fast tiling

[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 Silicon 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 Silicon 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 Silicon 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 .

 

[jonnyc]

that said , I have had some remarkable tilers working for me in the past and one such was a crazy yank who was following his lady partner round the world as she took on very well paid IT short contracts.
This guy had worked all over the world and didnt give a dam about the money he got in any country she had a contract in.
but he came to work for me on away jobs and his work rate was extra ordinary.I never saw him eat either .we fell out when he decided to leave a job in ireland to meet his girlfriend in middle of job and then pitched up in new york paris ceramics showroom pretending to be me and showing various overseee jobs as his own . what he did not realize was that showroom sales girl knew me from uk !!

 

[radim]

on big floors I use mattress to wash the grout. speeds me up a bit.....:sofahide:

 

[jonnyc]

alan.
stone fixed and client very happy.
will keep you posted about when i can return to apply sealer and grout and could maybe meet up .
andrew holt was very grateful for your input as indeed was i .

 

[CJ]

Hate rushing.

My wife hates me rushing as well........

 

[The D]

OK this is the floor from yesterday pleas feel free to point out the parts of the job where you would have used your superior attention to detail and finesse. I'm not sure i will be able to sleep tonight knowing that i have done the floor so fast that it makes other tilers feel inferior. and i think i may take it all back up and re lay it slower so i can feel like i have done a good job.




i do not think i am that fast and i was not trying to go fast on this floor it was a comfortable pace for me to work at. i did not rush and i did not cut corners just to bang it down quick time but i am obversely faster than some on here does that make me fast or them slow?? You say meticulous i say slow. You say attention to detailed i say milking it. You say finesse i say swinging the led.


i actual do not give a hoot how fast or slow other tilers are but it gives me the hump when slow tilers slate other tilers based just on the fact they lay tiles faster than they do.