HI all i attended a tiling course in june of last year after having previously been in the army and working in sales where i was doing very well. But i always wanted to work for myself. I first started tiling when i left school so had a little backgroung knowledge.

During the course i thought it was wonderful. Thought it was the best course in the world. Looking back now 8 months on and having spent over £3000 on advertising, tools(which i bought on my course half of which i have never used and half of which i have seen cheaper elsewhere. Not least my wet cutter which i paid £120 for and now see in band q for £40, van slogan, named t shirts, and my van.

Since completeing the course i have quoted 8 jobs and got them all. (I have posted pics on this site).

But that is it 8 jobs in 8 months. Iv advertised everywhere Yellow pages, Local papers, Church magazines, Business cards, Van slogan, Cards in all tile shops in 60 mile radius. Not a good return.

Looking back it was drilled in how this tiling game is about being a good business man. Clearly those that run these courses are good business men getting us to spend £600 on a course then £600 on tools then churning ten new tilers per week per course out to start there own business's. I wish i had of thought longer about what i was doing before throwing myself head first on the back of a recommendation of a good course. It will only get worse as more and more tilers are churned out. More tilers same amount of customers.

Rant over.

does that mean you are calling it a day? Im sorry its worked out like that for you, but to be honest i have got to agree with you - 2 many tilers 2 little custom. Where i live in Birmingham its getting harder and harder to find the work due to the influx.

I've said it time and time again, you only need one good shop to get you your work and keep you busy, then in 12 months time you'd have your own reputation to play on.

Keep throwing enough shizzer and some will stick. Chin up mate and visit the busiest of those shops again with a big fat smile on yer face and a butty or two in your hand.
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Checkout this thread: http://www.tilersforums.co.uk/tilers...ding-work.html (it's in the Tilers Forums Arms for those that don't have access please see THIS thread)

Also get some calls made to plumbers/plasterers/builders offering your services...the work won't come to you..you have to find it.....good luck and keep smiling...

Originally Posted by dhceramics

Also get some calls made to plumbers/plasterers/builders offering your services...the work won't come to you..you have to find it.....good luck and keep smiling...

I agree, A lot of my tiling come's from plumbers, where as I do their plastering as well. If the worst comes to it get a second job to tide over for the moment and do your tiling at the weekends

chin up mate you have done everything what i once did and still do. It ss swings and round abouts i am sure things will pick up but will honestly say from the bottom of my heart without being disrespectful to any one that there are too many have ago tilers who have saturated the market leaving those who have spent thousands like yourself without work. i will tell you a true story without naming any one shop but once left some cards in a shop where i bought alot of adhesives from the next day they had gone but instead of telling me they didnt want them they took my cards and binned them putting up the main one where they were probably promised a back hander i am sure not all places are like that but it is a dirty business sadly.

Originally Posted by geordie2013

Since completeing the course i have quoted 8 jobs and got them all. (I have posted pics on this site).

Except for this one.
Is it worth the hassle


To be honest I think building a business and a reputation for good work can take a little longer than half a year. You did the course in June so July to 31 Dec is only six months, and approaching Nov/December is never going to be a good time in any trade other than selling toys and alcohol!?!?
You were posting in October about 4 different jobs you done and required advice on, so things in Oct were going in the right direction. Keep at it, sure you'll do well between now and summer.

There is no easy way of making money, all good businesses take time to develop, as said before other tradesmen are the key, costs you knothing to befriend them and when you do you wont stop, there will allways be someone looking for a quality reliable tiler, unfortunatly you wont find it advertising in papers and yellow pages, hit the plumbers and plasterers and things will take a turn for the better

Mine was worth the money definately. Course delivered everything they said they would. Was a hell of alot cheaper than most of the others aswell.
Keep your chin up mate,I had a crap October then haven't stopped since. I have only been going for 9 months and now I've got a few decent customers and some great contacts, doesn't take much for things to change,keep plugging away.

Hello from Germany. I agree with Dave. And here our tile layers also call bigger painter companies as the painters often have more employees and often bit for big contracts with complete inside works including tiles. Often they have their own tilers but also take external tilers, e.g. laying ceramics on styropor based house isolation systems.

I finished my course at Chase Tiling at the end of May. I put an ad in the local paper and started to get work straight away. First couple of months went pretty well, had some work and was earning enough. It started to slow down a bit after that and I had very little to do in October then didn't work at all in November, didn't even get a phone call. I was about to go out and bring the work in as I was getting desperate but the phone started ringing again in december and I had too much work. I have already booked in 3 jobs in the fist few day of 2008 so I am hoping for a good year.

You just have to keep at it! I agree that the market is saturated now there are too many tilers and not enough work, but the vast majority of the new tilers like me and you wno't last long, maybe 6 months at most before they give up and realise that there is no way you will earn the £30 - 40k a year that is banded about unless you build up and work bloody hard. It will take me years to get near earning that amount.

Hi I am in the same position as you just starting out in the game, it seems hard at to start of with but in bussiness things do take time to take off! its all about networking.
Dont give up yet sound like you are doing ok to me, own van all the tools and the know how! go for it!

oh man

wish i never read this thread! giving me second thoughts about doin the course next month ha ha

im no a very confident person as it is!!!

Thats why i posted the thread just so people wont be disillusioned and so they think it through properly. There is nothing wrong with the course and the one that i did was a great course.

At least Geordie's being honest.Every night someone else comes on wanting to go into tiling,which is great but its a tough tough world out there.
Are you sticking with it then Geordie lad?

my tiling course did as it said on the TIN!
£325 for a weeks course,£250 for some tools from their shop! (only basic's) BASIC TOOL SET i mean!

Just remember when papers a few years were saying how much plumbers could earn, There was figures banded about like £50'000 a year, The college's were swamped. People from all walks were going to college and how many do you here about now, I only know one bloke who made it thru, and thats because his wife could support them while he was doing full time training, and that is the problem that comments like you can earn 30 to 40 grand a year, It takes time but never have I earned monies like that and I've been self employed for 27 years.

Hi mate

Clearly - the guys who run tiling courses are in it to make a fast buck. As are the people who sell slimming pills, do one week plastering courses and people who tell you that they can cure all your Ilnesses by sticking a lighted candle up your jacksie and chanting!!!

However, if you go on a reputable tiling course, you should be able to leave with the basics, with which to build upon and start a decent career.
Don't believe the hype - beileve in yourself.
Don't believe that when you have paid your £500.00 for a weeks course that your phone will magically start ringing - Absorb what you have been taught, get off your ass , do the groundwork and make it ring.

One day I truthfully hope to set up my own tiling course - tell my prospective trainees how much money they can potentially make after spending a tidy sum for a week at my establishment. However until then I will continue tiling , making a tidy sum as a guy who did a 3 day course at PITT 3 years ago. Prior to that I did 12 months working with another tiler.
I have been trading as self employed for nearly 2 and a half years now - all my work is word of mouth.
Not one penny spent on advertising.
Van not sign written.
Not listed in phone book.

STILL BUSY !!!

You are the master of your own destiny !!!

As are the guys who set up their own tiling course ( or who sell magic slimming pills to fat ladies )

Regards L