Do your own tiling work?

[armyash]

So when doing any work for someone, fitting a new bathroom for example and the customer wants the tiling done do any of you do this too or do you let the customer get someone separate in? I'm just wondering if it's worth doing a short tiling course so I can take advantage of this if I get the chance.

Thanks

 

[southcoastboile]

ive always wanted to learn tiling, think its one of those things that looks easyer than it is.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i do my own tiling when doing bathrooms etc. i would say it's worth doing a short course to add another string to your bow ash

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

my old man does the tiling in the business,he is very good at it,he is welcome to it though i hate tiling messy,horrible work,and i detest porcelain tiles mega hard to drill even with the right bits think i will stick to being a gas engineer and plumber stuff tiling

 

[Barry98]

its worth doing , most customers want as few tradesmen in there house as possible so less waiting in between tradesmen getting there . we do the lot plastering,tiling,plumbing and sooon electrics when i do part p in march

 

[Destroyer2813]

I do all my own as well solves and logistical problems like you running over into when hes due to start or vice versa, either do a short course or get a tiler in and watch him to pick it up till your confident in your abilites.

Depending on what the requirments just doing a couple of small splash backs will get your confidence up

 

[Destroyer2813]

Bit off topic but how did you job at the weekend go Ash

 

[Phil]

I do my own tiling and plastering as well, trouble is I then get asked to to standalone tiling or plastering work later on.

I plastered a couple of rooms out earlier this month, very hard work though on your own.

 

[armyash]

That settles it then, I'll be on the lookout now to do a suitable course. Anything I do I want to do to a good standard so will have to choose carefully don't want to throw my money away. Thanks guys.

bod, I was thinking about doing part p also but I think that's something that can wait until I have been going in the trade for 2-3 years. I can't justify the expense especially if there's an annual fee for reassessments - is that correct? I just wont get enough use out of it to be doing it now. I will look at it again when I am a confident (and competent) plumber. I don't want to become jack of all master of none lol

 

[armyash]

Bit off topic but how did you job at the weekend go Ash

Thanks for that tiling advice Destroyer.

The job at the weekend went well, I did the fire service under supervision along with the cooker cert. I needed prompting on a few things but it's hopefully the start of a long learning curve. I actually remembered more than I thought I would so feeling positive about things. Out again this coming Saturday to take an old boiler out and finish the install on the new one. Not exactly sure what i'll be doing yet but it's more time getting hands on. If I'm out on a weekend doing all this then I'm not getting a day off but it's worth it as I won't get this experience any other way, it will pay off in the long term. I enjoy plumbing too which helps.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Never do any tileing, apart from the odd splash back , First thing people notice when going in bathroom is the tiling , good quality tiling job can make a £200.00 suite look expensive , the same as a bad tiling job can make a £1000.00 suite look crap, use a good tiler all the time,

 

[armyash]

After I have done a course, before I let myself loose on a customers house i'm going to strip the tiling in our bathroom and redo it, see if i'm up to scratch!

 

[SimonG]

Do all me own. Ever since the early days after I first fixed a bathroom and come back after the tiler and he'd bent my pipes into the wall and tiled over. I asked the customer if he had any extra tiles and then put the hammer through. I like the mix, but............I detest grouting with a passion.

 

[dancinplumba]

I hate grouting too, gives me nitemares

 

[tamz]

I do it too. It's not hard to do but i find it bores the t's off me. It is slightly better if you have a gofor.
Same as Simon, did it for many years and started for the same reasons.
If you mark it out right that is half the battle.

 

[Destroyer2813]

May be worth joining the tiling forum as well to find out the products they use

 

[Destroyer2813]

Do all me own. Ever since the early days after I first fixed a bathroom and come back after the tiler and he'd bent my pipes into the wall and tiled over. I asked the customer if he had any extra tiles and then put the hammer through. I like the mix, but............I detest grouting with a passion.

Can never really on them to leave things in the right place

 

[Hybrid]

I'd invest in part p before tiling, you can pick up tiling on your own over time and it's cheaper to sub out the tiling than the electrics.
It's surprising the ways plumbing and electrics over lap especially when you get into the gas side of things more. A grounding in electrics helps with diagnostics, installs and controls etc.
The two trades are going to overlap even more in the future.

 

[armyash]

May be worth joining the tiling forum as well to find out the products they use

I have already been picking their brains tonight about what course would be good but thought getting plumbers views would be good too. Glad I did as it seems like something worthwhile. I'll be back in the tiling forum too when it comes time to get some kit and equipment.

Been gathering so much info the last couple of weeks my brain feels like it's going to explode! ha ha

 

[PlumbBobBob]

ash have a look at tile trader they're sponsors on the tiling forum very good range of kit.

 

[SimonG]

As tamz says it's all in the setting out. Once you're prepped and set out away you go. Speed comes with time. It is though another set of tools to buy.

I do the odd 'all tiling' job and it does get a bit tedious. It's also harder when you don't like the tiles, well that's what I find.

 

[armyash]

I'd invest in part p before tiling, you can pick up tiling on your own over time and it's cheaper to sub out the tiling than the electrics.
It's surprising the ways plumbing and electrics over lap especially when you get into the gas side of things more. A grounding in electrics helps with diagnostics, installs and controls etc.
The two trades are going to overlap even more in the future.

arghh! too much to think about! Is part p a good idea when I'm only just starting out though? I may not be working on my own for a year or 2 realistically so probably best to wait until then. Thanks for the advice though, it will be the first thing I do before I start out doing my own jobs.

 

[Phil]

You can spot poor diy tiling as soon as you walk in the bathroom, they normally start with a full tile in the corner of the bath and then when they get near the other side they realise it will leave a 30mm gap so they either grout it (yes 30mm!) or widen the grout lines to compensate.

I've seen some truly dreadful tiling, its amazing they can take money for it.

 

[Simon F]

done more tiling than plumbing, over 20 years, useful as said to be in control of the whole job.

 

[Halesowen1]

I do my own sometimes, if there is enough money on the job I get a subby in, if not I do it, it is a mind numbingly boring job, anybody can throw the full tiles up its them cuts that drive me saft. I was told of a good old tiler thats all about the starting points on each wall, always start in the middle of the wall or feature(window) then you have even cuts in the corners.

 

[cr0ft]

I do my own electrics and tiling basically. I know my limits though so I don't touch plastering or painting. Whoever said if you can wee you can paint is just plain wrong in my opinion!

 

[johnnyplumb]

armyash , b&q does a good dvd on tiling, covers wall tiling & floor tiling only £2.

 

[armyash]

armyash , b&q does a good dvd on tiling, covers wall tiling & floor tiling only £2.

erm...not sure if you are taking the mickey I thought things like that would be frowned upon on this forum but for £2 it's worth a look, think i'll grab 1 tomorrow and check it out. Thanks

 

[tamz]

Whoever said if you can wee you can paint is just plain wrong in my opinion!

Never paint when your drunk :smile:

 

[johnnyplumb]

erm...not sure if you are taking the mickey I thought things like that would be frowned upon on this forum but for £2 it's worth a look, think i'll grab 1 tomorrow and check it out. Thanks

not taking the mick, i bought one a few months ago, it's an excellent dvd, covers everthing you need to know and only £1.99

 

[E4gas]

So when doing any work for someone, fitting a new bathroom for example and the customer wants the tiling done do any of you do this too or do you let the customer get someone separate in? I'm just wondering if it's worth doing a short tiling course so I can take advantage of this if I get the chance.

Thanks

I hate tilling , I get the pros in to do it on my bathrooms ,I think customers paying top money, don't want to see plumbers having a go , i think trades should stick to there trades .. X

 

[Halesowen1]

But if you do it to a good standard does it then not become another trade??
I have seen some so called tradesmen tilers do a right rough job, I can do as good a job as many tilers as can most other plumbers, they are just quicker.

 

[E4gas]

I guess it depends how good you are , like a plasterer dos plumbing & electrics , that's 3 trades in one

 

[Halesowen1]

I dont advertise for tiling work, but if somebody is on a budget I will do it. I aint saying everybody who can put a tile on a wall should now be called a tiler, but many plumbers do other trades. I know a plumbing guy who is the best plasterer you will ever see. Its surprising the differnt trades we all pick up doing plumbing and gas, I have done tiling, plastering, brick laying, carpentry, electrics, kitchen fitting, roofing, and I have fitted thousands of carpets too. Oh the joys of a plumber.

 

[cr0ft]

Makes life a bit more interesting too. I like doing the electrical and plumbing work in particular, gives a lot more variety to life.

 

[Halesowen1]

I try and do everything I can, only me to blame then if the poo poo hits the fan.

 

[tamz]

I'm a bit like Halesowen. I can do, and am good at, just about every trade. Learned it all when i was an apprentice. When we were slack or i was bored i would go to the joiners or plasterers or sparks and offer a hand and ask a million questions. They were quite willing to teach me and i learned quick......until i started picking up their homers. Roping windows, hanging doors, putting in fireplaces, sockets outside lights....anything to make a pound :lol:

 

[Hybrid]

I can skim, tile and lay brick well. My Da is a brickie and he used to drag me about with him on school holidays.
I do my own electrics, studwork, fitted kitchens etc. The only thing I won't do is paper and paint, bloody hate it.

 

[moogwai]

When I was an apprentice I did more tiling than plumbing.......I hate doing it.....bores the he'll out of me but do it if needs be.....always nice to see the finished refurb and you've done the lot.

Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk

 

[desperatedan87]

Quite enjoy tiling, dont have to work in a cramped loft space or under a sink.

 

[gall.b-tiler]

ive always wanted to learn tiling, think its one of those things that looks easyer than it is.

A 4 year apprenticeship says its not as easy as it looks.

When doing work in someones home & taking there hard earned dosh you should really know what your doing or you could end up in court.

The amount of jobs I was called out to last year that a jack of all trades had attempted was unbeliveable in most cases they didnt get paid or when the work faile they ended up on the other end of a hefty lawyers letter.

 

[armyash]

not taking the mick, i bought one a few months ago, it's an excellent dvd, covers everthing you need to know and only £1.99

Ok mate thanks i'm going to pick one up after work and have a watch tonight.

 

[gall.b-tiler]

erm...not sure if you are taking the mickey I thought things like that would be frowned upon on this forum but for £2 it's worth a look, think i'll grab 1 tomorrow and check it out. Thanks

Wouldnt bother wasting £2 Ash spend it on something usefull certainly not that rubbish, so wrong its unbelievable!

 

[MattWeth]

I have done a fair bit of tiling over the years and don't intend to turn down simpler tiling jobs when I set up on my own in a couple of months. That said, I'd always get a pro in for wet rooms or walk in showers etc - the consequences of getting it wrong are just too scary.

 

[gall.b-tiler]

It usally ends up more cost effective to sub-out the right jobs to the right trades, then you have come back if anything fails and the job is done quicker.

As for folk coming across rough tilers evey trade suffers the same problem.

If im paying for work to be done in my house I much prefer that person to be qualified, get what you pay for I suppose.

 

[armyash]

If I'm not working Sunday i'm going to check out one of the training centres round here and see what they can offer. I don't intend to rely on tiling for work but if the opportunity comes up to earn some money when things are quiet then that's good, would be good to be able to finish off a bathroom etc.

 

[armyash]

http://www.ableskills.co.uk/tiling-courses.htm

Looking at the course overview, would any of you recommend this as a good start?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

that looks good for a basic start ash seems quite reasonable as well. although how they will cram five days worth mon-fri into two weekends sat-sun i don't know.

 

[armyash]

that looks good for a basic start ash seems quite reasonable as well. although how they will cram five days worth mon-fri into two weekends sat-sun i don't know.

I'll be able to do mon-fri as part of resettlement, I wouldn't even consider doing all that in a weekend. I thought the course looked ok for a starter too so I will pay them a visit before I give any money out

 

[WaterTight]

A 4 year apprenticeship says its not as easy as it looks.

Is it really a 4 year apprenticeship in tiling? Never would have thought there could be that much to it. I'm not trying to be facetious, just curious. Surely after you've learned how to identify and prepare surfaces, use batons, work with adhesive and grout and set things out properly it's just practise. I'd have thought a year working with someone would be more than enough.