Why not cheap materials?

[beattsmjk]

Hi All

Just a thought. Have any of you been asked by customers why the materials are so expensive?

I generally offer the materials (usually using Bal, granfix, palace or similar) at a rate less than the customer would pay if he were to walk into topps tiles, but at a higher rate than I would pay for it. i.e If I get 40% discount I give the customer 10% etc

What answer do you have when the customer turns round and says why can't you use B&Q value wall adhesive, its only £xxx rather than paying £10 more for your posh Bal adhesive?

I think its a bit tricky to answer, because there really are a lot of cheap adhesives and grouts out there. (obviously fix n grout should never get a look in) but is there an obvious answer I am missing.

I understand some materials are a lot easier to work with etc but if wickes was selling a value range rapidset cement based adhesive for £12.99 / 20Kg and I wanted to use Bal at say £20 / 20Kg how can I justify my argument? Wickes wouldnt be allowed to sell products that blatently didn't work surely.

[tiler68]

Most of the time i give the materials at cost,but make a bit more on the fitting .just make sure they know your doing them a favour.

[beattsmjk]

yes, but often even the materials at cost are not as cheap as the budget stuff you can buy which can apparently also do the job (as it may state on the packaging).

[tiler68]

tell the customer you get what you pay for and the cheap stuff is for diy.no tiler worth a toss would go for cheap materials.tradesmen dont take that risk.if you buy the cheap stuff tiles will slip so its more work for you putting up battons.it would be better to lose the job if u ask me.

[Dave]

just say that b&q or wickes etc is desinged for the diy market and yes it will do the job but not as good as what the trade use and if they insist on cheap crap then you will not guarantee the job will last.............

[devonmark]

as has been said, if a customer insists on the cheaper addy and you don't want to turn the job down, put it in writing stating that you will not guarantee the work due the adhesive not being your choice..make sure you both sign and date two copies, you keep one.

Mark.

[Fekin]

I have wonderd this myself quite a bit.
Previous comments have been that tiles fall off walls and grout crumbles away etc etc, but... I don't know really, have not been tiling anywhere near long enough to have any propper experiance in this.

I have used B&Q's budget no frills adhesive for a few tiles when I ran out of Bal bluestar, and they ain't dropped off yet and seem solid, but that wasn't too long ago.

One of the main things I could see is what tiler68 said, tiles will slip more and require battons more than say Bal grip, but thats from experianced tilers that don't need to use battons in the first place due to quicker work speed.

But if you're new like me, and slow at tiling compared to others, you probably use battons anyway.