Questions for TilersForums.co.uk?

[Dan]

Okay,

Had a bit of a brain wave.

I want you to all think of a few questions that you'd like tilersforums.com (me or Dave) to answer. We'll wait for a bunch of questions to get asked, and then I'll get a Poll added to The Arms so we can all vote on 'what questions we'll answer', and then we'll answer them. If loads of questions come through we'll answer as many as we can, if not many come through we'll perhaps scrap the Poll and answer them all for you. Though if we do this monthly or bimonthly I'm sure one day we will need a poll so that we're just answering the ones that will help the majority.

I'm going to get Dave's advice on the more tiler-based questions, though I'll be doing a video answering each question and will upload it to 'The Tube' (YouTube.com) and will link to them from The Arms on this forum.

Questions can be based around work, tiling, marketing, websites, or even questions about the forum or whatever.

The reason I wanted to do this was to try and help those that need advice on something that I think we can help with. And to give a personal touch to the response, and the one and only response (so not like the forum where you collate your own replies into one sort of big answer). Any silly questions will be removed and ignored (Wivers! lol).

I hope this works, and I'd like to think we'll get down to some nitty gritty information as a result of being asked various questions. Where responses require it, I'll get some information from our sponsors or general firms within our industry.

So think of it like some news / info you want to hear about, but the news / info is exactly what you're asking to hear about. Specifically for the tile industry, and more importantly, for YOU, our lovely members!

A few varied examples of questions to give you a clue as to what types of questions I'm looking for:-

1. How do TilersForums Arms members get to be upgraded to TilersForums Trusted Advisors, and why isn't there a thread telling you how that's done?
2. What really is the best tanking kit on the market?
3. How would I go about re-branding my company to fit the current climate without using a company to help me that's going to charge me a fortune?
4. Would you recommend keeping a database of customers that I've done work for, and if so, why?

And that sort of stuff. Anything at all that you think we'd be able to help with. After all, we have nearly a quarter of a million contributions to the forum and 12,659 ( to date ) members, and with that comes a lot of tile-related expert help and advice, and I'm pretty sure we could answer almost any question using our little network we have here.

So...... please reply with questions, as many as you can think of (and do think about them please!) and in a month or so we'll pull up this thread and see what we've got and we'll take it from there.

Thanks for reading. 🙂

 

[david campbell]

great idea here's a few to start with-
1.is it worth paying loads of money for tools when starting out!
2.are websites really helping tilers gain work!
3.what are the 10 best wet/manual cutters on the market
4.how best to deal with problem customers(regards to oli's recent threads)
5.is a van neccesary when starting out?

 

[Dan]

great idea here's a few to start with-
1.is it worth paying loads of money for tools when starting out!
2.are websites really helping tilers gain work!
3.what are the 10 best wet/manual cutters on the market
4.how best to deal with problem customers(regards to oli's recent threads)
5.is a van neccesary when starting out?

EXCELLENT! Very quick reply for such good questions mate. If we get a bunch of people reply with 5 or so I'm sure we'll be able to get a Poll up next week and get answering them.

 

[brian c]

1.are there any short courses for fitting wet room formers ?

2.whats the best way to have an aesthetically pleasing finish at a door?and what products are available.

3.what are the 5 best ways to get work?

4.are there any short courses available for victorian tiling?

 

[Gazzer]

Are there any free courses available for tiling related jobs from adhesive manufacturers and suppliers etc for their products.

 

[Dan]

Excellent, keep them coming. 🙂

I'm sure a couple of those could be asked and answered in the forums though. That said, I'm up for listing all of them on the Poll so far, and I'll let the members choose which half dozen or so I investigate and answer for you.

 

[Spud]

1.what should be my target market ?domestic or commercial ?
2 how do I employ subcontractors ?
3 what are british standards and how are they used for domestic tiling ?
4. what type of liability insurance do i need as a tiler ?
5. where and when are the trade shows ?
6. Is it important to guarantee your work?
7.what is a fair day rate ?
8.what is a nvq and how do I get one

 

[Dan]

3 what are british standards and how are they used for domestic tiling ?

That's a question and half, and you should all know the answer to that before picking up a trowel or customer. That said, I'll stick it in the Poll for you and we'll see if it gets in the set of questions I answer via Video. 🙂

 

[diamondtiling]

1, What is the best way to apply Silicon sealant
2, How do I write an estimate for the first time.
3, What is the best way to manage my books for tax purposes.
4, Do I need an accountant or a book keeper or both.
5, I am just starting out, how do I get the tile retailers and plumbers etc to give me
a chance.
6, How do I learn where and when I have to use an expansion joint.

 

[CJ]

1. Does anyone recommend a web site company (the making of)
2. Where can you buy adhesive in bulk
3. Can tilersforums get a sponser for a dept collection agency?

 

[jay]

1.spread sheet what adh goes were limltations 2,basic setting out procedure 3,lists of insurances licences needed:8:

 

[jimbob]

1. What is tanking and when to use it
2. When to seal and when not to
3. How to grout wash around electrical sockets without setting house on fire
4. Best way to grout a large floor (ie, do a bit, wash, do a bit more, wash OR, do it all, wash once.)

Slightly off topic, but just to throw an idea in.......in addition to the video answers, what about some video "masterclasses"?

ie. 1) Step by step grouting; 2) Correct adhesive application; 3) Trowel techniques; 4) Cutting backerboard etc.......??

Cheers
Jimbob

 

[wivers]

1. When will tile training centers stop churning out so many tilers that the market gets completely flooded by people with only half an idea what to do and charge a pitance coz they are learning.

2. How can i win a customer round when i've already dropped my price 300 quid but they are telling me they've had lower estiamtes.

3. If i smack a customer in the face with my trowel exactly how many months/years would i do?

4. Will builders, plumbers and plasterers ever stop tiling themselfs and start handing out tiling work again.

5. Will Bal ever take responsability for their products failing.

6. If i belive a fault in underfloor heating is not down to me can i throw the accusing customer around their conservatory like a rag doll.

7. Is there any money left in tiling.

8. what are the chances my post gets wiped.

🙂 Rant over.

 

[Colour Republic]

I have a very strong feeling that a lot of these questions the members of the Arms already know the answer too (even by the people asking). Also a lot of them are already answered in the main forum, I thought that was the point of the forum!

Correct me if I'm wrong but you're after questions that aren't the norm on here or maybe questions that members wouldn't ask in the main forum for fear of customers finding them?

My question - What the hell do you lot get up to in the secret 'Elite' room

 

[Gazzer]

I have a very strong feeling that a lot of these questions the members of the Arms already know the answer too (even by the people asking). Also a lot of them are already answered in the main forum, I thought that was the point of the forum!

Correct me if I'm wrong but you're after questions that aren't the norm on here or maybe questions that members wouldn't ask in the main forum for fear of customers finding them?

My question - What the hell do you lot get up to in the secret 'Elite' room

talk about you of course :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Dan]

I have a very strong feeling that a lot of these questions the members of the Arms already know the answer too (even by the people asking). Also a lot of them are already answered in the main forum, I thought that was the point of the forum!

Correct me if I'm wrong but you're after questions that aren't the norm on here or maybe questions that members wouldn't ask in the main forum for fear of customers finding them?

My question - What the hell do you lot get up to in the secret 'Elite' room

Well, this is my view, and the questions can be about anything tile or tilersforums related. The difference here, as said, is that I'll be replying via video to a bunch of them picked by the members in a poll. I thought it'd give a bit of a personal touch and allow us to get some video's on YouTube too.

Got the idea from Matt Cutts at Google who does it with their forum and then posts the answers on YouTube and they get a lot of hits.

 

[albyshellshear]

1. do you think 50 is too old to start a tiling career
2. why is there so many diferent adhesives & grouts (list the sub to addy & grout)
3. can someone list the pittfalls to avoid when starting business
4. tile backerboards wich board for what and when to use ditra (in plain english)
5. is it better to supply & fit or just fit (bathrooms & tiles) and why

 

[Gazzer]

1. do you think 50 is too old to start a tiling career.....No but i do feel it could be harder. Tiling is a physical job and for anyone leaving office work it could be a shock to the system. But its not too old as long as you donet exceed your limits.

2. why is there so many diferent adhesives & grouts (list the sub to addy & grout) So many adhesives and grouts due to there being so many adhesive companies. Also so many different tiles and stone with differing substrates. then you have the more specialised products for sound proofing and insulation properties.
3. can someone list the pittfalls to avoid when starting business.....Dont buy unnescessry tools before actually needed as nice as they may be. Dont go in too deep , work within your technical limits. Try not to get into debt tooo soon.
4. tile backerboards wich board for what and when to use ditra (in plain english) ....Again each job (Tiles and substrate) dictates what product would be best.
5. is it better to supply & fit or just fit (bathrooms & tiles) and why.......More profit in supply and fix if you can get it but a lot of clients can get tiles for the same price as us due to the Tile sheds giving them away. Natural stones is where you may find the profit in supply, if you find a good supplier. Fix only can be good too as you are not running around for the client and so dont spend time and money on fuel.

I hope that helps

 

[Sean Page]

How about shading?

Is there a definative document that we can show customers? We know this is a natural part of the manufacturing process and that often so called "matched" wall/floor tiles and borders have slight colour variations but the poor customers seem to expect EXACT matches :mad2: