starting a two year plumbing Course

[Thespanishtiler]

good move Deano,

the skills and understanding the course will give you will stand you in good stead if you want to move into the full bathroom installation service sector.

you know me and my work, I come from a pure tiling background but got sick to the back teeth of organising plumbers to site so made the move to learn the plumbing skills needed to take them out of the loop.

I still use them but only for boiler and cylinder upgrades, everything else is mine now.

having the skills to do the prep, 1st fix, tiling and 2nd fix will make you more time efficient as the different phases of the project run into each other with no dead time between trades, you can factor this in to your quotes to be more competative if needed

also if you can supply the whole package including suite etc then you can make a good profit on this also.

basic tools can be had as CR says for a reasonable initial outlay, carrying stock in the van is another matter, i carry around 2k of plumbing stock in the van and top up fortnightly (when your at/going to the merchants your not making money !)

if you ever need any advice just pm me

Rob

 

[The D]

good move Deano,

the skills and understanding the course will give you will stand you in good stead if you want to move into the full bathroom installation service sector.

you know me and my work, I come from a pure tiling background but got sick to the back teeth of organising plumbers to site so made the move to learn the plumbing skills needed to take them out of the loop.

I still use them but only for boiler and cylinder upgrades, everything else is mine now.

having the skills to do the prep, 1st fix, tiling and 2nd fix will make you more time efficient as the different phases of the project run into each other with no dead time between trades, you can factor this in to your quotes to be more competative if needed

also if you can supply the whole package including suite etc then you can make a good profit on this also.

basic tools can be had as CR says for a reasonable initial outlay, carrying stock in the van is another matter, i carry around 2k of plumbing stock in the van and top up fortnightly (when your at/going to the merchants your not making money !)

if you ever need any advice just pm me

Rob

Thank m8 that means a lot to me if I can one day produce something that is even half as good as the stuff you do I will be a happy man.

 

[Gazzer]

I have been doing the odd bathroom from time to time. Only swap outs so far and its never as easy as you think but with a sensible head on your shoulders you get through. The main issue is not having the correct parts and fittings...there are so many variables.
Its still easier than waiting on someone else IMO.

 

[Aston]

good move Deano,

the skills and understanding the course will give you will stand you in good stead if you want to move into the full bathroom installation service sector.

you know me and my work, I come from a pure tiling background but got sick to the back teeth of organising plumbers to site so made the move to learn the plumbing skills needed to take them out of the loop.

I still use them but only for boiler and cylinder upgrades, everything else is mine now.

having the skills to do the prep, 1st fix, tiling and 2nd fix will make you more time efficient as the different phases of the project run into each other with no dead time between trades, you can factor this in to your quotes to be more competative if needed

also if you can supply the whole package including suite etc then you can make a good profit on this also.

basic tools can be had as CR says for a reasonable initial outlay, carrying stock in the van is another matter, i carry around 2k of plumbing stock in the van and top up fortnightly (when your at/going to the merchants your not making money !)

if you ever need any advice just pm me

Rob

top man spanish rob!! ;0)
the forum needs more people like you mate

ed

 

[jonnyc]

its been a very hard few years with one more to come but tiling is going to change over next few years in a way witch will leave the all the jober in our wake the futre is coming back our way

whats coming up ray thats so different .
i thought we had had massive changes in last few years and i am quite pleased about all this rectified porcelain because it has to be done right or just looks rubbish.
let us in on the secret .
following the trend in usa and japan i foresee alot more granite tiles in next few years. there is such a choice of fabulous granite now , i think it will hit us fairly soon.
another plus for good tilers as this needs to be done properly as well.

 

[jonnyc]

I am under no illusions this will not make me a plumber (thank the lord god almighty) but at least I will be able to sort-out my own wet rooms and bathrooms. The last two plumbers I have worked with were absolute morons they was not at all interested in the job being done correctly and had the attitude that they new every thing because they were plumbers.

think you are making a good move but are you doing it because jobs getting harder to win or just because your fed up with what plumbers do before you.?
i am finding it harder to get new work in myself to keep five of us going and i have been looking at ways of bringing new work in as i get older .
take a look at rainscos business in germany.
i find it very interesting.
i think he does the whole fit out himself but does not have a bathroom shop as such i think.
but it seems like he is in control of everything and must advertise his services as a full fit out.
look at some of his entries for jotm and show us your work thread and he seems to do a design as well .
i dont see why this cant be done in this country as well and there would be many people who would like the whole job done by one contractor without having to go through a bathroom shop that would only sub out the job to different subcontractors.
the problem for me would be to do the design on cad or whatever system he uses as i think im too far gone for learning all that mullarky but you may be gifted in this area as well.
what it does mean though, is that if the client comes to him for whole fit out , he is not competing for just the tiling.
it seems a fantastic small business model.
it would only work for high end domestic work i think.
it might suit you though

 

[The D]

To be honest the only reason I have decided to do this is I just want to be able to do the jobs myself in one hit.

 

[DHTiling]

A few peeps doing that now Dean, i suppose at least you know it gets done right and on time to your spec.

 

[macten]

The only way to go in my opinion mate.
Think of all the things us tilers do for peace of mind but when I'm on a job that I'm not doing the plumbing on then
all that peace of mind is gone.

 

[jonnyc]

To be honest the only reason I have decided to do this is I just want to be able to do the jobs myself in one hit.

i did a two year night course for carpentry when i was only interested in doing tiling and it certainly helped me as well.

 

[jonnyc]

sorry should qualify that i could then offer my carpentry skills as well to certain degrees and not need another trade to prepare before me or finish after .

 

[Thespanishtiler]

Hi Deano and Ed

very kind words,thank you both.

any time you want a chat just pm me and we can hook up, shame you both are out of my area it would be good to do some work together,

we all have to adapt and push things forward to stay ahead of the game

Rob

 

[The D]

View attachment 47174 View attachment 47175 some of the silly bits they've had us doing but is going ok

 

[Andy Tiler]

View attachment 47174 View attachment 47175 some of the silly bits they've had us doing but is going ok

Looks good Deano!!! You might end up a better plumber than a tiler ...... Lmao
I must admit mate it's a nightmare to get hold of a decent plumber I'm always struggling....

 

[The D]

Looks good Deano!!! You might end up a better plumber than a tiler ...... Lmao
I must admit mate it's a nightmare to get hold of a decent plumber I'm always struggling....

that will not be hard :lol::lol:

 

[Andy Tiler]

that will not be hard :lol::lol:

I know :lol :lol :lol

 

[gamma38]

View attachment 47174 View attachment 47175 some of the silly bits they've had us doing but is going ok

Good on ya, I think that everybody has to become more and more multiskilled now. To not do this is shortsighted Imo. Tradespeople can no longer just stick to one thing, customers do just want one person to come in and do the lot from start to finish. I think that if your a stick in the mud tradesperson you will slowly get left behind. I'm not saying that this is right or wrong, it just is what it is.

 

[The D]

I know :lol :lol :lol

:tt2:

 

[bugs183]

Good stuff Dean, as everyone is saying customers prefer if you can do the job in one nice hit rather than getting other guys in.
This is why i've joined up with my mate who's really good at bathroom fitting.
But above all i've had to walk away from my favorite thing which is big floors, what with all this new screeds, i'm not touching any until we get some solid guidelines and proof about them.

 

[swanman]

Screeds R screeds

 

[prceramics]

soon you wont have time to tile

 

[White Room]

Naaaa, he'll just be moaning about them:helpsmilie: