Have I made a mistake

[Aqua Tiling]

After paying over £2500 for a six week tile course and fininshing mid dec, i have had no work, no money coming in and a family to support. Along with morgage and bills.

Need a van and some tools to work, need to work to pay for them:mad2::mad2::mad2:

Is it really worth it in the end, should i get a 9-5 and be done with the problems and the stress its bringing to my home life.

I thought after a rough 5 years in my life i believed this would be the break i deserved. but im guessing i am wrong.

Im telling myself to keep pushing for work and stick at it, but in reality i cant.

im not a quitter normally, but now its effecting my family and the threat of my home.

I just dont know what to do anymore.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

There's a lot of guys on here Mark who do tiling as a part time job or in their spare time and at weekends. Going from zero to being overwhelmed with work in the current economic climate would have been amazing but you need to be realistic about it all.

Personally, I'd start looking for a job. Full time, part time, it doesn't matter. Just something to keep the money rolling in. Maybe even try and get a job in a local tile shop and then you're not far from the products and you never know what else you might learn from there.

Chin up chucky egg, you need to stick at it

 

[Aqua Tiling]

Yea i understand that, but a part time job aint gonna pay my morgage, if i get a full time job i ant got the time to do any tiling as evenings i have dutys to do, and weekend i have my daughter.

Maybe its a bad day im having, i dunno.

 

[turnip]

it's hard starting out with no work in front of you, phone some of your local tiling companies, ask if theyre looking for fixers, thats your best chance. it's a bad enough time for established tilers right now, and the first quarter of the year is traditionally quiet, so you will have to be lucky, if you have followed the advice on this forum then you should be on the phone to every plumber/builder/kitchen fitter/firm in your area.

 

[Aqua Tiling]

ive done that, went tro the yellow pages and thompson local.

 

[enduro]

Its not easy getting work at the moment, you need to build up contacts and this takes a while it's not going to happen overnight. You need to do something part time to keep the money coming in...Window cleaning, gardening etc.

 

[Aqua Tiling]

Lapdancing

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Lapdancing

where do I pay? :drool5:

sorry 😳

 

[diamondtiling]

A lot of people are in the same situation work wise, I have never known things to be this quiet for me. I suppose after having all my eggs in the commercial/leisure side of things I am struggling to find work but it is coming back a little albeit very slowly.
It can be a very worrying and stressful situation when you have no work on the horizon but that is not your fault. You chose to do your course in the belief that it will lead to better things and if you stick with it and do any job you get to the highest standards then slowly you get a good and trustworthy reputation.
If its affecting your personal life then look at maybe a part time job that might release the pressure a little. Just be assured that you are not alone, everyone is feeling it.
Whatever you do, dont borrow money for tools or a van, extra outgoings are a pressure you do not need right now.
This recession will lift and all your hard work and perseverance will pay you back.
Go out and leaflet as much as you can, someone will read them and call you.
I did it 6 weeks ago and got 3 jobs that saw me through Christmas.
Don't sit at home worrying AT, worrying is like trying to solve maths questions by chewing bubble gum, it gets you no where.
Stick in there mate, stay on the forum and get all the help you can from us.
Try not to let these worries cause problems between you and your family.

 

[Aqua Tiling]

Thanks alot diamond, your a diamond.

also, its finding the money to get leaflets printed.

Something will turn up.

 

[enduro]

What were you doing before tiling?

 

[Aqua Tiling]

Working for park holidays, at Coghurst Hall, on ivy house lane, you might no it. i was maintainence. got made reduntant last oct

 

[david campbell]

unfortunetly starting out is the most difficult part of tiling(it doesn't help in jan/feb,notoriously the slowest time of year in the building industry).
at the moment i would say your best option is to take a job,but don't give up on tiling,do it at the weekends,put an advert in your local paper and do some small jobs like bathroom floors,splashbacks.it will take years to become fully reliable on word of mouth.
try a few of these:-
-put ads in local shop windows
-put business cards in shop windows,diy shops,tile sheds,plumbers merchants
-ads in papers
-register free in the yellow pages
-set up a website
-do some free jobs for family and friends
-contact letting and property development companies
-give all your friends and family your business cards
-leaflet drops(varies in certain areas if worthwhile)

 

[enduro]

Working for park holidays, at Coghurst Hall, on ivy house lane, you might no it. i was maintainence. got made reduntant last oct

Have you tried calling them to see if they are looking for anybody part time.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

create your own leaflets Mark... a packet of white A4 paper is only a couple of quid and if you cut the paper in half to A5, you'll get twice the amount of leaflets

 

[diamondtiling]

Thanks alot diamond, your a diamond.

also, its finding the money to get leaflets printed.

Something will turn up.

Morrisons sell 500 sheets of paper for £3. What printer do you have? If its a lexmark then bin it, the ink costs are stupid. I have a brand new Lexmark gathering dust in front of me, sitting on top of it is an epson stylus s20, it cost £18 and the ink costs me £10 for 2 lots from an independent supplier. If you are as rubbish with computers as me then get someone to design a leaflet and print them off, you will soon have 1000 that you can distribute.
You will be amazed at how many people you can meet and speak to when delivering them. Mine cover tiling, plumbing, kitchens, bathrooms, wetrooms, all joinery works, small to large building works. I have a lot of contacts so i can call on people I need.
One leaflet lead to a conversation with a property developer, that estimate alone is over £40K, we are still at planning stages but I am confident we will get the work to start in March. Heres hoping.

Dont let them grind you down Mark.

 

[Aqua Tiling]

Have you tried calling them to see if they are looking for anybody part time.

yea theres nothing about

 

[david campbell]

it's worth remembering though leaflet drop only carry about 1-2% success in leads,thats only leads you then need to go and convince the customer so that rate probably drops further,and they can be quite time consuming(unless you have kids looking for pocket money).
with the cost incurred and time i would prefer to put an ad in a local paper(about £50)

 

[Aqua Tiling]

i dont have a printer, will sort something out tho, thanks all

 

[enduro]

Have you tried offering bathroom makeovers, Clean the tiles, repair broken ones, grout colorant, new Silicon. I shouldnt be telling you this as you are not far from me and i do quite a few of these jobs but i want to try and help you if i can... if people are trying to sell there houses and want the bathroom looking nice without the hassle of a refit they will want your service.

 

[Aqua Tiling]

ive put a advert in the ashford advertiser, for feb, march and april, cost £12 per month+vat, done the cards in windows, maybe think about a website now

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Have you tried offering bathroom makeovers, Clean the tiles, repair broken ones, grout colorant, new Silicon. I shouldnt be telling you this as you are not far from me and i do quite a few of these jobs but i want to try and help you if i can... if people are trying to sell there houses and want the bathroom looking nice without the hassle of a refit they will want your service.

enduro's right there. do some research on the internet as to which houses have naff looking bathrooms and then go round and speak to the owners to find out if they want any make over work done to spruce things up in the bathroom or kitchen... you never know, it might work!

 

[Aqua Tiling]

Have you tried offering bathroom makeovers, Clean the tiles, repair broken ones, grout colorant, new Silicon. I shouldnt be telling you this as you are not far from me and i do quite a few of these jobs but i want to try and help you if i can... if people are trying to sell there houses and want the bathroom looking nice without the hassle of a refit they will want your service.

Thanks enduro, means alot.

 

[david campbell]

enduro's right there. do some research on the internet as to which houses have naff looking bathrooms and then go round and speak to the owners to find out if they want any make over work done to spruce things up in the bathroom or kitchen... you never know, it might work!

how would you go about that liz?

chap! chap!

"hello! can i help you?"

"yes mam!"
"i was being really nosey and looking on the right move website,where i came across your property and couldn't help notice the bathroom is a bit of a state,so in order to give you the best advantage in this tough market i am offering my services!"

"well sir if you think it's that bad you had better come upstairs and give me a price for your services":lol:

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

just out of interest aqua! did the people that took your £2500 tell you not to expect to be an overnight success or did they make out it was all for the taking mate! and I'm very sorry to hear about your troubles at the mo mate there but for the grace and all that!!

 

[united]

I'm in the same situation, was also made redundant and took a course like yourself. I have been doing jobs for friends and family at very low rates and using the money to buy tools and save for a van (looking to get the van next week) this has helped build my confidence and give me some experience. I'm still looking for a job either part or full time to pay the bills while I continue my tiling around the job. Don't give up, I know its hard with bills and the worry of it all but keep at it even part time and you will build a business.

I have a HP printer you can have, hasnt been used for a while but with some new cartridges it should work fine. If anyone is passing Sunderland and heading near Mark from Aqua then they could pick it up for you? Just thought it might help?

Good luck for the future

 

[Colour Republic]

No much more sly than that

You get 5 or 6 mates to doing veiwings at the property and everone tells the estate agent, I really like but the bathroom puts me off so I won't be making an offer, next day you go round and drop a card through the door😳

 

[enduro]

just out of interest aqua! did the people that took your £2500 tell you not to expect to be an overnight success or did they make out it was all for the taking mate! and I'm very sorry to hear about your troubles at the mo mate there but for the grace and all that!!

I took my course at the same place, and oh yes the paint a very rosie picture for tilers....Best one is 'There is a shortage of 40,000 tilers in the uk' And you can earn upto £45,000 per year tiling....

 

[enduro]

No much more sly than that

You get 5 or 6 mates to doing veiwings at the property and everone tells the estate agent, I really like but the bathroom puts me off so I won't be making an offer, next day you go round and drop a card through the door😳

Bugger you sussed me out...:lol:

 

[Colour Republic]

TBH whilst home printed leaflets is better than nothing you have to remember that it is representing your company, if it looks cheap so will you. In most cases it's cheaper to get some printed professionally than forking out on inkjet carts.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

how would you go about that liz?

chap! chap!

"hello! can i help you?"

"yes mam!"
"i was being really nosey and looking on the right move website,where i came across your property and couldn't help notice the bathroom is a bit of a state,so in order to give you the best advantage in this tough market i am offering my services!"

"well sir if you think it's that bad you had better come upstairs and give me a price for your services":lol:

well if you want to be that forward about it Dave, feel free. I'm sure Mark would be a bit more tactful than that.

maybe something along the lines of "bathrooms and kitchens are what sells houses nowadays, do you need any repair work doing to the tiles/grout/splashbacks?"

you mock David, but one day, I'll have the last laugh :ninja:

And anyway, I did this myself in my bathroom in my previous house. Made a nice 40k profit on the sale for next to no investment on a grout rake and white grout, a tin of paint, and a new roll of vinyl floor covering.