Thinkng of calling it a day

[Fekin]

Sorry to hear it tysfoot mate, and you've only just done the plastering course too.

Atleast you have learnt to tile, might not like it very much, but it's a skill worth having and keeping your hand in.

Get a full time job paying what you need and you'll get calls still for tiling and get what you can on the weekends\evenings and take it from there mate.

Good luck with whatever you decied to do

 

[DEN]

Thats unfortunate tysfoot mate,just wondering if you are getting plenty of quotes? but not getting the business,if thats the case maybe you could work on your salespitch technique,if you sell yourself really well,i don't think it matters what competition you have if the customer likes what they hear,if you sound really confident and knowledgable t certainly gives you the upper hand and try and close the deal there and then,maybe i'm clutching at straws,but you never like to hear anyone packing it in,all you need is that one lucky break and you will be on your way.try to remain positive mate,but whatever you decide all the best from me..
DEN..

 

[CLAYS TILES]

DONT GIVE IN YET M8, i've had the same feeling its just the starting off,once the work starts coming we'll have wished we was less busy so we had more time for other things........keep in there m8,it'll be a shame after all we've spent on setting up!
as for the van sign writting,i was lucky to do the guy's bathroom so he gave me a discount on the signage! he matched it up to my business cards!!!

 

[enduro]

I don't think that comment is true..there are quite a few members on here who have done a course and have a good tiling business going....it is down to getting good contacts and being in the right place at the right time...

Some areas have more tilers than others , so it is hard for some to get going..nothing to do with doing a course...............

Yes i agree dave, what i ment its work is not going to fall at your feet when you first start, you have to work at it and get contacts.

 

[devonmark]

Sorry to hear you've come to this decision tys, but if needs must and all that..I would urge you to keep at it part time though, that way it will help you build up the speed and contacts that you will need should you decide to go full time,
good luck whatever you decide...Mark.

 

[Deleted member 5518]

Hi fella,
gutted for you and the finances as well. My first job took me 8 days when i thought it would take 4 max !!! I know your not a quitter after chatting a few times .Sometimes the goalposts move and things have to go on the backburner. I think all your hard work will pay off when you least expect it.
Give me a ring
Cya soon

 

[grumpygrouter]

very true. seems to me there are to many tiling courses and to much competition in manchester with everyone seem to undercutting everyone. Not enough to be made.
When i did the course i was thinking ill be earning about 30k a year. Very wrong i was. New people starting out would only be earning max 12k first year 17k second year and 20k plus year after. Its hard as ive found out.

There just my estmations

Your assumtions Tysfoot about your earnings, sadly are not just related to being in tiling. Many many people turn to self employments with a dream of going from rags to riches. Sadly, it happens in very few cases.

As I have said in numerous posts, it is one thing being a tiler and another thing being a businessman. Neither am I disparaging your efforts. Business comes naturally to a few people, most have to work hard for success, some are very lucky and it "happens". Some (most) fail miserably.

One thing I have come to realise since I have been in business - there are no such thing as "nice" highly successful businessmen! Check out Mr Bransons life story and you will see what i mean! He is nice as a "person" but put "business" in front of "person" and he is a different character all together!

What I am trying to say Tys, is don't get depressed. Earn your living a different way at the moment, keep the tiling iron warm in the back ground and pick up the jobs when they come around. Sooner or later, you will find they come around more often until the time will be, again, to go it alone again.

Keep in touch with the forums, you make us smile, grin and laugh.

grumpy

 

[Turkish]

yeah best of luck from me too tys, i only tile part time and it`s certainly comforting knowing that i have a regular income and tiling is extra. Just go part time for a while until you build some contacts.

Turkish

 

[Perry]

Tysfoot mate will be sorry to lose u mate keep it up part time if u can u will pick up contacts still even part time but do keep posting u have given us great fun with your great sense of humor best regards ete

 

[CJ]

You gotta do wot you gotta do to pay the bills Ty

Keep at it part time if you can..........at least that way your name will filter out and about.........

Thats how I started. Part time for 5 years..........then whallop, the phone kept ringing.

Good Luck :yes:

 

[IvegotsTILE]

Not another,not Tys:sad_smile: .

Gotta pay the bills mate,if your not enjoying it then its not worth the hassle.

I'm not just in it for the dollar,I've got a customer,young lad whos spent a fortune doing his house up and he's now run out of money,he's been paying me day rate and there was still a good day left to finish his bathroom(already done hallway,kitchen floor and splashback)He said either he'd call me back when he could afford it or he'd try himself.I had nothing on yesterday and didn't have much to do so I gave him a call and said I'd help him out and come and finish it for free.
He was a top customer and I didn't want someone else to try and finish my work .

Bottom line is I enjoy tiling so didn't mind,If your going to work and not enjoying it thats torure.

Good luck in what ever you do mate

I got a splashback to do for his sister now thanks to my good customer service(I'll be getting paid for that one)

 

[Dirrty]

Tysfoot if what you need to do for now is take a job, thats not packing it in is it? Selling your tools, van, chucking all your stationary away etc, deciding that tiling is not for you.....that's packing it in isn't it? If you think tiling is for you then adding another revenue stream (taking a job), if the tiling is not producing enough income, is simply doing what you have got to do. No one said running your own business was easy, otherwise everyone would do it and companies would have no one to hire lol. On the other hand if you just don't like the work.....get out.....life is too short :yes:

 

[tileform]

Its sad to hear this
I've just done a course and already i'm getting work in but i know from experience in the garage doors that when you first start its hard getting the business in so at least i have the harsh lessons behind me.

It doesn't matter how good a tiler you are - you simply have to be a businessman first now then a tiler second. If you're a good businessman, it will never come down to price because you've already sold yourself and given the customer the impression that no-one else simply compares to you.

Dont worry about the competition - get a blank sheet of paper and write 2 columns, one positive, one negative. List all your strengths and weaknesses and try to concentrate on slowly turning the negatives into positives, Be brutally honest with yourself Tysfoot.

I'm partially deaf and it also affects my speech but sod it, i dont let it bother me and i overcome my faults. i've now been self employed for over 2 years - yes its a struggle but you simply cannot beat working for yourself!

Apologies for the long post
GOOD LUCK in whatever you decide to do Tysfoot
Dean

 

[Pawelzik]

All the best wishes from Germany, tys. Martin

 

[GRAYLIN]

Good luck with what ever direction you choose.
Never say never.
GK