This is especially for "customers" -anyone who wants to buy or choose their own tiles (whether or not you want atiling specialist to fix them).
I see a lot of threads about how one retailer is bad, or an internet purchasehas arrived in a sub-standard condition (and nobody wants to acceptresponsibility). But honestly - buying a car is more risky and more expensive. Ihave some advice that may help you get it right first time and reduce the riskof buying tiles you don’t find acceptable.
Buying Tiles – where to go and what to look for
Get a vision ofwhat you want.
Before you startshopping for tiles try to visit several tile showrooms and just look atdisplays for ideas on what type of wall or floor tile design you are lookingfor. Many showrooms will have actual bathroom or tiled room replicas to giveyou an idea of what the design could look like in your home.
Avoid buying tileson these shopping trips except to obtain samples of tiles that you think youwould like. Then go back home and put the samples against the wall or floor tobe tiled and see if it looks right in your house. If the sales person tells you"buy today to get our best offer - it is onlyavailable today" then walk straightout the showroom because you are about to be conned into buying something youdon't want at a price you can barely afford! Go home review your samples andwhen you are clear exactly what you want, then return and negotiate –nearly every tile showroom will be prepared to offer some discount to you,especially if you use these lines to the sales staff:
“We found threetile samples that we like including this one. But it is outside our budget – ifwe paid (quote price 25% below their retail price) we could afford it. Wouldyou give us 25% discount on this tile?” Expect to negotiate,and anything from 10% or better means the retailer is keen to do business. Lessthan 10% means that they either have already discounted it for a quick sale orthey don’t care if they have your custom or not. The retailer margin varies onevery type of tile, some margins are barely 10% on the more exclusive ranges,but generally their margin is between 25 and 50% of the retail price.
Who to buy from.
1. DIYSuperstores – e.g. B &Q, Wickes, Homebase.
a. Advantages –very cheap tiles inbudget ranges, often have heavily discounted tiles in promotions, simple to buy– select, load trolley, pay and go home with purchase.
b. Disadvantages –staff cannot be relied upon to give advice on anything about installation orcare of your purchase, tiles in budget range often have different shades andsizes in same pack making it impossible to tile in clean straight lines, poorhandling of tile packs by staff lead to too many damaged tiles in packs, masspurchase of tiles manufactured in Asia that are very poor quality – beespecially wary of “designer” tiles from these sources – they are veryfrequently sub standard, and finally – apart from budget tiles and promotions,similar tiles can often be bought elsewhere cheaper!
c. When to use –when low price is everything and if the finished tiling looks rubbish – well wewill change it again next year.
2. National andRegional Tile specialist outlets – e.g. Tileflair, Topps Tiles, Tile Magic, CTD, Tile Giant.
a. Advantages –staff have regular training both in the products they sell, and how best to usethe products; tiles are sold in matched batches to ensure shades and sizes areidentical for all tiles; greater range and choice of tiles; the quality of allproducts sold is invariably much better than DIY stores.
b. Disadvantages –staff are also trained sales persons – they will maximise all sales to profitthe company; ancillary products are often expensive (e.g.adhesive/grout/silicone/trims) and dramatically increase their profit margins;company policies are often strict – including what they will refund – check attime of purchase (e.g. many companies will not exchange adhesive/grout in anycircumstance and will only refund whole packs of unused tiles that are clearlyin good condition).
c. When to use – we knowwhat style of tile we want, and we want the best choice and service not the best price.
3. SpecialistTile Retailers – e.g. Porcelanosa,Mandarin Stone.
a. Advantages –these companies are often closely involved with manufacture or processing oftile products they sell – retail products will invariably be of very highquality; staff will be highly trained in tiling products sold; company emphasisis often on the “complete retail experience” – meaning they will sell youeverything to achieve the finished result you see in the showroom.
b. Disadvantages –invariably the price of products is high – even costing several hundred poundsper square metre.
c. When to use –the closer you get to the source of supply, the better the product you are likely to be offered – at least in theory! When you want the best of a very specialised product and price is notimportant.
4. IndependentTile Retailers – e.g. locallybased shops specialising in selling tiles and ancillary products. These areoften “one-man-businesses” where business owner is a local resident and wellknown within local business community.
a. Advantages –customer service is crucial to survival of business – much of which isgenerated by word of mouth recommendation; likely to source tiles not generallyavailable elsewhere; business often owned/run by someone involved in tilingtrade for many years and able to give excellent advice on installation andmaintenance.
b. Disadvantages –without being able to offer economies of scale, expect to pay higher prices andwith fewer discounts; staff employed in shop (apart from business owner)invariably have little or no knowledge of tiling, and can give misinformation(albeit with the best intentions).
c. When to use – supporting local business can be crucial to the overall health of your local community – it is worth paying a little more to ensure that the Tile Shop in town (meaning you don’t have to travel 20 miles to a tile retailer) is supported.
5. Internet Based Retailers - A lot ofretailers mentioned above now have an online presence and websites that willsell you tiles direct. You will also find that direct search terms (e.g.travertine, natural stone, porcelain, mosaic, Victorian tile) will return anumber of unknown retailers.
a. Advantages -internet retailers have much lower overheads, and can sell goods at lowerprices; they can specialise in a particular tile type and offer biggerdiscounts to a larger market; you can source tiles that may not be readilyavailable in local shops.
b. Disadvantages- returning poor quality goods is nearly always made very difficult, even byestablished retailers (so be warned and ready to argue, badger and pursue yourrights); terms and conditions of sale/return are difficult to locate on the websiteand heavily weighted to the retailers advantage; delivery charges can be high;checking that the business is genuine is essential additional work for thecustomer. Whatever you do, never sign the delivery note accepting goods in"good condition" if you have not checked all the products. Don't waitfor the tiler who will fix the tiles - check the tiles yourself and challengethe supplier immediately by telephone if you are not happy with the delivery.
c. When to use –when you know exactly what you want, you want it at the cheapest possibleprice, and you are prepared to take some time to check the retailer and thedelivery. If delivered an inferior product, the aggravation of getting the right quality product or a full refund will make you wish you hadn't bought from them.
6. Anywhere else selling tiles – e.g.plumbers and builders merchants, local hardware store.
a. Advantages –range limited to bulk purchases of cheap tiles, which usually means excellentvalue for money. Many tiles offered in these retailers are sourced from wellknown producers like BCT (British Ceramic Tile) who generally produce veryacceptable tiles at a very low price.
b. Disadvantages– staff not at all trained in tiling – don’t even bother asking because alittle knowledge is a dangerous thing…. ; range likely to be limited to whitetiles, travertine replica ceramic tiles, and possibly slate replica ceramictiles – you either like them or not!
c. When to use –when you see exactly what you want at a discount available to you because youhave an account there.
What Tiles to Buy
1. For walls –almost any tile can be fixed to a wall. However…. The weight of the tile andthe type of surface must be considered. For example – natural stone tiles arenormally 12 – 15mm thick. A 12mm thick tile has a weight of about 24kg/sqmetre, and tile adhesive adds another 4kg per square metre on top. Plaster hasa maximum recommended weight loading of 20kg per square metre – in other wordsif you install 12mm thick stone tiles on a plastered wall they may falloff some time after fixing. Plasterboard (without a plaster skim) has a weightrating of 32 kg/sq m and tile backer boards have between 50 and 75 kg/sq mweight rating. Boards (whether plaster, waterproof, or tile backer boards)should be fixed by screws and not just nailed.
2. For floors – makesure you use an appropriately strong tile. Floors are always subject to loading– at least the weight of an adult human, and may also be required to supportthe weight of a washing machine or even a motor vehicle. Take care of tilesrecommended for both walls and floors – these are often of a low weightcapacity/strength. Generally we recommend the more expensive porcelain tileswhen tiling kitchen and utility room floors and if the tile is at risk of beingchipped (ever dropped a saucepan on the floor?) then buy a fully vitrified tile(colour of surface continues right through depth of tile.)
What else has to be budgeted for?
Pleasedo not make the mistake of thinking the tile will be the most expensive part –it will only be one part of the overall cost. The following will always need tobe budgeted for:
· Tile adhesive and grout – exact costdepends on what is being stuck to what, adds between £3 and £10 per squaremetre for adhesive and grout.
· Tile trims – prices vary dramatically– simple plastic white trims may only cost a couple of pounds whilst bettermetal trims may be much more expensive.
· Silicone sealants – good qualitysealants over £5 per tube.
· Tile backer boards – necessary to usebefore tiling in some circumstances – cost depends on manufacturer and dimensions and fixing materials are extra).
· Floor preparation – often need some levelersapplied, or over boarding or fixing of an uncoupling membrane. Prices varyaccording to needs.
· Waterproofing – the simplest tankingsystems for walls cost about £60 for a shower area, but more robust andflexible systems cost considerably more.
· Sealers and polishes – many tilesbenefit from having a sealer (to prevent staining) or a tile polish applied. Naturalstone and polished porcelain tiles are especially vulnerable to staining.
· Employing a tiler – this cost reallydepends on what is being tiled and what preparation and finishing is required.Because the cost can vary so much – you will need to get 3 quotes and choosethe best (not necessarily the cheapest – get quote to include “what” as well as“how much”).
More advice
TileDepot in Brighton have some excellent detailed tiling guides. Find them here:
http://www.thetiledepot.co.uk/types-of-tile
Your rights as a consumer
Bestto go for “free independent advice” so this is a good place to start:
https://www.gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights
C
I see a lot of threads about how one retailer is bad, or an internet purchasehas arrived in a sub-standard condition (and nobody wants to acceptresponsibility). But honestly - buying a car is more risky and more expensive. Ihave some advice that may help you get it right first time and reduce the riskof buying tiles you don’t find acceptable.
Buying Tiles – where to go and what to look for
Get a vision ofwhat you want.
Before you startshopping for tiles try to visit several tile showrooms and just look atdisplays for ideas on what type of wall or floor tile design you are lookingfor. Many showrooms will have actual bathroom or tiled room replicas to giveyou an idea of what the design could look like in your home.
Avoid buying tileson these shopping trips except to obtain samples of tiles that you think youwould like. Then go back home and put the samples against the wall or floor tobe tiled and see if it looks right in your house. If the sales person tells you"buy today to get our best offer - it is onlyavailable today" then walk straightout the showroom because you are about to be conned into buying something youdon't want at a price you can barely afford! Go home review your samples andwhen you are clear exactly what you want, then return and negotiate –nearly every tile showroom will be prepared to offer some discount to you,especially if you use these lines to the sales staff:
“We found threetile samples that we like including this one. But it is outside our budget – ifwe paid (quote price 25% below their retail price) we could afford it. Wouldyou give us 25% discount on this tile?” Expect to negotiate,and anything from 10% or better means the retailer is keen to do business. Lessthan 10% means that they either have already discounted it for a quick sale orthey don’t care if they have your custom or not. The retailer margin varies onevery type of tile, some margins are barely 10% on the more exclusive ranges,but generally their margin is between 25 and 50% of the retail price.
Who to buy from.
1. DIYSuperstores – e.g. B &Q, Wickes, Homebase.
a. Advantages –very cheap tiles inbudget ranges, often have heavily discounted tiles in promotions, simple to buy– select, load trolley, pay and go home with purchase.
b. Disadvantages –staff cannot be relied upon to give advice on anything about installation orcare of your purchase, tiles in budget range often have different shades andsizes in same pack making it impossible to tile in clean straight lines, poorhandling of tile packs by staff lead to too many damaged tiles in packs, masspurchase of tiles manufactured in Asia that are very poor quality – beespecially wary of “designer” tiles from these sources – they are veryfrequently sub standard, and finally – apart from budget tiles and promotions,similar tiles can often be bought elsewhere cheaper!
c. When to use –when low price is everything and if the finished tiling looks rubbish – well wewill change it again next year.
2. National andRegional Tile specialist outlets – e.g. Tileflair, Topps Tiles, Tile Magic, CTD, Tile Giant.
a. Advantages –staff have regular training both in the products they sell, and how best to usethe products; tiles are sold in matched batches to ensure shades and sizes areidentical for all tiles; greater range and choice of tiles; the quality of allproducts sold is invariably much better than DIY stores.
b. Disadvantages –staff are also trained sales persons – they will maximise all sales to profitthe company; ancillary products are often expensive (e.g.adhesive/grout/silicone/trims) and dramatically increase their profit margins;company policies are often strict – including what they will refund – check attime of purchase (e.g. many companies will not exchange adhesive/grout in anycircumstance and will only refund whole packs of unused tiles that are clearlyin good condition).
c. When to use – we knowwhat style of tile we want, and we want the best choice and service not the best price.
3. SpecialistTile Retailers – e.g. Porcelanosa,Mandarin Stone.
a. Advantages –these companies are often closely involved with manufacture or processing oftile products they sell – retail products will invariably be of very highquality; staff will be highly trained in tiling products sold; company emphasisis often on the “complete retail experience” – meaning they will sell youeverything to achieve the finished result you see in the showroom.
b. Disadvantages –invariably the price of products is high – even costing several hundred poundsper square metre.
c. When to use –the closer you get to the source of supply, the better the product you are likely to be offered – at least in theory! When you want the best of a very specialised product and price is notimportant.
4. IndependentTile Retailers – e.g. locallybased shops specialising in selling tiles and ancillary products. These areoften “one-man-businesses” where business owner is a local resident and wellknown within local business community.
a. Advantages –customer service is crucial to survival of business – much of which isgenerated by word of mouth recommendation; likely to source tiles not generallyavailable elsewhere; business often owned/run by someone involved in tilingtrade for many years and able to give excellent advice on installation andmaintenance.
b. Disadvantages –without being able to offer economies of scale, expect to pay higher prices andwith fewer discounts; staff employed in shop (apart from business owner)invariably have little or no knowledge of tiling, and can give misinformation(albeit with the best intentions).
c. When to use – supporting local business can be crucial to the overall health of your local community – it is worth paying a little more to ensure that the Tile Shop in town (meaning you don’t have to travel 20 miles to a tile retailer) is supported.
5. Internet Based Retailers - A lot ofretailers mentioned above now have an online presence and websites that willsell you tiles direct. You will also find that direct search terms (e.g.travertine, natural stone, porcelain, mosaic, Victorian tile) will return anumber of unknown retailers.
a. Advantages -internet retailers have much lower overheads, and can sell goods at lowerprices; they can specialise in a particular tile type and offer biggerdiscounts to a larger market; you can source tiles that may not be readilyavailable in local shops.
b. Disadvantages- returning poor quality goods is nearly always made very difficult, even byestablished retailers (so be warned and ready to argue, badger and pursue yourrights); terms and conditions of sale/return are difficult to locate on the websiteand heavily weighted to the retailers advantage; delivery charges can be high;checking that the business is genuine is essential additional work for thecustomer. Whatever you do, never sign the delivery note accepting goods in"good condition" if you have not checked all the products. Don't waitfor the tiler who will fix the tiles - check the tiles yourself and challengethe supplier immediately by telephone if you are not happy with the delivery.
c. When to use –when you know exactly what you want, you want it at the cheapest possibleprice, and you are prepared to take some time to check the retailer and thedelivery. If delivered an inferior product, the aggravation of getting the right quality product or a full refund will make you wish you hadn't bought from them.
6. Anywhere else selling tiles – e.g.plumbers and builders merchants, local hardware store.
a. Advantages –range limited to bulk purchases of cheap tiles, which usually means excellentvalue for money. Many tiles offered in these retailers are sourced from wellknown producers like BCT (British Ceramic Tile) who generally produce veryacceptable tiles at a very low price.
b. Disadvantages– staff not at all trained in tiling – don’t even bother asking because alittle knowledge is a dangerous thing…. ; range likely to be limited to whitetiles, travertine replica ceramic tiles, and possibly slate replica ceramictiles – you either like them or not!
c. When to use –when you see exactly what you want at a discount available to you because youhave an account there.
What Tiles to Buy
1. For walls –almost any tile can be fixed to a wall. However…. The weight of the tile andthe type of surface must be considered. For example – natural stone tiles arenormally 12 – 15mm thick. A 12mm thick tile has a weight of about 24kg/sqmetre, and tile adhesive adds another 4kg per square metre on top. Plaster hasa maximum recommended weight loading of 20kg per square metre – in other wordsif you install 12mm thick stone tiles on a plastered wall they may falloff some time after fixing. Plasterboard (without a plaster skim) has a weightrating of 32 kg/sq m and tile backer boards have between 50 and 75 kg/sq mweight rating. Boards (whether plaster, waterproof, or tile backer boards)should be fixed by screws and not just nailed.
2. For floors – makesure you use an appropriately strong tile. Floors are always subject to loading– at least the weight of an adult human, and may also be required to supportthe weight of a washing machine or even a motor vehicle. Take care of tilesrecommended for both walls and floors – these are often of a low weightcapacity/strength. Generally we recommend the more expensive porcelain tileswhen tiling kitchen and utility room floors and if the tile is at risk of beingchipped (ever dropped a saucepan on the floor?) then buy a fully vitrified tile(colour of surface continues right through depth of tile.)
What else has to be budgeted for?
Pleasedo not make the mistake of thinking the tile will be the most expensive part –it will only be one part of the overall cost. The following will always need tobe budgeted for:
· Tile adhesive and grout – exact costdepends on what is being stuck to what, adds between £3 and £10 per squaremetre for adhesive and grout.
· Tile trims – prices vary dramatically– simple plastic white trims may only cost a couple of pounds whilst bettermetal trims may be much more expensive.
· Silicone sealants – good qualitysealants over £5 per tube.
· Tile backer boards – necessary to usebefore tiling in some circumstances – cost depends on manufacturer and dimensions and fixing materials are extra).
· Floor preparation – often need some levelersapplied, or over boarding or fixing of an uncoupling membrane. Prices varyaccording to needs.
· Waterproofing – the simplest tankingsystems for walls cost about £60 for a shower area, but more robust andflexible systems cost considerably more.
· Sealers and polishes – many tilesbenefit from having a sealer (to prevent staining) or a tile polish applied. Naturalstone and polished porcelain tiles are especially vulnerable to staining.
· Employing a tiler – this cost reallydepends on what is being tiled and what preparation and finishing is required.Because the cost can vary so much – you will need to get 3 quotes and choosethe best (not necessarily the cheapest – get quote to include “what” as well as“how much”).
More advice
TileDepot in Brighton have some excellent detailed tiling guides. Find them here:
http://www.thetiledepot.co.uk/types-of-tile
Your rights as a consumer
Bestto go for “free independent advice” so this is a good place to start:
https://www.gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights
C
