www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Hi Tilers,
I've just finished my splash back around the kitchen I'm working on (rebuilding) ready to decorate tomorrow (this is the kitchen area of a kitchen dining area).

I had to tile to and round 2 pipe cases.

Let me try to explain the work. Wall to pipe case, pipe chase comes off wall at 90°, travels for about 50mm then turns parallel to wall at 90° for about 75mm, then pipe case turns at 90° off wall for about 25mm then returns to parallel at 90° for about 30mm where it meets the window!

3 tiles high (100mm x 300mm brick style tiles) I retained the brick pattern where necessary and it was topped off with glass and tile border on a tape.

There where 2 outside corners so beaded, I reckon it took me about 2 and 1/2 hours just to get round this particular corner maybe 3 hours.

Is that slow or OK could do better?

I really enjoyed the challenge and I'm definitely getting better, just not sure if I'm really slow or not.

Wots the rush

Oh I'm not in any rush, that'll just make a bigger mess!

Just want to know if I'm 'up to speed'?

I know the client is going to be paying more for someone to do everything as, in my case at least, I'm not as fast as each individual trade I just want to get an idea of the difference.

There is of course the convenience of not having to organise and bring in 3 other trades.

If you don't do much tiling.................then your gonna be a lot slower...........not much you can do about that.

Take ya time and get it right.

Rush and ya make a mess of it.

Thats wot the wife tells me as well

I know, but I'm not wanting to over charge because I'm slower, although there's not a lot I can do about that either

I've got the beading better than ever before but I've now learnt that you need to account for the depth of it and not just lay the tile up to the edge of the reveal.

I've got two reveals that the depth of the tile off the wall is a bit bigger than it should be. The client isn't annoyed I'm sure they've not even noticed but I have. I'm annoyed though that I didn't 'work it out' just makes the job a little silly looking.

Every day in every way I get better and better