How many metres a day?

[peegee tips]

Hi all,
Looking for a bit of useful advice please.
Been asked to do a quote on a 235 square metre floor.
One for diamond set & one for straight set.
Still new to this so not fully up to speed.
What i'm looking to find out is would it be best to quote per metre square or by the day?
How many metres a day is possible on average if i do quote on a day rate?
Would it be good practice to charge a bit more for diagonal set?
A rough estimate would be good to see if it compares to the figure i've come up with? I know we're all different but just wanted to get an idea.
Many thanks,
Paul.

[wayne]

could do with more info. what tiles/ what substrate/ supply or labour only/shape of room

[peegee tips]

Got ya, will get back with more details when the customer gets back to me.

I have requested a lot more info as the email was a bit brief & non desrcript.

Thanks,

Paul.

[wayne]

if its labour only drop your sqm price a bit as you will be able to bang the metres down. take a labourer to mix and fetch and carry. you will then be able to tile without stopping to do cuts etc and could lay loads more tiles. a job that size if its one room could be done as quick as 6-7 days @ 40sqm a day

[brian c]

good jobs,i hope you get them m8.

[peegee tips]

Thanks Brian,

Yeah definately a nice job to get, but only if i price it correctly.

As wayne said, i could possibly get the job done in 7days with the help of a labourer, but as a i'm on my own its going to take a fair while longer.

That's why i need to get it right, or atleast realistic.

Can i justify 12 days or more at a day rate, compared to someone else with a laborer doing it in 6 or 7? Is it better to quote per m2?

Any other inputs would be greatly appreciated.

Paul.

[brian c]

Paul,personally i think you should do the job with a labourer.Also what type of tile is it you are fixing as some need sealing etc and wet cut ,so need more info m8,are you supplying materials?

[doug boardley]

definitely labourer needed to cream it,as brian says need more info on substrate, tile type, tile size etc etc. Is it a car showroom, bloody big floor whatever, personally I'd go for metreage rather than day work, jobs that big don't come along to often,I'd include diagonal cuts at same rate and let customer know that it would be usually more to do (even though in effect you're only turning tiles through 45 degrees,cuts more awkward I know, but that's what bumps price up on diagonals)

[oldgit]

you could use 2 tilers, that way you can justify a slightly higher mt rate.

yes i will travel to suffolk for a week.

[peegee tips]

Good news,
Got a labourer sorted, can always rely on my best mate!
The only info i had on the enquiry email was that the tiles were 300x300, & that he was supplying them & the adhesive. The job is a barn conversion.
Going to find out what adhesive it is that he's got, if it's rubbish then i'll recommend a quality product that i'll supply. Also, i'll have to mention that the floor is likely to need priming & the tiles grouted!!!!!
Will be speaking to him tomorrow, so will have more details then.
Thanks for all your posts guys,
P.s....oldgit..........i'm sure you'd love to come over to suffolk & help.....will you be travelling by combined harvester or tractor

[doug boardley]

I'd get a site visit arranged as well before you commit yourself to a price, it's gonna be multiple rooms and you want to make sure theyre all coming through at same level,by that I mean floors are flat.
ps where's suffolk!? must be south o' lancaster

[oldgit]

Good news,
Got a labourer sorted, can always rely on my best mate!
The only info i had on the enquiry email was that the tiles were 300x300, & that he was supplying them & the adhesive. The job is a barn conversion.
Going to find out what adhesive it is that he's got, if it's rubbish then i'll recommend a quality product that i'll supply. Also, i'll have to mention that the floor is likely to need priming & the tiles grouted!!!!!
Will be speaking to him tomorrow, so will have more details then.
Thanks for all your posts guys,
P.s....oldgit..........i'm sure you'd love to come over to suffolk & help.....will you be travelling by combined harvester or tractor

chelsea tractor actually cheeky git

[peegee tips]

Site visit for sure Doug!

Suffolk is in East Anglia, down the A14 south bound.

[Dave Ramsden]

Over the last three and a bit weeks Ive done nearly 197m 600x300 brickbond in Yarm,20m diminishing slate floor in scarbrough, 10m slate in liverpool, 25 m slate diminishing and a 50m ceramic kitchen floor and as far as m per day there is no real way of working it out. Every job is different and you have to keep in mind on big floors, your going to wear yourself out and thats where thing sstart going wrong. Leave plenty of time for setting out as this is of upmost importance. Never under-estimate how long something is going to take to clean off or grout and always.... always give the final finishing off points as much time as it takes to get the job right

Hope this helps somewhet...

[peegee tips]

Have more info on the job,

He wants it set out in straight set, in multiple rooms.

The tiles are 10mm thick 300x300.(but he's not sure what material the tiles are, but going on what he's said, i think they're porcelain) He's getting bal adhesive & grout, so iv'e informed him to make sure that the correct type is chosen for the floor/tiles material.

The floor is ( apparently, have asked him to check ) sand/cement screed, with wet system underfloor heating already installed.

Apparently the floors are nice & level.

Am looking to go & take a look asap, to check room dimensions/flatness etc.

Anything else that i should find out?

Does this help to answer some my original post?

It's a bit frustrating as i feel the customer is not in a huge hurry to get back with important info that i need & to arrange a time to visit, so please bare with me. probably doesn't see the importance of proper forward planning & will then want it all sorted last minute!

Paul.

[oldgit]

first thing id ask is how long ago it was screeded and have they gone through the heat up heat down process as that will take 2 weeks and it cant be turned on until the screed as dried fully.
at least you will then have some sort of time scale of a start date.

[Branty]

Hi Paul
Good to meet you today.
When you're ready, give me a bell.

[Highlander]

chelsea tractor actually cheeky git

Never heard of a Chelsea Tractor are they a Steam engine tractor

[peegee tips]

Hi Paul
Good to meet you today.
When you're ready, give me a bell.

Yeah likewise mate, took me a good half hour to thaw out in the motor though.
Was Chilled to the bone!
Thanks for your help, will definately be in touch soon ( hopefully !)
Got my bathroom to keep me busy for a bit!

[doug boardley]

If architraves are still on doors get him to take them off before you start will save time and look neater later