We finished a full remodel 18 months ago, kitchen & 2 baths. Recently see that the grout is drying out / cracking in the tub and I do not think the contractor sealed the grout, or that he caulked where the tub meets the glass shower enclosure.
We used glass tiles for backsplash in the kitchen, the grout still looks ok, but also do not think they sealed this grout. With these exceptions, I think the contractor did a terrific job.

My questions are - Is this the kind of thing a contractor should return to do? Are these things normally included in a remodel? Assuming I will pay to have this done since it has been 18 months, what is reasonable in NYC?

 

What was this tile installed on in the bathroom? Hopefully they did not just tile directly onto drywall for the shower/tub area.

Are there any cracks in the grout?

The grou could have been mixed wrong.

All the grout will have to be removed and reapplied.

Usually the grout sealing is done by the customer since it has to be done after the grout has fully cured.

 

I am not sure I can answer that - what the tiles are installed on. This is a NYC apartment and they gutted down to the pipes to clean up the plumbing. If you can offer me some options for what the tiles might have been installed on, I will ask the contractor.

The tiles are large glass, none of the grouting is cracked, just a small portion in the corner where the tiles meet the tub is chipping slightly. That is why I thought they might not have caulked at the tub. The tub itself meets the wall, and the surround for the tub is glass shower door with a silicone like edge.

Why would they need to redo all the grout, instead of cleaning up the one portion and then sealing? Thanks for helping.

 

For a shower/tub wall, tile should be installed over a cement backer board (Hardibacker, Durock, etc).

Any place where a wall meets another surface, like the tub, that area should be caulked or a good epoxy grout used.

The reason I say take all of the grout out is that the rest of the grout my fall apart as well.

I've seen unsealed grout last years and years. It didn't look clean, but it wasn't falling apart. Sealing prevents staining, water penetration, and mold.

 

Hi - Are you saying then that the reason the grout is drying out is that the tiles are installed on drywall for example. So these things are related? I will check with the contractor for sure.
If the tiles are installed on a cement backer board, what then would cause the grout to crack? I want to fix this properly.

 

Hi again

I spoke to the contractor who says the tiles are installed on a cement backer board. He says some cracking where the surfaces meet is nomal. They are going to clean up the grout and recaulk. Is there anything I am missing here?