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ScottG13
Just wondered how the majority of you got into tiling.
College, Course, Apprenticeship, or self taught maybe?
College, Course, Apprenticeship, or self taught maybe?
UK Tiling Forum; Established 2006
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View all of the UK tiling forum threads, questions and discussions here.
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doug boardley
through platering, I worked for a smallish firm, so we had to do allsorts, tiling seemed to suit me, so I became designated tiler
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kent tiler
same as plastering worked for a block plastering he did tiling i did plastering started tiling with him then twiged i was beter then him still plaster and tile for him now and then 😛rrr:
i think if you dont know somthing lern teach your self if your a numty that cant be asked then go on the dole but for sume thats even hard work :lol: sort your life out i bet 90% of you if you cant tile you can do somthing to keep your self going
I never went too school went to work so there go's reading/righting out the window but im in the trade still going
i think if you dont know somthing lern teach your self if your a numty that cant be asked then go on the dole but for sume thats even hard work :lol: sort your life out i bet 90% of you if you cant tile you can do somthing to keep your self going
I never went too school went to work so there go's reading/righting out the window but im in the trade still going
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albyshellshear
did a bit on my own house and at my shop I then relised I enjoy doing this, so started doing a bit for family and freinds now totaly hooked, I just wish I had done a course when I was younger.
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TILINGFORUK
i was self taught in plastering and tiling
when i left school at 16 went to the job center ;saw a job for appentice tiler ;wanted to learn a trade;went for the job got the job ;work with a guy who had been tileing for years; we were doing mainly site work ;i spent a whole year just grouting ;mixing addy; and cleaning out buckets ;eventualy i was let lose on spash backs and kitchens; and it all snow balled from there .
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mikethetile
my first trade is decorating, the man who i was apprenticed to also tiled so we did all the firms tiling
i reaaly enjoyed tiling
i achieved advanced craft city and guilds plus city and guilds interior design
i was set for life as a decorator and designer
in my early twenties i was painting a dormer and the ladder slipped out at the bottom
i wont list the injurys but i mashed my left ankle and had to learn to walk again
i was on disability for over a year and the benifits office had me in for training in a new trade as i was lame i couldnt stand on a ladder
the only trade on the list i was interested in was bench jjoinery, so they paid for me to become a cabinet maker and joiner
i kept the physio up while back at college full time
when quailified i went kitchen fitting, i couldnt find a decent tiler so ended up doing it myself, but recognised my limited knowledge in this trade
i went on the free bal courses and improved everything but my knowledge was still lacking
i heard of a nvq course on tiling so sent myself through my own company and did two years day release
when it came to the paperwork for assessment and recieving my nvq they wanted an extra £3000 , this is on top of the college fees and loss of earnings
they claim that the government paid for students but as my company had sent me they wouldnt pay as i wasnt on the government scheme
i told them that theres cheaper ways to get an nvq so i left after two years without qualification despite having passed on my continual assessment
fast forward to tf
i have learnt more on here in 12 months than all the tiling courses ive been on
i can stick tile level and flush with good grout lines
but the back ground knowledge is paramount and is missing from the nvq syllabus
i reaaly enjoyed tiling
i achieved advanced craft city and guilds plus city and guilds interior design
i was set for life as a decorator and designer
in my early twenties i was painting a dormer and the ladder slipped out at the bottom
i wont list the injurys but i mashed my left ankle and had to learn to walk again
i was on disability for over a year and the benifits office had me in for training in a new trade as i was lame i couldnt stand on a ladder
the only trade on the list i was interested in was bench jjoinery, so they paid for me to become a cabinet maker and joiner
i kept the physio up while back at college full time
when quailified i went kitchen fitting, i couldnt find a decent tiler so ended up doing it myself, but recognised my limited knowledge in this trade
i went on the free bal courses and improved everything but my knowledge was still lacking
i heard of a nvq course on tiling so sent myself through my own company and did two years day release
when it came to the paperwork for assessment and recieving my nvq they wanted an extra £3000 , this is on top of the college fees and loss of earnings
they claim that the government paid for students but as my company had sent me they wouldnt pay as i wasnt on the government scheme
i told them that theres cheaper ways to get an nvq so i left after two years without qualification despite having passed on my continual assessment
fast forward to tf
i have learnt more on here in 12 months than all the tiling courses ive been on
i can stick tile level and flush with good grout lines
but the back ground knowledge is paramount and is missing from the nvq syllabus
D
diamondtiling
Do you have any pictures of tiling that your tutor did??
Now they would be worth seeing, Neale (Sir Ramic) is putting an album together and I think, no, I know he would use them.
:smilewinkgrin:
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SOTON STEVE
Left college at 17 after redoing some GCSE's. Spent 6months training as a printer, got made redundant (I waisted so much paper).
Found a position for a trainee draughtsman in a structural engineer firm, as I always enjoyed art at school. then ended up in an architects office for 2 years. I realised that office work was not for me.
I was only about 20 odd at this time. left the company and stupidly went to uni in pompey on an architects course. completed 2 terms and decided to call it quits. I was very confused and angry at the world when I was young.
I needed a job, so went into a bar that I liked in my town center to see if they needed any bar tenders. This was just what I needed at this age and time in my life. Going from working in stuffy offices to all the fun of bar work. I realised I was damn good at my job and within 3 months I was promoted to supervisor, another 3 months and I was duty manager. This is where I met my other half. She was a duty manager too. you know, late nights at the bar and all that:8:. We where there for 2 years.
We decided to move to Bournemouth cuz she wanted to train as a chef. Got a job as assistant bars manager in the top hotel there. Another 2 years at the hotel. good days!.
I started to grow up at this point and realised I needed money. Partner became preggers with our first girl. I realised I wasnt getting paid much. Joined Lidl as deputy manager, hated it. minimum 13 hr days.
Joined tesco as section manager on nights. first girl born. at tesco for 2 years, started to want off of nights as its not good for your social and family life. Found a store managers job with Topps Tiles. with Topps for 2-3 years. Girl No. 2 born. Enjoyed what I leaning at Topps. Decided to give the whole tiling thing a go. That was 2.5 years ago. havent looked back. I love what I do. Hopefully, I will never have to do anything else. Girl No.3 on the way. :yikes:
Found a position for a trainee draughtsman in a structural engineer firm, as I always enjoyed art at school. then ended up in an architects office for 2 years. I realised that office work was not for me.
I was only about 20 odd at this time. left the company and stupidly went to uni in pompey on an architects course. completed 2 terms and decided to call it quits. I was very confused and angry at the world when I was young.
I needed a job, so went into a bar that I liked in my town center to see if they needed any bar tenders. This was just what I needed at this age and time in my life. Going from working in stuffy offices to all the fun of bar work. I realised I was damn good at my job and within 3 months I was promoted to supervisor, another 3 months and I was duty manager. This is where I met my other half. She was a duty manager too. you know, late nights at the bar and all that:8:
. We where there for 2 years.We decided to move to Bournemouth cuz she wanted to train as a chef. Got a job as assistant bars manager in the top hotel there. Another 2 years at the hotel. good days!.
I started to grow up at this point and realised I needed money. Partner became preggers with our first girl. I realised I wasnt getting paid much. Joined Lidl as deputy manager, hated it. minimum 13 hr days.
Joined tesco as section manager on nights. first girl born. at tesco for 2 years, started to want off of nights as its not good for your social and family life. Found a store managers job with Topps Tiles. with Topps for 2-3 years. Girl No. 2 born. Enjoyed what I leaning at Topps. Decided to give the whole tiling thing a go. That was 2.5 years ago. havent looked back. I love what I do. Hopefully, I will never have to do anything else.
Girl No.3 on the way. :yikes:
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The D
I started tiling in 1985 when I was 16. My uncle had a firm A.T. Overtons I was a wiping boy for 3 years then started doing bits of tiling .I was given a site to look after in about 1990 spent the next 5 years house bashing for all the big house builders. Then I moved to bishops Stortford and started tiling for a kitchen fitter, did that for 2 years then came home and started back with my uncle. I then went to another firm and another and another, I had the pleasure of working with some of the best tilers that I have ever seen (and some of the worst) in the time I spent firm hoping. I then decided I was going to start my one firm(The Tile Company) this was the best thing I had ever done, and was going fantastic I had 6 fixers subbing to me and enough work for 10 fixers if not more, but as some will know when you are doing contract work you ether have more work than fixers or not enough work. This can be stressful, especially when it is the former, so I started training fixers to work for me and to cut a long story short I ended up as a lecturer at a collage in Birmingham, I did that for 4 years and then went back on the tools and I am now as happy as a big in s**t doing the job I love and helping others find a passion for it.
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Rad2474
I'm a course trained at NETT and tilersforums,i've learnt a lot from this website.
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White Room
A large number of years as a plasterer, screeder and dry liner, was at a British Gypsum when a bal rep popped in and offered free courses on tiling, free of charge and all accomodation.
I had done tiling before that so went on it this was about ten years ago, it was ok, then done a course in Dunstable with a guy who must of been one of the first to do them independently and carried on from there.
Have spent a lot of money doing extra courses on tiling, found the forum invaluble about 3 years ago and have just completed an NVQ 2.
I've had nearly 40 years in the building game, wish I'd learnt tiling from the beginning.
I had done tiling before that so went on it this was about ten years ago, it was ok, then done a course in Dunstable with a guy who must of been one of the first to do them independently and carried on from there.
Have spent a lot of money doing extra courses on tiling, found the forum invaluble about 3 years ago and have just completed an NVQ 2.
I've had nearly 40 years in the building game, wish I'd learnt tiling from the beginning.
J
jay
apprenticeship strait out of school solid plasterer tiler :8🙁really wanted to be a mechanic couldn't find a spot back then)
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huckin
my dads a tiler and he taught me until i decided to go it alone still ask him for some advice now and again
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Aston
hi here goes...
in 1985 i started to work for my dad who was a terrazzo and mosaic specialist who trained with italians for 7 yrs..for 2 years i laboured on him, grouting, doing his cuts, mixing etc. my uncle (his partner) was a plasterer so because my dad gave me such a hard time i decided to do plastering lol..i learned how to render, floor screed, tank and prepare all work ready for tiling BUT tiling inc tiling in sand and cement but it wasnt really what i wanted at that time. i did things back to front, i learned the hard things 1st, the things that some tilers cant seem to do now..i was preparing sandstone, slate, granite and marble but not actually fixing??
we worked for merseyside improved houses, the rac, restaurants, the town hall, wcd law, the liverpool teaching hospital, infact all over liverpool and merseyside.
in 1994, my mum got cancer and my dad had a heart attack and i was finished up there and then on the friday. on the following monday i set up on my own and paid to do a b-tech in construction at riversdale college for 2 years which really opened my eyes with reagrds to thermal values, structural work, floor plans, building law. it gave me a technical approach aswell as a hands on role. during that time my new business concentrated on plastering, small domestic tiling, bathroom conversions and drive ways..i learned how to do all the ground work, drainage and more importantly laying patios and driveways in paviours, granite, slate etc because 3 of the guys on my college course worked for the council as stone masons and they taught me loads ...i passed my btech and got student of the year which really pleased my mum just before she died..i continued for 2 more years until in 1998 i got offered a job in management. i took it because i think i was mentally worn out. running a business at 24, going to college at night and losing my mum caught up with me a bit...
anyway, in 2004 i left the job with alot of management and marketing skills and set up a business so my dad could take it easy..we were doing what he loved tiling..he then fell ill and he had cancer, then developed alzheimers..i started to work with lots of tilers throught the northwest and i did a couple of courses to catch up on all the new changes and materials. i needed some advanced setting out training and bespoke tiling to finish my trade if you like.( told you i did the hard stuff 1st :20: and i also needed to cover ufh and a bit of plumbing too ....i have covered a hell of a lot of ground in the last 20 odd years and i wouldnt have it any other way..i set up aston tiling 2 years ago when my dad went into a home and its gone from strength to strength..i have enrolled to do my nvq 2 to satisfy the governmet criteria???? but the college put me staright in for level 3 due to my background, so i should have that done in summer/autumn. i am always ready to learn more and more because i love the feeling of progression...i know what level i am at now and thats all that important to me because i set my own standards alot higher than anybody else would expect of me and i mean that in a humble way . i wouldnt let nothing phase me anymore..ive learned the hard way and at times i felt like giving up but something kept me going and i got there....in the words of supertramp...i took the long way home.
tilersforums is an amazing place because you can come home and keep in contact with some of the nicest and most knowledgable people you could care to cyber meet lol....you contantly get to keep up with any new technical changes and although theres not much i couldnt take on now, i always am open and honest to at least learn new angles...
i love this trade and i am proud to be a professional tiler 1st and foremost!
ed - aston tiling
in 1985 i started to work for my dad who was a terrazzo and mosaic specialist who trained with italians for 7 yrs..for 2 years i laboured on him, grouting, doing his cuts, mixing etc. my uncle (his partner) was a plasterer so because my dad gave me such a hard time i decided to do plastering lol..i learned how to render, floor screed, tank and prepare all work ready for tiling BUT tiling inc tiling in sand and cement but it wasnt really what i wanted at that time. i did things back to front, i learned the hard things 1st, the things that some tilers cant seem to do now..i was preparing sandstone, slate, granite and marble but not actually fixing??
we worked for merseyside improved houses, the rac, restaurants, the town hall, wcd law, the liverpool teaching hospital, infact all over liverpool and merseyside.
in 1994, my mum got cancer and my dad had a heart attack and i was finished up there and then on the friday. on the following monday i set up on my own and paid to do a b-tech in construction at riversdale college for 2 years which really opened my eyes with reagrds to thermal values, structural work, floor plans, building law. it gave me a technical approach aswell as a hands on role. during that time my new business concentrated on plastering, small domestic tiling, bathroom conversions and drive ways..i learned how to do all the ground work, drainage and more importantly laying patios and driveways in paviours, granite, slate etc because 3 of the guys on my college course worked for the council as stone masons and they taught me loads ...i passed my btech and got student of the year which really pleased my mum just before she died..i continued for 2 more years until in 1998 i got offered a job in management. i took it because i think i was mentally worn out. running a business at 24, going to college at night and losing my mum caught up with me a bit...
anyway, in 2004 i left the job with alot of management and marketing skills and set up a business so my dad could take it easy..we were doing what he loved tiling..he then fell ill and he had cancer, then developed alzheimers..i started to work with lots of tilers throught the northwest and i did a couple of courses to catch up on all the new changes and materials. i needed some advanced setting out training and bespoke tiling to finish my trade if you like.( told you i did the hard stuff 1st :20: and i also needed to cover ufh and a bit of plumbing too ....i have covered a hell of a lot of ground in the last 20 odd years and i wouldnt have it any other way..i set up aston tiling 2 years ago when my dad went into a home and its gone from strength to strength..i have enrolled to do my nvq 2 to satisfy the governmet criteria???? but the college put me staright in for level 3 due to my background, so i should have that done in summer/autumn. i am always ready to learn more and more because i love the feeling of progression...i know what level i am at now and thats all that important to me because i set my own standards alot higher than anybody else would expect of me and i mean that in a humble way . i wouldnt let nothing phase me anymore..ive learned the hard way and at times i felt like giving up but something kept me going and i got there....in the words of supertramp...i took the long way home.
tilersforums is an amazing place because you can come home and keep in contact with some of the nicest and most knowledgable people you could care to cyber meet lol....you contantly get to keep up with any new technical changes and although theres not much i couldnt take on now, i always am open and honest to at least learn new angles...
i love this trade and i am proud to be a professional tiler 1st and foremost!
ed - aston tiling
T
The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP
Hi, here goes my long road in this noble profession. At the age of 15yrs I became a bound apprentice. I served 5yrs along with day release at Manchester college of building. This was back in 1968. I was taught by some of the best master craftsmen around. My early days were spent learning the old sand and cement method. By the age of 21 I attained C&G and became time served. In those days rendering walls and screeding floors was a must for all tilers.
At 23 I was given my 1st job as a foreman tiler. This was daunting for me as most of the 8 tilers I was supervising were in their 30s and 40s. The experience helped me grow in confidence.
I went self employed at 24, thats when I really started learning. I had 6 fixers working for me by the late 70s, and did all types of contracts. From domestic to new builds, industrial etc.
In the early 90s the new work dried up. So I did some subbing for the big companies. Finished up running a team of lads from up and down the country. We had a lot of success with the power vibration system. We travelled around the UK. and did a bit in Germany. Eventually we were invited to do a three and a half thousand m2 floor in the USA. From this we had two more visits to the states.
I now do mostly domestics, but I love a challenge. Not keen on bog standard stuff, but in todays climate beggars can't be choosers. I am hoping to get involved in heritage work, but it's early days. I have seen a lot of changes in this industry over the years. Also met lots of characters, this game is full of them, met some fantastic fixers and some not so good. I still love my job and love the forums.
Sorry if I bore you with my tale:20:
At 23 I was given my 1st job as a foreman tiler. This was daunting for me as most of the 8 tilers I was supervising were in their 30s and 40s. The experience helped me grow in confidence.
I went self employed at 24, thats when I really started learning. I had 6 fixers working for me by the late 70s, and did all types of contracts. From domestic to new builds, industrial etc.
In the early 90s the new work dried up. So I did some subbing for the big companies. Finished up running a team of lads from up and down the country. We had a lot of success with the power vibration system. We travelled around the UK. and did a bit in Germany. Eventually we were invited to do a three and a half thousand m2 floor in the USA. From this we had two more visits to the states.
I now do mostly domestics, but I love a challenge. Not keen on bog standard stuff, but in todays climate beggars can't be choosers. I am hoping to get involved in heritage work, but it's early days. I have seen a lot of changes in this industry over the years. Also met lots of characters, this game is full of them, met some fantastic fixers and some not so good. I still love my job and love the forums.
Sorry if I bore you with my tale:20:
D
diamondtiling
Good read Phil, nothing boring about it mate.............
F
fergy7197
all very intresting and unique.
hopefully many years down the line I shall be able to say the same!
hopefully many years down the line I shall be able to say the same!
D
diamondtiling
F
fergy7197
very true!
Its hard sometimes - Im just up against it the now - trying to get my van on the road, getting busiess cards sorted - just finished doing my business plan !
on a part time postmans wage!! :lol:
just got to keep focused!
Its hard sometimes - Im just up against it the now - trying to get my van on the road, getting busiess cards sorted - just finished doing my business plan !
on a part time postmans wage!! :lol:
just got to keep focused!
P
Peter
Started when I was 16 as a day release scheme through tech with a 3 year apprenticeship. In tech for a half day every Tuesday then working the rest of the week. Started off mixing, lifting and carrying but always had a bit of an obsessive compulsive side in that a bucket had to be mixed perfectly to my liking or the tiler didn't get it, and if that took a few extra minutes it ended up getting me into a bit of trouble. Done both private and commercial, but the domestic was always the bit that appealled to me. I was usually put in with the best tiler in the squad who taught me about how to tile neatly and correctly, "unlike the others". Most of the other boys in the squad were less neat so what I'd learned from Gary rubbed off and ended up being too fussy and awkward for them so after a while they never wanted me. In a way, the rough work I seen them do at times made me more determined to do a better job. :lol:
Worked with that squad for 4 years then I got an offer of easier work and shorter days for an extra 50 quid a week. Took that, which was mainly pre constructed bathroom pod units which were made offsite then transported and placed into hotels, nursing homes etc. Ended up doing the majority of that crowd's (two tilers, an apprentice and a grouter) domestic work when had it, which was the bit I always liked. Got bored of doing the same bathroom pods day in day out, and always liked a nice challenging bathroom. Worked with that outfit for about 3 years but the saying don't put all your eggs in the one basket rang true. Their main contractor's work dried up and they didn't really have the work, which forced me to fend for myself. Started off me having a day or two free in the week then their work dried up completely. Been out solo full time for about 6 months and learned more than ever in that time. Makes a lot of difference when you've to call your own shots rather than asking another tiler. Suits me better as I'm not told "You've to finish this bathroom in 2 days", I can spend the extra half a day and provide the extra finishing touch that I wouldn't usually be able to give with tight time restrictions. Thankfully getting plenty of work on my own and hoping that this year will be a good year for getting myself well established. Don't think I'd ever go back to working with a squad now but learnt a lot of things from working in squads that I would never have learned otherwise, from how not to do some things to useful knowledge of how to set out and manage a large commercial floor.
Worked with that squad for 4 years then I got an offer of easier work and shorter days for an extra 50 quid a week. Took that, which was mainly pre constructed bathroom pod units which were made offsite then transported and placed into hotels, nursing homes etc. Ended up doing the majority of that crowd's (two tilers, an apprentice and a grouter) domestic work when had it, which was the bit I always liked. Got bored of doing the same bathroom pods day in day out, and always liked a nice challenging bathroom. Worked with that outfit for about 3 years but the saying don't put all your eggs in the one basket rang true. Their main contractor's work dried up and they didn't really have the work, which forced me to fend for myself. Started off me having a day or two free in the week then their work dried up completely. Been out solo full time for about 6 months and learned more than ever in that time. Makes a lot of difference when you've to call your own shots rather than asking another tiler. Suits me better as I'm not told "You've to finish this bathroom in 2 days", I can spend the extra half a day and provide the extra finishing touch that I wouldn't usually be able to give with tight time restrictions. Thankfully getting plenty of work on my own and hoping that this year will be a good year for getting myself well established. Don't think I'd ever go back to working with a squad now but learnt a lot of things from working in squads that I would never have learned otherwise, from how not to do some things to useful knowledge of how to set out and manage a large commercial floor.
S
ScottG13
Thanks for the responses guys, who'd have thought my curiosity would prompt such interesting reading
T
the chippy
22 years as a joiner, last year trained at NETT in Tiling, Plastering and Level 1 Plumbing, i am now in the process of setting up going self employed.
M
Musivarius
I was working as an ITU nurse and one day (2002) watched a programme on the Roman mosaics found at Zeugma, Turkey. Looking at those I knew that was what I wanted to do.
Went to the Scuola Arte del Mosaico in Ravenna for one of their short courses and have been making copies ever since. Initially it was museum work, I had 4 to do for a Biblical museum in Spain but now it's more teaching which I'm really enjoying.
I don't know of anyone else who works exclusively on ancient mosaics in the UK which is handy in some respects but every so often I begin to think I know what I'm doing so I go back to the Italian school so they can tell me otherwise!
The one area I lack is my technical knowledge on the adhesives etc used now, hence me being on this forum. It's been a real help to get this advice from people who have not only the knowledge but also the experience to go with it, (really could have done with that for the Baptismal Font I did, but that's another story :smilewinkgrin🙂
Went to the Scuola Arte del Mosaico in Ravenna for one of their short courses and have been making copies ever since. Initially it was museum work, I had 4 to do for a Biblical museum in Spain but now it's more teaching which I'm really enjoying.
I don't know of anyone else who works exclusively on ancient mosaics in the UK which is handy in some respects but every so often I begin to think I know what I'm doing so I go back to the Italian school so they can tell me otherwise!
The one area I lack is my technical knowledge on the adhesives etc used now, hence me being on this forum. It's been a real help to get this advice from people who have not only the knowledge but also the experience to go with it, (really could have done with that for the Baptismal Font I did, but that's another story :smilewinkgrin🙂
M
mikethetile
its a story we would love to hear lawrence
and we will go easy with you:smilewinkgrin:
thats an interesting line of work to be in, a niche market
is it hard to keep a continuation of work
mike
ps we love pics on here
S
Scott
I learned some if it from my father who taught me the basics over a week summer holidays! Some people get to go to the coast, i got to go to a new housing estate in Luton
I learned how to set out, box in and how to tile on boxing.
Since then everything else has been self taught, not just in tiling but plastering, carpentry, plumbing (electrics...not anymore)
I have to admit i have learned the most in the last four years with the likes of natural stones, trav and porcelain becoming ever popular
I learned how to set out, box in and how to tile on boxing.
Since then everything else has been self taught, not just in tiling but plastering, carpentry, plumbing (electrics...not anymore)
I have to admit i have learned the most in the last four years with the likes of natural stones, trav and porcelain becoming ever popular
L
LM Ceramics
left school in 2004 i was offered a plumbing apprenticeship which i turned down started working for a local well known tiler in my area and i was trained up and sent to liverpool college on day release my boss had 4 sub contract tilers and me the apprentice spent a year mixing grouting general labouring etc i wasnt allowed to stick a tile til my grouting was near perfect mainly our work was all domestic and high class work and a few commerical jobs my first bit of tiling was kitchen splashbacks then bathrooms then onto floors then unfortunatley my boss had a messy divorce with his missus and lost the will to carry on unfortunatley
then i went sub contract hoping to a few tiling firms house bashing for barratt homes persimmon etc and met a few decent tilers and some not so good tilers even though i hated house bashing you could see the differences in quality tilers and rough tilers which was a learning experience in its own
at 19 i started on my own (bit young i know) but with the lack of site work as we were approaching a recession i had no choice started of really well even at my age then i made contacts with building contractors and bathroom and kitchen companies and even completed 2 care homes with over 500 m2 of wall tiling at 19 not bad eh
but as the work was slowing down i couldnt compete much on the domestic market i was losing out on so many quotes maybe due to my age and the disadvantage of looking 18 when im 21 now
so decided to go back sub contracting with a tiler in manchester still with him now it also gives me the freedom of working with him and a regular wage and finding me own work when hes quite and slowly building up a reputation that despite im young i can still do a quality job
im still mega slow at tiling and ive earned a nickname of "slug lee" but id still rather be slow and do a quality job than be fast and rough and i hope i can continue that even when im 30 odd (but hopefully i might pick up abit of speed by then
then i went sub contract hoping to a few tiling firms house bashing for barratt homes persimmon etc and met a few decent tilers and some not so good tilers even though i hated house bashing you could see the differences in quality tilers and rough tilers which was a learning experience in its own
at 19 i started on my own (bit young i know) but with the lack of site work as we were approaching a recession i had no choice started of really well even at my age then i made contacts with building contractors and bathroom and kitchen companies and even completed 2 care homes with over 500 m2 of wall tiling at 19 not bad eh
but as the work was slowing down i couldnt compete much on the domestic market i was losing out on so many quotes maybe due to my age and the disadvantage of looking 18 when im 21 now
so decided to go back sub contracting with a tiler in manchester still with him now it also gives me the freedom of working with him and a regular wage and finding me own work when hes quite and slowly building up a reputation that despite im young i can still do a quality job
im still mega slow at tiling and ive earned a nickname of "slug lee" but id still rather be slow and do a quality job than be fast and rough and i hope i can continue that even when im 30 odd (but hopefully i might pick up abit of speed by then
There are similar tiling threads here
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