One For The Newbies - How Do They Get Around Taking On Work Above Their Skill Level?

[Old Mod]

No nothing that complicated, say a herringbone with a border maybe.

In over 30 years I've done many herringbone and many floors,with a border, but never the Twain have met! Haha 😀

 

[Spare Tool]

Singing is a must!

2k posts minimum and LOADS of good advice before the green goblin spits on you.

That's me out of the running then...2000 posts eventually maybe.
Good advice...pah, I'm winging it 😉

 

[Spare Tool]

In over 30 years I've done many herringbone and many floors,with a border, but never the Twain have met! Haha 😀

..and lets keep it that way 😉
Move this under the radar n quick 😉

 

[philrab66]

I'm a newbie Phil and when I go to quote for work I'm always honest to the customer, id rather explain where I'm at in terms of experience and let them decide, as I got in to the trade to a good job and be in it long term, I don't think lying and blaging through the jobs will keep me in work and in the trade for long, yes I may not get all the work I go for but I won't be a newbie forever. Just like the plastering, two years on I'm very confident I can tackle most situations I come across, but as 3 fall said, this forum will help a lot.

Thanks for your reply. What would you say you have found hard being a newbie can you share a few things you have come up against even the smallest of things for example not looking at job closely enough when quoting. Do you have a hard time convincing customers for example they need tanking and so on.
Cheers Phil.

 

[p4ulo]

Most of the time when I do jobs (a rarity nowadays TBH), they are for friends, so I make sure they are aware of my abilities. Having said that, I've done loads of work for people and a few have seen previous jobs so I get enquiries through that...
Herringbone, GEO etc.....now they would freak me right out, but Youtube normally comes good!

 

[Spare Tool]

Most of the time when I do jobs (a rarity nowadays TBH), they are for friends, so I make sure they are aware of my abilities. Having said that, I've done loads of work for people and a few have seen previous jobs so I get enquiries through that...
Herringbone, GEO etc.....now they would freak me right out, but Youtube normally comes good!

Yeah like that geezer sharing his 'secrets' 😉 about tiling on chipboard n pva..haha

 

[Old Mod]

Most of the time when I do jobs (a rarity nowadays TBH), they are for friends, so I make sure they are aware of my abilities. Having said that, I've done loads of work for people and a few have seen previous jobs so I get enquiries through that...
Herringbone, GEO etc.....now they would freak me right out, but Youtube normally comes good!

YouTube!
Get of this forum this instant! Hahaha 😉

 

[Dan]

Thanks for your reply. What would you say you have found hard being a newbie can you share a few things you have come up against even the smallest of things for example not looking at job closely enough when quoting. Do you have a hard time convincing customers for example they need tanking and so on.
Cheers Phil.

You read this? A year in the life of a new Tiler.

 

[Mr Tiler]

You read this? A year in the life of a new Tiler.

He means the little issues on jobs dan not overall setting up and running of the busines i think??? When your quoting make sure you go through each step of the job and price it all accordingly mate, when you do miss something and it crops up you can either put up and shut up or you can try to fit it in on a revised bill at the end of the job as something you didnt know was going to be needed. I still make mistakes i havnt been doing it long either. Get stuck in a dont rip people off just be honest with customers if you think the jobs too much and they may even ask for a price reduction for you testing your skills ive had it happen myself and i havnt had one person slam the door in my face, once quoted for a builder when i first started out it was metrics in a bathroom but also wanted stone in the porch not even a metre, but i wasnt confident so i called the builder afterwards and told him i wasnt confident with the stone so couldnt take the job. He did the stone and i did the bathroom happy days it always works well as long as your honest.

 

[Mr Tiler]

And thats honest before not after youve destroyed there bathroom lol