Do you remember the first quotes you did?

[dingabell]

Hi all.
I'm not even at the beginners stage of tiling yet, but I'm due to start a course in the new year. This doesn't stop me coming up with a thousand and one questions though. I was wondering the other night how new tilers go about pricing their first jobs when at that stage they don't really know how fast they can tile? It must be a nightmare when you have no idea what everyone else will quote. Obviously a new tiler won't be able to charge the same as someone who's been in the business for years. Does anyone out there remember how their first quotes went? Did you have plenty of knock-backs before managing to secure some jobs? Cheers guys.

 

[Bubblecraft]

I had done plenty of tiling for my self, friends & family so had a feel of it. At the time of my first paid tiling job, I jumped in at the local rate. After a few tiling jobs, I felt the price was too high & came in a good bit cheaper knowing I was still doing well out it. Nowadays though, tiling is normally just included with the bathroom & kitchen fits. I make my profits else where rather than in the tiling

 

[Rookery]

I cant remember but it was likey to be on a meterage rate. You wont be fast like an experienced man but you should still charge around the same but it means your earnings will be less. At the end of the day quality is much more important than speed.

 

[Andy Allen]

why would a new tiler not charge as much as someone whos been doing it for years?

thats like saying i will undercut everyones price to get the job...

or will you tell customers 'ive not been tiling long so i will do it on the cheap'?

imho......you should know how much your buisness needs to earn to make your living, take into account your buisness expenses.. PLI, tax, NI, van insurence and running cost, phone,tool cost..ect then how much you need to earn per day bearing in mind you wont get holiday pay ect...

that will give you a day rate you need to earn, then if it takes you longer to do the job you may earn less to begin with but in the long run you will get there in the end..

theres no point in just going in cheap just to win jobs, you will soon work out your not making any money, and working for nothing..

 

[Bubblecraft]

I 2nd with Andy on that one

 

[nybor62]

why would a new tiler not charge as much as someone whos been doing it for years?

thats like saying i will undercut everyones price to get the job...

or will you tell customers 'ive not been tiling long so i will do it on the cheap'?

imho......you should know how much your buisness needs to earn to make your living, take into account your buisness expenses.. PLI, tax, NI, van insurence and running cost, phone,tool cost..ect then how much you need to earn per day bearing in mind you wont get holiday pay ect...

that will give you a day rate you need to earn, then if it takes you longer to do the job you may earn less to begin with but in the long run you will get there in the end..

theres no point in just going in cheap just to win jobs, you will soon work out your not making any money, and working for nothing..

could,nt agree more andy, the market is flooded with cheap tilers

 

[Perry]

my first job was with a up market builder in the right place at the right time at £7.50 yard inc mats took me a couple of months to lay my first 100 yards in a week thirty years ago don't time fly

 

[dingabell]

I didn't mean I was going to try to undercut everyone's rates just get jobs. I just didn't want to be shot down in flames by all the seasoned pros here on the forum for even thinking about charging the same as them per m2/day rate etc. I was hoping someone would mention the "charge the same but it'll take you longer" line because thats what I've been thinking. Judging by the tiling I've already done, I know I'm not the fastest but I do like to do a good job. I'm sure speed will come with experience. I am hoping not to get asked how long I've been tiling for the first few jobs as I won't even get given a chance. Thanks for all the sage advice. It's all being taken on board and when the time comes for starting out after my redundancy I'll certainly give it my best shot. Quite exciting really.

 

[Perry]

per mtr rate is the thing to do the customer shouldn't have pay more on day rate if you are slow

 

[Two-Trowels]

It's a bit of a vicious circle in my experience. Price yourself too high and work will initially be hard to come by, go in too cheap and you won't earn much - but at the same time you need to get a foot in the door and get a few jobs under your belt :yesnod:

My advice would be to offer good value to your customers, everybody likes good value. Price your first few jobs at a little under the going/best rate to win a few and get started - then do the best job you possibly can. This will likely mean the jobs take a bit more time than the seasoned veteran but you will have very satisfied customers who WILL tell their friends etc that they know a good tiler.

 

[Martyn Leeds]

Pricing issue aside, I'd also consider what type of jobs you'll be able to do for your 1st few.

ie. Don't start off with a 40mtr marble bathroom with underfloor heating, or anything too large format, tiles that need sealing etc. Fiddling around with removing toilets/sinks etc.

I'd start off by doing the simple kitchen splashbacks, small floors, bathrooms with small ceramics. Basically, only jobs you would be 100% confident with.

Quality is the most important thing at the end of the day. Don't forget, some customers save up for months or even years to get there home improvements done...