Quote for swimming pool tiles

[Dirrty]

I am at home today doing estimates and one is for a swimming pool. It's 130m2 of old mosaic tiles to come off, then a builder is in to render it, then he wants it re-tiled in mosaics. Not done a pool before so any advice appreciated. One thing I noticed is that the corners of the pool are not square they curve around. How do you do the tiles on the corners, over lap the tiles then mark them and cut them to butt up? Hope I made sense with that last question lol

 

[Dan]

It's really like a huge room with no windows or doors so they're usualy pretty easy in comparison to a small room with lots in the way. It's just a time thing with the pools as clearly they take some. And with mosaics you don't have too many setout options.

Stick a datum line around it, find a decent finish height and staff down from that in mosaic full sheets to the bottom where that too may bevel inwards.

Get the meterage on and do your corners last.

Equal the cuts out of each side of the sheets of mosaics if that looks right in the corners. Go off the long side "full tile" and trim the shorter width of the pool or visa versa. Whatever you do with them it'll look fine.

Just make sure you invest in good mosaic tools. A trowel that doesn't put too much adhesive on the wall - and a tough epoxy grout float (or some much bigger home-made version out of wood and a few sponges and some material tightly wrapping the lot may be quicker) to keep them going on the wall flat.

Stick an extra % on for your grout. Even after you've worked it out three times or more.

Good luck with the quote and job mate. Very nicely done.

And remember, you want this customer to tell their friends about you every time they show off their pool. So make sure you do everything in your power to help them remember who you are and where to find you.

 

[Dirrty]

Thanks Dan. I used to go to school with this guy, then I didn't see him for over 15 years, and when I did he had started claims direct ( I think it was that one)with a partner, he sold it for about £20 million! He is a great guy and seems keen to help me get on, so I will get this job spot on. I am going for a drink with him tonight so I will check my car after to make sure he hasn't dropped the odd million in loose change out of his pocket down the side of the seat lol :lol:

 

[pjtiler]

one practical word of advise on your first pool
tiling the floor will knock hell out of your knees (its the slope )
keep changing your position (uphill, down hill ,side on same when you grout too )
you,ll thank me for that

p s water is dead level:yes:



bloody city:mad2:

 

[MICK the Tiler]

The main thing to remember about tiling a pool is the prep. The sides and curves will need to be as smooth as a new cars painted panels are, very time consuming and costly, The client needs to be made aware of this and simply removing the old tiles and patching up the walls will not be an acceptable finish.

Here's some pics of a glass mosaic pool done in 10x10mm glass while not my work it is almost Identical to 1 of two I did back quite a while ago the tile manufactuer was the same the prep is the same and the proceedure followed was also the same.

The pool after removing the old tiles was bead blasted to remove any loose spots and expose any weak areas then the entire surface was trowelled with a mixture of crushed marble dust,portland cement, and a small amout of very finely graded dry sand all were the consistency of talcum powder. Then once I was happy with the filling process and the mix had cured for 14 days the whole lot was sanded with 200 grit paper first and moving down to 800grit for the final wet sand. This left the surface as smooth as glass.

The cost when I did my 2 pools back in the 90's was about $550au/m2 in todays money I would quote about $900-1000 au/m2
materials and labour (not including the tile )so a 300m2 pool would be about $300,000 to tiles in something like the pictures a little les if it were a plainer design. You'll earn every penny.

Next the whole pool was waterproofed in laticrete black (Forget the number)3
coats then the pool was filled and left running for a month. On return the pool was drained and dried. A final inspection of the surface before the tile fixing would commence.

 

[davy_G]

Agreed with Mick here, to make a job of this all the walls need to be as flat and square as possible. Cut the sheets and open grout or compact them and close gaps into corners to have them perfect. You can open up a few sheets to make up half a row and the eye wont see it: no cuts and perfect lines!
The picture attached is one sheet around a wetroom or swimming pool corner, i did this at the PTS bisazza training course. It opened my eyes to mosaic tiling. Good luck.

 

[MICK the Tiler]

Beautiful "Pleat" Dave PERFECTLY!!! Constructed

 

[Dirrty]

Thanks for all your advice guys. Quoted £13,750 to remove and re-tile, inclusive of labour, adhesive, grout and tiles. Got the go ahead. Profit is £8565, I have another tiler in with me he is getting £3900, leaving me with £4665 net profit. We reckon 6 days to remove, then builder is rendering, then three weeks drying out, then 10 days to tile, cos neither of us has done a pool before so we ain't gonna be quick lol. If all these figures work out I will be well happy........we will see :lol:

 

[MICK the Tiler]

You'll do your Arse at that price.................If they are 10x10mm glass with epoxy grout you'll chew the sponges like no ones buisness. Here's atip for grouting epoxy but saving your sponges from the depths of the trash. Buy yourself half a dozen large beach towels and a roll of lead flashing when it comes time to grout the floor of the pool wet the towelss down in a large bucket then when the epoxy is ready to wipe off use a piece of the lead cut to the width of the towell, this will add weight place it on the towell and fold it in half then drag it over the grouted area to remove the builk of the grout. Then finish off with your sponge.

make sure you go over the render with a fine tooth comb and get any and i mean any imperfections fixed before you commence work. It needs to be real smooth if it is too gritty then the tiles will pop off at a latter date especially when the water goes in then it becomes a real big job to fix any probs. Personally I think youv'e sold yourself way short and a quote about twice of what your offering would not be beyond the relm of what is fair and reasonable considering the stresses and strain that these tiles will be subject to once the pool is full of water.

I've lost count down here at the amount of bad pool tiling i've seen but they all have one thing in common the surface that the tiles were laid upon is way too rough and gritty leaving less surface area for the tiles to adhere properly. You need to have it real smooth.

The best of luck with your first pool Let us all know how it went.

Cheers Mick