There is always a big space in the market for refinishing work and renovation work..
If you have the equipment and knowledge , then you can put a floor down to within reason and totally grind to honed or polished finish and give that super flat finish , a lot of work but high end clients will pay for it .
I think the courses will be better for learning about stone and how to finish it for repairs and offer an after sales service of maintenance etc , then you have repeat business from an established customer base.
As i get older and knees are hurting a tad more , then renovation work appeals to me more , less time on your knees when machines do the hard work 🙂
But do let us know how you get on and who with.
Dave .
i have always taken interest in sealers since they first came in with fired earth and Elon in early 80s. (cardinal paint excepted)
I have tried most of the new products over the years and it is a very interesting subject.
i am lucky that my company have fixed over 1200 stone floors now but until recently
i have done cleaning and resealing as a hobby if an old client called me me up for clean/reseal.
Three things have changed my outlook on this aspect of trade.
1.my knee is totally knackered now and needs replacement with very low percentage
chance of being able to put purchase weight on daily basis even with replacement .
2.I can use my client base plus hopefully bring in other new business and with experience from stone I have can earn a reasonable living by having a helper if I cannot get on my knees all day.
3. I have had the worst 3 months of my 28 year career of recent ,trying to keep my employees going when jobs have got delayed and I could not find other tiling work at short notice.
I saved well over £15000.00 by being able to contact old clients and offering a clean/seal service at reduced rates which at least covered my employees wages if not mine.
i can tell you dave there are very few people in this restoration business who really know their stuff. Most have not even laid a tile in their life and work from instruction sheets.
that said bob at Lithofin who although never a tiler and someone I have known for 20'years really knows his stuff as does alistair nidry.
there is plenty of room in this aspect of business for experienced tile fixers to get in to this type work as they get older.
I will be doing this for sure and it can be a surprisingly good earner and a just reward for knowledge learnt over the years .
