Important Changes to Tiling Standards

[White Room]

Just don't seem fair...

 

[Marvo]

I wasn't intending to cause a riot and I'll delete them anyway when I've finished skimming through them because apart from a passing interest I'm never going to use them.

.....those who need it pay thousands, those who don't get it for free.

They don't officially give it away for free, I just went and found somewhere on the internet that does. Anyone can do the same, only difference is it's not illegal where I am.

I pay the full subscription price for my ISO standards we use day to day at work.

 

[Dan]

They're a part of your business so you're using them for profit. I'm assuming Marvo would need to pay if it was his trade?

Ofset the cost against your tax bill and claim the vat back too if you're vat registered. Makes them cheaper.

 

[Marvo]

I'm assuming Marvo would need to pay if it was his trade?

Yep, I'd have to pay if I did anything that generated direct or indirect profit from them.

 

[J Sid]

The British Standard documents should be freely available as much for the customer as the tradesman.

If the customer was able to view it they would know exactly what service, substrate prep, fix method and material use to expect for there chosen tradesmen.

If it was freely available to all tradesmen surely the level of workmanship would improve. All tradesmen would be pricing to do the job the same with regards to prep, materials, method.
Or am I missing something?

Is there a British Standard 'kite mark' a small trader can get to say that they are certified to work to and follow all the BS for there trade?
I know the TTA try to give customers peace of mind by saying there members work to a certain standard. But there are so many trade bodies out there the customers don't know the good from the bad. But all know and respect the BS kite mark.

So, I believe the British Standard should be free to view to all and a kite mark should be available to those tradesmen whose have passed an exam and are periodically inspected to say that there work conforms to said standard.

My god, I have sort out our industry.

 

[Dan]

My god, I have sort out our industry.

Get on it man!

 

[White Room]

I wish my missus still worked at BSI, I'd make a fortune...

 

[Marvo]

Are the tiling regulations, of which I now see there are many, actually enforced by anyone?

 

[Dave]

Are the tiling regulations, of which I now see there are many, actually enforced by anyone?

Nope!!!

 

[Dan]

Here we go. A couple are in here: http://www.tilersforums.com/resources/

Don't worry, the link to the main store, I'm not selling them.

 

[Marvo]

I just had a read through some of the other standards (other than the BS5385-1 to 5) and there's quite a few that would be relevant to tilers such as;

BS 8000-11.1, Workmanship on building sites – Code of practice for
wall and floor tiling – Ceramic tiles, terrazzo tiles and mosaics
BS 8000-11.2, Workmanship on building sites – Code of practice for
wall and floor tiling – natural stone tiles
BS EN 12002:2002, Adhesives for tiles – Determination of transverse deformation for cementitious adhesives and grouts
BS EN 12004:2007, Adhesives for tiles – Requirements, evaluation of conformity, classification and designation
BS EN 13888:2002, Grouts for tiles – Definitions and specifications
BS EN 14411, Ceramic tiles – Definitions, classification, characteristics
and marking

These also excluce the standards for plastering, rendering, installing gypsum board etc etc.

Hmmm, setting up as a tiler just turned into an expensive exercise. Just out of interest how many tilers actually own a copy of the relevant standards?

 

[White Room]

Thats a good question, probably a lot less than own one.

 

[Dan]

Isn't that what he said mark? Lol

I'll start a poll now.

 

[Marvo]

I'm guessing you'd need to spend a thousand or two of your UK quids to set yourself up the regs that are just directly related to actual day to day tile laying and maybe as much again for other regs that would be considered relevant such as the building regs, the regs relating to safety and the different regs regarding cementicious products to name a few. Then on top of that there's be costs of regular revisions, updates etc.

What would be the motivation for spending such a large amount of money? Would there ever be a case where you'd have to show you own all the regs to prove competance?

The question stems from the electricians forum that I work on where the UK electrical scheme (NIC, NAPIT etc) insists on a yearly check during which you need to produce your own copy of the current regs as well as other things such as calibration certificates for testers and insurance policy proof etc. I wondered if it's similar for tilers.

**Edit**
I see Dan has started a poll here so I guess time will tell

 

[Dan]

Libraries in the UK with BSOL
UK Libraries with access to British Tiling Standards BS 5385

Company City Post code
Kent Libraries and Archives Maidstone ME14 2LH
MLA - Bolton Public Libraries Bolton BL1 1SA
MLA - Essex Libraries Chelmsford CM1 1LH
MLA - Hull Libraries Hull HU1 3TF
MLA - Sheffield Libraries & Sheffield S1 1XZ
Belfast Education & Library Board Belfast BT1 1EA
City University Library London EC1V 0HB
Durham University Library Durham DH1 3LY
Heriot-Watt University Library Edinburgh EH14 4AS
MLA - Cambridge Central Library Cambridge CB4 2BB
MLA - Doncaster Library Doncaster DN1 3JE
MLA - Lancashire County Library Preston, Lancashire PR1 2PP
MLA - Manchester Public Library Manchester M2 5PD
MLA - Norfolk CC Library Service Norwich NR1 2UA
MLA - Staffordshire CC Library & Stafford ST16 3HJ
National Library of Wales Aberystwyth SY23 3BU
Newcastle City Library Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8AX
Reading University Library Reading RG6 6AE
Strathclyde University Library Glasgow G4 0NS
The British Library London NW1 2DB
The Open University Library Milton Keynes MK7 6AA
University of Northumbria-Library Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST
The Oldham College Library Oldham OL9 6AA
The University of Manchester Library Manchester M13 9PP
Coventry Libraries and Information Coventry CV1 1FY
Liverpool City Libraries Liverpool L3 8EW
North East Scotland College Library+ Aberdeen AB21 9YA
ROnline-Kent Libraries, Registration and Archive Maidstone ME14 1LQ
University of Sussex Library Brighton BN1 9QL

Downloadable PDF List of UK Libraries with access to British Standards in Tiling BS5385