quartz pricing advice

[sjw450]

Hi guys,
this is my first post on the tilers arms!
one of my weaknesses is pricing jobs and today ive decided to ask you guys how you go about your pricing
Can i ask what you guys would have quoted for this specific job, and how you priced it,

the job is kitchen floor pretty much a square room with an area of 16 square metres, The room has a free standing island right in the middle roughly 2m by 1m in size, the island as im calling it sits completely off the square from all 4 walls and is really noticable, it looks like a womans reverse parked it right in the middle! sorry ladies, anyway as it sits squint, the customers would like to run tiles diagonal accross room so in theory will take the look of the unit.
next issue is they only have 8m of 300x300 black quartz tiles and 12m of 300x600 black quartz, they bought a pallet as tile shop was closing down hence the reason 2 different sizes of tiles. The floor is concrete and not very even but customer doesnt really want to self level as he claims hes already done it. so ive got 15m of tiling with quartz tiles, a pattern to think up running diagonal without running out of tiles and an uneven floor, whats your verdict inclluding mats
I quoted £480 inc mats, and now ive got the job.
thanks,
Stevie

 

[sjw450]

also with all the diagonal wet cuts how long would you expect to take start to finish, thanks again

 

[charlie1]

1st thing 1st, if the floor needs levelled then it needs levelled, simple as that! I also think your slightly low on your price but if your happy and customer is happy then that's all that matters.

 

[kilty55]

hi sjw,so the customer has given you an unpreped floor,2 different sized tiles and a squint island!! nice of them

in all honesty this is not a job i would take on,if i was to do it i would insist on the floor being prepared and agree in writing the proposed design of the 2 tiles and also how you propose to lay them to suit the squint island

you have to remember if it doesnt work you will be blamed be careful

price is also too low imo but im not sure what the rates are like in glasgow atm


what do you plan to do woth the design using 2 tiles mate

 

[kilty55]

check the colour of the two tiles is the same also

 

[sjw450]

thanks for the quick responces guys, I thought I was too low but had nothing to compare to until i spoke to you guys, and as i said its my only weakness
basically the customer who is a builder btw layed the concrete last year and he tiled it to save money at time, now he wants a professional job but as the skirting boards and kick plates/plynths, were put on after tiles were laid last year, hes hoping he doesnt need to take skirting of and hopes when i tile the floor the tiles will slip below skirting boards again which already I know wont happen because his tiles werent level and mine will be so i will use alot more adhesive and have a higher floor level. So I will either need to give myself more work taking the skirting of or just cutting tiles really neat against them. The pattern he suggested is 1 300x300 then 300x600 then 300x300 again just alternating them, then next row stagger and so on, i drew it up on paper and it doesnt look to clever, im worried now.

 

[sjw450]

also what would you guy have priced it at, im thinking now i under priced by £100

 

[kilty55]

hi sjw,ok i agree slipping the tiles under the skirts etc is not a good idea

if you are worried about the job dont take it on mate
personally its not a job i would take on given the prep and ways he wants you to do it

if hes a good builder he should know better anyways

 

[sjw450]

Your right kilty its def not ideal, I think its going to be a headache and i should have priced more or insisted in levelling floor again, i dont no whats worse, the squint unit in middle, the uneven concrete or the pick n mix of tiles lol
thanks for reading and your thoughts mate
Ill need to be more assertive when pricing!
cheers

 

[kilty55]

i know its difficult to price atm as so many people are price driven its sometimes hard tow rok out what you are happy to work for and what will win you the job

remember mate its not too late to pull out the job personally i wouldnt commit to a job like that

 

[sjw450]

ive never pulled put of a job after committing to it but this might be the first!

 

[kilty55]

let us know how you get on

 

[sjw450]

ok will do

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

heres a quick sketch of a lay out were you have more 300x 600 cut in half when short of 300x300

 

[dave l and l]

if it was all square and flat i would have went with price you have given. however the job sounds like a right pain so i would be a couple of hundred more.
i would insist on skirting and kick board being removed and if floor is really bad i would wand self level