J
Jez(UK)
Hello everybody !
Discovered this site today and I guess/hope I'm in the right place to ask lots of questions !
A bit of background. I'm 45, married, one child, been living abroad for 5 years, tried a new business venture abroad for 5 years........failed :sad_smile: so recently returned to the UK (about 2 months ago). All the jobs I've ever had have been office based, computer based. I've got quite a high level of education (Uni BSc) but the failed business venture which very nearly ended my marriage of 15years, put me through a fair amount of depression and a very low point for my wife and I. I know it's something that has happened to many others before me, but nothing prepared me for being this low (I'm not looking for sympathy :grouphug:, just trying to paint a bit of a picture).
Anyway, now we're back in the UK and trying to get back on an even keel I've been thinking of what I can do to earn a living. I could go back into what I used to do (Freelance 3D Computer Graphics) but I know that my skills are rusty and I'd need to retrain, and I'd need to invest in a fair amount of kit (all of which would be very expensive and very time consuming). And because I've been out of this field for a fair amount of time, I'm not even sure I'd be 'up there' as things have moved on a great deal since I was in this field. I then had a 'light bulb' moment where I knew that I needed training in something and in a flash, Tiling came into my head. Although I've never tiled in my life, I'm not too bad with my hands and I know I'm a very careful, detailed type person who takes pride in doing a good job (and likes to wow people!). I also feel that having gone through the failed business venture and having for the past 8 years been working for myself, a) I don't fancy working for someone else and b) I think tiling would be a nice way to getting back to actually earning a living again (i.e. I don't believe it'd be too stressful/demanding - I'm imagining it to be quite therapeutic in some ways and certainly a welcome change from all the careers I've held in the past).
It looks very much like a perfect match.
So, I've looked at a few Centres for a 4 week course, and I've yet to see any one of them but I will go and visit all 3 next week to help make my mind up.
They are;
Alpine (in Rye),
Diamond (in Arundel),
TCS in Essex.
Are there any others ??? (I'm in Crowborough, East Sussex, just outside Tunbridge Wells, Kent).
The more I think of doing this course and setting up in Tiling as a Self Employed person, the more I fancy doing it.
Questions;
1) Can someone, who has never laid a tile in their life, after 4 weeks, be able to earn a decent living from it ??
2) What sort of investment for everything (excluding training) would you expect to have to put up to get yourself going ?
3) Sillyish question, but what transport do most tilers use to do their job ? (as my car isn't suitable). Car or van ??
4) What sort of money would you expect someone like me to be earning in yr 1 ??
5) what do you hate about the job ??
6) What do you like about it ?
7) Is it messy / very messy ??
8) Is it unhealthy in any way (dusty, inhalation) ??
9) Is it fatiguing (mentally / physically) ??
Those are some of the questions I have for now :clap:
I hope someone will get back to me with some useful answers - and I apologise if I've waffled on a bit.
Many thanks,
Jez
Discovered this site today and I guess/hope I'm in the right place to ask lots of questions !
A bit of background. I'm 45, married, one child, been living abroad for 5 years, tried a new business venture abroad for 5 years........failed :sad_smile: so recently returned to the UK (about 2 months ago). All the jobs I've ever had have been office based, computer based. I've got quite a high level of education (Uni BSc) but the failed business venture which very nearly ended my marriage of 15years, put me through a fair amount of depression and a very low point for my wife and I. I know it's something that has happened to many others before me, but nothing prepared me for being this low (I'm not looking for sympathy :grouphug:, just trying to paint a bit of a picture).
Anyway, now we're back in the UK and trying to get back on an even keel I've been thinking of what I can do to earn a living. I could go back into what I used to do (Freelance 3D Computer Graphics) but I know that my skills are rusty and I'd need to retrain, and I'd need to invest in a fair amount of kit (all of which would be very expensive and very time consuming). And because I've been out of this field for a fair amount of time, I'm not even sure I'd be 'up there' as things have moved on a great deal since I was in this field. I then had a 'light bulb' moment where I knew that I needed training in something and in a flash, Tiling came into my head. Although I've never tiled in my life, I'm not too bad with my hands and I know I'm a very careful, detailed type person who takes pride in doing a good job (and likes to wow people!). I also feel that having gone through the failed business venture and having for the past 8 years been working for myself, a) I don't fancy working for someone else and b) I think tiling would be a nice way to getting back to actually earning a living again (i.e. I don't believe it'd be too stressful/demanding - I'm imagining it to be quite therapeutic in some ways and certainly a welcome change from all the careers I've held in the past).
It looks very much like a perfect match.
So, I've looked at a few Centres for a 4 week course, and I've yet to see any one of them but I will go and visit all 3 next week to help make my mind up.
They are;
Alpine (in Rye),
Diamond (in Arundel),
TCS in Essex.
Are there any others ??? (I'm in Crowborough, East Sussex, just outside Tunbridge Wells, Kent).
The more I think of doing this course and setting up in Tiling as a Self Employed person, the more I fancy doing it.
Questions;
1) Can someone, who has never laid a tile in their life, after 4 weeks, be able to earn a decent living from it ??
2) What sort of investment for everything (excluding training) would you expect to have to put up to get yourself going ?
3) Sillyish question, but what transport do most tilers use to do their job ? (as my car isn't suitable). Car or van ??
4) What sort of money would you expect someone like me to be earning in yr 1 ??
5) what do you hate about the job ??
6) What do you like about it ?
7) Is it messy / very messy ??
8) Is it unhealthy in any way (dusty, inhalation) ??
9) Is it fatiguing (mentally / physically) ??
Those are some of the questions I have for now :clap:
I hope someone will get back to me with some useful answers - and I apologise if I've waffled on a bit.
Many thanks,
Jez
