Uk Pro Tiling Training - Tiling Courses (formerly Nett)

[Andrew Case]

Thanks for doing this review Andrew, be sure to let us know how the natural stone day goes on Friday!

What are you planning on doing with your new found skill?

Hi Dave
Have had to move my final day to next week due to family commitments. So will post my final day after that.

I am already decorating for extra money, but am now advertising tiling as my main area. As i've said in other threads, i will only take on work i can do well. I plan on learning from this forum, doing lots of supplier days, maybe even a victorian tiling course next year.
Ive got a few of my own jobs in my house to do to keep up practice while i try and build up business.

Have ordered some cards, van signage etc

 

[Dave85]

It sounds like you have the right idea about how to get started, so hopefully you can prove all the guys wrong that say you need to follow a tiler around for 2 years, because that's how they did it.

I have not seen Victorian tiling courses before, do they do it at uk trades? I live in an area with a large amount of rich people so have often thought that Victorian porch's and steps would work well here.

 

[Andrew Case]

[/QUOTE]
I have not seen Victorian tiling courses before, do they do it at uk trades? I live in an area with a large amount of rich people so have often thought that Victorian porch's and steps would work well here.[/QUOTE]

Able skills down south do it. Its not cheap, but i dont mind paying for training as i enjoy learning new things. Im hopefully going to be doing a venetian plastering course soon. I dont think theres loads of work for it, but again, it interests me.

Ive got no problem in tackling the majority of tiling jobs - but i will always be up front with the customer. I may not be the quickest but i would never leave a job like the cowboys do, even if it was at my expense.
Im fully insured too, even though i am still waiting for my first job. I want everything to be done properly, not last minute

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Andrew you must be a very gifted person, you will have five days tiling in a cubicle under your belt, and you are ordering cards/ signed written van etc. Tiling is not about just bathroom bashing or splash backs. Tiling, true tiling is, was, and always will be a very skilled trade.

I find these kind of posts very offensive, I don't care who I upset, I have been tiling 45yrs time served C&G, worked all over the world. I sit on the TTA fixer training committee, I would like to change this industry so we can bring back the skills, instead of diluting them.

As for Victorian/ geometric work, I get calls on a regular basis from tilers 40yrs experience, asking me for set out advice. If I thought for one second that any tips/ advice I have shared on this fine forum, would encourage people to belittle my trade, or undermine the skill required, skill that takes years to hone to perfection. I would not post again.

I don't know you Andrew, so this is not an attack on you personally. But I do know and respect a lot of TF members who are highly skilled and experienced in this industry, some of them are struggling in the current climate. Sorry to rain on your parade, but I have to voice my opinion. I have come across so many "tilers" in my time. I hope you do well, but you will need a red cape to succeed in tiling after five days.

This could get me banned, but I had to say it.

 

[Ian]

You're perfectly entitled to your opinion Phil, anyone who reads an opinion of yours and doesn't take it on board, is missing out on top advice. Your experience and work allows you to give this opinion.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Thanks Bri, you know I have a passion as most pro tilers have for our trade, and it is a trade.

 

[Spud]

I complete understand where Phil is coming from,lets put it this way if Andrew were doing a cookery course after 5 days you wouldnt he wont be michelin star chef even with the help of a forum with the best chefs in the world advising you you would still take years to achieve the level of expertise needed to call yourself an expert/specialist,unfortunately short course tilers will be unleashed on to the public who will end up paying the price who will be fooled by the impressive cards and sign written van and other marketing tricks employed I am all for training and course providers are essential in my opinion but 5 days to be fully skilled tiler is the same as saying 5 days you will be a skilled mechanic

 

[Andrew Case]

At which point has anyone said I'm a fully skilled tiler? 5 days gives you the basics.
5 days at 8 hours a day is a similar amount of hours to learn to drive. Many people do. But they are still learning and gaining confidence after they've passed their test. But they can drive at 70mph like everyone else.
No disrespect to anyone here, the work I've seen from these posts is beautiful, skilled work that I can only dream about attaining one day.
I dont mind anyone's opinion at all. I know what type of person I am, what I strive to be, what I can and can't do.
I did say at the outset though that this post was a review of the course, not a discussion on the rights and wrongs of courses.
I can't do an apprenticeship, I want to tile, live with it.
You look after your business in your area, I'll do mine in mine, don't stress over people entering "your" trade.
When you retire, and everyone else who has been doing it for decades, lets see who is left. Hopefully I'll be one.
There are a lot of supportive people on here who recognise people have to start somewhere and respect people who are willing to give it a go while sticking to good standards and work ethics.
Now enough of the course being right or wrong, have we not all read enough about that to last a life time??!

 

[DHTiling]

Can only concur phils post. Well written.

 

[Andrew Case]

P.s I already am running a painting and decorating business, hence the cards.
Didn't think it was frowned upon to advertise.
I can do a splash back or conservatory floor as good anyone. If I can't do it, if it's out of my reach, I'll decline. Is that bad? It would be wrong to take the job on and do it bad. Surely much respect to me for having the balls to recognise and stick to jobs I can do!