i have met 2 tilers last week. i asked how much they would charge for tiling a conservatory in 30cm x 30cm marble 16m2 over ufh that was to be screeded by me. one guy said £400 ound, i told him to go and have sexual relations with himself. the other guy said 180 if i sealed them the day before to save some time.
i asked him why he was so cheap, he said i am not, its just that the market is flooded with 4 week course merchants who think that installing stone is an art. he said its easy and as long as you have the right cutting equioment and you understand about sealers then theres nothing to it.
he came, did the job, immaculate and was gone by 2-30 where he was off to to a kitchen slash back for 120, so he made 300 by 6-30pm. he had 25 years exp, time served, worked for tysons in liverpool and was shiiit hot, so dont tell me about working cheao and lowering the market. this gut was fast, he made 300 in aq longish day and he has never even heard of a forum because he's too busy working 6 days a week......
the moral of the story is, if you are good and then 20 pound a meter can still be worth a lot..if natural stone is so difficult, how come i learned nearly everything you need to know in 1 day on nett's course. its just heavier, needs sealing and needs heavier cutting equipment.