Uk Pro Tiling Training - Tiling Courses (formerly Nett)

[Andrew Case]

Thanks for doing this review Andrew, be sure to let us know how the natural stone day goes on Friday!

What are you planning on doing with your new found skill?

Hi Dave
Have had to move my final day to next week due to family commitments. So will post my final day after that.

I am already decorating for extra money, but am now advertising tiling as my main area. As i've said in other threads, i will only take on work i can do well. I plan on learning from this forum, doing lots of supplier days, maybe even a victorian tiling course next year.
Ive got a few of my own jobs in my house to do to keep up practice while i try and build up business.

Have ordered some cards, van signage etc

 

[Dave85]

It sounds like you have the right idea about how to get started, so hopefully you can prove all the guys wrong that say you need to follow a tiler around for 2 years, because that's how they did it.

I have not seen Victorian tiling courses before, do they do it at uk trades? I live in an area with a large amount of rich people so have often thought that Victorian porch's and steps would work well here.

 

[Andrew Case]

[/QUOTE]
I have not seen Victorian tiling courses before, do they do it at uk trades? I live in an area with a large amount of rich people so have often thought that Victorian porch's and steps would work well here.[/QUOTE]

Able skills down south do it. Its not cheap, but i dont mind paying for training as i enjoy learning new things. Im hopefully going to be doing a venetian plastering course soon. I dont think theres loads of work for it, but again, it interests me.

Ive got no problem in tackling the majority of tiling jobs - but i will always be up front with the customer. I may not be the quickest but i would never leave a job like the cowboys do, even if it was at my expense.
Im fully insured too, even though i am still waiting for my first job. I want everything to be done properly, not last minute

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Andrew you must be a very gifted person, you will have five days tiling in a cubicle under your belt, and you are ordering cards/ signed written van etc. Tiling is not about just bathroom bashing or splash backs. Tiling, true tiling is, was, and always will be a very skilled trade.

I find these kind of posts very offensive, I don't care who I upset, I have been tiling 45yrs time served C&G, worked all over the world. I sit on the TTA fixer training committee, I would like to change this industry so we can bring back the skills, instead of diluting them.

As for Victorian/ geometric work, I get calls on a regular basis from tilers 40yrs experience, asking me for set out advice. If I thought for one second that any tips/ advice I have shared on this fine forum, would encourage people to belittle my trade, or undermine the skill required, skill that takes years to hone to perfection. I would not post again.

I don't know you Andrew, so this is not an attack on you personally. But I do know and respect a lot of TF members who are highly skilled and experienced in this industry, some of them are struggling in the current climate. Sorry to rain on your parade, but I have to voice my opinion. I have come across so many "tilers" in my time. I hope you do well, but you will need a red cape to succeed in tiling after five days.

This could get me banned, but I had to say it.

 

[Ian]

You're perfectly entitled to your opinion Phil, anyone who reads an opinion of yours and doesn't take it on board, is missing out on top advice. Your experience and work allows you to give this opinion.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Thanks Bri, you know I have a passion as most pro tilers have for our trade, and it is a trade.

 

[Spud]

I complete understand where Phil is coming from,lets put it this way if Andrew were doing a cookery course after 5 days you wouldnt he wont be michelin star chef even with the help of a forum with the best chefs in the world advising you you would still take years to achieve the level of expertise needed to call yourself an expert/specialist,unfortunately short course tilers will be unleashed on to the public who will end up paying the price who will be fooled by the impressive cards and sign written van and other marketing tricks employed I am all for training and course providers are essential in my opinion but 5 days to be fully skilled tiler is the same as saying 5 days you will be a skilled mechanic

 

[Andrew Case]

At which point has anyone said I'm a fully skilled tiler? 5 days gives you the basics.
5 days at 8 hours a day is a similar amount of hours to learn to drive. Many people do. But they are still learning and gaining confidence after they've passed their test. But they can drive at 70mph like everyone else.
No disrespect to anyone here, the work I've seen from these posts is beautiful, skilled work that I can only dream about attaining one day.
I dont mind anyone's opinion at all. I know what type of person I am, what I strive to be, what I can and can't do.
I did say at the outset though that this post was a review of the course, not a discussion on the rights and wrongs of courses.
I can't do an apprenticeship, I want to tile, live with it.
You look after your business in your area, I'll do mine in mine, don't stress over people entering "your" trade.
When you retire, and everyone else who has been doing it for decades, lets see who is left. Hopefully I'll be one.
There are a lot of supportive people on here who recognise people have to start somewhere and respect people who are willing to give it a go while sticking to good standards and work ethics.
Now enough of the course being right or wrong, have we not all read enough about that to last a life time??!

 

[DHTiling]

Can only concur phils post. Well written.

 

[Andrew Case]

P.s I already am running a painting and decorating business, hence the cards.
Didn't think it was frowned upon to advertise.
I can do a splash back or conservatory floor as good anyone. If I can't do it, if it's out of my reach, I'll decline. Is that bad? It would be wrong to take the job on and do it bad. Surely much respect to me for having the balls to recognise and stick to jobs I can do!

 

[Tony73]

agree with above comments, you do need years to learn tiling ART. As Phil said, tilers of 10, 20,40 years, still ask each other for advice etc. I have been tiling for 14 years, and feel like i know alot. But i allways listen to long time served tilers like Phil, Garythetiler,Sir Ramic, Deano, Dave... List could go on and on and on. Maby course is good, but you need to stick around PRO triler for year or two . If you would stick with me, i could teach you few tricks with MITRE WIZZ :lol: :hurray:

 

[White Room]

Thats for sale in Australia soon.....

 

[Tony73]

It sounds like you have the right idea about how to get started, so hopefully you can prove all the guys wrong that say you need to follow a tiler around for 2 years, because that's how they did it.

I have not seen Victorian tiling courses before, do they do it at uk trades? I live in an area with a large amount of rich people so have often thought that Victorian porch's and steps would work well here.

Andrew, i think all comments to this post :lol:

 

[Tony73]

Thats for sale in Australia soon.....

I'll be first to buy :hurray:

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Andrew I do live with it, I get at least two phone calls per week from hard working people, who have paid good money to have a pro tiling job done by a so called "pro" tiler. I got one tonight from a young woman in tears, she has a 50m2 floor failing, done by a guy with a sign written van, and fancy business cards.

Unfortunately this pro had no idea how to prep an anhydrite screed. Very sad.

 

[Andrew Case]

I think it's a disgrace that there are people who would do a job without knowing how in the first place. Thankfully I'm not one.
Personally on the screed job I would have recommended suitable preperation, perhaps Schluter Ditra, and relevant expansion gaps dependant on size of floor.
However, as I said earlier, I'd rather refuse the job if I wasn't sure and leave it to you pro's.
That's the difference!!

 

[Spud]

P.s I already am running a painting and decorating business, hence the cards.
Didn't think it was frowned upon to advertise.
I can do a splash back or conservatory floor as good anyone. If I can't do it, if it's out of my reach, I'll decline. Is that bad? It would be wrong to take the job on and do it bad. Surely much respect to me for having the balls to recognise and stick to jobs I can do!

Good luck with the tiling Andrew no-ones knocking you just the short courses and the idiots saying that novice tilers earn 40k a year

 

[Andrew Case]

Good luck with the tiling Andrew no-ones knocking you just the short courses and the idiots saying that novice tilers earn 40k a year

Thanks Gary. To be honest as much as its the idiots fault for saying you can earn 40k, it's the idiots that believe it!
I just love learning and looking at others work too. The monthly entries on here are stunning. I'll never be that good.

 

[Dave85]

Everyone on this site didn't know how to tile at some point and they all had to start somewhere. Apprenticeships are very hard to come by these days so courses are the only option for people looking to better themselves by learning this trade.

The only reason I can see for people on here to hate and discourage people looking to learn a new skill in this way is their ego, yes you are more experienced and better than us, yes you do know far more and could finish a job in half the time with your eyes closed, but shooting people down for trying to learn something new and better themselves isn't a very nice thing to do. Is it not a good sign that we are on here in the first place? I'm pretty sure that the really bad tilers that don't ask for advice or care about learning new things don't bother to use this site at all?

Why not rid yourselves of anger and hate towards new inexperienced tilers and spread some love and experience 🙂

Peace
Dave

 

[Dan]

The lads here spread love and experience (less of the love these days mind) all day long.

I've always had the view that there needs to be a whole range of options to get people into any trade they wish, and not just one or two.

Short courses have pros and cons just like all the other options. The pros being you can do a course, and start practising with friends and family, and start doing the easier jobs just fine. Like ceramics on plasterboard etc. The skilled stuff even a lot of time-served will need to double check with manufacturers specifications and the likes, and anybody can do that.

It's the putting it into practise part though that puts the pro's aside compared to the newer guys still learning.

We've had this debate for years now and it wont change until some license of some form gets introduced like we hear about for some parts of Canada, USA and Australia. That'd be the big change that'd stop the debate.

The lack of regulation means a DIY homeowner, or a 'newbie', can tackle just the same jobs as a time-served professional who has all the contacts, skills, qualifications, etc etc.

And it's a shame. As like Phil and dozens of others have said in the past, we keep seeing jobs going belly up due to sometimes minor issues like saving £2 per bag on adhesive, and ending up with the wrong one.

BRING ON THE REGULATING OF THE INDUSTRY I SAY! I doubt me shouting in the biggest caps-lock I can find that will change it though mind. haha

 

[Andrew Case]

I agree, as long as some allowance is made for older ones wanting to enter the trades. People have got to realise that people may want a career change in their later life, when they have responsibilities, and should not be penalised for their age and lack of circumstances allowing the traditional route of apprenticeship.
I think those that come on here saying that short courses can lead straight into pro work are as bad as those who blanket refuse to acknowledge short courses as a start.
Dan, you've hit the nail on the head and reiterated what i have said - courses give the basics and allow you to do the smaller jobs while building up speed, confidence and knowledge.
No one, young or old, new or experienced should cut corners for price - do a good job and get paid for doing so.

But i suppose there will always be those cowboys that do so. Personally, im just trying to not be one and do a professional job with the circumstances i have.
There are people on this forum, who are respected, do quality work, and started late in life with a short course..........it can be done. Support and help along the way is what is needed to those genuine ones who want to do a good job.
Those that dont will hopefully soon be weeded out by their manner and shoddy workmanship.

 

[Dale44]

Good luck Andrew, I hope it all works out for you. Doing other courses and offering other skills is a good way to go. Works for me fine. I did two years training to get C&G's level 2 plumbing qualification, and was amazed in what I gained from a two week tiling course and one week plastering course at nett.
Like you, I don't try to make out to people that I am some kind of master tiler, and have passed on work to time served people that I know. (and some times get smaller jobs or other kind of jobs put in my direction by them).
As long as you know your limits you should by fine.

Good luck again. :8:

 

[Houston]

I might set up a tiling school of excellence in my garage.

 

[Houston]

week 1


1 Health & Safety video
2 Drawings & setting out day
3 Substrates/prepwork
4 Adhesive & Grout Q&A
5 Ceramic Tiling
6 Mosaics
7 Porcelain

 

[Houston]

Week 2

1 Natural Stone
2 Geometric
3 Grouting
4 Epoxy Grouting
5 Sand & Cement Walls
6 Sand & Cement Floors and vibration method
7 Tool and Certificate Day

 

[Houston]

I'm booked up until Xmas 2012. ( Max 6 people for 2 week Course )

Costings £2000 for 2 week course

 

[Dan]

I'm just bumping some of the tiling course & tiling training related threads. Ignore them if they're not current threads for you. They will drop back off the list in a week or so, and I don't do this much.

 

[Dan]

I'm just bumping some of the tiling course & tiling training related threads. Ignore them if they're not current threads for you. They will drop back off the list in a week or so, and I don't do this much.

 

[UKTT Darren]

UK trades training re branding as UK Pro Tiling Training
We have been on a great journey over the last 10 years starting off with North East Tiling Training (NETT) then adding all the other trades on to the business therefore calling the company UK Trades Training but we are going back to our core business now and just concentrating on delivering quality Tiling Courses only again, so the new name for the business is UK Pro Tiling Training.
Thanks to all the past learners that have supported and trained with us over the years, hope you're all doing well
Regards
Darren

 

[Dave]

@UKTT Darren , did the multi course side not work out then ?...

 

[UKTT Darren]

We ran the multi skills for 5 years which worked well but it was a lot to manage, our 10000 square foot building was up for renewal so i have decided to go back to what we started with just myself doing the training instead of 10 staff to worry about and take life a bit easier without the stress
How is your tiling business Dave, still doing well
Darren