How did it all start for you? And where? (How did you become a tiler?) - Tile Advice

Just Rizzle · Sep 1, 2019

moved to the london area in 1984 when my wife got a transfer to Guildford with her works. needed a mortgage and a job told mortgage advisor i was a self employed tiler but that was in Hartlepool for a small house builder.
the mortgage guy said his neighbour was a builder and needed tilers for a job in Feltham it was on a prison building complex for young offenders. he rang the site agent i went for an interview bluffed a bit and got the job as a tiler/labourer my first big job and it lasted 18mths on that site and taught me tiling to a high slandered as the tolerance was 3mm over 3mtrs and all the floors were in the old school sand and cement we had a target of 35 yards a week at rate of a tenner a yard.
from that job i worked on a shopping centre in wandsworth and a shopping centre concourse on the kings road chelsea.
ive worked over the past35 yrs on some great projects for the rich and famouse in some fabulous houses of footballers, politicians pop stars and the general public.
my favorite job was the one in the photo on my avatar a stately home in north yorks
so whats your story were did it start:?

Italy · Sep 2, 2019

I was born in the wrong place.

Qwerty · Sep 2, 2019

Studied engineering design at University. Left Uni and got a job in public sevices. My father was a property developer and I grew up on sites across the South so when I came to develop a property of my own I gravitated towards tiling. That was 10 years ago now.

Italy · Sep 2, 2019

Plan Tec Tiling said:
Studied engineering design at University. Left Uni and got a job in public sevices. My father was a property developer and I grew up on sites across the South so when I came to develop a property of my own I gravitated towards tiling. That was 10 years ago now.

then you're still an apprentice?

Qwerty · Sep 2, 2019

antonio said:
then you're still an apprentice?

We are all apprentices. Every day is a school day

Tiler Durden · Sep 2, 2019

Like most tradesman, I was too thick at school to get a job in an office so this was the only thing for me.

Dan · Sep 2, 2019

I fell into the trade via my ex partners father. He tiled years back.

I've got to say though, the options when I last tiled for a living were far far less than what they are now. I'd definitely need work below somebody way more experienced than me for a year or so before I'd dare give it a go again for somebody else.

Still not got round to my own bathroom. I keep picking away at the old tiles while in the bath so I'm going to have to do it at some point!

Did a stint at topps tiles too. And after tiling, worked for Professional Independent Training Techniques (or PITT) with the ex father in law. Mainly getting the business in from on the line but he'd leave me with classes many a time

I don't miss the cold days wet cutting outside because Mrs Jones wont let you use her garage or something.

Got some good memories too though.

Just Rizzle · Sep 2, 2019

Tiler Durden said:
Like most tradesman, I was too thick at school to get a job in an office so this was the only thing for me.

you put yourself down most office workers are too thick to be a tradesman

Flintstone · Sep 2, 2019

My father was a tiler for his whole career, and two of his brothers, who moved to australia in the 70s to tile and I followed in his foot steps.

Spare Tool · Sep 2, 2019

Proper fell into trade by accident, was in printing for nearly 20 years but got made redundant in 06 just after I'd bought a house to do up, got a tiler round to quote on bathroom and kitchen and he wanted £1200, so thought I'd have a go myself, did a short course with Darren at North East tile training and just from going in local tile shop for tiles and gear for it, got talking to lads in there and they kept saying there's no Tilers around here, got some crap business cards done and left them on the counter in the shop and 12 years later Bob's your mother's brother...

Tiler Durden · Sep 2, 2019

I remember getting my first business cards printed, bought them from a machine at the train station

Funny times looking back.

bsc ceramics · Sep 2, 2019

left school in 1980 and got to be an apprentice with a local firm who went bust
6 months later. did 4 months doing nothing really then another firm picked up
my ticket. was on £16.00 per week back then but left for a smaller outfit and money went up
to £10.00 a day (yippee loaded) so much has changed over the years, back then grout was
white on the walls grey on the floor. like others worked on some great jobs and glad now
I stuck at it as now I'm £12.00 a day...

Andy Allen · Sep 2, 2019

I remember going to the job centre at 16 seeing a job for a trainee tiler, went for it as I wanted to learn a trade instead of being in a dead end job......got the job and I'm 53 now still tiling....! (Just)..

Dougs Third Go · Sep 2, 2019

filling in my time from leaving school to joining RAF as an airframe electrical technician, got a job labouring on a building site and got a girlfriend, was totally engrossed at how skillful the plasterers/tilers (same 2 guys) went about their work, so asked if I could spend more time labouring on them, time came to leave to go into RAF, still "in love" with girlfriend so I pulled outta RAF..aaaarggghhhhh!!! and worked with those two guys for a couple more years, in meantime girlfriend and I parted and she went to Oxford and became a barrister...I shoulda gone in RAF..but, I love my job and I have a lovely family and get out with my dogs whenever I please in glorious countryside, a lot to be grateful for

Just Rizzle · Sep 3, 2019

antonio said:
I was born in the wrong place.

just discovered one of your ancesters jobs in boxford hertfortshire an old roman mosaic lol

How did it all start for you? And where? (How did you become a tiler?) - Tile Advice

Just Rizzle

Italy

Qwerty

Italy

Qwerty

Tiler Durden

TF

Dan

Admin

Just Rizzle

Flintstone

Spare Tool

Tiler Durden

TF

bsc ceramics

TF

Andy Allen

TF

Dougs Third Go

Just Rizzle

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