first tiling job

[connors12345]

hello everyone. completed the pts tiling course in warrington about 3 weeks ago and just started my first kitchen today. the customer is a friend of the other half. priced up at £150 to do 8m2. 3 walls doing upto ceiling (above units) and 1 wall no tiles. walls not too bad apart from adhesive left on walls from old tiles and a few holes what the customer has tried to fill in with a very very sandy cement. the tiles are from topps tiles 10cm bevelled edge which are not the best in the world to cut with the rubi.... very rough surface.
FEW QUESTIONS.....
how much would you have charged?
will i have to seal the sandy cement?
the metal trims are showing through the plaster around the windows can i tile onto this? using bal adh
after wet cutting do you leave to dry out fully before laying tiles?
took 5 1/2 hours to nearly finish 1 wall this was the wall with the cooker hood?????
wrecked head a bit setting out with 10cm tiles so worked out cooker hood wall and window wall only otherwise you could go on forever. there is room for maneuvre with bevelled edge.... i think....how would you set out for such small tiles. you are going to end up with small cuts somewhere
thanks

 

[grumpygrouter]

8m2 of 100mm tiles is about 800 tiles to fix! £150 is going to be very hard earned in my opinion.

I usually give tiles that have been wet cut a quick wipe down with a cloth before fixing. The setting out will depend on the walls, sockets windows/ledges etc so not easy to give advice on this. Usually you will try and work out from the centre of a focal point (cooker hood?). If the cuts appear to be very small, try using a half tile from the datum point to check where things lie.

You didn't say what adhesive you are using, only that it was BAL. Which one?

If you are struggling, give Chris Beano or Linden a call at PTS, they will guide you.

Grumpy

 

[maxamus]

hi conner
i also did a pts course at harlow look in your folder for help and if you get any problems give your tutor a call i do this a lot if i'm stuck.:8:

 

[tysfoot]

put it down to experience and take track on times, think to yourself ho long it will take when your upto speed and charge a day rate between £100 - £130

 

[tiler tom]

I take it this is your first job as it is a friend of the other half so use it as a means of doing a job in the real world rather than making money at it. If you are happy with 150 and the experience then fine. When doing a kitchen which in most cases I find requires a small tile and cutting around sockets i deciide a day rate for myself and decide how long it would take before giving my quote adding to it all adhesives , grout and trim. 8 Sq metres is quite a kitchen and could take 3 days to do 3x120 inc 1 adhesive 7 ,1 grout 7 and a couple of trims 3. Total 377. Keep it to 377 do a good job and " theres 400 thanks a lot". As for the sand/ cement doesn't sound much of a problem as long as it isn't a large area just tile over. The exposed metal just make sure it is not proud and tile over. After wet cutting just wipe off the excess with a cloth. When setting out start with the cooker hood either with a full tile centre of a grout line whichever works out best for corner cuts, sockets and so on, then set out the other 2 walls and try not to worry about carrying a full tile around the corners as it is not always possible when working with a small tile, an 80 mm tile in the corner isn't going to stand out.

 

[tilinga2z]

Just a quick note on setting out, there are many weird and wonderful methods and all have merits to some extent. As the boys have stated already on this job the space above the cooker would dictate your setting either full tile each side of centre or one tile split over the centre line. But to not confuse yourself mark out your batterns by laying tiles on to the battern with spacers in place. And go over all of your hazards in the kitchen you will spot any problems in seconds, beleive me it is almost idiot proof. As for your price, right now knowledge is key so take the price on the chin, in a few months you will be telling the customer why at least double this amount is good value for your services, ofcourse in a polite and professional manner. Read many of the threads by the old habds on hear I can guarantee that what you need has been covered by somebody....best of luck mate onward and upward

 

[connors12345]

thanks everybody for your help
the customer phoned last night saying she thinks the full tiling job is going to be too much i.e 4 different colours and might be too busy now wants it as a splashback......... thank god for that

 

[rsl tiling]

I done my first job about 2 months ago,much the same size as your doing had 8 sockets to cut round and tile above the cooker hood charged him £230 for it,thought it would only take me a couple of days to do!but was at it for about 4 and half but it was the experience i was looking for so making money didn't really matter to much

 

[elliesdad224]

i would have priced that job at 150 a day plus materials, 3 days max, 500 all in, but i've been doing it for 20 years now, goodluck