fast tiling

[The D]

OK i was reading a thread and was quite surprised at the attitude of some of the members when it comes to tilers that can get the m2 done quick time. the comments came thick and fast "if it was done that quick it must have been done wrong as in not back skimmed or it must be rough or a lie". now I'm not one to start an argument and i know that fast does not automatically mean good. but it does not automatically mean bad. and i know it is hard for some to conceive that a tiler can fix more than five m2 per day without it being complete rubbish but believe it or not some of us can. and to be honest slow is no guarantee of quality either. i will post some pics tomorrow of a floor i did today 36m2 kitchen, dining room, broom cupboard, hall, cupboard under the stairs, and cloak room. on to a power floated floor using 600 by 300 Eagle polished porcelain.


but for now here is one from the other day not exactly high end but not minging either

 

[Qwerty]

I agree, fast is not necessarily shoddy. I think it's because we can all relate to (have witnessed) rush bodge jobs rather than quick good jobs.
Your photos look clean as always Deano

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

I agree, i can motor with the mosaic pools two weeks or less, sometimes three if i'am rendering / screeding, i'am in a closed group of tilers on Facebook and there are guys there that get to work on the best mosaic pools in the world, these guys take 3-4 months on jobs, but there work is perfection, over here we would just be laughed off site/jobs, Ultimately all work is priced on a measured scale either time or area here in the uk, how do guys doing 5m a day/ splash backs make it pay.........?

 

[Time's Ran Out]

'How do you guys doing 5m/ a day splashbacks make it pay'

They don't it's the customer who pays for their inexperience.
Imo you have to learn to tile faster, it's a method just like setting out, it's not a case of throwing them on/down, it's knowing that every tile is solid and correct and what is acceptable!
It's not a part of the job that is teachable, it comes with experience.

 

[Ian]

My speed has picked up drastically over the last couple of years, there was a time when a full bathroom (20m walls, 1 window, 7m floor with hardibacker) would have taken me a good 5 days, now I can do one in half that time. The main reason (I think!) is because I organise everything around me, all tools to hand and tiles stacked in the middle of the room ready to fit. Also, I find setting out doesn't take very long anymore as I tend to know what I'm looking for and where I want everything to be.

 

[AliGage]

Well im no 5m a day tiler but im no 35m a day tiler either. Personally i don't think i could leave at the end of the day without being paranoid.
If some tilers can bang out that sort of coverage in 8 hours thats great for you. I like leaving my customers safe in the knowledge i've taken care and attention fixing their tiles. Don't think i could confidently.

And, believe it or not i enjoy my work. Why rush?

 

[Mr Tiler]

Well im no 5m a day tiler but im no 35m a day tiler either. Personally i don't think i could leave at the end of the day without being paranoid.
If some tilers can bang out that sort of coverage in 8 hours thats great for you. I like leaving my customers safe in the knowledge i've taken care and attention fixing their tiles. Don't think i could confidently.

And, believe it or not i enjoy my work. Why rush?

its site work ali, I doubt deano would of wacked that floor out in the same speed iof it was a private job mate

 

[AliGage]

Dont really see that being a point at all.

 

[Dougs Third Go]

its site work ali, I doubt deano would of wacked that floor out in the same speed iof it was a private job mate

I bet he could..

 

[Qwerty]

I am happy to say I am on the slower side.
I set my prices, I get the business, my customers pay, I take home a healthy wage, my customers are happy and recommend me, I get more business. My customers are not paying for my inexperience, they are paying for my attention to detail and finesse.
I'm fortunate to live and work in one of the most laid back and affluent areas in the country.
I'm faster than I used to be but I'm sure as hell not going to speed up intentionally, my customers may think I will be cutting corners!!! :lol: :smilewinkgrin:

 

[AliGage]

I am happy to say I am on the slower side.
I set my prices, I get the business, my customers pay, I take home a healthy wage, my customers are happy and recommend me, I get more business. My customers are not paying for my inexperience, they are paying for my attention to detail and finesse.
I'm fortunate to live and work in one of the most laid back and affluent areas in the country.
I'm faster than I used to be but I'm sure as hell not going to speed up intentionally, my customers may think I will be cutting corners!!! :lol: :smilewinkgrin:

**Like**

 

[Qwerty]

**Like**

:lol: Still on tapatalk eh Ali

 

[AliGage]

Yup.

Still no like button :'(

**Dislike**

 

[Diggy]

So is that 35m² grouted?

Diggy

 

[charlie1]

I used to put everything in to my tiling, obsessing about .25/.5 mm here and there... My "A" game if you wish. I don't think the public obsess about these things half as much as I do so I now do an average bathroom in around 2 days or slightly less (big deal). For one, all my walls are pretty plumb so no double marking. I also get my walls pretty flat so 6 mm trowel which means you can tile a wall in around an hour. The bathrooms are by no means jotm entries but customers are very happy. Then you get some rectified porcelain on brick bond, that's when you need to up your game again.

The point of my story is, the quick guys are Not IMO giving it all (don't take that in a bad way), I simply mean they have a good system and their B or even C game is pretty good so their tiling confidently on auto pilot with no need for double checking here and there like some of us do.

 

[Ian]

I also used to make sure all my visible cuts were perfect to the mm, now I've trained myself out of wasting time getting them all perfect when they're going to be covered by silicone anyway. Some things are unnecessary, what's the point in doing an amazing cut if it's going to be covered up? I used to do it just to show off and prove that I could do it, daft really.

 

[Sean Kelly]

I also used to make sure all my visible cuts were perfect to the mm, now I've trained myself out of wasting time getting them all perfect when they're going to be covered by silicone anyway. Some things are unnecessary, what's the point in doing an amazing cut if it's going to be covered up? I used to do it just to show off and prove that I could do it, daft really.

I'm still doing it Bri, Wasting diamond drill bits for nice neat holes around pipes that will be hidden by a vanity unit. With me some days are slow and some days are slower! However, I like to give myself a target and I won't go home until that target has been met. I also have targets for going to the toilet. I have to finish a line of tiles then I can reward myself with a pee.

 

[Ian]

Lol, you know how to treat yourself mate

 

[Qwerty]

[MENTION=5493]Sean Kelly[/MENTION] .....:lol:

 

[Sean Kelly]

Very funny Geoff. Does Dave at Tradetiler sell these!

 

[Qwerty]

Sounds like the start of a new trend!

 

[Ajax123]

I could do 5m2 of rubbish tiling a day easy....

 

[Ian]

I've decided to take a leaf out of Sean's book and reward myself with toilet visits, I've had a bad day so unfortunately my trousers will need to go in the wash tonight and I won't be able to turn my y-fronts inside out for tomorrow.

 

[Sean Page]

On commercial work I was part of a two man team and in 12hrs we'd tile and grout 80-100m2 per day but that was when I was younger and it was non stop all day. The work certainly wasn't shabby, the floors were usually big flat open areas (shop floors) and everything was to hand. Basically the system was that one person would spend the day labouring, ensuring tiles were handy, adhesive was mixed and ready, cuts were done as required and areas were swept as we worked across the site and the other guy would literally spend the day on his knees. At the end of the day, everything we had tiled was grouted and washed off twice using washboys so that that area could be handed over to the other trades. The following day we would swap over roles. I spent many months with blisters on the back of my knees from the straps of the kneepads.

These days I work at a nicer pace, and I work alone the majority of the time. For an average bathroom I allow myself about four days but this includes silicone to all the movement joints etc and any thing extra that the customer requires

 

[jonnyc]

OK i was reading a thread and was quite surprised at the attitude of some of the members when it comes to tilers that can get the m2 done quick time. the comments came thick and fast "if it was done that quick it must have been done wrong as in not back skimmed or it must be rough or a lie". now I'm not one to start an argument and i know that fast does not automatically mean good. but it does not automatically mean bad. and i know it is hard for some to conceive that a tiler can fix more than five m2 per day without it being complete rubbish but believe it or not some of us can. and to be honest slow is no guarantee of quality either. i will post some pics tomorrow of a floor i did today 36m2 kitchen, dining room, broom cupboard, hall, cupboard under the stairs, and cloak room. on to a power floated floor using 600 by 300 Eagle polished porcelain.


but for now here is one from the other day not exactly high end but not minging either
View attachment 58889 View attachment 58890 View attachment 58891 View attachment 58892 View attachment 58893

did you do the whole 36 m2 in day and by your self or with how much help?
i is an interesting subject about how much one can lay in a day and of course there are so many variants.
personally i never never allowed my employees to lay a rectified porcelain with a straight notch . we solid bed every tile . thats just me and the way i work . doesnt make me right or wrong.
but i know after many years of experience that if my guys fix and cut 8 sq mts a day of limestone solid bedded on an average job of say 25-40 sq mts i have costed correctly .