Are domestic Tilers Under Threat

[Aston]

Just thought i'd gauge a few opinions on this subject...

do you think trading soley as a tiler is a risk on the domestic scene now??

reason i ask is, i have been noticing more and more builders, plumbers and joiners advertising tiling on their vans, they seem to be impacting heavily on bathroom tiling, splash backs and conservatories, the bread and butter stuff if you like...

the liverpool yellow pages now only contains 1 page of tilers!!! this has been reducing now for the past 3 years on the run. plumbers have about 8 and half pages and plasterers about 4 and a half..now big decline there.

do you think you need to add bathroom fitting and basic plastering & has anybody noticed an impact on tiling on the past year or months

any thoughts appreciated
Ed

 

[DHTiling]

IMO Nope!!..

I am a Tiling specialist and not a jack of all trades... i only do tiling and related things to that, like UFH etc..

I do not feel threatened by multi traders what so ever...

 

[mikethetile]

I think other trades are offering tiling as they are struggling for work once they are busy in their own trade or get into trouble with it they will drop it

you advised me to specialise and it was sound advice as the client is getting fed up with people who claim to be a master at everything and give them a so so job

so i answer to your question no the domestic tiler isnt on the endangered list and will be much sought after to correct work or to tile it properly this time

 

[Spud]

Hi ed, I dont think you have anything to worry about as tiling has become much harder in recent years not easier ,general builders may advertise tiling as one of their skills but will often sub the work out to tilers ,tiles of larger and larger format are coming onto the uk market and not all general handy men and builders have the tools, equipment and know how to tackle this type of work so i think a good quality, reliable tiler will always be in demand

 

[united]

Ed

I don't think any Tilers producing the quality work that all you on the forum do will ever have any problem

I have noticed a lot of Vans now mention Tiling as a service they offer but I think this could be because IMO they just want to be seen to do everything so they always have work on. As mentioned above I think a lot of builders will sub the work out if they got it.

 

[faithhealer]

Makes me laugh when tiling is listed amongst gutters and garden decking

 

[Aston]

glad you are all of the same opinion. i have have previously echoed what gary has mentioned that tiling is now more of a complete/advanced trade now in this country as it is in australia, us and germany and thats what i have always hoped for. this forum in my opinion has done wonders for this trade over the past 4 yrs!!!...

i just hope our general public arnt getting mislead by people/trades who dont know as much as they claim? i definately think the way forward is to get away from the bottom end...aim for the quality & deliver the quality!!

i'll take out a pan and sink and remove a rad to enable me to be more efficent if i'm left in the lurch but i'll leave it there. as i have said, juggling 4 balls with 2 hands is not always the best way to earn money imo but each to their own hey..

 

[Ajax123]

I think as a national market the UK is really only just getting going with underfloor heating in domestic installations. Most of these will be tiled and I think the domestic carpet fitters are likely to be more threatened than tilers althoguh I think it will be a long time before anyone goes out of business as a result. Another threat to tiling is the use of screeds as finished floors. I get requests for these from architects at least once a week. Acid etched and polished concretes and screeds when done well look really stunning.

 

[enduro]

I think as a national market the UK is really only just getting going with underfloor heating in domestic installations. Most of these will be tiled and I think the domestic carpet fitters are likely to be more threatened than tilers althoguh I think it will be a long time before anyone goes out of business as a result. Another threat to tiling is the use of screeds as finished floors. I get requests for these from architects at least once a week. Acid etched and polished concretes and screeds when done well look really stunning.

Have you seen any of these in a domestic property...i know in the states they like polished concrete etc.

 

[Sean Page]

IMO Nope!!..

I am a Tiling specialist and not a jack of all trades... i only do tiling and related things to that, like UFH etc..

I do not feel threatened by multi traders what so ever...

I think Dave pretty much summed it up :hurray:

 

[Ajax123]

Have you seen any of these in a domestic property...i know in the states they like polished concrete etc.

Yes I have seen a few. To be fair they do look really stunning. The ones I have seen have tended to be in the high end market where the floor areas tend to be bigger so you get the effect. I guess it is only a matter of time before people start doing it in smaller floors. Mostly aimed at new build rather than refurb.

I don't think it presents a serious threat to tiling yet though.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

IMO Nope!!..

I am a Tiling specialist and not a jack of all trades... i only do tiling and related things to that, like UFH etc..

I do not feel threatened by multi traders what so ever...

Come on Dave - don't sit on the fence!
Have to totally agree with you of course, but I feel it's a lot down to contacts and certainly reputation and building on it.
When there is a lull in the building industry all the trades come into the domestic market and its possible that over the last couple of years its starting to bite some.
Competition is what makes a vibrant market so lets keep getting our fair share!

 

[Aston]

Come on Dave - don't sit on the fence!
Have to totally agree with you of course, but I feel it's a lot down to contacts and certainly reputation and building on it.
When there is a lull in the building industry all the trades come into the domestic market and its possible that over the last couple of years its starting to bite some.
Competition is what makes a vibrant market so lets keep getting our fair share!

thanks john, some wise and experienced observations of what happens in a climate like this

i would be good to hear as many views as possible so i hope all the other trades on here give a view too

 

[stevee]

im not getting much work ,ive also noticed the local tile shop,theyre fitters van parked outside the shop a lot lately

they told me a couple of months ago ,theyve had builders ,plumbers,plasteres, alsorts comin in buying addy and grout

so yeah ,as a newbie to tiling i feel threatened at the mo.....

 

[diamondtiling]

I can only echo what everyone else has said, I went to look at a job last week that is being run by a large building firm, it is 4 separate toilet blocks that is being revamped, they had a tiler *** every trade saying what he would do and the site manager did not trust the guy's integrity. He was going to use tubbed adhesive and going over old tiles, I went through the correct spec and got the job, so my point is larger companies are also wary of sole traders that advertise all trades.

 

[diamondtiling]

im not getting much work ,ive also noticed the local tile shop,theyre fitters van parked outside the shop a lot lately

they told me a couple of months ago ,theyve had builders ,plumbers,plasteres, alsorts comin in buying addy and grout

so yeah ,as a newbie to tiling i feel threatened at the mo.....

You keep doing what you are doing Stevee and you will be fine mate, reputation is all important.

 

[Colour Republic]

All depends on what your idea of a builder is? Is it just foundations and brickwork or complete property refurbishment? It is also the size of firm you are refering to as many builders have tilers working directly for them.

Because of how the construction industry went into resession also ment some self employed tilers went to work for building companies who expanded in the resession. Good knows how many people I had ring me asking for work last year. For sure there are alot of people chancing their arm at tiling but I don't think it tells the full story of why you are now seeing tiling listed as a trade on the side of someones van or even why the stores are saying there is an increase in builders shopping there.

I don't think that you should worry about chancers in the industry, you should worry about how you market yourself and educate the public on the differences between you and them. Times change and so should how you work

 

[doug boardley]

Hi ed, I dont think you have anything to worry about as tiling has become much harder in recent years not easier ,general builders may advertise tiling as one of their skills but will often sub the work out to tilers ,tiles of larger and larger format are coming onto the uk market and not all general handy men and builders have the tools, equipment and know how to tackle this type of work so i think a good quality, reliable tiler will always be in demand

exactly what I was gonna post Gary

 

[richard Kent]

As I have said before on the forum I'm not a tiler I'm a kitcken fitter and I would normaly only tile the odd splash back above the worktops 5 to 6mts2.
But work being the way it's been, if the customer asks me to tile the floor I will now take it on as it adds another weeks work to the job.
If I was getting kitchen fits every week I would start to sub all the tiling out again.

 

[enduro]

As I have said before on the forum I'm not a tiler I'm a kitcken fitter and I would normaly only tile the odd splash back above the worktops 5 to 6mts2.
But work being the way it's been, if the customer asks me to tile the floor I will now take it on as it adds another weeks work to the job.
If I was getting kitchen fits every week I would start to sub all the tiling out again.

Right lads get him!!! only joking :81:

 

[mikethetile]

Right lads get him!!! only joking :81:

his brother clarke will come to his rescue:lol:

 

[Aston]

thats why i set this thread up, i want to gauge all angles & opinions to get a clear concise picture....i havent an issue with anybody tiling in any capacity if its done well.

ed

 

[Scott]

Hi ed, I dont think you have anything to worry about as tiling has become much harder in recent years not easier ,general builders may advertise tiling as one of their skills but will often sub the work out to tilers ,tiles of larger and larger format are coming onto the uk market and not all general handy men and builders have the tools, equipment and know how to tackle this type of work so i think a good quality, reliable tiler will always be in demand

I agree Gary but when it comes to it i think a lot of them try it anyway.

When you can get a cheap wet cutter for £50 and some drill bits for under £10 then the average bathroom will still leave them quids in. Any information they need about how to do it is readily available, ironicaly here as well. They can get all the help they need but still doesnt mean they can do a good job.

 

[Daz]

I agree with all the comments above. There was a poll some time ago with regards to tiling being licensed. The development of larger format tiles, the increased variety and availability of "cheap" natural stone tiles and technological developments in adhesive, grout and tanking systems mean that this industry is becoming more and more knowledge and skill based.

There are many very compelling reasons why tiling should be regulated and licensed in the same way that sparkies and plumbers are.

I don't feel that domestic tiling is under threat, but regulation and improved public awareness will ensure that tiling is recognised as the skilled and quality trade that it is.

 

[albyshellshear]

As I have said before I am relitively new to tiling although I have been DIY tiling for years until I stumbled upon this forum I thought I was prety good at it, now I look at some of my own work and pull it to peices I did'nt realise that there was so much more than sticking tiles to a floor/wall, wich IMHO is what you would be getting from a jack of all trades, when it came to substraites,right adehsive, setting out, tanking, and perfect cutting, you need someone who knows and he is the humble tiler. The cream will always rise to the top ....Alby