• UK Tiling Forum that lauched to the World. USA and UK Tile Fixers

    Welcome to the UK Tiling Forum for UK Tiling Advice, and US Tile Fixers Advice, whether wall tiling or floor tiling advice, by Tilers Forums. The collective tiling advice forum. TilersForums.co.uk now redirects to TilersForums.com.

Discuss Tiling apprenticeship in the UK Tiling Forum | Tiling Advice area at TilersForums. USA and UK Tiling Forum

kelvin

TF
Reaction score
2
Ladies & Gents,

My son has been offered an interview for a tiling apprenticeship, its 4 yrs and the college is in Glasgow on block release, working with a 1 man band who has lots of work & good reputation.

My questions are if you would be so kind:
1) what can he comfortably earn thru years 1-4 as an apprentice.
2) what kind of day rate can he earn once qualified as a tiler.
3) what is the best route to go down to earn the best money.

Would be very grateful to hear your experience & advice please.

Many thanks in Advance.
 

Boggs

TF
Supporter
Arms
Esteemed
Reaction score
4,729
The national minimum wage for an apprentice is £3.70 per hour.
 

Boggs

TF
Supporter
Arms
Esteemed
Reaction score
4,729
I agree, but it’s a lot more than I got when I started.
£40 a week for my first year, £70 a week second year and £150 a week third year.
Didn’t earn a full wage until the end of my 5th year.
 
D

Dumbo

Apprentice wages are always rubbish . But you are investing in the future . You could probably get him a job that pays more but he will probably be earning the same at that job in ten years time as he would be now .
 
O

One Day

A decent employer would pay more than the minimum if he warranted it.
I would after a little trial period.
 

Bathfix Bob

TF
Supporter
Arms
Reaction score
340
Its probably a good thing I only earned £29.50 a week when I was 16 as I would have blown it all by Thursday anyway even if it was £500
I bought drink, cigs, scratchcards, fruit machine etc and if I had any left over I'd waste it.
 
OP
K

kelvin

TF
Reaction score
2
Thanks for answering question no 1.

What about questions 2 & 3 ball park and assuming he is good at his job, I respect your not going to tell me what you earn.
 
D

Dumbo

Their are to many variables . For instance if he is a knuckle dragger he isn't going to get high end work in a 3 million pound mansion . But also if he can charm the birds from the trees he could do well . He may be suited to site work if he can do lots of metres.
Just know it's a decent job if he applies himself and takes an interest in what he is doing but he is not going to earn what a barrister will .
I know I couldn't earn as much as I do doing anything else but I am self employed and get reasonable work .
 
W

Waluigi

Anyone can make good money in any trade.

Day rate doesn’t come into it really. Price work is where often the highest earning is. Supplying materials, adding a margin onto these materials is all money in your pocket for doing very little.

You can also make good money on a day rate if you specialise in certain fields within the industry.

That said, the questions are all money related and not everyone is driven by money. First and foremost he has to enjoy what he does. If he enjoys it then he will be interested in what he does and want to constantly improve. Once he has reached a quality level then he might earn some nice money, if he wants it. It’s all relative to the lifestyle you want to live.

I probably spent 5 years of my career as a workaholic. Looking back now I see that as wasted time. Nowadays I just mooch along doing my own thing.

Sorry for the long post. Just teach your Son how to be happy.
 
T

Time's Ran Out

I was on £27.00 a week when I started...
(TJ was on 5 shillings)...:)

Always been self employed even as an apprentice!
Started on 61p an hour and after 18 months I was on £1.30 a yard.
At that time painters were on minimum of £100 per week.
My rent was £6/week.
My Dad was disappointed when I went into tiling but when he retired at 59 he came with me for 3 years and absolutely loved it - best tea boy there ever was!
It’s not all about the immediate gain but it has to be a decent days pay for a decent days work.
My son was on £200 a week when he started with me @ 16 - if he can’t earn you £40 a day and make your job easier then it’s not worth the hassle.
IMHO.
 

widler

TF
Esteemed
Supporter
Arms
Reaction score
2,341
£150 a week for a 16/17 year old is good enough,18/19 £250 ish, out of time £350/400 a week, pay them too much and they just want more and get greedy.
They earn you basically nowt for a year or two
 
OP
K

kelvin

TF
Reaction score
2
Thanks for your replies so far, I’ve looked online and some sites say a tiler working for a company might get £12 -£13 an hr which similar to a joiner employed ,he wants to know if £200 a day is achievable or more than if your qualified and and at the top of your trade, if so I’m assuming it’s a self employed tiler?
 
W

Waluigi

Always been self employed even as an apprentice!
Started on 61p an hour and after 18 months I was on £1.30 a yard.
At that time painters were on minimum of £100 per week.
My rent was £6/week.
My Dad was disappointed when I went into tiling but when he retired at 59 he came with me for 3 years and absolutely loved it - best tea boy there ever was!
It’s not all about the immediate gain but it has to be a decent days pay for a decent days work.
My son was on £200 a week when he started with me @ 16 - if he can’t earn you £40 a day and make your job easier then it’s not worth the hassle.
IMHO.

That’s spooky- my Dad started working with me after he took voluntary redundancy at 55 and my son occasionally works for me. I pay him £40 and he’s 16. Upped his day rate by a tenner recently.
 
W

Waluigi

Thanks for your replies so far, I’ve looked online and some sites say a tiler working for a company might get £12 -£13 an hr which similar to a joiner employed ,he wants to know if £200 a day is achievable or more than if your qualified and and at the top of your trade, if so I’m assuming it’s a self employed tiler?

There are huge differences around the country. For a Tiler at the top of his game where I live, £200 would be a kick in the teeth.

It’s not about qualifications either. Not with tiling. Tiling is skill based.
 
OP
K

kelvin

TF
Reaction score
2
That’s good to hear that more is achievable based on your skill level and as you say,your charging for the quality & knowledge you provide and if £200 a day is a kick in the teeth he will be happy to know that, it will give him the desire to succeed after all it’s all about the money when you start out in order to get what you need but as mentioned before it’s not always about the money appreciate you thoughts
 

Andy Allen

TF
Esteemed
Supporter
Arms
Reaction score
18,316
My £27.00 a week was rubbish compared my mates, that were labouring on the sites earning over £100 a week.
Difference is most of them are still in dead end jobs, I've paid off my mortgage, and earn enough to have the odd Friday off....:rolleyes:
 

Reply to Tiling apprenticeship in the UK Tiling Forum | Tiling Advice area at TilersForums.com

Or checkout our tile training advice or the Tile Standards

This website is hosted and managed by www.untoldmedia.co.uk. Creating content since 2001.

Replies you've not seen

UK Tiling Forum Stats

Threads
66,583
Messages
866,612
Members
9,500
Latest member
Dazzer
Top