FAO TILERS IN ESSEX...Where do you shop for your adhesives ?

[cam_low]

I have just received my Selco catalogue and see that their prices are not particularly great and their range of tiling materials is one or two pages in their catalogue. I know I could get better prices in store but I am really looking for someone who stocks webber.

After using CTD for 5 years oops north I am very disappointed to see that there is no local one to me.

 

[Peter]

Topps Tiles Staff Discount :lol:

 

[cam_low]

Yawn.... ;P

 

[DHTiling]

CTD and PHG... never TOPPS..

 

[Dan]

The Southern CTD's are called TileBase I think aren't they?

 

[Plumbing Tiler]

The Southern CTD's are called TileBase I think aren't they?

If what Dan says is right then there is a Tilebase just down the road from you in Epping mate, 01992 560565, good luck

 

[Time's Ran Out]

CTD at Colchester - 41.6 miles from Woodford Green.

01206 542052

 

[cam_low]

cheers for this lads. I have met a guy who wants me on doing airports and such like. One month at Topps is my lot. Met loadsa contacts got some private work, turned out I was their best seller within one week. Made a couple hundred commission in a fortnight and Im gonna see my month out.

Its been an insight however I think you all need to know that they are not as bad as made out to be. Thats all Im saying, any questions, go for it.

I'll do my best to answer them.

 

[Ian]

Do you know what mate, I've spent a lot of time defending Topps on this forum since I joined, as we have a really good store where I live, however, over the past few months I've been having more and more gripes with them, mainly about prices but, just recently the quality of tiles. I hit the roof today when I was given another 'bad batch' of slate to fit today (the 3rd bad batch in a row). Just another company that is only interested in making money and not giving the customer a quality product at a competitive price. I can't wait for the day when I never have to set foot in a Topps ever again. Oh, here's the slate




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[White Room]

Your on a hiding to no where with them...why oh why do they send that out to someone and expect them to be laid:yikes:

 

[cam_low]

Bri you are right about the prices, everyone knows that they are extortionate. What most people dont know is that they are owned by MTD (Multi Tile Distribution) who sell the tiles to Topps Tiles so that they get double bubble and do not have to give out more commission to the staff. Currently they get 3%, which I assure you is nothing to what they are making....double bubble once sold in topps, 47% margin is the target day to day, its all down to the MTD issue. They simply cant go any lower than this as most staff have had their 'make the sale' passwords removed. We are being guided to making this 47% which makes the gross profit target to make a gold on the steering wheel segment which in turn leads to another bonus which is shared out between everyone.

I know first hand what issues you can have with tiles as the Marfill range they sell are 75cm long, bowed and not great quality at all for the prices.

There is also a new polished porcelain which I had to do a display for. They are that badly made that they must all be wet cut, which puts strain on the tiler when putting a price in as they dont know that when they dry cut them they will never snap straight!!!

I can vouch for their knowledge of substrates, adhesives, grouts and sealers. However they all feel guilty in charging customers (in my shop anyway) £50 for a bag of BAL which Topps pays £2-£3 a bag for !!!!!!!!!

 

[Ian]

Aside from that cack stone, I asked for a price on a 30 m2 roll of dural the other day, £339!!!!:yikes::yikes::yikes: Now the going rate is around the £200 mark and that's what I said to them, the fella behind the counter said that if they sold it at £200 they'd only be making a tenner on it at store level. Madness. Sorry to be so negative but, it's hard not to be when this sort of thing is going on.

 

[cam_low]

I'll get back to you on that one Bri, you have pm.

 

[John Benton]

Do you know what mate, I've spent a lot of time defending Topps on this forum since I joined, as we have a really good store where I live, however, over the past few months I've been having more and more gripes with them, mainly about prices but, just recently the quality of tiles. I hit the roof today when I was given another 'bad batch' of slate to fit today (the 3rd bad batch in a row). Just another company that is only interested in making money and not giving the customer a quality product at a competitive price. I can't wait for the day when I never have to set foot in a Topps ever again. Oh, here's the slate

View attachment 44920


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Apparently that slate is cut that way to allow for the builders that have levelled the floor. Once you've found the high points, you lay the tiles with the largest curve and voila, off you go

 

[cam_low]

hahaaha, its all we get in topps to be fair, multi traders and I have been telling customers from day one to get a bonifide tiler. Builders are not tilers, up to them if they want to fix expensive tiles for them to have possibly not been fixed correctly.

The point I missed out in my last rant was that the store manager said (about the new polished porcelain) is that thats the tilers problem and we just need to sell them. Im feeling a tad guilty for as I said I wouldnt want to get back on the tools nor use them at all for a stepping stone but theyll find someone else to take my place, wont sell as well though hahaa !

 

[Andy Allen]

my local topps wanted to charge a customer £20 just to recommend a tiler...

they allso sold a customer 3 different batches of floor tiles at full retail price and told her they would be fine.......they weren't !!!!!

and the one i had a few weeks ago, 2 different tiles for the same bathroom, one white one black, 5mm difference in size, they said tell the tiler to open the joints up on the smaller so it lines up...:mad2:

i could go on but its getting late...my oppion of topps, they are only after the sales, and dont give a stuff about the customer..

 

[cam_low]

Topps are not allowed to recommend a tiler. They can only point to their trade card wall never mind charge for it!!!

Nothing surprises me, tell me where you local topps is I'll point out to someone they may need to take a look at it.

In everyones interests isnt it !!

 

[DHTiling]

So what happened to the TAT, Topps approved tiler scheme. ?

 

[cam_low]

they still run that but only for select tilers. we have one at our branch. he gets shared around branches too. they have had a few bad experiences. tilers getting other people to do the job. :O

 

[Time's Ran Out]

TAT! an apt acronym

 

[DHTiling]

So Topps do recommend tilers then. Lol.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

they still run that but only for select tilers. we have one at our branch. he gets shared around branches too. they have had a few bad experiences. tilers getting other people to do the job. :O

or builders pretending to be tilers and the staff not knowing the difference. commsion can be an evil .greed makes a fool of all

 

[John Benton]

I once bought some trim from Topps, my bank manager approved the spend first!!!

 

[cam_low]

No not at all, the tiler has to be checked and vetted first. A process involving seeing portfolios, physical work amongst other things.

They provide a fitting service. Not a recommendation.

As for commission the meagre 3% after tax after this after that etc does not give anyone the inclination or drive to sell anything. The staff where I work advise very well. I hope they carry on doing a good job.

 

[Andy Allen]

No not at all, the tiler has to be checked and vetted first. A process involving seeing portfolios, physical work amongst other things.

They provide a fitting service. Not a recommendation.

As for commission the meagre 3% after tax after this after that etc does not give anyone the inclination or drive to sell anything. The staff where I work advise very well. I hope they carry on doing a good job.

so, do topps charge for this fitting service?