May I tile my own floor?
Oct 17th 2005, 10:31 am
#1
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Location: Brisbane
Posts: 115
May I tile my own floor?
Once (if) we ever actually finish building our new home here in QLD we are seriously considering using good quality tiles right through the house instead of carpet or timber floor. Couple of reasons for this but cost is certainly not one of them, we could carpet for a lot less, timber would be less too.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
Oct 17th 2005, 10:35 am
#2
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Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 349
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by Ozceltic
Once (if) we ever actually finish building our new home here in QLD we are seriously considering using good quality tiles right through the house instead of carpet or timber floor. Couple of reasons for this but cost is certainly not one of them, we could carpet for a lot less, timber would be less too.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
I tiled my kitchen floor and found it really easy. I just had to be a bit careful when knocking the nails in as some of the tiles got a bit cracked.
Oct 17th 2005, 11:00 am
#3
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Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by Ozceltic
Once (if) we ever actually finish building our new home here in QLD we are seriously considering using good quality tiles right through the house instead of carpet or timber floor. Couple of reasons for this but cost is certainly not one of them, we could carpet for a lot less, timber would be less too.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
You could easily do it yourself and there's no restrictions on tiling main floor areas only wet areas.
$60 bucks a metre and your a tile shop's golden goose. Loads of good tiles just as good a quality as the $60 a m2 for $30 a m2 shop around and watch out for the discount stores that sell seconds. Go to a good store and ask their advise. Grades A B and C are good tiles kilned in the centre of the kiln D E and F are kilned around the edges and are liable to be more variable in size. Size wise 40x40's popular as are the 330x330 most tilers prefer the 330's as they are easy to lay and the waste is minimal much bigger, above 450's, and you need to up your wastage from 5% to 10%.
Good luck
Oct 17th 2005, 11:05 am
#4
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Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 2,062
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by Ozceltic
Once (if) we ever actually finish building our new home here in QLD we are seriously considering using good quality tiles right through the house instead of carpet or timber floor. Couple of reasons for this but cost is certainly not one of them, we could carpet for a lot less, timber would be less too.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
Nicky
Oct 17th 2005, 1:54 pm
#5
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,630
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by Ozceltic
Once (if) we ever actually finish building our new home here in QLD we are seriously considering using good quality tiles right through the house instead of carpet or timber floor. Couple of reasons for this but cost is certainly not one of them, we could carpet for a lot less, timber would be less too.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
Just out of interest are you not using timber because of termites or are there other reasons.
In fact are termites a problem on timber floors. Our friends said jarah wood? is pretty tough for floors. Any advice on this from anyone out there.
BTW we want to go to WA - not sure about creepy crawlies in the various states.
Thanks
Suzy x
Oct 17th 2005, 2:02 pm
#6
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Posts: 4,235
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by Ozceltic
Once (if) we ever actually finish building our new home here in QLD we are seriously considering using good quality tiles right through the house instead of carpet or timber floor. Couple of reasons for this but cost is certainly not one of them, we could carpet for a lot less, timber would be less too.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
You could go into most Bunnings and they will teach you how to tile. Might be worth finding out if your local one runs the free courses?
Oct 18th 2005, 8:31 am
#7
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 115
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by cresta57
$30-$35 are average prices for a cash job inclusive of glue and grout. Be careful the guy you pick uses a good rubber modified glue, cement based glue is 10 bucks a bag and a lot of dodgy tilers will use it on a cash job. Rubber modified starts at 35 bucks a bag.
You could easily do it yourself and there's no restrictions on tiling main floor areas only wet areas.
$60 bucks a metre and your a tile shop's golden goose. Loads of good tiles just as good a quality as the $60 a m2 for $30 a m2 shop around and watch out for the discount stores that sell seconds. Go to a good store and ask their advise. Grades A B and C are good tiles kilned in the centre of the kiln D E and F are kilned around the edges and are liable to be more variable in size. Size wise 40x40's popular as are the 330x330 most tilers prefer the 330's as they are easy to lay and the waste is minimal much bigger, above 450's, and you need to up your wastage from 5% to 10%.
Good luck
You could easily do it yourself and there's no restrictions on tiling main floor areas only wet areas.
$60 bucks a metre and your a tile shop's golden goose. Loads of good tiles just as good a quality as the $60 a m2 for $30 a m2 shop around and watch out for the discount stores that sell seconds. Go to a good store and ask their advise. Grades A B and C are good tiles kilned in the centre of the kiln D E and F are kilned around the edges and are liable to be more variable in size. Size wise 40x40's popular as are the 330x330 most tilers prefer the 330's as they are easy to lay and the waste is minimal much bigger, above 450's, and you need to up your wastage from 5% to 10%.
Good luck
Thanks again for the advice.
Oct 18th 2005, 1:30 pm
#8
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Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Chittering WA
Posts: 1,093
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Hi
Even though I am in Perth I have only recently had my floors tiled.
I managed to get a fella for about $20 a metre instead of the usual 40/45 and that was for a basic straight lay, he did really well though, I had chosen a shiney cream tile, and unknown to me they actually had a right way round of laying them, they had a slight pattern running through them, realised the night before he was due to start, left a note for him and yep he rung later to say he had figured it out.
We have tiled floors before but we wanted a nice looking job done, not quite the same as doing a kitchen or bathroom, this was an expanse of floor which needed to be done proffesionally. If you pick the polished porcelain get somebody to do them, I believe they look awful if not proffesionally done.
We also failed to barter anybody down on tile costs, I bought some end of line tiles in the end which looked a bit odd in the showroom but really good when down on a floor with lots of them.
Jenny
Even though I am in Perth I have only recently had my floors tiled.
I managed to get a fella for about $20 a metre instead of the usual 40/45 and that was for a basic straight lay, he did really well though, I had chosen a shiney cream tile, and unknown to me they actually had a right way round of laying them, they had a slight pattern running through them, realised the night before he was due to start, left a note for him and yep he rung later to say he had figured it out.
We have tiled floors before but we wanted a nice looking job done, not quite the same as doing a kitchen or bathroom, this was an expanse of floor which needed to be done proffesionally. If you pick the polished porcelain get somebody to do them, I believe they look awful if not proffesionally done.
We also failed to barter anybody down on tile costs, I bought some end of line tiles in the end which looked a bit odd in the showroom but really good when down on a floor with lots of them.
Jenny
Oct 18th 2005, 8:52 pm
#9
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Location: Morayfield - The Posh Part
Posts: 10,138
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by Ozceltic
Once (if) we ever actually finish building our new home here in QLD we are seriously considering using good quality tiles right through the house instead of carpet or timber floor. Couple of reasons for this but cost is certainly not one of them, we could carpet for a lot less, timber would be less too.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
So, hypothetically having paid out $10k on tiles would I be aloud to fit them myself? I am not saying I would because this is probably a job left to someone who actually knows how to do it, I have tiled a splash back in the past but that is it.
We have made a few prelim calls to tilers who are advertising their services in the local rag and it seems that they would charge us almost as much per square metre as the tiles cost. We have only rung two tilers so far but were shocked to find that they charged $30 and $35 per square metre, this includes their labour and all materials (obviously excluding tiles) Does this seem like a fair price to pay a tiler?
While we are at it any advice on picking tiles? We like the 40X40 size and have a budget of around $60per square metre.
Mate simple answer is this...
drive round a few housing sites, and look for the TILERS , they are the ones with WHITE KNEECAPS, BANDANAS and playing LOUD AUSSIE MUSIC ,, and say OI i have a cash job forya, wanna price it !!!
They will do you an incredible deal !!!
Trust me
Oct 18th 2005, 9:09 pm
#10
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Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Redneck Wonderland
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Re: May I tile my own floor?
White kneecaps!!!!! Mine are almost permanently grey from grouting and look like elephant skin. loud music a must on job site though so I can't hear Sean shouting "more glue"
Good trades don't need to advertise, tile shops generally have a list of local tilers and it is in there interests not to recommend the shoddy one's.
try to organise something as far in advance as you can because good Tiler's wont be able to fit it in next week, they are generally booked up weeks if not months.
Have a list of questions to ask. What kind of glue do you use? Do you use flexible grout etc?
Also try and get the builder to leave the skirting boards up so that the tiles can slide underneath it makes for a much neater job
Gotta go to work catcha later mate
Cresta's conscience (aka Deb)
Good trades don't need to advertise, tile shops generally have a list of local tilers and it is in there interests not to recommend the shoddy one's.
try to organise something as far in advance as you can because good Tiler's wont be able to fit it in next week, they are generally booked up weeks if not months.
Have a list of questions to ask. What kind of glue do you use? Do you use flexible grout etc?
Also try and get the builder to leave the skirting boards up so that the tiles can slide underneath it makes for a much neater job
Gotta go to work catcha later mate
Cresta's conscience (aka Deb)
Oct 18th 2005, 9:11 pm
#11
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Location: Morayfield - The Posh Part
Posts: 10,138
Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by cresta57
White kneecaps!!!!! Mine are almost permanently grey from grouting and look like elephant skin. loud music a must on job site though so I can't hear Sean shouting "more glue"
Good trades don't need to advertise, tile shops generally have a list of local tilers and it is in there interests not to recommend the shoddy one's.
try to organise something as far in advance as you can because good Tiler's wont be able to fit it in next week, they are generally booked up weeks if not months.
Have a list of questions to ask. What kind of glue do you use? Do you use flexible grout etc?
Also try and get the builder to leave the skirting boards up so that the tiles can slide underneath it makes for a much neater job
Gotta go to work catcha later mate
Cresta's conscience (aka Deb)
Good trades don't need to advertise, tile shops generally have a list of local tilers and it is in there interests not to recommend the shoddy one's.
try to organise something as far in advance as you can because good Tiler's wont be able to fit it in next week, they are generally booked up weeks if not months.
Have a list of questions to ask. What kind of glue do you use? Do you use flexible grout etc?
Also try and get the builder to leave the skirting boards up so that the tiles can slide underneath it makes for a much neater job
Gotta go to work catcha later mate
Cresta's conscience (aka Deb)
Its one of the reasons i stopped installing timber floors, after so many years, the clicking of my kneecaps , started to worry me... why be in a beautiful new country and have bad knees HUH !! lol
Steve
Oct 18th 2005, 9:20 pm
#12
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Re: May I tile my own floor?
Originally Posted by Timber Floor Au
dont forget to add a silicone joint around the perimeter , tile/skirting joint !!
Its one of the reasons i stopped installing timber floors, after so many years, the clicking of my kneecaps , started to worry me... why be in a beautiful new country and have bad knees HUH !! lol
Steve
Its one of the reasons i stopped installing timber floors, after so many years, the clicking of my kneecaps , started to worry me... why be in a beautiful new country and have bad knees HUH !! lol
Steve
Oct 19th 2005, 8:55 am
#13
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 115
Re: May I tile my own floor?
The very knowledgeable guy we spoke to at a local tile shop last week did say he could recommend a few local tilers who would do a good job. We will probably use one of his contacts when the time comes for the professional edge, we want a good job so ....you get what you pay for.
Thanks for the tips on this thread, i will now be fore armed with questions.
A tilers nightmare.
Thanks for the tips on this thread, i will now be fore armed with questions.
A tilers nightmare.
