I can't answer the specific construction and beam questions you asked; the beam has been covered in the mortar used to bed the tile. And, I'm not sure that's I'd recognize what they were talking about in the first placed.
But, since THEY apparently told you that there was beam damage, and that they would fix it as part of the contract, you have every right to ask them to
+ show you where the damage was, and
+ what the damage was, and
+ explain how their work resolved the issue.
However, the behavior you're describing sounds like construction behavior that some times occurs when people find a problem harder than they anticipated, and don't want to spend THEIR time and money resolving stuff they overlooked. When this happens, they sometimes move into the "good enough to last a year or two -- and avoid warranty problems" mode of thinking.
I am NOT say that this is happening in your case; only that it may be.
However, the work I see would be an expensive repair in N. Georgia, and much more expensive in Massachusetts. It's worth spending money to make sure that you are getting the repairs you planned. It's gonna cost you, but I'd try to ID one of the top gunite builders in your area and pay (probably a lot) to have one of their senior guys or principles come take a look. They may not find anything. But burying problems under concrete makes them VERY hard to fix later.
Be prepared with a shovel and digging bar, to expose some of the backside of the beam.
So, talk to your guy first and insist -- politely -- on a full explanation and accounting, because HE brought up the issue originally.
Then, using that explanation, talk to your other guy.
Here's hoping you have good luck . . . but don't need it!
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