tile over old tiles or not?

[zaffy]

I invited 3 bathroom/plumber companies to give me quotes for a new bathroom.

Regarding the tiling, 2 companies said remove tiles, and 1 company said tile over the old tiles, because removing old tiles can do a lot of unnecessary damage to the walls.

Confused, so, I asked a tiling specialist and he said 'perfectly fine to leave old tiles on wall and tile over',

So that makes 2 all, so, even more confused now.

Any advance on 2 all?

[OchAye]

Adding tiles on tiles you increase the weight that is hanging of the surface of whatever you got there (plaster on brick, plaster on plasterboard, or just plasterboard). Can the material take the weight you are putting on it (tiles+adhesive x 2). Aesthetically it could work if your tiles finish on the ceiling and at corners or the whole room is tiled floor to top. IF tiles stop at random points round the room you could have a very ugly and unusual thick edge, covered in some thick plastic which will then yellow and look even worse. Yes, you can put tiles on tiles but I think the company that proposes that are taking chances and want to give you the cheapest price so you give them the job.

Try to go for best of 5 or ideally best of 9 opinions I would go with the rippers.

I am a DIYer and no more.

[Rorschach]

Get them off and do the job properly.

[dewaltdisney]

I tiled over once as time was tight, I regretted doing it not because it looked bad, I just knew it was there. I am now faced with chopping off two lots in one go when I redo the bathroom shortly. I say rip it out. If you use and SDS drill with a tile removal chisel hit the side of the tiles to vibrate them off rather than dig under.

DWD