Tiling work in Cairns
Feb 3rd 2008, 6:04 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13
Tiling work in Cairns
Hi all, My partner and I are due to come to Cairns in a few months on a 457 visa which we now have. She's ok having secured a post at CBH but I wondered how much work there would be for floor and wall tiling as I have some experience in this area 
All of a sudden this has become very real, almost scary 
All of a sudden this has become very real, almost scary
Feb 3rd 2008, 7:19 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,808
Re: Tiling work in Cairns
Hi all, My partner and I are due to come to Cairns in a few months on a 457 visa which we now have. She's ok having secured a post at CBH but I wondered how much work there would be for floor and wall tiling as I have some experience in this area All of a sudden this has become very real, almost scary
All of a sudden this has become very real, almost scary WW
Feb 4th 2008, 4:37 am
#3
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: Tiling work in Cairns
I've looked at one heap of houses over the last 3 years.
A small percentage have wooden floors.
Less than 50% have carpets in bedrooms.
Virtually none have carpets in living areas.
That leaves one massive amount that are tiled.
Feb 5th 2008, 10:00 am
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Leichhardt, Sydney
Posts: 9
Re: Tiling work in Cairns
G'Day mate,
I'm a wall and floor tiler working in Sydney. You're about to find out that tiling is different to how it's done back home mate! Don't be worried though because you'll become an even better tiler within a few months Down Under. Here's a few tips that have helped me:
Firstly, you really need a Tiling Licence. This proves to the public that you are qualified and competent at doing your job. As you know, there are a lot of cowboys out there so your licence puts you in front of them straight away. In order to get this, I went to TAFE (college) 2 nights a week for 5 months. You need at least 4 years experience to enrol but they don't check (I only had 3yrs). This cost approx. $1400 but in the end you become a 'Professional' in the eyes of future customers or employers.
Secondly is about the work. It's a lot harder over here buddy and you've gotta work for your money. Bathroom floors are the biggest change. Every bathroom and shower room has a drain in the floor. There are no carpets or laminate flooring, it's always tiles. In order to make the drain do it's job, you have to make a cement bed which requires a fall from every direction down into the drain. So it's a case of breaking your back mixing a load of sand and cement in 30+ degrees in order to get your bed done, ha ha! Next is the water-proofing. In Australia, it is required by law that every 'wet area' is waterproofed. This has to be applied to the floor and walls. It's a case of using a roller and getting the stuff on, it's not hard.
Then we're into the tiling. I don't know if you've done natural stone before mate but it seems to be popular down here. I'm working in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney which is a pretty wealthy area so they're all keen on marble. Sizes of tiles seem to be bigger over here as well, I've seen some huge slabs mate.
Anyway, that's the main differences I found. Let me know your story mate.
Cheers
Steven
I'm a wall and floor tiler working in Sydney. You're about to find out that tiling is different to how it's done back home mate! Don't be worried though because you'll become an even better tiler within a few months Down Under. Here's a few tips that have helped me:
Firstly, you really need a Tiling Licence. This proves to the public that you are qualified and competent at doing your job. As you know, there are a lot of cowboys out there so your licence puts you in front of them straight away. In order to get this, I went to TAFE (college) 2 nights a week for 5 months. You need at least 4 years experience to enrol but they don't check (I only had 3yrs). This cost approx. $1400 but in the end you become a 'Professional' in the eyes of future customers or employers.
Secondly is about the work. It's a lot harder over here buddy and you've gotta work for your money. Bathroom floors are the biggest change. Every bathroom and shower room has a drain in the floor. There are no carpets or laminate flooring, it's always tiles. In order to make the drain do it's job, you have to make a cement bed which requires a fall from every direction down into the drain. So it's a case of breaking your back mixing a load of sand and cement in 30+ degrees in order to get your bed done, ha ha! Next is the water-proofing. In Australia, it is required by law that every 'wet area' is waterproofed. This has to be applied to the floor and walls. It's a case of using a roller and getting the stuff on, it's not hard.
Then we're into the tiling. I don't know if you've done natural stone before mate but it seems to be popular down here. I'm working in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney which is a pretty wealthy area so they're all keen on marble. Sizes of tiles seem to be bigger over here as well, I've seen some huge slabs mate.
Anyway, that's the main differences I found. Let me know your story mate.
Cheers
Steven
