Let our tiling home pros floor you

Tiles can give a room a whole new look. You might be ripping up old floors and putting in new tile flooring, or transforming a bathroom with fresh walls and floors. Whatever the project, tiles are a unique way to bring personality to your home. Our expert Fix Forward home pros specialise in tiling: from shower floors to external tiling, cladding and bathrooms. Whatever your tiling needs, we have a home pro to bring your vision to life.

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What to know before hiring a tiler

Some people make household repairs, renovation and DIY sound so easy. For others, though, it is a minefield; a fraught process that is both costly and nerve-wracking. On the surface of it, the simple task of tiling a floor or bathroom seems easy. A bit of tile adhesive, some tiles laid end to end and a bit of grout to finish can’t be too hard – can it?

The reality is that tiling is a specialist job and you need an expert to do it if you want the end product to look like it does in your imagination when you are planning the job. So, the big question, then, is how do you find the right tiler for your job?

If you are not accomplished enough to do the tiling yourself, why would you be qualified to hire a tiler? It is a good question. So here are some useful tips to help you navigate the process of finding the right person for the job.

Tiling references and work

References are very important and before you contract with anyone, make sure that you speak to people who they have worked for in the past. Remember the person who gets the job from you will be on your property and in your house for reasonable amounts of time.

Be sure to look at an example of the work that they have done for others. References are important but people undoubtedly have different standards – by making sure that you view the tiler’s previous work you are making sure that your expectations are aligned with what they are able to deliver.

And never forget the saying which suggests that a broken clock is right twice a day. In short, everyone gets it right sometimes, so make sure to do your research and reference checks properly.

Choose your tile first

Different tilers are better with different types of project so you want to get the right person for the materials that are going to be used. But the primary reason for picking your tile first is so that the person quoting on the job can do so as accurately as possible. Bigger tiles go down quicker for instance, but there might be need for additional hands to help move and carry the tiles.

If you want to build a good relationship with your tiler, make sure that you are able to give them all the information that they need before they arrive. Failure to do so could result in disappointment – for you and them.

Get a tiling quote

You need to formalise your arrangements with home pros. This can ensure that both parties are on the same page before the job starts. Scope creep is as big a concern for home pros as non-delivery is for homeowners. To ensure that there is no chance for expectations to be out of alignment, make sure that all deliverables are detailed in writing before the job begins.

This quote will obviously cover off things like the cost of the job but it should also speak to things like the duration of the work, contingencies that have been built in and what the plan is for snags and ultimately the guarantees on the work.

Beware the jack of all trades

Most people know the adage which suggests that a Jack of all trades is the master of none. This saying isn’t always valid but it certainly exists for a reason. If you are going to bring in an expert then you should absolutely not be compromising on the level of expertise. Don’t opt for a general handyman – tiling is specialist work.

But similarly, recognise that there is plenty of room for specialisation within the world of tiling. Mosaic work is very different doing a bathroom which in turn is a different skill set to an outdoor patio or a bedroom with underfloor heating. Floors and walls are different skills too. There is a lot to consider.

Understand the scale of the job

The scale of the job is another important consideration to take into account. Some tilers are great for small jobs but they might lack the ability to complete bigger scale installations. Conversely a bigger operator who is used to large-scale jobs might leave you at the bottom of the priority list if your gig is small and less profitable when compared with bigger jobs going on at the same time.

Quite clearly there is a lot to consider when looking to find the right tiler for your job. If you have decided to tile an area of your property you will know that it is the foundation which will underpin the look and feel of a room or a space.

As such, if the tiles look tatty or are crooked, or if the grouting is poorly done, it won’t really matter how good the rest of the space is. So make sure that you ask the tricky questions and do your research before contracting your tiler so as to avoid disappointment come the end of the job.