Career change!?!

[Carl Whorton]

Hi guys,

another newbie here looking for help and advice

I've worked in the City for almost 20 years, in IT, and now looking for a new career before I get too old. Office life is not what it was, the IT work is dying on its butt as all work gets sent off shore. Me and the good lady are therefore selling up in London and heading down to sunny Cornwall

Primarily we are looking to buy a few do-em up properties and/or buy-to lets. But I want to get a trade behind me too so I can do some of the work myself. As most properties will need a new bathroom and kitchen, and tiling will always be required, I figured learning to tile wouldn't be a bad move.

Anyway, before we head down there I was wondering if anyone had some good advice on how to get some experience? I can do one of those courses advertised (and I probably will at some stage) but I was wondering if a tiler would be willing to show me some of the basics on a real job? I'd be no threat to your business in London (actually North Kent/SE London) as I'm moving away.

I'd happily labour for free to learn something valuable

If anyone knows of a tiler in the SE London area who might want a helper for a few days and wouldn't mind me asking a few questions then please do let me know.

Thanks in advance. Carl

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Hi Carl

:welcome: to TilersForums

The tiling trade isn't as easy as it looks and takes a long time to build up a good skill, good reputation and a good level of business. I'll let the other tilers on here explain that in more detail. But I can understand your disillusion with London and IT, as my bro in law left a well paid IT job in central London a few years back and re-trained as a teacher!

The only thing I would say is don't expect to be using a trade and earning big bucks easily from day one. We have a good mix of tilers in our community on here, all from different stages in their careers and even some times the good tilers have quiet patches. If I can say anything to you about tiling, it's to start it off part-time, in the background, alongside something else. Have you thought about HGV driving? Apparently there's going to be a shortage of lorry drivers by Christmas, although I was fully aware of this issue a few years back when the relevant driving associations realized there were more lorry drivers quitting/retiring than there were coming into the industry.

Sorry for rambling. I hope you get the gist of what I'm saying.

GRR
p.s. I'm not a tiler but I am good at helping people find jobs!

 

[Carl Whorton]

Hi GRR

thanks for the response

Your brother in law sounds brave, retraining as a teacher! Rather him than me.

The tiling would be a sideline to owning and renovating properties really. I'm not looking to be a full time tiler, at least not just yet! I envisage making most of my living out of the properties I buy but I want to be able to do some work myself. I can hang a door (just!), paint/decorate, strip out rooms, clean out the garden etc but want to also be able to do a few of the finishing jobs where feasible.

HGV driving is a no-no as my better half is disabled and hence I need to be around the house every morning and evening as I'm her carer.

Hopefully a tiler will pop on here later from the SE London area and say 'yep young man, come along on Monday and I'll show you how tiling should be done' He/she can then be proud in the fact that I can take their expertise and apply some of it down in Cornwall - LOL

Thanks. Carl

 

[Dan]

Welcome to the forum Carl and good luck with the tiling.

Perhaps worth seeing if your local college does a tiling course?

Not sure if many tilers will be willing to spend time with a newbie, you'd clearly be costing them in time and slowing their job down, and the reward is you end up being competition eventually. What it might be worth asking is if a local tiling firm is able to take you on and allow you to work your way up the ranks a bit. So labour for them while asking questions, then perhaps tackle some cutting and grouting, then tile a small area with ceramics, and carry on like that. You'd then be a great help to them while learning on the job too which is awesome for experience and can't be matched in a college or training centre really.

Either way, good luck pal.

 

[Qwerty]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Ian]

Welcome along to TF

 

[Sean Kelly]

Carl, click on the link above my telephone number.
That post was written a few years ago and I am still tiling.

Times have been good and bad and it is still very hard work. Tiles have gotten bigger and heavier and clients more demanding.

It sounds like you want to get physically involved with your house renovations, and why not.

You say you want to buy up a 'few' properties..............all at the same time?:yikes:

If I were you I would concentrate on the financials of your property portfolio, but if you want to get involved then you could learn from the tradespeople you employ.

Your main focus is to get the properties renovated and turned around at a profit. If you start trying to tile a kitchen/bathroom you could cost yourself dearly.

Coming from IT I am sure you have Project Management skills that can be utilised in your new career as a property tycoon.

Good luck Carl.

Sean

 

[High Peak Tiling]

Hello & welcome