top end materials - TilersForums.com

[kilty55]

hi guys /gals,lots of great products and materials out there to choose from for tiling and the ones most guys would like to use seem to be more expensive..hardi backer boards,,tanking kits etc etc in your opinions from doing jobs do you find its the high end jobs that you can price these into your quotes.

from personal experience i dont do much high spec work so to speak mostly nice mainstream bathrooms/kitchens but even with most of these the material costs end up rocketing when i try to add in tanking kits,cement boards,slc etc etc,i dont know if this is down to the fact iv been tiling only 18 months and altho half my work is now referrals or passed from plumbers etc and the other half is still people looking for 3 quotes and possibly the cheapest,,

i win about 80 percent of the quotes i do so i beleive i sell myself well but i would personally like to use more tanking and also cement boards in the bathrooms however i find customers look at me like im trying to rip them off as soon as i mention tanking the shower area....whats everyones slant on this how do you guys/gals find it? do u manage to use the exact materials u want on most jobs or not? cheers

 

[Colour Republic]

You'll find that sometimes you will end up paying for some materials out of your labour charges so to speak, I often end up doing this but on the basis that it is quicker and less hassle to install as it were so in real terms you make money out of it because you can charge the standard price rate.

new products come out all the time that save you time but maybe you are the only ones using them, so make that your advantage.

In terms of offering the customer choice, I always let them make the call. For the last two years I have for the most part given customers 2 quotes, one top spec and another standard spec and then adjust it to the level they want

 

[White Room]

I advise as I can and explain why tanking etc is requiered, there choice at the end of the day.

I do try and include into the price for tanking but thats odds on I don't get because of the price being higher, no win situation.

 

[simhopper]

hi guys /gals,lots of great products and materials out there to choose from for tiling and the ones most guys would like to use seem to be more expensive..hardi backer boards,,tanking kits etc etc in your opinions from doing jobs do you find its the high end jobs that you can price these into your quotes.

from personal experience i dont do much high spec work so to speak mostly nice mainstream bathrooms/kitchens but even with most of these the material costs end up rocketing when i try to add in tanking kits,cement boards,slc etc etc,i dont know if this is down to the fact iv been tiling only 18 months and altho half my work is now referrals or passed from plumbers etc and the other half is still people looking for 3 quotes and possibly the cheapest,,

i win about 80 percent of the quotes i do so i beleive i sell myself well but i would personally like to use more tanking and also cement boards in the bathrooms however i find customers look at me like im trying to rip them off as soon as i mention tanking the shower area....whats everyones slant on this how do you guys/gals find it? do u manage to use the exact materials u want on most jobs or not? cheers

I always take samples along with me for both cement board and homelux tanking, No hard sell and most are willing to listen to thereadvantages, Homelux wall tanking a standard shower adds approx £150, Cheaper than a new install, I would much prefer to lose a job that have a call back saying something has failed

 

[kilty55]

good idea with the samples there simon...may try that one.

i find all stone installations seem to accept my advice immedaitely but getting the bumpy whites to do it is another matter

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Again this comes down to like for like quotes,if you price to prep a job correctly( tanking etc) you run the risk of loosing it to some cowboy. Best thing is explain to customer why you may be a bit more expensive. They at least will have peice of mind, your job will last.