Finding Local Tile Layer

[RocketDog]

As with so many houses, at least in my area outside Hua Hin, several of the 60cm floor tiles have lifted.

It started after a prolonged dry and hot spell a few months long. We notices one day several tiles lifted and loose.

I'm guessing that the concrete foundation shrank and the tiles expanded, both from heat. We don't air condition the entire house.

 

After many became loose, I lifted them and found the reason: they had been laid without mortar on the concrete floor, and with the large tile itself only 'buttered' with mortar around the perimeter in a ~ 1" wide band. We had one whole bedroom re-tiled last year and the tradesman was excellent. He mortared the floor and each tile. Also, at my request he left a 2mm margin between the tile edges, which is rarely done here. So far it has been flawless and I actually like the look of the wider grout lines.

 

But, sadly, he is so good at his job that he is booked months in advance on large home new construction.

 

We have exhausted our resources in finding someone competent to do the job. We've asked local Thai friends, my barber, neighbors, etc. Although we have gotten several phone numbers, they either don't answer or say they are too busy. I"m pretty handy with house DIY myself, but never did any tile work except some small shower tiles. It's much to big a job to tackle by myself and even removing the old tiles is more work than I want to do.

 

If anybody living in the area can give me some references or even ideas of how to get local references, it would be greatly appreciated.