What did you do before tiling?

[calculator]

Small world IvegotsTILE I was in RAF Regiment for 17 years before took redundancy to run a newsagents/cafe then off to colledge to learn bricklaying (started small building firm)sold up and moved to Blackpool started to work as manager for cavity wall insulation firm before going on my own as tiler
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Small world, I was in RAF Regiment for 17 years before taking redundancy to open up a Newsagents down south, went to colledge while there and trained as bricklayer, opened up two cafe's then sold the lot to move north (sunny Blackpool) got a temporary job with cavity wall firm for 6 years got to senior management then quit to follow my dream to be self employed opted for tiling figured if i could lay a brick I could tile

 

[davy_G]

I worked offshore drilling for oil. Good times, travelled a bit not always to nice places. Lots of time away from home at short notice but good £££. Time for a change so after building my own house in my time off the rigs I decided tiling was for me!

 

[ryanbrown]

web design - once the bubble burst

 

[quick draw macgraw]

Aerospace engineering and still doing it but done few tiling jobs for friends sick of people telling me what to do especially from muppets like i have now, plus shift work stinks!!!

Steve.:sad_smile:

 

[Fekin]

Shift work is your friend... embrace it

 

[len]

Electrician.... seriously boring and unsatisfying trade. Wouldn't wish it on anyone.
very little to show for ones efforts wheras everything on view with this business,which is so satisfying

 

[jamesy07]

Window cleaning and have just gone back to it p/t

 

[Dan]

Just opening this thread again.

 

[frogeye]

fire service - more years than I want to admit to

 

[chris.tiling]

22 years in Financial Services...last 12 as Building Society manager. Sick of 1) boss telling me that 400% of sales target wasnt enough cos we had done bugger all that week, 2) 30 year old staff acting like 3 year olds so needing to bang heads together 3) leaving at the end of the day and not being able to see what I had done, 4) customers complaining as you had done what you were supposed to but they couldnt see it. Pleased to get rid of 1 2 and 3!!!!!

 

[Turkish]

Coach driver uk and continental, fun for 9 years but then became a drag.

Police officer, lasted one year and couldn`t wait to get out.

Fire-fighter, still there, 10th year and still enjoying it.

Do the odd bit of tiling part time along with limo driving


Always wanted to be a commercial pilot though!

Turkish

 

[LM Ceramics]

left school started tiling as an apprentice i enjoy tiling. at school i did i work experience in the last year of school 2 days a week ( caus i was naughty) working with a plumbing firm the boss also did tiling dont get me wrong i enjoyed plumbing but i knew i wanted to be a tiler because its more a finishing trade and you can look on your work and be really proud of it :hurray:

 

[bigdaz]

14 years in graphic design (I've worked on little known films such as jurassic park and Harry Potter) then 6 years in security with part time plastering thrown in

 

[mick86]

a skilled labourer on the min wage with the max amount of graft short tea breaks ext

 

[MICK the Tiler]

Never had another job been tiling since the age of 14 did my 5 year apprenticeship and kept going never really wanted to do anything else. You young blokes today have got it easy with all the thin bed adhesives and bagged glues and grouts. Back when I started we had to wet screed and lay the tiles with neat cement mix our own grouts with coloured oxides and cut tiles with angel wire in a hacksaw frame. Holes were cut with a tile stitting on a lump hammer and small chipping hammer was used to chip the glaze and biscut to create a hole, primitive stuff and hard work too.

The 21st century tiler has got it alot easier today. and that's a good thing IMHO