I've just landed a contract carrying out tiling repairs in shower areas of the local leisure centre.

I've managed to persuade them to have Tilux dura-WP on the plasterboard walls (will be e-mailing you shortly wet decs!) but I just wanted to check about the adhesive and grouts.

The walls are having Travis Perkins bumpy white tiles with white grout. I normally use Wickes white rapid set flexi adhesive as it seems to perform as well as if not better than stonefix adhesive and is reasonably priced (£22 a bag)/readily available and granfix white wall grout as it mixes well and I get a really smooth finish.

The floor tiles have lifted in the shower areas (apparently tile on tile on concrete so might have to remove original layer if that is the problem) and the grout looks like a dark cement. Again, I normally use the Wickes adhesive and a granfix flexi floor grout or a mapei grout. The client has asked for a brown grout.

Because these showers are going to get some serious usage and I want to keep my reputation and ensure this contract is long term, I want to make sure I'm using the right adhesive and grouts.

Any suggestions?

I'm sure you're paying too much for your addy Davey, have you other retailers around you to get a better price?

wickes adhesive is made by weber, shop around you can get weber set plus white for a tenner a bag from tile town in derby half the price!

hi daveyboy they sell weber set plus at my local ctd i think its on offer at the moment for £6.99 for a 20kg and its good stuff

Agree with the others that you are paying roughly twice as much as I do for rapid set flexi. Toppfix RSF (made by palace) is under £10 a bag from Topps and the white version is just over. If CTD sell the weber gear , there is one on Southampton (not sure where you are in Hampshire) - try shopping about

Originally Posted by doug boardley

I'm sure you're paying too much for your addy Davey, have you other retailers around you to get a better price?

Thanks guys, believe it or not, that is the cheapest in area (Andover)...we're definately get ripped off by our local suppliers/merchants...

I'll give CDT Southampton a call tomorrow and see what I can get it for..

Gave CDT Newbury a call today re weber rapid set flexi tile adhesive white...If I order 40 bags (would do the same price for say 20 bags if in stock) they would sell it to me at £18.77 (£21.58 incl VAT) a bag... that is a 50% reduction from the retail price..

They could do the weber set plus at £6.99 but CDT say it is not flexible nor rapid set so no good for me.

I'll try Topps later today to see what they can offer...

Davey...did you ask about Keraquick instead....? or Mapeker..

Would never touch anything from wicks, B&Q etc. If the adhesive situation is that bad in your area have you considered supplying it yourself? wonder how many tilers/builders would come to you for a pukka named brand at a cheaper price than wicks own.


TJ

Just spoken with Manager at Topps Tiles at Winchester...
for topps RSF white it's £14.98 (£17.23 incl VAT) and for grey its £8.49 (£9.76)...so definately cheaper than Wickes/Weber...but I'm not sure of it's quality

Dave..no didn't ask CDT about Kerraquick or Mapeker..I did ask if they did any other brands as good as Weber but cheaper... he said he had others but they were nowhere near as good as Weber... I don't want to compromise on quality so didn't ask further.

TJ.. Wickes RSF white is weber in a different bag so is ok to use but I agree with you on some of their other tile products... Not a bad idea about setting up my own supply business, just not sure how to do that..might research it further when I get a quiet moment...

Cheers mate, you dont have any problems using topfix, i have used it tons of times, Wivers has used it tons of times and neither of us has ever had a complaint. It mixes nice, it spreads nice and it sticks like BAL. I know that topps sometimes have split bags out the back that they let you have cheap, some only have a tiny hole in them.

As for setting up your own supply business you don't actually have to do anything major. Just phone up BAL, WEBBER, MAPEI or whoever and find out what they charge you for a bulk order, once you have got the prices just start spreading the word that you stock it. As soon as someone approaches you about buying a bag or 2 just buy the bulk lot from your stockist and get it delivered to your garage or some other place. Once you got it and you have sold your first couple of bags to the person who originally asked you to get it you will flog it double fast, start a website and just let every single person you meet know that you stock it. This time next year you will have your own chain of tile shops, be driving to work in a Jag and have me as your manager on a hefty royalties cheque!!!!

Sounds like there is a lot of money to be made on this up there, i would jump all over it if i was you before someone else cottons on.


TJ

Tiling in a comunal shower.... just don't drop the soap

LOL Fekin

TJ

Originally Posted by Fekin

Tiling in a comunal shower.... just don't drop the soap

I'm going to start lifting the tiles up tomorrow night in the shower area then will see what lies underneath... have told them I'd prefer to do the work when the place is closed so no risk of getting caught from behind

Originally Posted by TrumpersUnited

wickes adhesive is made by weber, shop around you can get weber set plus white for a tenner a bag from tile town in derby half the price!

just rang Tiletown and as I have no account they were charging £23.45 a bag - what a rip off, why do all these tile places shaft the to Joe public

and Topps want £53.99 for the white topfix RSF - holy Jebus

Topps i s without a doubt the worst company on this planet, i absolutely hate them, right from the thick staff through to the stupid littlr tile man they have has their logo!!!!

Don't get me started on this subject, them idiots have cost me time, money and work over the last couple of years. Their tiles are cheap crap and the price they charge on BAL to the public is criminal!!!! Trouble is so many customers use them so you cant avoid them really.

TJ


How's work up on Teesside mate???

Hi, sorry just a member of joe public and doing a job for a family member - hence my rant about retail prices to the public

Originally Posted by janzbro

Hi, sorry just a member of joe public and doing a job for a family member - hence my rant about retail prices to the public

LOL, no worries mate

TJ