Realistic earnings as a tiler

Discussion in 'Tilers' Talk' started by twice_knightly, Mar 17, 2006.

  1. This is probably a familiar tale by now, but I'd really like to hear from any professional tilers on here to get some advice please.

    I was made redundant in February from my job in IT, which although came as no shock, has left me at a crossroads in life. I've been wanting to do something differnt for ages now and it seems like now is the ideal time...trouble is I've a mortgage, wife and two kids!

    I've looked at re-training into a trade and of all of them tiling looks the most appealing, why? Well quite simply because of all the DIY jobs I do, tiling is the one I enjoy the most, I think it's quite creative and offers for me personally the most satisfaction.

    I've some redunancy money which I thought I could use to pay for a training course, tools, advertising, stationary and a van etc and set up on my own.

    Big question is though, can I make as much tiling as I did in IT and still pay the mortgage?

    It would be rude of me to just ask "how much do you earn" so I'll tell you how much I got in IT and see if hopefully it compares!

    As a permanent employee I would earn 35K p/a plus bonus, shares, private health and 28 days holiday. As a contractor I could get as much as £350.00 - £400 per day.

    I live in Cumbria where I guess rates are lower, however do you think it would be worth investing some of my redundancy in this venture and if so could I really continue to keep my wife in the life she is accustomed to (or should I ditch the wife and go plumbing?..just a thought!)

    Thanks for any help you can give with this, as I need to do something, being at home is driving me mad!!!

    Cheers
    Carl.
     
  2. Bigplumber

    Bigplumber New Member

    Dream on, £120 to £150 a day max and thats Manchester. Plumbing is about the same. Thats labour (yuk I hate Labour) only materials on top, cost plus 40%.

    I've been tiling 20 years and still have nightmare jobs.
     
    Mancone likes this.
  3. ceramic tiler dave

    ceramic tiler dave New Member

    myself like bigplumber £120...£150 max aday never two jobs are the same and nightmares you get loads........derby/notts area .stick to the trade you know.even if you have to move to another area you got your family to think about and remember when there is no jobs on your books.... no one is giving you a wage so you will end up with £15000...£20000 max less your running cost...and whats a holiday you will get more then 28 days off just sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring
     
    Mancone likes this.
  4. bathstyle

    bathstyle Active Member

    On the other hand you could make up to £350 + VAT per day on Bathroom fits. You would need to do the complete room though, not just the tiling.

    A tiler friend of mine charges £200 + VAT if this is any help, South East.

    If you have your head screwed on and get the right clientele then the world is your oyster.
     
    Mancone likes this.
  5. countdown

    countdown New Member

    Hi Twice,
    I was in the same boat as you 18 months ago - IT for 25years and totally bored with it. Wanted to do something that left me feeling good at the end of the day and anyway, life's too short to be bored witless for 8 hours a day.
    Decided on career change and decided to focus on bathroom and kitchen refits. I needed to focus on one aspect of the job, so invested in a 4 week tiling course (you pick up loads of tips). I taught myself plumbing techniques over the years, so no fears there. I started just as Part P was being introduced, so I did all my own electrical work until a few months ago. I'm currently working my way through C&G to get my Domestic Installer ticket. Why? Well if you can deliver all the different trades to a good standard for a project like a bathroom or kitchen refit, you stand head and shoulders above the competition - the sales message is very powerful.
    Anyway, to get going, I did some simple tiling work for friends and family. Didn't make much money doing it, but started to photograph my work for a portfolio. Also got a couple of grateful customers to sponsor my business cards into some tile shops. Very quickly, and I mean in a couple of weeks after starting out, I was getting calls from people about tiling jobs, which when I went to discuss the job with them, started to develop into "can you fit bathrooms / showers / upgrades / can you do plumbing / joinery / tiling etc...."
    I now do a bathroom job every three weeks (it takes me 10 working days to complete - typical job would include ceiling work - board and skim, lighting changes (currently, I sub electrical work out to get the Minor Works Certs), shower installs (new enclosures, tanking) plumbing changes, tiling (wall and floor), underfloor heating (very easy to sell within a package and very profitable),joinery changes, and final finishing - decorating essentially. To keep the cash flow going, I do the odd tiling job between projects.
    The customers love the one stop shop approach.
    Just to add another bit of variety, I do a kitchen every other month.

    Don't regret the change whatsoever. My own boss, delivering high quality work, coming home knackered, grateful customers.

    Earnings are increasing quarter on quarter as I get cuter with my cost controls and getting better discounts with the suppliers. I can easily cover my mortgage and other outgoings.

    So in summary, put a mini business plan together. You'll need transport, tools, training, marketing, insurance and a contingency fund to get going. Get a good accountant - they have loads of advice about what can be set off against tax. Don't be too ambitious - better to be honest with the customer and yourself about your capabilities when starting out. You'll quickly increase your competence and confidence and start to get into the more expensive refits (bigger profits for you).

    Hope that helps a bit!!
     
    mumbley joe and Mancone like this.
  6. Thanks for the replies, certainly given me something to think about. Interesting to see different views on the trade though!

    I was a bit naive as I'd assumed I'd be working every day, every week, every month! Never occured to me that you have to wait for the phone to ring. Also it was interesting to hear you still get nightmare jobs with many years experience, not sure how I would enjoy it after a few of those.

    I liked the idea of a complete bathroom solution though, but on the otherhand it sounds a bit scary mastering a number of different trades like that, could this all be learnt by attending training courses? Indeed is their such as course as bathroom installation? I've fitted a bathroom suite before and tiled the whole room, but if I were a paying customer I wouldn't have been very happy!

    Countdown - thanks for the encouraging reply, nice to hear from somebody who knows just how boring a job in IT really is, sounds like you made the right move.

    Well they say nothing ventured, nothing gained so I'm going to speak to some training companies tomorrow..plus I need to get out of the house and earn some money!

    Thanks again
    All the best
    Carl.
     
  7. bathstyle

    bathstyle Active Member

    Training courses are a good basis for going it alone but realistically to install luxury bathroom Suites to an acceptable level you really need to have several years experience behind you.

    If you want to get into Bathroom work and earn a reasonable salary then you will need to start with the lower range projects and work your way up to the high end work and then the real money will come in.

    It could well take ten years to get to that sort of level though, by which time you will be so exhausted that you will be thinking about winding down and taking things easier ;)
     
  8. Harry the tiler

    Harry the tiler New Member

    tiling is well payed if you are quick, im in the south east (London Essex) and will average double what the others have said, but the problem i get is work keeps drying up and has been very up and down over the last year or so, im normaly booked for 8-9 weeks at a time but now days its week to week with quite a lot of days off (like today lol) tiling as with other trade takes a long time to become of a good standed a 10 day coarce is not going to make you a instant tradesman..

    H
     
  9. I echo Harry's comments, it took me two years to become really competant to the point where I could walk into a job and pretty much be on autopilot, I've been tiling 15 years and although I've given up fitting now, I'm still in the business and still learn something new on a weekly basis.
     
  10. Harry the tiler

    Harry the tiler New Member

    go look on the pitt forum, i started a near riot there on this subject

    H
     
  11. Specialise in stone installations Harry, while you are working at least you're earning good money for it ;), ceramics is all about speed, Stone is S L O W E R but more financially rewarding and more satisfying..
     
  12. MJH

    MJH Member

    H, have you got the forum address?
     
  13. Harry the tiler

    Harry the tiler New Member

    www.tileforums.com/index.php?act=idx

    your have a giggle reading the post its on about 15 pages now

    yeah i do stone now and again when it comes up, but im going to try to get more into it as its a good ££ but is nice work to, got a supplier who will put the fitting my way as ive put a few of my cliants his way

    H
     
  14. Harry the tiler

    Harry the tiler New Member

    think this will link straight to the thread, not sure if you have to register on the forum, but its free, if you a newbie thats done a cource you wont like me anymore..lol

    www.tileforums.com/index.php?showtopic=1598
     
  15. plastic bertrand

    plastic bertrand Active Member

    think this will link straight to the thread, not sure
    if you have to register on the forum, but its free,
    if you a newbie thats done a cource you wont like me
    anymore..lol

    www.tileforums.com/index.php?showtopic=1598

    http://www.tileforums.com/index.php?showtopic=1598
     
  16. gazzza

    gazzza New Member

    SO your a newbie to stone are you,you have not even done a course and now your out there thinking your a natural stone fitter.
    nicking work from real stone fitters tut tut lol
     
  17. gazzza

    gazzza New Member

    the above post is for HARRY
    is there no quote button here.
     
  18. bathstyle

    bathstyle Active Member

    Click reply on the post you want to quote and then click on quote original.
     
  19. Harry the tiler

    Harry the tiler New Member

    SO your a newbie to stone are you,you have not even
    done a course and now your out there thinking your a
    natural stone fitter.
    nicking work from real stone fitters tut tut lol


    what makes you think im new to stone fitting??, ive fitted ton's of it over the years, you numpty..lol
     
  20. gazzza

    gazzza New Member

    SO your a newbie to stone are you,you have not
    even
    done a course and now your out there thinking your
    a
    natural stone fitter.
    nicking work from real stone fitters tut tut lol


    what makes you think im new to stone fitting??, ive
    fitted ton's of it over the years, you numpty..lol

    now less of the numpty get youself down to PITT and pay for a course like everyone else lol
     

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