Work & Life

[Raja]

The response so far has been of a very encouraging nature. SWE i would not take anything you say the wrong way or dislike it i am very grateful you took the time out to post on my thread your adivce is greatly apreciated and have took on board what you said thank u

 

[sWe]

The response so far has been of a very encouraging nature. SWE i would not take anything you say the wrong way or dislike it i am very grateful you took the time out to post on my thread your adivce is greatly apreciated and have took on board what you said thank u

No problem mate. I'd hate to see nice people go out of business when all they really seem to need is some encouragement and/or advice, and I'd be damned if I didn't atleast take a few minutes to write something.

 

[devonmark]

Keep at it Raja,
I'm a plasterer who took up tiling...I don't do any plumbing but always get asked do I fit bathrooms etc, as I swap work with 3 different plumbers there is always one that can do the job, so my answer is I know a man who can, I then arrange for the plumber to meet me when going to price the job.
Also try and find one or two independent kitchen fitters as the good ones don't have time to tile as they are always in demand...loads of splashbacks...good luck..Mark.

 

[enduro]

Why does everybody blame the building trade or a recession when the have no work or the phone doesnt ring, all the builders i work for say the are cant keep up with the work. I think a lot of it is poor marketing, aim your business at the customers you want. Go to builders, plumbers, kitchen shops etc and do a day for free to show them why your the best, it wont come to you unless you chase it. This wasnt aimed at you Don, i think that if you only want small jobs then you will be quiet, but good luck and keep going it does get easier.

 

[DS Tiling]

It is hard just now as a lot of people are being careful with their cash. We are still staying busy but a lot of people are opting for Kitchen and bathroom companies to do the lot so i know what you mean about other trades. We have had to tidy up tiling work from such companies in the past. I think they put a lot of pressure on the tilers but the finish sufers IMO. There will be very good tilers out there working for big companies or doing the lot themselves so don't get me wrong they are not all bad. We do plastering, replace substrates if required but our market is for tiling. The most I will do plumbing wise is move a WC if shutoffs are in place but I prefer to leave the lot to plumbers. We used to do work for a plumbing company which was great steady work but they branched into other stuff and no longer do bathrooms. Stick with it and go part time if you have that flexibility. If your jobs are to a high standard then you will always be in demand.

 

[enduro]

Just a thought Don, find out if the council in your area are doing any refurb on social housing estates (council houses but we cant call them that) i had a spell with 2 companies in my area who go in rip the kitchens out and bathrooms, fit new ones, and i went in a tiled Around 6sqm in kitchen and 4sqm in bathroom and they are flat out all year round that would be right up your street.

 

[guy1976]

why dont you phone agencies you got your nvq so they will get you work. nearly all the work is social housing refurbs doing splashbacks and around 5 tiles high round bath , iv done it before £14 a hour for real easy days work

 

[howard]

my nephew has just done a bathroom fitting & plastering course we are now advertising as bathroom fitters we are now getting quite a bit of work people want the works not just a tiler

 

[john0612]

every business has ups and downs, i'm still at the painting and privately the phone hasn't rung this year, yeah it's kinda worrying but i'm fortunate that i've got an industrial contract to fall back on.

as for partnerships go, i 'm in one and if i had the chioce to go back and do it different i would. We all have bills to pay etc..... so we take the same re wages and when there is nothing coming in then it's DOUBLE the ammount thats goin out and maybee only a small job coming in, does that cover the wages, bills etc.....?
if you worked on your own then it would, you would get by.
i'm giving it till the summer at the painting then i'm gonna give the tiling a go full time, coz when theres 2 hands out from 1 job then i'll never make any money.

i suppose it's all down to seling yourself when your pricing stating that your a TILER and thats it and your busy with TILING.

keep going bud, things normally sort themselves out in the end, there will be another light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[GazTech]

Now is a perfect opporunity Raja, with your buisness partner out of the picture, you are quids in, and like Dave says , do the doors at weekends and tile in the week......you know where I am mate if you want to talk...Gaz