Who can become a professional tiler?
There are no prior skills necessary to start a career in tiling. While people who have some past experience in the construction industry, or have even just done a little DIY in their homes sometimes pick it up quicker, it is a skill that can be learnt by anybody given the correct training and guidance. If you are someone who has good attention to detail, and is able to think logically when it comes to problem solving, you already have a head start!
What sets a great tiler apart from other tilers is their attention to detail. Wall and floor tiling is a repetitive skill, and anyone can learn to do it. With tiling you are constantly fixing tiles to surfaces based on the position of the previously fixed tile. As such, paying good attention to getting your initial few tiles fixed level and square can take hours off a job. The best tilers will spend a lot longer than your average tiler setting out a job. Time spent at the start of a job working out exactly where every tile will sit, will dramatically reduce the time it takes to complete the job once you begin fixing your tiles.
It also helps when working out areas and quantity of materials needed if you have a decent idea when it comes to maths. While a calculator can be massively helpful, and indeed we wouldn’t recommend trying to price a job without one, it is important to understand the calculations you need to be doing. Thankfully these calculations aren’t particularly complex so even somebody who struggles with mathematics can be shown how to work out areas quickly and easily using a tape measure and a calculator.
Tiling can be quite physical too. Not so much the act of fixing tiles, but more so if you need to carry tiles and materials from your van in to a customer’s home. A lot of established tilers employ a labourer to help them with this task, along with mixing adhesives, moving tools and removing rubbish.
Perhaps the most important skill would be communication. There is a reason that some tilers make a substantially better living than others. In our experience this reason is almost always communication. Being able to engage your potential customers in conversation and build their trust is crucial to converting quotes in to paid work. Discussing what you intend to do with any customer’s specific job, which materials you plan on using, what techniques etc. goes a long way to giving your customer confidence in your ability and therefore your work. If you can demonstrate competence with your words, you will win more jobs than the next tiler. At Expert Tiling Courses UK we teach you all of the business and communication skills needed to excel as a professional tiler as part of our 1 day Business Development, Advanced Product Knowledge & Natural Stone Tiling Course.
There are very few dedicated tiling training providers in the UK. We believe Expert Tiling Courses UK is the very best, and we only run intensive courses from our purpose-built tiling training centre. Learn to tile to the highest possible level on a fast-tracked intensive course run by highly experienced tutors. This could be the start of a rewarding and financially lucrative career.
Please take a look at the different tiling courses we offer. If a new career in wall and floor tiling is of interest to you, we would love to hear from you. Give us a call for a chat or to ask any questions you have on 0333 772 1933.