A year in the life of a new Tiler. - Tile Advice

[bcd-87]

That was humbling to read Sean.. Thanks for posting.. Good luck stick at it !! Forums YouTube networking it all helps get your name out there..

 

[Sean Kelly]

Ahh, I remember those days.........that was over 6 years ago!

Well, I'm still tiling and it's still tough out there.

Profits have increased Thankfully.

I have tried to write this update in a 'timeline' of when events happened.....starting with where my original post left off:

Work and referrals continued with Topps tiles for a while, until Topps decided to get greedy and charge their customers for the privilege of getting a quote from their Topps Approved fitters (which I was one of a few). The customers had to buy materials from Topps at full retail price. Which meant the only way of securing a job was to lower my labour price. Needless to say it was not worth me quoting for work. I still got work from people picking up my cards.

I did a couple more jobs for the tiler that did lots of work in London. However, we parted company when I had to chase him for money.

I then took on jobs that nobody would take on. This only cost me my time, but I gained experience and the knowledge that I should never have taken the jobs on in the first place. I now know that some jobs you have to walk away from because i can foresee the complications and I can see that the customer is not willing to pay the correct cost for the work. Sometimes it's hard turning down jobs and sitting at home, but in the long run it's for the best. Only last week I had to say no to a lady because of structural issues with her floor. She was pleading with me to tile her floor, but there was a very high chance it would fail.

In the early days I was losing jobs because I could not do simple plumbing jobs. One lady accepted my quote for tiling, but then text me the day before I should have started because she found a tiler that could move a bathroom basin and bath. So I put myself on a plumbing course (1 week). This taught me how to bend/solder copper and to plumb in a bathroom suite. My very first plumbing/tiling job paid for the course.

One day I drove through Gerrards Cross and noticed a new tile shop. I popped in and had a chat with the owner. A few weeks later I was tiling in the Gerrards Cross area. This relationship lasted about 2 years until unreasonable behavior and money issues caused us to part.

My next big break came when I got a builder in to build our extension. He built the extension then took me on a few months later to do his tiling work. This relationship has lasted and is still ongoing. I still get other jobs from cards, referrals, friends etc but I always run my diary through with the builder because he gives me a lot of work. Most work is local to me, which is a massive bonus these days.

My plumbing skills don't really get used these days because the builder has his own team of plumbers to deal with situations. I just get on with the tiling.

I always use the term 'famine or feast'. I am writing this update due to the famine!!

I have made a few changes in the years:
A new car (Nissan X-trail). Just the right size for what I do.
New dry cutter (Sigma) for obvious reasons!!
New tile shop (CTD) Good deals on what we use the most (adhesive).
Accounting package (Invoice2go). Simple enough to use, even on my phone.

I now have a tool for almost everything. Before I got in with the builder I had an undercut saw (for cutting the bottoms off doors without taking the door off). Again, this tool paid for itself in it's first 5 uses.

A couple of years ago I thought about going into the tile cleaning and restoration business. I put myself on a course for a couple of days to learn about natural stone and how to clean and maintain it. It involved grinding and polishing with industrial machines. The outlay for the equipment was high, but the the cost of the diamond pads and polishing powders and chemicals was even more expensive. I would have had to invest in a bigger van too. In the end I gave up on that career path and stuck to tiling.

I am always critical about my speed. Speed will come with time (as they say). I will never in a million years be as fast as some of the guys on this forum (Deanotile !!). I just work a couple of extra hours in the day to achieve what I think I should achieve. Over the years I've changed the way I work. To improve my speed I actually slowed down for a while. If you rush, you make mistakes. If you slow down and think about the cut then the chances are you won't muck it up.

I seem to always end up with the jobs that involve multiple external corners, banana walls, 2 windows at different heights etc. Everyone seems to be going for large format porcelain tiles that are a bugger to cut. Everyone wants 'anti slip' tiles that are a bugger to clean. Saying that, I still enjoy the job..........as long as i'm not in the same house for too long.

I now know my limits as a tiler. 60x60 is my limit for large format tiles (unless they are wood effect tiles 100x30). I did bid for a 1200 sigma cutter on ebay once, but glad I didn't win it as it's just way too big for me and I would hardly ever have used it.
Tiling is not just about sticking a tile to a wall or floor. All these other trades and elements i've learned over the years: plumbing, plastering, carpentry, tanking, Self Levelling Compound, Under Floor Heating, epoxy grout. Let me stress, I would never say I am a plumber or plasterer or carpenter, but as a tiler you need to have the knowledge, tools, skills and confidence to perform certain elements of those jobs. As with anything, the first time you try something new it's a bit scary. Only last year I used epoxy grout over metal tiles for the first time. Thankfully epoxy is (in my opinion) easier to use than normal grout.

I originally started tiling because I thought I could work to my own hours and schedules. That has been my biggest misconception. I'm still at the stage where the customer decides when I work. Sometimes 3 customers want me to work at the same time!

In all my 7 years as a tiler I would say the ratio of good/bad customers is about 98/2. Maybe I've been lucky. Some customers stick in your mind for various reasons, but it's great meeting so many people and working in their homes.
Again, I must say that the TilersForums has been an encyclopedia of knowledge and help.

Recently I have been promoted on the forum to 'Trusted Advisor'. Well what more can I say about that!

I'm glad that my original post has helped so many would be tilers, and I'm sorry if this update was not about me earning so much money in tiling that I have now retired........maybe my next update will!!

 

[Wishiwasatoptiler]

Great to read your still at it, it's also good to see where you've gained work from. Think I'll take a few leafs out of your book and get visiting tile shops.

 

[bcd-87]

Again mate it was humbling to read your post.. I'm very glad to hear your still working and all is going well.. Thanks for your post's next time your in Reading get in touch.. Take care & God bless

 

[AD Ceramics]

Very inspirational. If your work is like your dedication It will be very good.
Speed isn't everything quality is first and foremost Sean.
I have a tiler friend who has only the use of one arm, he is slow but his work is excellent and his dedication is unbelievable.
He truly is an inspiration and so are you, plod on mate.

 

[Lexter]

Great post and very encouraging for new tilers out there. Self motivation and dedication to the trade will always be hard work but it always pays in the end.
Thanks

 

[White Room]

Do like your honesty Sean....

 

[Stonecutter]

Hi, I just finished a 4 week NVQ level 2 tiling course (from goldtrowel) which I loved and now I'm itching to do more tiling. Reading about your first year has given me a good insight in what to expect. So thank you for posting this! I'm just doing lots of free jobs for friends and family just to get experience so currently I'm doing my in-laws kitchen with metro tiles. I'm going to put my self out the there for paid work after February once I buy a van and buy a few more tools.

 

[waynef]

really good read especially as im a new tiler my self thankyou

 

[AndY mac]

Just read your post Sean. You've got guts to stick at the way you have I don't think I could have. Made me realise how lucky I was to be fast tracked being trained by my uncle a terrazzo polisher. All the best great read.

 

[rufus the tiler]

I believe that new tilers should contact the most respected tilers in their area and offer free labour in exchange for knowledge and tricks of the trade .....jumping straight at it is achievable but you will be stressed beyond belief for a year or two.

 

[Dan]

Hard when in the end you become their competitors and manage to see their contacts they've gained over the years etc. They need to protect their future etc

You'd be best trying that and traveling to somewhere out of your area. Although just last week we had a kind bloke take another bloke on for free to show him the ropes so there are people willing to do it.

 

[Sean Kelly]

Where has my post gone?

 

[Dave]

Where has my post gone?

Which one , this thread is still here as you have replied to it.

 

[Sean Kelly]

Post #1 Dave. The story of my first year as a tiler.