Poor advice

[scribbler]

Popped into the local branch of a well known tile shop, bought a couple of tools and had a chat with the fella serving. I asked him what adhesives they stocked, and he said they did their own brand and bal. In the tubbed section they had bal green star. I asked him if they did white star and he said they're basically the same.

I thought - 'That's your credibility out the window matey.'
I'm sure that customers going the DIY route would take his word as gospel, seeing him as being knowlegable in his field and hope they don't use green star with a power shower.

[Dave]

Own brand and BAL...mmmmmmm Topps was it..

[scribbler]

I'm saying nowt, but...

[Ajax123]

My local topps is managed by a guy who used to own a shop selling car parts.......he is giving advice to professional tilers......scary

[Phil Hobson]

Elementry my dear Watson, never knew you were a detective Dave

[Dave]

Very scary...

[365drills]

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing! I've seen the type and every shop has got one!

Its the "Computer says no" type but with a bit of product training under the belt and the rest is made up.

And yes you are right that this sort of advice gets dished out to people buying tiles.

What you hope is that when they have their three quotes to get the tiling done that the real professionals (IE you tilers!) can and will point out the errors in any client purchase of fixing materials.

Of course you cant stop them buying the worst shade or pattern tiles (thats just customer choice) but you can stear them around whats best for the job.

[brian c]

i would have corrected him tbh.

[diamondtiling]

i would have corrected him tbh.

Same here.

[TT Tiling]

are local shop of you know who ,was a plant hire guy ,

[scribbler]

i would have corrected him tbh.

Looking back on it, I probably should have pointed out the difference in water resistance and flexibility

[Rich]

I hate topps for that very reason, Iv got a spotty little kid running my local store and if he tried to tell me what adhesive I needed one more time Id stuff his greasy little head in a bucket he was trying to sell me. I put a post up on here a while ago about him telling me that the toppfix is just as good as, if not better than, Mapei Keraquick.

Go to Tile Giant every time, better staff, better product and better price. And If your loyal to them they look after you

[doug boardley]

hopefully when he's in the shower at home, a green star stuck tile will hit him on the bonce and not his kids

[albyshellshear]

I have to use topps the nearest tile giant to me is chester, and the same happened to me i am fixing granite to concrete floors he sold me tops rapid set flexi, i am no profesional tiler(yet) so i told him what i was doing, "this is what you need I will do you a special price" after reading up I have since realised a white flexi to fix black granite to concrete flooring is not right. I could of got the right addy cheeper and in grey. And when i was using it the stuff was setting to fast for me (coz i'm slow) ........Alby

[penkhull]

If you do go to Chester go to CTD or Ceramic Collections they're on the same road!

Own brand = Palace?

Turn over of staff is the biggest problem for any chain, tiles r us was 10 times worse.