Tiling: thoughts on courses, career, sexism?

Mizenly

Hi!
I have just signed up to Boards to get some perspective on this, I hope I am posting in the right place etc. All the threads I found on tiling are a few years old.

Well, I want to make some money (!), and like the idea of tiling for a few reasons: knowing how to tile will benefit myself and my family/friends in the future; there is some creativity involved; I am interested in property refurbishment and think tiling would be the best fit for me as a woman...

On the other hand I would never be able to market myself as a tiler without the benefit of a course, it's a confidence thing, but though the course I am considering is comprehensive, it is very expensive (over €1500...). I'm sure it would be worth it if I could be sure of a career, but is there any demand for tilers at the moment/near future?

And while I was thinking being a woman would be a 'unique selling point', I know when we were renovating our own bathroom years ago we found our tiler through our contractor - and I guess I am a bit worried that it will be a leap of faith for small contractors etc to recommend a female tiler...or am I imagining a dark ages scenario?!

Any thoughts would be great!

LowKeyReturn

You'll be working in an industry that is going to take any opportunity to take the p!ss out of people. I actually like that, it's equal opportunities from the other-side of the coin. You already know this or you wouldn't have posted.

Course - not a clue but I need some tiling done and wouldn't have the first clue about asking for certs or whatever. A large building site might but it doesn't sound as if that's what you're going in for - which would largely negate point 1.

As a consumer I'd much rather have a female tiler or painter and decorator. You can make my sexist store-types work for you! I'd assume you'd have much better judgment on interiors, attention to detail and be cleaner than a hairy arsed bloke. For all I know you're a total slob :pac:

Mizenly

LowKeyReturn wrote: »

You'll be working in an industry that is going to take any opportunity to take the p!ss out of people. I actually like that, it's equal opportunities from the other-side of the coin. You already know this or you wouldn't have posted.

Your faith in me is very nice but...I'm not sure what you mean Tilers take the p!ss out of clients?

I am delighted that you'd be open to a female tiler though, my entire 'business plan' is now based on all those stereotypes you mentioned, so I am marking your post as a 'go for it'. May I ask if you are based rurally or in an urban area? it would be interesting to see if that affects peoples opinions.

Thanks!

LowKeyReturn

Mizenly wrote: »

Your faith in me is very nice but...I'm not sure what you mean Tilers take the p!ss out of clients?

I am delighted that you'd be open to a female tiler though, my entire 'business plan' is now based on all those stereotypes you mentioned, so I am marking your post as a 'go for it'. May I ask if you are based rurally or in an urban area? it would be interesting to see if that affects peoples opinions.

Thanks!

Sorry my initial post wasn't clear. I mean that people within the industry like to take the mickey out of each other so just a forewarning to have thick skin. You'll get it because you're female others because they are fat, thin etc.

I live in Dublin but I was raided in a smaller town, outside of Ireland - I'm not sure if my attitudes are typical or not to be honest.

Mizenly

Wow - when I misunderstood your comment I kinda threw the whole tiling industry under the bus, not a great start!

I see what you're saying now, and tbh I had never thought of other tilers and how they would respond to me - my first worry is whether customers would give me a chance...

I'm hoping to get all kinds of perspectives, so I'm really grateful for your comments - thanks

LowKeyReturn

Mizenly wrote: »

Wow - when I misunderstood your comment I kinda threw the whole tiling industry under the bus, not a great start!

I see what you're saying now, and tbh I had never thought of other tilers and how they would respond to me - my first worry is whether customers would give me a chance...

I'm hoping to get all kinds of perspectives, so I'm really grateful for your comments - thanks

From what I've been told getting a good tiler is quite difficult and 'you get what you pay for' holds true.

I'd also branch out into those glass back splashes I hear they're becoming quite fashionable and I certainly like them enough to have them on the way

HoggyRS

1500 quid for the course? I think the best qualification would be to undertake the fás apprenticeship in tiling if you could. You'll learn all aspects of the trade, get used to working in tiling in different enviornments, make contacts etc etc. Hard to get an apprenticeship doing that now mind you, alot of unqualified people doing the work for buttons.

You'd be best doing some free work experience with a tiler to see what its like day to day. I can tell you theres not many of us in other trades who envy the work of a tiler, I certainly wouldnt go whole hog into it without a taste first.

Mizenly

Funny, I spoke with a local contractor just last night and he said almost word for word what you did...including the disbelief about the price
He also mentioned a local tiler who he works with regularly who says he is earning less now than he did when he originally did his Fás course, so it sounds like the streets are as not paved/tiled with gold as I had thought (although as I am not working now it wouldn't take much to impress me...).
Thanks for your thoughts, I am definitely developing a more cautious head about it all. I would love to know if there are any particular reasons why the other trades don't envy tilers? Every bit of info helps