julesnjas

Hi All

I am a skilled and experienced design vinyl specialist and myself and my family are looking to move to Australia in particular Brisbane. I prepare and install products like Amtico and Karndean to all areas including new build / existing residential, commercial and show homes etc. I am basically asking if anyone can tell me what the job situation is there? I know the new build cannot cope with the demand but whenever i see pics of the floors in Australia they seem to be polished wood or ceramics. Is the demand really there? to warrant the move. We really want to get out of the UK and really start to enjoy life so to speak.
I have in the past contacted manufacturers in Australia but every time they say they cannot give me names of companies to contact. If anyone can not name names but to point me in the right direction this would be most helpful.

Many thanks in advance.

Wol

Amtico is great - we had it in our last two houses - but because it's expensive I would think the demand in Australia is pretty low.

cresta57

I'm sure I read in a trade mag that Amtico had pulled out of the Australian market & appointed a sole supplier down in Vic. [a couple of years ago I think]
It's been my experience that vinyl is considered a cheaper option than ceramics here in Australia. Many of the measure & quotes I do end up across the counter of the local vinyl supplier in an attempt to source a cheaper option. The guy usually gives me a ring & asks if the floors are good before he quotes. Such is the nature of the small community we both work in if I chuck a straight edge across the floor & it's a but bumpy I'll give him the heads up & he'll slide me a carton of beer for my trouble.
It would pay to send Karndean a copy of your C.V they are always looking for good blokes.

ozhappy981

We've got Karndean in our house. But we are not in Brisbane; we are in Perth WA. The local distributor for Karndean flooring in our area is "Solomon's Flooring".

Solomon's Flooring is a franchise, i.e. I don't know if all Solomon's stores sell Karndean. Anyway, I guess you could contact Solomon's Brisbane stores to see if they need any installers?

Also: On the Karndean Australia website: http://www.karndean.com.au/site/our_retailers.cfm
you can search for a retailer. Maybe you can contact some and enquire about jobs?

Do you have to live and work in Brisbane? Other areas of Australia might use more vinyl flooring?

eddie007

We have a local outlet in Rockingham, I love the karndean... But WAY too expensive ... We got ceramic flooring at a fraction of the cost... great for commercial buildings, but priced themselves out of the market for most of us mere mortals....

if I won the lotto I would deffo be getting it all over!

Buzzy--Bee

If you want to move to Melbourne we are desperate for decent Karndean layers! We bought Karndean for our new house in 2009, first layer did a dreadful job, started to come up almost immediately. After 1 year and many many discussions and threats the entire house was relaid by another layer who didn't really do much better. We've never paid the full bill and never will.

BB

julesnjas

Hi All

Many thanks for the replies, we really do appreciate it.
Buzzy-bee i know all to well about bad installations as i perform inspection and reports for some large flooring companies here in the Uk.
I can only suspect that these so called professionals just want to throw the product down
with no thought to the design, get out and collect there money and it really is a shame because these are wonderful products and when installed correctly really make a difference to the home. I always do it by the book taking my time and patience to create something stunning from what effectively is nothing. Sure the money is nice but for me if i'm going to be honest, one of the biggest buzzes i get is the reactions from the clients when they see their new floor. I can say too that i genuinely love my job and lets face it how many people these days can say that? and if you enjoy your job then that shows in the end result.
As for Brisbane well we looked at that because good friends of ours are going there soon and we wanted to be close to them. If there is potentially going to be more work further down south in Melbourne or Victoria then that is where we must head. It would be a shame because we want to be by our friends but the job must come first.
Ozzhappy i shall indeed look at Solomons and any others i can find, thanks.
Cresta57 thanks for that i will contact Karndean direct.

Ideally we would like a state sponsorship as this would get us there a little quicker but i don't mind which way so long as we get there so to speak

Australia is a wonderful country and we really want to experience it.

Once again many thanks for your kind replies