DJS
TF
:welcome: Cornish. Thought I would share my story of how i ended up becoming a tiler/plumber. Hopefully to give you all a laugh and inspire you!!
I must have spent about the last 6 yrs changing from an office/finance job to full time self employed. Was even harder as I was many thousands of pounds in debt, and I still am to a degree. I couldn't have done it without the support of my parents & some family.
It all started when I got sacked from an office/finance job about 6 yrs ago and starting work as a plumbers mate the very next day, working with a friend/corgi registered gas installer. I loved the variety of the job and working with my hands instead of going to a dull accountants office and staring at a PC monitor everyday.
Did my first bathroom/tiling job for my landlord to pay a months rent when I was skint!! After about 18 months doing pipework and labouring, I went back to the office for another 18 months, but was doing odd jobs for family and friends building up experience plumbing and tiling.
After a couple more sackings at the office (I finally got the message that career was no longer for me!!), and as luck would have it - 2 weeks later, I got a call from another friend, who wanted me to work as his plumber/labourer. So for another 18 months, I spent some time working with him doing all kinds of home improvements, and he claimed he knew tiling and 'taught' me how to do it.
Then, in November last year, my ex-boss hired an electrician who used to and still does tiling (but this guy was a trained tiler). Working along side him on some bigger tiling jobs, I realised then how little my cowboy tiler ex-boss knew about tiling and decided to do a 4 week course and start-up on my own. Which I did in April.
I too must have spent £8-9k in the last 4 months on tools, van, course & insurance and I'm just getting out there and dealing with my first customers/and taking on some bigger jobs. I can see a good turnover, and the potential to earn is there. However, I still need to re-invest a huge amount into tools, so like the others said, the earnings will not be that good straight away. The first 12-24 months will be hard, but if it is what you want to do then follow your heart.
I do plan on the NVQ/CSCS route in the future, but for now I just need to establish the business and try to earn a living for me and my son.
It's hard work and long hours at times, but I love it compared to an office job. Good luck to anyone who decides to go for it
I must have spent about the last 6 yrs changing from an office/finance job to full time self employed. Was even harder as I was many thousands of pounds in debt, and I still am to a degree. I couldn't have done it without the support of my parents & some family.
It all started when I got sacked from an office/finance job about 6 yrs ago and starting work as a plumbers mate the very next day, working with a friend/corgi registered gas installer. I loved the variety of the job and working with my hands instead of going to a dull accountants office and staring at a PC monitor everyday.
Did my first bathroom/tiling job for my landlord to pay a months rent when I was skint!! After about 18 months doing pipework and labouring, I went back to the office for another 18 months, but was doing odd jobs for family and friends building up experience plumbing and tiling.
After a couple more sackings at the office (I finally got the message that career was no longer for me!!), and as luck would have it - 2 weeks later, I got a call from another friend, who wanted me to work as his plumber/labourer. So for another 18 months, I spent some time working with him doing all kinds of home improvements, and he claimed he knew tiling and 'taught' me how to do it.
Then, in November last year, my ex-boss hired an electrician who used to and still does tiling (but this guy was a trained tiler). Working along side him on some bigger tiling jobs, I realised then how little my cowboy tiler ex-boss knew about tiling and decided to do a 4 week course and start-up on my own. Which I did in April.
I too must have spent £8-9k in the last 4 months on tools, van, course & insurance and I'm just getting out there and dealing with my first customers/and taking on some bigger jobs. I can see a good turnover, and the potential to earn is there. However, I still need to re-invest a huge amount into tools, so like the others said, the earnings will not be that good straight away. The first 12-24 months will be hard, but if it is what you want to do then follow your heart.
I do plan on the NVQ/CSCS route in the future, but for now I just need to establish the business and try to earn a living for me and my son.
It's hard work and long hours at times, but I love it compared to an office job. Good luck to anyone who decides to go for it
