Thinking of a career change

[White Room]

I work hard and have got to where Iam through pushing myself. My wife and me run our own salon already so know how hard working for yourself is but that dosen't put me off at all.
Never shy away from work got a mate with his own building business who would get me work if i was good enough also know a few self employed joiners and decorators who am sure will put my name out...
This thread is giving me some good advice keep it coming...thanks

If is a big word and to be good enough may take longer than expected.....if you have contacts, joiners, decorators etc what happens when they go quiet, theres a good chance they will have a stab at tiling if thats all there is...as a plumber does with me.

 

[dave l and l]

i ma from central belt and i can tell you its tough out here at the mo. i am well established and i am not as busy as i would like, starting out from scratch would be hard at the mo. i know a few decent tilers who have been about for years that have no work.. however i know a tiler who has not long started out and he says he is doing well, but that can be just talk.
to earn money you need to learn how to tile then get to a decent level and do it at a decent speed ,this takes time but can be achieved in a few short years

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

go on a three day course, get a van full of tools, and have a go, ......... there are loads like that out here ,you will just be another, take a chance it might pay off for you

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

oh and put a cooker in the van,and when your not tiling you can do fish & chip's, or use a taxi and put your tools in the boot and if your not tiling you can take a few fare's.....

 

[19bri79]

Definately going to book a course and get the tools and start off slowly and gradually build it up then hopefully get good at it then who knows may have to take it up full time. Any good courses in the central belt? No one has actually said how much can be made just a monthly average would be good to start. You can pm me if you like Thanks.

 

[Rick-o]

I went on a four week course to start off..Was very good on the technical side of things (weights substrates can take, setting out etc...) but definately needed to do a year or so under an established tiler of 20 years, to work out the real standard that work should be carried out to!!

 

[Stef]

I went on a four week course to start off..Was very good on the technical side of things (weights substrates can take, setting out etc...) but definately needed to do a year or so under an established tiler of 20 years, to work out the real standard that work should be carried out to!!

20 years?? ive been at it for 8 years roughly now & rest assured i will give anyone a run for their money.

Because someone has tiled for 20 years it dont make them good.

I had a tiler of 25yr experience telling a friend to PVA?? enough said.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Again it comes down to the mind set, if you have a good eye for detail, and a conscience, then you can become a good tiler. Like Robson says the amount of years tiling don't make you a good tiler. I know time served tilers who have been in the game 40yrs +, and are still dog rough.

 

[Stef]

Phil, dont be hard on yourself. :lol:

the photos you put up through Photo shop look good. :lol::lol:

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Fair cop Robson, ( begger that is my cover blown then):lol:

 

[Mike Mike]

Definately going to book a course and get the tools and start off slowly and gradually build it up then hopefully get good at it then who knows may have to take it up full time. Any good courses in the central belt? No one has actually said how much can be made just a monthly average would be good to start. You can pm me if you like Thanks.

If I were you I would not restrict myself to just tiling. Maybe learn how to lay all different types of flooring as well as tiling. If you can install wetrooms then that is a big plus, especially if you can tank them in vinyl - that opens up doors to commercial work, like hospitals, care homes etc. But also lay homogenous PVC, (real) linoleum (very specialised, used in all schools here, and many council office buildings), safety flooring (Altro etc), Amtico/vinyl floor tiles etc (popular in shops, banks etc).

Substrate prep is key for those materials (paid on a time and materials basis) and you'd be surprised that you might be able to charge as much per m2 to lay some of those materials as you can to lay tiles. You will be able to lay at least double the area in those other materials than you can tile. I and another chap laid 136m2 of linoleum on Friday in a school library. They pay 350kr per m2. So that's just under £4.5k for a day's work for 2 blokes (and that was an 8 hour day, including half an hour driving each way, so 7 hours actual work. £320 an hour, each :hurray. O.K., that's not every day, but has anyone made £320 an hour tiling? I haven't. Lucky to get that a day!

My advice is whatever you do, make sure you do it very, very well. You won't make any money as a Jack of All Trades, Master of None, but having more than one trade means you have more options, and to be honest, tiling is a damn site harder, and more physical, to do well than laying a lot of other types of flooring. I could have laid that linoleum job on my own, in the same time, but the rolls weighed 206kg each, so I couldn't lift them on my own, not even onto the special trolley we use.

Good luck!

p.s. Don't all start resenting me for making £320 an hour on Friday. By the time the Swedish government has robbed of all the tax it will be about 3 quid an hour net... :incazzato:

 

[tobins tiling]

I need to learn how to lay Lino haha

 

[bugs183]

Mike we only resent you for living in Sweden with all those hotties!!!!!!

 

[Mike Mike]

I need to learn how to lay Lino haha

LOL, make sure you understand the difference between linoleum and cheap plastic vinyl often referred to as "lino" in the U.K. Trust me, they are not the same thing...

If you're really interested, here is a short install video. Look at the quality of the substrate prep!

Forbo Linoleum Verlegevideo - YouTube


Personally I HATE linoleum, it's a horrible, fussy, easy to rip, hard to weld, nasty old throwback to the 1850's. But it doesn't half pay well! :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Tony73]

If I were you I would not restrict myself to just tiling. Maybe learn how to lay all different types of flooring as well as tiling. If you can install wetrooms then that is a big plus, especially if you can tank them in vinyl - that opens up doors to commercial work, like hospitals, care homes etc. But also lay homogenous PVC, (real) linoleum (very specialised, used in all schools here, and many council office buildings), safety flooring (Altro etc), Amtico/vinyl floor tiles etc (popular in shops, banks etc).

Substrate prep is key for those materials (paid on a time and materials basis) and you'd be surprised that you might be able to charge as much per m2 to lay some of those materials as you can to lay tiles. You will be able to lay at least double the area in those other materials than you can tile. I and another chap laid 136m2 of linoleum on Friday in a school library. They pay 350kr per m2. So that's just under £4.5k for a day's work for 2 blokes (and that was an 8 hour day, including half an hour driving each way, so 7 hours actual work. £320 an hour, each :hurray. O.K., that's not every day, but has anyone made £320 an hour tiling? I haven't. Lucky to get that a day!

My advice is whatever you do, make sure you do it very, very well. You won't make any money as a Jack of All Trades, Master of None, but having more than one trade means you have more options, and to be honest, tiling is a damn site harder, and more physical, to do well than laying a lot of other types of flooring. I could have laid that linoleum job on my own, in the same time, but the rolls weighed 206kg each, so I couldn't lift them on my own, not even onto the special trolley we use.

Good luck!

p.s. Don't all start resenting me for making £320 an hour on Friday. By the time the Swedish government has robbed of all the tax it will be about 3 quid an hour net... :incazzato:

i made 1,5k in a day once or twice, but that dosn't happen every day. you don't make that kind of money tiling. ( most money can make doing: fire place, granit kitchen worktops, bath tops, vanity tops, entrances)

 

[Tony73]

just watched linoleum video, Swedish Mike, looks easy, but not for me . I love stone :drool5:

 

[19bri79]

I am booked on my course for a week at the start of April really looking forward to it. First job after that is to fit our new bathroom and yes do all the tile work myself if am happy with it and confident then am going to do some local work for friends / family and build from there.
I am lucky in a way as I will be doing this on my leave from the rig so not relying on tiling for a wage but will be putting any money from tiling to one side so in a few years I will hopefully feel confident enough to do it full time for myself.

I do feel I will achive this and yes I may not have the experience as others but I soon will,
Just a note the guy "Tiler" that done my bathroom 10 year ago I reckon I will do a better job on the bathroom myself this time round.

 

[John Benton]

Good luck

 

[19bri79]

Thanks John.

Has anyone on here started off the same sort off way as me doing a course and if so do they regret it or are you doing ok from it.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

:welcome::welcome::welcome:

 

[19bri79]

Just wondering if any off you guys on here have made your business with firstly starting with a tiling course???

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

I'm sure there are Bri, but my tiling course lasted five years, it was called an apprenticeship, along with a five year, day release at Manchester college of building. I am in my 44th year of my course and still learning, I am currently sat at home waiting for the phone to ring.

Sorry if I don't sound to enthusiastic, but I can not condone something that is diluting the skills of a noble trade. Good luck mate, I am at the moment competing for work with people who have no skill or knowledge about this industry.

 

[Muse2k8]

You will learn the basics in your week but you will soon find the real world isn't perfect for tiling. By all means go for it, I did a 4 week course and I'm doing well but I had the benefit of being a plumber and my dad being in trades for 40 years too.

It won't be easy to get started but hey life needs challenges and if your good with your hands you should do well. A lot of advice is available on here and the guys will help with any questions too.

Definitely do your own bathroom first and if you can do some work for friends and family to get the hang of it all.

Also get onto the tradetiler site for tools!

 

[The hammer]

I'm sure there are Bri, but my tiling course lasted five years, it was called an apprenticeship, along with a five year, day release at Manchester college of building. I am in my 44th year of my course and still learning, I am currently sat at home waiting for the phone to ring.

Sorry if I don't sound to enthusiastic, but I can not condone something that is diluting the skills of a noble trade. Good luck mate, I am at the moment competing for work with people who have no skill or knowledge about this industry.

Well said Phil i'm in the same boat as you with "only" a 3 year apprenticeship and 28 years of experience i too am sitting in the house for the 3rd consecutive week waiting for the phone to ring.
If i wanted to earn 65k then based on recent earnings it will take 36 years

 

[19bri79]

appreciate your thoughts it must get to some off you when guys like me come along and talk about takin tiling up after going on a course and yous have been doing it for 20 ,30 or 40 years but we need to start somewhere. If you want to go earn 65k then by all means go and spend half your life on an oil rig as it certainly wont upset me. I know I will become a good tiler within the next few years.