Part time tiling

[RDTiling]

Hi all.

In my intro (a few months ago) I was looking at making the move from office work into tiling. Whilst I've not been posting I do read the forums most nights.

Now that I've got finances in order I am almost ready to go...I've managed to set up getting some experience with a tiler friend of mine at weekends.

Obviously it's quite a risky move, going from a steady income to something not quite so steady. I am now considering staying on at my current job Monday- Wednesday and then tiling Thursday to Sunday, until I am in position to tile full time.

I am curious as to what current tilers thought of this, particularly on whether is 4 days enough time to allow me to tile a "standard" kitchen or bathroom? My concerns with this is what if I need to use plaster on walls or self levelling on a floor, as this means I can't tile until these are fully set. The last thing I want to do is rush a job, as I don't want to ruin my reputation, as this wouldn't be an easy thing to rebuild.

Any thought or suggestions are welcome.

 

[enduro]

If you just start with small jobs thats fine. Is there such a thing as a standard bathroom or kitchen?

 

[RDTiling]

Is there such a thing as a standard bathroom or kitchen?

My thoughts exactly!

Thanks for the feedback enduro.

 

[shogun rua]

Not sure if 4 days is enough when starting out, quality might suffer due to rushing, but maybe i was just that slow when starting out, good luck mate:welcome:

 

[Marksmithtiling]

Difficult one this, I've just done the opposite. I have taken another job leaving Mon Tues Weds free for tiling work. There are so many things that can mess up the timings of jobs when you have other commitments. relying on other trades to finish on time etc. There is no point telling a customer you can do the job,the plumber for example, doesn't finish on time and you cant tile in the time left so customer has no bathroom till you can get back there next week. As above stick to small jobs. Good luck

 

[RDTiling]

Thanks all. I appreciate it is a difficult one.

i guess that if I am honest with any customer at the outset then that way there are no surprises.

Im prepared to work on the Wednesday evening to do some of the prep work, such as removing old tiles etc.

id like to be able just to switch to full time tiling, but I've seen so many posts on here that says work is slow at the moment, so this was a good middle ground (in my head anyway!)

 

[Martyn Leeds]

Do it,
probably the best option to get the small jobs and experience, & at the same time keeping in employment.

The odd splashback, small floor etc should be easy enough to manage. If you get the option for big jobs you can always take a bit of holiday etc, move days around. But I'd start & see what happens..

 

[Rookery]

Dont forget some customers wont want you to work in their home in the evenings and weekends, especially on the Sabbath. If you are lucky enough to win a bigger job, share it with someone more experienced so they can carry on while your behind your desk.

 

[White Room]

I found that some customers don't want you in there premises after five.......

 

[enduro]

I found that some customers don't want you in there premises after five.......

I dont want to be in there houses at 5pm..i want to be in mine!

 

[Ian]

To give you a rough idea, a full bathroom including prep takes me a full 5 days, based on a 16m walls, 4m floor. Don't put yourself in a position where you are forced to rush to get a job finished, that's when mistakes are made and the quality of the finish is compromised.

 

[shogun rua]

my thought exactly Bri

 

[RDTiling]

Thanks all, definitely some 'food for thought', and thanks Bri for giving me an example of timings with a room size.

I need to make some kind of change of career, it's almost reached the now or never stage and I don't fancy working for another 36 years in a pensions office until I can draw on my state pension (assuming that exists by the time I get to 68!!)

 

[Ian]

Just take some small jobs on to start with, kitchen splash backs, small floors etc. you may find that as you complete more jobs and your confidence builds, you may be in a position to tile full time.

 

[RDTiling]

Great advice. Just from speaking to friends and family over the past few weeks, I've managed to get the chance to do a few tiling jobs for them, including a bathroom floor, kitchen floor and 3 full bathrooms.

They all know of my intentions of starting out part-time, so I guess there is less pressure with them from a time point of view, plus an excellent opportunity to gain experience.

 

[Ian]

That's how I started out. Tiled my first kitchen and bathroom when I bought my first flat, then a few more jobs for family and friends, then slowly built the customer base and portfolio and have never looked back.

 

[PaulSmith]

Hope it all works out for you. Start small and build from that.

 

[CJ]

I started out part time as well. Funnily enough, that was in Edinburgh as well.

i worked for Royal Mail as a postie. (Part Time) and then after doing a delivery and finishing at 10am (if I went in early, and went like stink on my round)
trouble is........I used it as a cushion for too long, and never went "full time" tiling. Until I moved from Edinburgh.
5 years of getting up at silly o'clock for the PO....then going out tiling, no wonder I look knackered now.

 

[Andy Allen]

To give you a rough idea, a full bathroom including prep takes me a full 5 days, based on a 16m walls, 4m floor. Don't put yourself in a position where you are forced to rush to get a job finished, that's when mistakes are made and the quality of the finish is compromised.

Slow coach...........:lol:

 

[Ian]

Slow coach...........:lol:

Lol, I can sometimes do it in 4 and a half if I have a labourer, lol!

 

[Peter]

Best of both worlds best where you still have the wage coming in. Times sound fine as you won't be taking on anything massive just yet and most. customers are happy for you to work a bit later into the evenings if need be. You'll know when it's time to jack in your current job when you have plenty coming in and the three days a week isn't enough.

 

[mz30]

To give you a rough idea, a full bathroom including prep takes me a full 5 days, based on a 16m walls, 4m floor. Don't put yourself in a position where you are forced to rush to get a job finished, that's when mistakes are made and the quality of the finish is compromised.

Bri do you do the plumbing and stuff in that time?

 

[Ian]

No mate but, that would include tanking and over boarding. With no tanking and a solid floor would be 3.5-4 days.

 

[mz30]

my gaffer expects far to much from me,i would have 1 day to do 16m2 walls and 4m2 floor, prep would be done to his standard not mine i miss being self employed lol.

 

[Ian]

my gaffer expects far to much from me,i would have 1 day to do 16m2 walls and 4m2 floor, prep would be done to his standard not mine i miss being self employed lol.

Yeah that's too much for 1 days work.