A bit of plumbing. - TilersForums.com

[Sean Kelly]

Just thought I should let you know that the 1 week introduction to plumbing course I attended in January has helped me with my tiling job.

· My first plumbing job was a simple basin trap replacement. I also did a bit of siliconing around the basin. All for £30 plus mats.
· My second job was for my Father in law. It was to swap a rusted cold water tank for a plastic one. This involved cutting away some lead pipe and renewing it with copper. Job well done. It was supposed to be a freebe, but he insisted on giving me £100 on top of materials. It did take me a full day, as the working conditions were not that great. No boards in the loft and that insulation got right up my nose. The new tank also had to be moved 6 inches so it would fit.
· My third job was when I went to give a quote for some travertine tiling in a bathroom. The customer wanted loads of pipes boxed in. I thought to myself that will be a lot of cutting of tiles. So I suggested that I reroute the water pipes and just charge him for materials. I got the tiling job and I spent 3 days practicing bending & soldering copper pipes etc. All pipes pressure tested and customer very happy.

I must admit it was not all plane sailing. There are so many pluming materials to think and know about. Loads of different connectors, fittings, lead locks, compression, soldiered joints etc it’s a minefield.

So, come next Jan/Feb when work is thin on the ground you should think about a supplementary course to your tiling.

Cheers
Sean

 

[brian c]

good for you SEAN.Good to see its working out for you m8.

 

[davy_G]

Good man Sean, always good to have a handle on the basics.
Even though im insured for plumbing as well i leave it to a few of my pro mates. Far quicker than me.

 

[doug boardley]

I'll whip the potware out if it's on service valves, and that's it, bro-in-law is a plumber so owt else I'll ask him to sort out

 

[surflaur]

Well done Sean:hurray:, I'm thinking of doing a quick plastering course just to do some small jobs before i tile them too.

 

[LM Ceramics]

ive did a 5 day plumbing course in feb and i know how you feel sean it has benefitted me aswell im currently on my first bathroom install nearly finished but god talk about experience like you said there are so many fittings etc i ve been running to the plumbers merchants about 10 times this week. well worth anyone considering doing a plumbing course well worth it

 

[cornish_crofter]

I've done plumbing and tiling and haven't done courses in either, maybe you can tell LOL!

I have been hands on with a lot of renovations though. I have worked alongside plumbers who have passed on simple tips to me. I've also worked alongside plasters and got the same benefit.

Those cowboys who heped be build a new frontage to a house recently, taught me to be more careful who you choose, they were the only block layers who I know didn't use a line!

The chap who is helping me render it at the moment is great. He's only 21 but he knows his trade. His father has been in the game since 16 and he even got him invoved for a couple of hours as the wall really needs work to take out the bad blockwork.

I just mixed for him and delivered mortar to him to lay up a lot of the time. I have done some rendering before but pebble dashing is new to me.

 

[cam_low]

any courses in the north east i could do ? my plumber has started the tiling and i already offer bathroom fitting a i labour for him when i get the jobs in.

 

[Smithy153]

North east tiling have a new plumbing course in the north east. Was there doing tiling last week.

 

[White Room]

ive did a 5 day plumbing course in feb and i know how you feel sean it has benefitted me aswell im currently on my first bathroom install nearly finished but god talk about experience like you said there are so many fittings etc i ve been running to the plumbers merchants about 10 times this week. well worth anyone considering doing a plumbing course well worth it

You want to have a wander around car boot sales, a plumber I know used to pick up loads of fittings for next to nothing