Manufacturers and the real world...

[CBTC]

Following on from a dif thread - I was touching on the tile makers, being pretty separate from the tile fixers - this at the professional level of experienced tilers, not the couple of years and 'tidy projects done guys'who are still learning- sorry, but those of us who have seen contract tile finish expectations change dramatically and the work involved increase, and without the comensurate price lift to accomodate all that work.
One example; at 100% design or Coverings a couple of years back, I saw the 6 mm gigantic dimension porcelain tiles; the guys on the stand from the manufacturer were happy enough talking 'design' and 'style'. however when I introduced myself as a contractor, and what suggestions / specification had they regarding this new tile....nothing, nada , no discussion. Just a general ' you need professional fixers '. Yes. Thats ME! And I'm asking....so again my point of the tile trade being very willing to embrace (sometimes cack handedly) the higher end / design-led market..and yet absolute ignorance and a 'dont care' attitude towards the fixing / contractor communnity. Hence poor installations and then reluctance to use TILE by the buying parties the next time around..and all this from the very end of the industry that SHOULD be pushing the quality of the product all round - its making..and..the installation required.

 

[White Room]

Had something similar one time, talking at an exhibition to a product supplier and when I mentioned I was a contractor they just advised me to speak to a distributor

 

[CBTC]

you're kidding! Exactly what I mean -many of them just dont like the idea of the dirty hands lot that install their products - us! Can you name and shame?

 

[White Room]

Benfer actually, they put onto a local ish supplier though, not local enough though