Self employed

[JohnnyB]

Hi everyone.
This is my first time on a forum so please excuse me if I seem a little naive. I'm about to be made redundant from my engineering job as the company is closing down, I have always done diy to a good standard, and really enjoy it. I would dearly love to become a self employed tiler, but I'm not sure whether there is enough work to give me a decent income, maybe £400 week, so I would be very, very grateful of any advice that anyone could give me. I come from the Northwest of England, Manchester area, and seriously thinking of taking a 4 week course with P.T.S. training at their Warrington centre.

 

[Concept PHT]

I was a Secondary Teacher, jacked it in and now earn more than I ever have. Don't expect the phone to be melting when you advertise yourself, but you will get enough work to have a steady 6-8 week diary throughout the year.

People say that this time of year it goes quiet - well I have had to take somebody on to keep up with demand 2 weeks ago.

Go for it and don't look back mate.

All the very best of luck

PS: Try Chase Tiling Academy - its where it all started for me....

 

[tjsmiler]

Hi Mate

I finished the four week PTS course only 3 fridays ago and i am fully booked up until mid Jan, i just finished my first job which took me 10 days and i walked away with £510 profit. Not loads of money but pretty good for a new business and my first time. I got the pricing up wrong, i should have charged a lot more for what i done but we live and learn and i will only get faster too.

Listen to what APM has said he is doing really well and so am i, i have already offered one of my jobs out here because i aint got enough time to do it (and it's a bit out of my league at the moment too!!).

My tip for you would be to just get right amongst it, make yourself busy getting to know people, phone up all the plumbers in your local paper and introduce yourself (i did this and actually got a job from it) plumbers are always being asked if they know any good tilers. Get in there mate there is tons out there.

Good luck

Toby

one of these days i will just write a small post with correct spelling

 

[JohnnyB]

A very big thanks to APM & tjsmiler for the information, it has made me feel a lot better in going self employed, but how would you go on if you was asked to do a job that seems a little more than you've done in your training, if you know what I mean.

 

[tjsmiler]

For me personally mate.... i pester APM & Smiths lol

But if you are unsure what to do on quote just take your time getting all the info you can, write everything you see even if you think it is not important. Take your notes away and then asses the situation, eg: if your job requires a screeding maybe you could phone up a company that does screeding and find out how much it would cost and the time frame they would need to complete, then asses how long you think it would take you to tile. I work out my labour charge and materials and then add that figure to the figure quoted by the screeders, maybe add a bit and hey presto you have taken on a job that you thought was to involved.

Or you could simply say your fully booked for the next 2 months but still try to win the job, this would then give you plenty of time to find everything out.

I hope this helps mate, and please remember that most of tilers on her are a good bunch and are happy to give advice.

Be big and good luck

Toby

 

[JohnnyB]

thanks for that tjsmiler, I'm actually thinking of doing a short course in plastering after the tiling course just in case any of the walls might need levelling before tiling them, but what I really was getting at was if the customer wants some intricate pattern or fancy shape ( walls or floor) that you've not covered on the tiling course.

 

[Concept PHT]

Go for the plastering course mate - 1 week is enough. Its just what you need for the tiling prep.

When it comes to fancy patterns, just apply your measuring principles and a lot of common sense. It may be worth spending some time dooing it on paper first, then actually real time.

With the big jobs, try not to get money hungry or greedy and try to do it all yourself. Get in touch with another good tiler and do the job as a team. That way, you will not get stressed about the job, you will learn from each other and there is somebody there to get a second opinion from if you feel something isn't right.

Time is seldom wasted on setting out....

 

[tjsmiler]

John

I'm deffinatley going to do a plastering course, i have only been out 3 weeks and i can already see that it would be so so useful

Toby