Tilers rates

[bear2015]

Hi

Could anyone tell me what the average price is per sqm for tiling?

I'm getting a lot of contrasting prices from sub-contractors

Standard ceramic/porcelain freshly plaster boarded walls £40 sqm inc materials (Adhesive/white Grout)

Metro tiles ceramic freshly plaster boarded walls £57 sqm inc materials as above.

Obviously tiler wants best price and I want to pay a decent price so quotes remain competitive and I cover my costs of finding them work, time to quote as they just turn up and tile at the moment.

I spoke to one who wanted £250 a day for an 8 hour day and he admitted he was struggling to find work. Needless to say he is still looking for work!

Many thanks

 

[Notch7]

Around here, Sussex, prices are about £30 / sq metre plus adhesive, grout etc. And plus vat if relavent. Thats for say floor tiling and pricing to a builder not a retail customer, although I guess pricing is the same.

Good tilers can earn well if they are quick.

I used one tiler that spent quite some time marking out the whole area, then he laid every single whole tile possible. Then did all the cuts. He fiddled around for what seemed ages marking out, but when the whole tiles started they were flying down.

 

[bear2015]

I'm under the impression tilers here appear to think they are a level above everyone else
I've been paying £40 a sqm which I think is a good price but have had the following
Tiler who won't silicone
Tiler who was great but the messiest person I have ever met it was total carnage
Tiler who leaves holes it the grout and refuses to go back and rectify
Tiler who tramped tile adhesive all over a customers new carpet declaring they should have put dust sheets down
None of these have worked for me since!
One thing that has become clear with using subcontractors is once they have finished trying to get them back to rectify a problem is impossible even if they are going to work with you on the next job. All I get is "it was ok when I left" and "well it wasn't my job so I'm not responsible as its your job"
Plasterer, sparky, gas guy any probs and they are back ready to rectify. Tilers nope not their remit!

 

[Paul C.]

I'm under the impression tilers here appear to think they are a level above everyone else
I've been paying £40 a sqm which I think is a good price but have had the following
Tiler who won't silicone
Tiler who was great but the messiest person I have ever met it was total carnage
Tiler who leaves holes it the grout and refuses to go back and rectify
Tiler who tramped tile adhesive all over a customers new carpet declaring they should have put dust sheets down
None of these have worked for me since!
One thing that has become clear with using subcontractors is once they have finished trying to get them back to rectify a problem is impossible even if they are going to work with you on the next job. All I get is "it was ok when I left" and "well it wasn't my job so I'm not responsible as its your job"
Plasterer, sparky, gas guy any probs and they are back ready to rectify. Tilers nope not their remit!

From an "ex-tilers" point of view.

Justified impression based on your experience, but probably not fair to tarnish ALL tilers with the same brush, as there are rogues in all trades. To be honest, it sounds like you were just really unlucky to get a couple of knobheads or cowboys who have a complete disregard for the customers property and zero respect for the trade they represent. Just want to grab the cash and run. End of the day they are bringing down the reputation of themselves and their fellow tilers.

Tiling is a "finishing" trade. their work is visible and has to be lived with by the customer and holes in grout, adhesive on carpets and leaving a mess everywhere is simply not acceptable.

I know hundreds of professional tilers (and me) who would happily do their own siliconing (even tile, leave a plumber to install a suite and come back in a few days to finish "their" job before getting paid), come back and fix any flaws and will work very clean (for me its an OCD thing), keeping the house and tools tidy. On the other hand, I also know a handful who wouldn't and to me, they are not tilers and instead are classed as opportunist money grabbing w***ers!

There are good tilers out there and £40 per sqm should get you far more than a sub-standard unacceptable service.