Is it the right time?

[air kid]

Iv'e been thinking about doing the PTS tiling course for some time now, but having spoken to other people in various trades their seems to be little work out there out the moment due to the credit crunch. This has put some doubt in my mind now and am now thinking whether its the right time to get myself a trade. I'm wondering what others think about this?

 

[beanz]

I don't think there's ever a wrong time to get yourself a trade. Would you have to quit your current job to do the course? If not, just do the course and get practice where you can, with friends/family. Hopefully by the time you're ready to start up, things will be on the up again.

Obviously if (like me) you'd have to give up your current job to do the course, then it's more of a risk.

 

[DaveCSC]

I agree it is always a good time to learn something new. There may be a little less work out there but on the other hand if people cannot afford or are not able to move home then they will improve the house they live in and the two main rooms they improve are bathrooms and kitchens - both of which need tiling. The main people that are being hit by the credit crunch are those that have not had to advertise much in the past and are still expecting work in from referrals.

I'd suggest learning the trade perhaps on a shorter course to start with so you don't have to give work up and then as mentioned earlier complete wotk for family and friends. Don't forget to photo all of these jobs and build your portfolio up.

Good luck and enjoy learning the trade.

The Construction Skills College Limited

 

[GazTech]

I agree it is always a good time to learn something new. There may be a little less work out there but on the other hand if people cannot afford or are not able to move home then they will improve the house they live in and the two main rooms they improve are bathrooms and kitchens - both of which need tiling. The main people that are being hit by the credit crunch are those that have not had to advertise much in the past and are still expecting work in from referrals.

I'd suggest learning the trade perhaps on a shorter course to start with so you don't have to give work up and then as mentioned earlier complete wotk for family and friends. Don't forget to photo all of these jobs and build your portfolio up.

Good luck and enjoy learning the trade.

The Construction Skills College Limited

How have you come to that conclusion Dave ?

 

[Olz]

Im with you on this one Gazza, surley its those who have to advertise for work who are struggling more, after all word of mouth refferalls are surley the best form of advertising. :yes:

 

[GazTech]

I was lucky...
I was in the construction industry from school. I fell into tiling and had 20yrs without having to advertise, was this because times were easy for work? or because I did the job right ?
The boys I still know that I worked with all say, "what credit crunch"..I'm booked up till Jan/Feb. I wouldn't like to be a beginner now, tilers are crawling out of the woodwork from all corners ...like tiling is the easiest of all trades....think again

 

[DaveCSC]

The outcome of a rushed post is that I put things across the wrong way.
The comment came from the fact that over the past few weeks I have been contacted by a large number of tradesmen, not just tilers, who are looking for work. When I have asked them how busy they are and what marketing they are doing the main response was that they aren't as busy as they have been and that all of their work comes from referrals and that they have never had to advertise and were not planning on doing so, this was even the approch from some people who did not have much work booked in at all. One guy I spoke to did not have any work booked in and still thought that just waiting for referrals was the best option ???
I totally agree that referrals are the best form of advertising but if things start to slow up then people have to try other methods of marketing their service. I know of many people who still do not advertise and are fully booked up with work but those that are not need to be actively marketing as described in some of the posts listed on this site.

 

[Paul]

I thought about the timing of my course at one point too but realised there is no perfect timing ive been looking for a few months before i went into it and did my research

right or wrong im going ahead anyway !!

If i dont try...........

 

[LM Ceramics]

i agree with your post dave you cannot just wait for referrals ive been in the trade for 4 years and went on my own in jan this year obviously i havent done enough work to get recommendations im now booked up with work for a month at least with domestic jobs,a contact with a local kitchen comapny and a local building firm plus referalls from my local tile shop the main reason why i have so much work on is because i got off my arse and looked for it some tilers around my area who say they are dead )the ones with 20 odd yr experience) are the ones waiting for the recommends and they are not doing enough to find new contacts. As said word of mouth is the best form of advertising without a doubt but if your new going into self employment then you have to find the work it wont find you.

 

[DaveCSC]

Good on you LM Ceramics. It still surprises me the amount of people that think or expect work to come to them. Not everyone is suitable for working for themselves and it takes a lot of commitment and self motivation to get off your arse and put in the leg work. Hope many more months of work comes your way.