How we all doing for work..?

[BoldreChris]

We're still very busy here, booked solid into mid-April then patchy until July. None of it's tiling, though ! Shame, it's the most enjoyable part of the job and I haven't had a chance to try out my new Sigma yet !

 

[charlie1]

The big floors can be satisfying when you have a squad who work well together. We had about 7 men on some jobs and were wiping out 500m out in 3 days. :lol:

had brief experience working in squad, well just 2 of us, we got carried away and lost our line, had to redo arround 5 m2. think 2 of us done about 70 m2 in one day though, just plain 30 x30 porcs, but as you say, very rewarding just being part of the graft i suppose!

 

[bugs183]

It's so easy to loose your line working with other chaps, really important to use string lines and gauges just to check.
Also if you follow another fella's tiing they could hold the notched trowel at a different height and will be at a slightly different height.
The big floors used to be great, but the money is so tight it's not even worth it, we were asked to price 2500m2 of 600x600 polished porcelain, turned out they wanted us to come in at £8m2!!!!!! You'd need to lay 18m2 to earn day rate!

I've got about 6 weeks work ahead of me, but this week is a right off due to being messed around, so i'll earn nowt this week.

To be honest i'm getting really disilusioned with the whole tiling/self employed situation. I've not been paid for months, the customers on the whole are just a total pain, you spend hours after work quoting for them to totally change the tile so you have to requote or take a hit, not to mention the Anhydrite screed farse, and most of my work was big floors so thats gone for the chop. Missed weekends, price of Diesel, the list goes on.

Looking into retraining in April and dangling off ropes, Dad and i compared their day rates against last years books and after all the messing around, working weekends and the whole stress i may as well have worked for someone else doing a hassle free job.

 

[darren pealing]

worst january ever,people pulling out at the last minute,which really gets my goat,they dont realise they are playing with peoples livelihoods,thought feb might get better,starting to turn out like january,I've had enough of people wasting my time,in all my years its never been so bad,still,i no im not the only one.

 

[bugs183]

You can count on me to have a moan Darren!!!!
To be fair the next job is a big house Cheltenham for a lovely designer and her ace team, lovely work and great pay, so it will recharge the bank balance, but it is very difficult at the moment to make it all run smoothly both with cash flow and the diary.

 

[cam_low]

I have just got myself a new jobs, Topps Tiles has been good to me and I have made a lot of contacts. Of whom I start working for on friday is Belfry Plumbing / Devonsbrook bathrooms.

High end stuff over St Johns Wood area down to site tiling in bumpy whites. Also looking to further my plumbing skills with them. Its a family ran business and I can not wait to get stuck in ! MOT has just cost me £400 so thats me having a quiet drink on Saturday at White Hart Lane rather than a massive session !!!

 

[charlie1]

Only thing that keeps me going with tiling is the fact that i love it. Gives me a chance for me time. If i was doing this as a job i that i was not really interested in then id have packed it in long ago, as you say bugs, you don't really earn that much when you consider everything plus it can be stressful. Just had customer call today to change her mind on tiles so more time lost for me but i will take it on the chin this time.

 

[EverDon Tiling]

Got to much on I've had to stop taking on work I'm booked till August looking to take on but its finding someone I can trust do do a decent job.

 

[Perry]

i am thinking of putting up screens and working behind them no one will be allowed in if i loose any more work to copycats :incazzato: :ban:come up with a good idea everybody thinks that's good i will start a new business laying brick slips :incazzato:

 

[Alan.P]

i am thinking of putting up screens and working behind them no one will be allowed in if i loose any more work to copycats :incazzato: :ban:come up with a good idea everybody thinks that's good i will start a new business laying brick slips :incazzato:

It's hard mate, what to do, we'll see how it pans out.

 

[Bubblecraft]

Just this second had an Indian delivered to my house. Stood at the front door waiting on him walking down the drive. Was to busy reading my van. He said in his accent:
"You do Joinery, Electrical & Tiling?"
"You do work for me at my shop?"
"You have card & I call other day?"
Lol

 

[White Room]

That should be fun...

 

[philc33]

January does seem to be the worst time of year for a few things for me 1. Customer changing mind (tiles etc.) 2. The old favourite "can you just" or "while you're here" 3. Just generally being horrible ppl to work for haha

 

[Bubblecraft]

I've done work for another Indian takeaway a while back. Never again. Lesson learned