webby

I am new to the forum and the last thing I want to do is come across as arrogant.I have been tiling now for nearly 30 years and I have never advertised.It did take a little while to get established but certainly less than a year.Yes I did 7 day weeks and bank holidays to start with.I had to as we had 5 children to bring up.However I have five months to go before I retire (officially) and am now in a position to work just 2 or 3 days a week if I want and still earn a good living.Mortgage is paid so one thing less worry.Money has been secondary to me and it is far more important that the client is a hundred per cent happy with the work.It is also important that I am one hundred per cent happy with the work.Attention to detail is a must.Don't skimp on anything.Use the best materials for the situation whatever they cost.Don't haggle.You should have a price for your standard of work and you should stick to it.If I put a price in for a job and don't get it I will be working for someone else.Be pleasant with people.Most of my work is private/domestic and I only ever work on a day rate plus materials.Hope this is helpful.Remember lads (or lasses)you only get out of life what you put in.
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Jabba~~~~ just noticed what you said about old timers.Well I'm 65 next bithday,I am up at 6.30 every morning and start work at 8.I hardly drink anyway.I don't have the breaks during the day that most people do( I usually stop long enough to have a bite to eat) and I pack up about 4.30.If I am going to be late for some reason or can't turn up I phone the customer and let them know.I don't know where this attitude to old timers has come from but the most problematic tradesmen in my area are usually younger.Being realistic I suppose there's good and bad in all walks of life but I did resent you targeting us older tradesmen.And I'll tell you now,I can keep up with most youngsters.As I said before,I admit that I don't actually have to work every day if I don't want to but I do more often than not.