Essex move, topps job

[cam_low]

Well troops my move to Woodford Green, Essex was successful (for those of who remember). I got the job in Topps Tiles after I plagued them for being so daft to not take me on. The reason they sent me and email saying that my application was unsuccessful was due to someone in HR not understanding what my current location was!!! So without contacting me they said I was unsuccessful. Wallys.

Anywho, I have been working there for a week yesterday and I must say that the knowledge of the staff is very good. Their prices on the other hand are quite steep for tools, tiles and BAL adhesives. They do have their Toppfix range which I believe is made by Palace adhesives. I haven't used this so I cant comment.
I do know my boss has joined this web site as he is a massive geek on tiling, his product knowledge is vast and he loves Rubi, proper geek lol but its good for the customer. Also really rates and pushes the fila products, again, none I have used.

I would like to answer any questions you have about the place as I know there may be a few.

I also have found that there are SO many cowboys in the area. Over the last few days the amount of customers who come in and told me their stories of 'builders' employed, who have messed up on tiling is around 4. Be it not being able to fit mosaics correctly to using green star on floor adhesives with £6.50 each tiles !!!

If I were to leave Topps, mainly due to the wage being so crap, I would be looking to attack these 'tilers' ferociously.

Is there any ideas you have that I could attract this work, how I could promote myself as the perfectionist tiler that I am ? Does anyone know anyone in the area? Any tilers on here in the area ? What about a business name, my previous name was Alnwick Ceramics. It doesnt really fit as Im 350 miles away !!!

Bit random this post but hey ho !

cheers

 

[Dan]

So you're thinking of jumping back into tiling ASAP?

I'd go with another area-specific name perhaps. And perhaps instead of ceramics (which don't get fixed much these days) go with 'tiles' or 'tiling' instead if somebody isn't already using it.

Not sure how to go about getting the business in, other than the usual ways, local rag if that's a done thing in the area, website, couple of free listings on the net (no paid-for ones IMO), and then keep your eyes peeled for contractors who have bathrooms in their workload as they normally go through a few tilers until they find the right one, and even then, it can go **** up sometimes.

 

[cam_low]

Pretty much Dan, I left my town with a spot on reputation, anal perfectionist lol !!!!

As the London areas and surrounding counties are filled with different ethnics and nationalities, in my opinion it really needs spelling out to them that these builders stroke tilers stroke everything else they think they are need to be put out of business and to stop shafting people.

I was thinking about spelling that out in my name. Im picturing the van now with something like (or if you can think of something better)

****CAMERON's TILING SERVICES, IM A TILER, NOT A BUILDER AND A....****

****THE ONLY TILER YOU WILL EVER NEED*****

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Never been a fan of blowing my own trumpet and I don't think your views of the trade in that area will win you any fans! It's always difficult to live up to to your own reputation and perhaps a low key approach may win you more work.
From the people I've come across who work in tile outlets, they all think they can tile after they've put a few displays up and then offer themselves as tilers to customers who are seeking tile choice advice. So try that and build up a client base on the back of Topps advertising - or recommend yourself by handing out your own business cards.

 

[cam_low]

Thanks John, I will bear that in mind. It's in my contract that I can't tile as it conflicts with the job. I think I will build my trade up with the tradesmen on the quiet then see what happens.

I have never heard of the whole cowboy/bad workmanship jobs as much as I have in the last week I have been employed with topps. Where I come from as you know, Alnwick, its a small town of 7000 people. Your name is everything. (You dont need to blow your own trumpet, your work does that for you
There are customers coming into topps on a daily basis, not just to me, that the 'builder' has messed up the tiling, the mosaics, used the wrong adhesive, one woman is onto her third set of bathroom tiles as two 'tilers' have messed it up.

I could go on and on but to be frank, there are people getting shafted on a daily basis and having to put up with crap finishes due to someone saying I can do that and others even having the audacity to take pictures from the net passing them off as their own work, more than likely peoples work off here!!!!

I think with your choice words above I have ideas written down and one of them fits in perfectly with just doing the norm, fitting in and hopefully work will get passed onto me from the builder/'tilers' instead of them doing it!

thanks john,