First commercial tiling job

[Mr Tiler]

go for it bud show people what you have had to cope with to carry on your career

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

I tile with one hand,lost the use of my left arm in a road accident while coming home from work in 1980 but can still average anything from 10 to 15 m2 a day it took me 2 years to get back into the job but there is very little that I can not manage, you do adapt.

I am loosing the use of my right arm slowly, it has been an ongoing problem since I was in my thirties, as you say we have to adapt, having two broken fingers on the same hand makes it harder.:yikes:

 

[charlie1]

Necessity is the mother of invention as they say

 

[afright]

I am loosing the use of my right arm slowly, it has been an ongoing problem since I was in my thirties, as you say we have to adapt, having two broken fingers on the same hand makes it harder.:yikes:

I have now tiled longer with one arm than I did with two,but my work seems to be getter harder now the tiles are getting bigger,the floors are the worst using one arm its hard to support yourself so the back suffers,I have made a tile trolley for floors which makes it easy for the big tiles.

 

[charlie1]

I'm in total amazement that someone can tile with one arm, it can be challenging with 2 at times. So many questions about the mechanics of how you actually do it (especially with larger format) but I won't ask, you get it done so that's all that matters. I tell you what though, this has and will give me strength in 2014! I know 2014 is gonna be a fight for me with new challenges but your story will make me stronger... Good luck to you in 2014 a frighta fright

 

[Mr Tiler]

Maybe you should go down and do a job with him sometime Charlie see how its done I'm sure there are some thing he may even have to teach you

 

[charlie1]

Maybe you should go down and do a job with him sometime Charlie see how its done I'm sure there are some thing he may even have to teach you

Im im sure he could but being up in Scotland it's quite difficult. Interesting point you raise mr t though, I've never worked along side another tiler who has not taught me something( even the rougher ones) so my advice to you is, if given the opportunity to do the same, I suggest you take it no matter who they are.

 

[Mr Tiler]

Tbh mate I thought it would be easier than the way it has been I've had to learn myself from this site. Offering a free hand should be took as a good thing but the way things are now people see it as bad think I would of been better asking for money lol. Tbh Charlie even if Dave (who would probably beat me to a pulp on first sight lol) offers me some I'd take itnits just there's only a certain distance I can travel as I have 2 kids. I'd gladly travel an hour/ hour n half to work for someone every day. Cheers bud

 

[charlie1]

Tbh mate I thought it would be easier than the way it has been I've had to learn myself from this site. Offering a free hand should be took as a good thing but the way things are now people see it as bad think I would of been better asking for money lol. Tbh Charlie even if Dave (who would probably beat me to a pulp on first sight lol) offers me some I'd take itnits just there's only a certain distance I can travel as I have 2 kids. I'd gladly travel an hour/ hour n half to work for someone every day. Cheers bud

Ok if you get the chance to go out with someone here is my no1 rule of advice for you... Don't ask too many questions at first, it will slow the tiler down so jus try to learn by watching. If he has your best interests at heart then he will explain things to you as he goes. It won't all make sense at first but I would hope after a few weeks then the pieces will start to fit together. What area are you from?... Just noticed Birmingham area

 

[Mr Tiler]

Yeah just next to brum mate... Advice taken mate thank you

 

[afright]

First things first,I would start of by learning to grout, (Ive come across a few lads in my time that have messed jobs up because they dont take it all in )Grouting can make or break a job, I spent most of my first three years grouting,it was the proudest day of my life when my boss gave me my first tiling job (splashbacks in a block of council flats),you know what they say walk before you can run.

 

[Gazzer]

First things first,I would start of by learning to grout, (Ive come across a few lads in my time that have messed jobs up because they dont take it all in )Grouting can make or break a job, I spent most of my first three years grouting,it was the proudest day of my life when my boss gave me my first tiling job (splashbacks in a block of council flats),you know what they say walk before you can run.

I can remember the owner of a local tile store when I was young saying that too me " Grouting can either make or break a job" ....I reckon more diy jobs are messed up at the grouting stage...How many times has a nother trade or a client come up to you and said that Grouting is the hard part and the part they hate......?

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

I can remember the owner of a local tile store when I was young saying that too me " Grouting can either make or break a job" ....I reckon more diy jobs are messed up at the grouting stage...How many times has a nother trade or a client come up to you and said that Grouting is the hard part and the part they hate......?

I hear that all the time neale. I love grouting as I know the jobs nearly finished also with grouting if you don't have the right mixture say too wet you will get air bubbles grout sinks and its a pain ti actually get a nice finish

 

[afright]

I can remember the owner of a local tile store when I was young saying that too me " Grouting can either make or break a job" ....I reckon more diy jobs are messed up at the grouting stage...How many times has a nother trade or a client come up to you and said that Grouting is the hard part and the part they hate......?

Its when you see some jobs were the tiler can not be bothered polishing really gets me,that's what really makes the job ,I sometimes take twice as long to polish as I do to grout,you leave a dirty job and the customer will find more faults.

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Do you polish same day?