Im Sure you've heard it all before

[little ed]

Evening all, Please firsta of all let me appologise as you guys must get this all the time.

I completed a short course about two or three years ago now i was a city and guilds course a basic two week one.

After the course i was hoping to get some experience from family and friends doing free jobs etc. i contacted tilers to see if i could do some free work with them for experience. That didn't happen and i ended up losing faith but always hoped i would get into the industry.

So my question is without being let loose on real paid jobs with little to no experience and ending up on watchdog:yikes:. How do people reccomend i gain some experience in the industry. Also i would be gretful if people would be honest with me and let me know whether its possiblily going to be a non starter given my age which is coming up for 31 this year.

Thanks guys in advance

Ed

 

[DHTiling]

Hi Ed...

It could possibly be a bad time to try and enter a market that time served tilers are struggling in.. Local tilers to you might be hesitant to give you work in fear you could poach from them etc.. but it is worth a try...

let us know how yo get on.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Hi Ed and welcome, I started to answer this and said more or less the same as Dave above. I stopped half way through, thinking I may come across as negative, but Dave is spot on, things are really bad atm never known it this bad in the 44yrs I have been in the industry. Sorry, good luck.

 

[little ed]

Thanks for the replies guys and also the honesty. This was kind of what i was expecting to hear really as it was the same the last time i tried a few years back.

I guess i could look at that if were to get work with somebody then i could be pretty sure that the wages would hopefully go up if this is as bad as some have seen it in the last 44 years??

Just out of interest and only roughly, what sort of wage can be expected in this hard time. I only ask as people say its really bad in a lot of areas of work, but i earn about £280 a week, could i expect a similar amount or more/less?

Thanks again for the input.

Ed

 

[White Room]

What do you do now for work...

 

[little ed]

What do you do now for work...

I work in a sports centre at a local university. I have to work shifts of earlies middles shift and late shifts including weekends I've been there eight years after only wanti g to be for two!!

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

go to your local tile shops say you will help out at week ends if a tiler needs some help for no pay i f you work hard you will learn much and might even get a tip

 

[foggy34]

as above difficult for anyone hoping to get into any trade at min imo, but fingers crossed 4 ya

 

[Sean Kelly]

Morning Ed, when I first started tiling I practised on my own kitchen. I would not let myself loose on customers houses so I got a job on a building site. To be honest I would have worked for nothing (just to gain the experience). However, I got paid £40 a day for a 9 hour day plus I had to travel 2hrs in the morning & evening. Slave labour - yes, but I practised on their tiles. They were taking advantage of me and I was of them. Snagging was the best part of the job. Cutting around toilets etc. I don't think there is a weekly wage in tiling! At the moment I would love to earn £280 a week. It's up and down. Down for me at the moment. Good luck Ed
Sean

 

[Perry]

Good luck but I am afraid you might be to old to start as I was 30 when i started makes you a year older Just joking just be interested it what you do and always look for ways to improve

 

[Alan M]

i think age is irelivent. to a point.
it is quality that gets you work.
if you were 50 or more then maybe your age would work against you but 31 is young.
i would go to a few local tilers and offer your labour for free in exchange for experience.
at first you will only make tea and mix addy but eventually you will cut a few tiles when in a rush on a job or i one breaks etc.
just watching a pro will really help you.
then find jobs at home to tile . even if its the garage . go to big tile shops and tell them you are learning and have they any old tiles that arnt selling (a tile shop near me has oldfasioned tiles that must have been on the arc). they might sell them cheap to you. put a few obsticals in the way (pipes,boxs, windows etc).;
tile it a few times and dont be afraid of mistakes, thats how you learn.
you will see aqward situations on site all the time and you should replicate them in the garage.
eventually you will be good enough to tackle your own kitchen or bathromm etc. show the tiler you work for the job and see what they think. . if they are happy with your work they might let you do a bit more. eventually you might even get paid

 

[Aston]

hi little ed

if i were you mate, i would look at the place you work for a bit of inspiration? university??
it could take you quite a few years to get where you want in the tiling game at the moment. not many people will give you a chance as dave says. tiling is an over populated undervalued trade at the moment and considering the construction industry is as bad as its been, then i'd think long and hard about your future.

if i was 31 again, id find out what professions are in demand or will be in demand in the next 5 years and then i'd sign up as a mature student on a part time degree course (YOU COULD BE ON ONE BY SEPT 2012)...say it takes 4-5 years, so what, you will only be 35-36 with a 30 year career ahead of you in a steady decent paid job...you could still learn some tiling to do at the weekends to earn some extra cash and experience.....you then will have the best of both worlds...

best of luck and dont be down because theres not much going on now, it might be a blessing in disguise ;0) do something thats in demand and needs professional qualifications because it stops the average joe muscling in.. by the way, 31 is not old, trust me ;0)

 

[Dan]

Hi Ed,

As you can see from the following poll: http://www.tilersforums.com/tiling-forum/59870-what-percentage-jobs-through-contacts-contracts.html

A large percentage of tilers with steady work flow seem to have most of their work via contacts they have, or contracts they're working under for bigger companies.

I'd perhaps pursue working for a contractor whereby you can continue to learn and gain experience but also get paid a bit.

Since August 2008 (when the banks went bust and the country changed somewhat) many tradesmen have taken a hit.

Though the ones doing well seem to have either kept their contacts, or changed their business model to be inkeeping with what the current climate is sort of asking for. Some have added more trades to their belt too, so that they can offer a complete service and not need to rely on other tradesmen such as plumbers etc.

 

[little ed]

hello all, thanks for the honest replies here.

The replies i got were pretty much what i was expecting to get but its nice to get some honesty. I thin i will still try and pursue this, i will again try different companies for free experience and see where i get, i think i may have some home tiling jobs soon which will be good. As for getting into a course at uni that not a possiblity so thats not going to hsppen.

Now my nest question is, when contacting tiling companies do you think it is best to phone or write to these companies and why.

Thanks again guys

Ed

 

[Alan M]

i would say visit in person. you will get a more honest answer. a letter tells you nothing , the company might not have even read it.

at least in person you have some control over the situation and can respond to them