Thinking of a career change

[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: