UK shortage of professional tilers

There has been an enormous shortage of skilled tradespeople across the country in recent years. This is mainly due to high demand from private property developers and national housebuilders, along with an increasing number of people refurbishing or updating their own homes.

It is not uncommon for customers to have to wait 6-8 weeks for a skilled tiler to complete their work. As with all things, the rules of supply and demand come in to play and quotations and prices paid are on the rise across the country.

If you are reading this then you have likely already started to consider a career in wall and floor tiling, and now couldn’t be a better time!

Becoming a professional tiler has many benefits. Many people dream of running a business and being their own boss, and tiling can be a brilliant way to achieve that goal. Running a tiling business can be extremely rewarding by allowing you to work when you want and not have to answer to anyone else. Financially it can be very lucrative too. Skilled tilers currently tend to charge between £30 and £45 per square meter (or £200 to £300 per day) for fitting standard ceramic or porcelain tiles. This is just your labour charge, there are other revenue streams too such as making a profit on materials using your trade accounts and discounts. Some tilers target natural stone jobs which sees their income increase by around 50%.

There are many established and experienced self-employed tilers out there earning £1,000 - £1,500 a week. That said, this should be a goal rather than an expectation. It can take a lot of hard work and dedication to get to this level, but it is more than achievable if you work at it.

There are a number of key skills needed to excel as a self-employed tiling professional. Attention to detail is important, you need to ensure you produce your best work time after time. Confidence in your ability is important, but this comes with experience and time. Perhaps more important than anything is good communication and sales skills. If you can really get this part right, you will set yourself ahead of most of your local competition. People buy from people they trust. Get your customers to like and trust you, make sure they believe in your ability and competence, and you’ve won the battle already.

Have a look at our 1 Day Business Development, Advanced Product Knowledge & Natural Stone Tiling Course. On this information-packed one day course you will learn everything you need to know about running your new business and increasing your revenue streams and therefore profit! These skills are an essential part of being a self-employed tiler, and this course is a must if you’re training for a new career in tiling.

We have a comprehensive list of FAQs for you to look through, but if you have any other questions or just want to talk to us about attending one of our tiling courses, give us a call on 0333 772 1933. We look forward to hearing from you.