Sometimes you just have to let a job go.

[afright]

Just been to look at a bathroom floor the customer wanted slate to an area of 4m2,the whole house is ofwhite carpet,the bathroom floor is chipboard so needs over boarding,the pan and pedestal basin has a boxing in which is all tiled around so cannot be raised with out removing wall tiles,bath panel is fixed and the door will need cutting the customer wants me to do all the work from removing and cutting every thing and fitting back theres no way it can be done in the house so any cutting will have to be done outside and that alone is a big trek from the bathroom to the garden ,I expect some of you chaps have come across this situation before,so for 4m2 thought I would give it a miss so told him to go for amtico.

 

[Andy Allen]

you missed out the bit where they want it all doing for £100...lol

 

[Concrete guy]

I walked away from many of these over years suggesting Amtico or Lino.

Mostly floating floors.

You just knew it would go wrong from day one if you took it on.

 

[Diggy]

Mostly floating floors.

+1 , never tiled one and never will.

I went to look and one about 15 yrs ago and took a rep round who jumped up and down in the doorway. At that point I looked at the client and recommended vinyl.

Diggy

 

[Bubblecraft]

Don't mean to be disrespectful but this is what keeps me in business. Tiler needs a joiner, joiner needs a plumber and so on. Sounds like a standard fit to me. Price accordingly for all the work required to be done. If customer is not happy about having to re-tile walls then advise Lino but could have worked out to be a good job.

 

[Sean Kelly]

afright, that's why I put myself on a plumbing course a couple of years ago. I also cut down doors. I also overboard. I also have to cut outside (sometimes). I also have to climb up/down 3 flights of stairs with boxes of tiles & cut tiles. I missed out on a few jobs in the past when the customer wanted more than a tiler. I know years ago a tiler just tiled, but these days are tough and we sometimes have to offer more than just tiling. My car is sometime crammed so much with tiling/plumbing/carpentry tools that I don't have enough room for my sandwiches! Cheers Sean

 

[Bubblecraft]

That's why I have a Transit Jumbo lol

 

[jonnyc]

I think there are times when we all go to see jobs that are not what we expect or out of the norm.
i think the most important thing is to evaluate whether you can do all what the client wants even if it requires more than just tiling .even if you can't you may have a mate that has the other required skills.
If you could hear some of the stories I hear about jobs in London.where you have to go 5 floors down to cut a tile and can't use lift!!
but these guys do it but they cost it accordingly.
they have to.
I recently did a glacier stone wall in a foyer off Leicester square .it was weekend work only and I don't normally do this kind of work.i did as a favour to the stone company as I know owners and builder had no one who would take it on. Charged big money and builder didn't bat an eyelid. Difficult jobs can be quite rewarding sometimes but need more t nought about costing

 

[afright]

afright, that's why I put myself on a plumbing course a couple of years ago. I also cut down doors. I also overboard. I also have to cut outside (sometimes). I also have to climb up/down 3 flights of stairs with boxes of tiles & cut tiles. I missed out on a few jobs in the past when the customer wanted more than a tiler. I know years ago a tiler just tiled, but these days are tough and we sometimes have to offer more than just tiling. My car is sometime crammed so much with tiling/plumbing/carpentry tools that I don't have enough room for my sandwiches! Cheers Sean

The job was to small for all the hassle I had other work on which was a lot easier to do I did not want to get involved in something so small ,trying to match the wall tiles would have been a mission on its own.My gut feeling told me to walk away,don't get me wrong I do not like turning work down,you cant tell me that you have never been on a job and have thought, why did I start this,Being just a tiler I did not want to get involved doing other trade's work I know little about ,I know enough carpentry and plumbing to work on my own house but I would never tackle those trades on some one else's home.If the job was bigger then I would have got the other trades in and would have made a few bob but for 4m2 no I don't think so.

 

[AliGage]

I think a lot of these are bread and butter work. Just price it accordingly, time, convinience, location etc in the same way you'd incorporate extra fuel costs if the job was a bit of a distance from home.
Certainly bump your price up a little if your busy. If you can afford to loose a quote/job and not be sat at home watching Jezza and twiddling thumbs. You never know, a small job that's a bit of a pain could turn into something really profitable. Or, the cost of working around other inconviniences may sway your potential customer into a complete re-tile or investing more into their project.

 

[afright]

I don't think the customer wanted to pay to much when I told him it would cost and explained what it involved I think he had no idea,my work has not suffered thru not accepting this job,as I said the job was to small,maybe some of you would have taken it on,but I did not want the hassle, getting a bit old now just like to pick and choose my jobs I've done all that hard graft in my early years.

 

[Two-Trowels]

You never know, a small job that's a bit of a pain could turn into something really profitable. Or, the cost of working around other inconviniences may sway your potential customer into a complete re-tile or investing more into their project.

It can be tempting to turn away PITA jobs but they can also lead to better things, I had an enquiry once from a lady who wanted somebody to do a few odd little jobs, I never really fancied it but decided to 'help her out' - turned out she owned several properties and I refurbed two of them, new windows, roof the lot, also built a single storey extension for the son, an extension for the lady herself when she moved and a two storey extension for the daughter!