Hi all tilers.
I am 20, and no idea what to do in life. I could go to uni, but I have researched lots of jobs and courses, but I just want to become self employed and get paid a decent wage for some hard work. A tiler, is a career I am considering but perhaps any response to the following would be a massive help!
1. How long does it take to train?
2. What can I make per week? Average.
3. Do you need a van?
4. Do you always work alone?
5. Do you enjoy your job?

No 5 answer for the forum, WE LOVE IT

no 1 you never stop learningi

Originally Posted by Newbietotiles

Hi all tilers.
I am 20, and no idea what to do in life. I could go to uni, but I have researched lots of jobs and courses, but I just want to become self employed and get paid a decent wage for some hard work. A tiler, is a career I am considering but perhaps any response to the following would be a massive help!
1. How long does it take to train?
2. What can I make per week? Average.
3. Do you need a van?
4. Do you always work alone?
5. Do you enjoy your job?

1. If you're such a way inclined, some have done a 5-day course and have been confident enough to tile per say, though the grade you want, and not many have, is an NVQ in tiling, and depending on your financial status and how much time you can put in would answer how long that would take, I'd recommend checking out www.tilingcoursescompanies.co.uk and www.tilersforums.co.uk/tiling-courses-feedback/ for reviews BEFORE handing over cash. I'd do a short course, see if you fancy it, and then go for your NVQ at a later date if it was me doing it right now - So answer in short, from 5 days (and then lots of learning on the job, perhaps for family and friends first) or a couple of months.
2. Not much at the start, but you'd be investing in your future, I guess at 20 you don't need to earn what some tilers can earn, though you'll need to make a living and put lots of care in your work. Tiling is only quick when your experienced, lots of guys on here will tell you they started and found it much harder than they imagined, many quit before they get really good, though lots go on to tackle another day and do quite well after 12 months tiling. I wouldn't want to quite wages as that's area dependent (charging-wise) and of course it would really depend on how good you are etc.
3. Lots do it in their car when they start out. In my opinion it doesn't look professional and you can sign-write it, which can help with getting business and looking professional. I'd say an astra van at the least off ebay or whatever would suffice while you start, and that's the way I'd go I think.
4. Mostly, certainly while you're just starting. You'd stuggle to find an employer in this climate, and if they know you're going alone afterwards, to become their competition, I'm unsure how comitted they'd be to you learning more, and that's what you need. I'd go alone and work alone for 12 months or so and then see how you feel. On big jobs you may find a few tilers are required, though I wouldn't expect those, or take them on, within your first 12 months or so.
5. Most only do it because they enjoy it, some I'm sure would love to do something else but have skills in tiling. So that's a hard one. Many quit because they can't get work. So you're not just being a tiler here, you're running a business, and selling yourself (so to speak), so you're a businessman, a tiler, and a salesman, if you look at it that way. So you need to know your stuff, do a good job, make money (or at least get by) and have a customer-base before you can really say I've tried it at its peak and had an opinion. If you lack any one of those, you may not enjoy it, but you can't say you ever did it at 'its peak' so to speak.

Good luck with whatever you choose, and make sure you choose the right choice for you after lots of though. IMO, Uni isn't up to much these days, and it's apparent (seeing the news) that even after you've finished Uni in years to come that you're not guaranteed a job, so you're agains selling yourself and competiting for a job. If you do go for Uni, choose the right course etc.

All the best.

to the forum!

every day is a school day m8!
like everything else,if you put the effort in you will reap the rewards!

Thanks everyone!
Dan, your reply was very interesting.
Would you say tiling is the highest paid trade?
How much can you make a day? (Take home)(again the average)

you make..... a customer happy
you take home....... the knowledge that a customer is happy, any monetary gain is a bonus

What figures?

try this it's free and stops you having to have your posts approved first.

Asking for figures of how much money you make is like saying how long is a peice of string. It depends where your from, if your good, if your lucky, if you promote yourself well etc etc. I only started on my own 10 months ago and i'll be honest its tough! If you think your just suddely going to make loads of cash from tiling you wont. Its about building a business like any other, you start at the bottom and build to the top. I find it very rewarding, when you stand back and look at what you have done and the customer is buzzing its great. But when your sat at home after doing the rounds to all tiling, bathroom, kitchen companys etc and you've still no work its poo! I've been lucky and had quite alot of work for a newbie and just recently landed some steady work for a local firm, but i've worked hard! long hours, but i love it. I know i will make a good living from tiling because i love doing it and know what i'm doing is right. If you want to be a tiler go for it but just a warning its not easy, just like if you go to uni, it takes time to get the degree but the rewards could be massive. Good luck whatever you do! and use this forum for advice