Because, as I understood it, the tiles are not on yet.

And, straightening the walls with possibly plaster or alternatively drywall does not only make a difference compared to the drywall panel. Proper drywall has studs that also add a certain depth.