Topps Tiles Approved Fitter Service

[PeterB101]

Hi, Has anyone any experience of this service offered by Topps Tiles (positive or negative).
Are Topps Tiles effectively offering a "supply and fit" contract or just putting you in touch with a contractor (who they believe to be a competent tiler, but have no responsibilty thereafter for the quality of the contractors work or performance)?
The service they are offering is advertised on their website at

Thanks, in advance, for any feed back.

[Fekin]

Basically the shop will entice customers to get their tiles fitted by a Topps approved fitter, offering life time guarantees on the adhesives etc as well or whatever it is they also offer.
Now the customer still pays whatever rates the approved fitter wants to charge for the job BUT the customer ends up paying top price for all tiles, adhesives and grout to try and avoid a customer seeing tiles they want, getting their own tiler in to do the job and the tiler probably buying everything elsewhere.

So all Topps tiles are doing with this approved fitter service is trying to get people to buy from their shops and pay full price for everything and in return have the peace of mind that they should be getting a competent tiler to do the job, and if the approved fitter makes a total balls up then I guess the customer can go straight back to Topps, get the lot done again, and the guy won't be an approved fitter for them anymore.

[theyomper]

Basically the TAF will quantify the materials. Give the customer a separate quotation for the work to be done. Inform Topps what materials are required. Collect the goods on behalf of the customer, complete the work and clear away all rubbish.
All TAF's have public liability insurance and are responsible for the workmanship. A customer satisfaction form is filled outy by the customer and filed should there be any problems in the future.
Re material costs, Topps have good deals on and although they tend to be a bit expensive on the cost of adhesives they only recommend Bal products which carry a 25 year guarentee.
At the end of the day it's a service that they offer and one which you should have no problem with and hopefully you won't be posting any horror stories that are quite often on this site.

[Dave Ramsden]

and how do you become a fitter for topps then?

[brian c]

Your face needs to fit i think Dave.Topps have stopped giving cards out aswell so i noticed..well in Glasgow(Rutherglen)anyway.Also i think you need to buy all materials and tiles from them to qualify.

[Fekin]

Just got to get in well with the people in your local Topps shop really.

[CJ]

I'm a TAF with my local...........for wot its worth, but it gets me a job from them now and then

[TJ Smiler]

Wivers does a load for tops in Welwyn Garden City. He'll probably know, send him a PM


TJ

[TJ Smiler]

Oh yeah i forgot to mention that i'm an approved fitter for topps in Highbury (apparently) have only ever done a couple of jobs for them though. And if your wondering how an approved fitter don't know how it works thats cos i just signed the form without reading it


TJ

[PeterB101]

Thanks for all the feedback to date...................... I phoned a couple of branches and seemed to get conflicting information varying from "we sort everything out, and its all guranteed by us. no problem...." to "we put you in touch with a contractor agree a fitting price and you deal with him directly" ............ Im just trying to home in on exactly what service TT are offering......... any Topps approved fitters out their who know the score? or TT employees & how do you qualify to be a Topps approved fitter?

[Daz]

Thanks for all the feedback to date...................... I phoned a couple of branches and seemed to get conflicting information varying from "we sort everything out, and its all guranteed by us. no problem...." to "we put you in touch with a contractor agree a fitting price and you deal with him directly" ............ Im just trying to home in on exactly what service TT are offering......... any Topps approved fitters out their who know the score? or TT employees & how do you qualify to be a Topps approved fitter?

The bottom line is that Topps want to charge you an "over the top" price for your adhesive and grout. They'll put you in touch with one of their "approved" (YEAH RIGHT) tilers who will not tell you that you have been charged well over the top for your materials and you'll get tucked up! That's not to say that the tiler will not be any good, as most are top quality but you will pay over the top for your materials (I guarantee!).

[doug boardley]

personally I wouldn't contemplate being a Topps Tiler, far better imo, to be able to say what is right/wrong and not follow a party line