Impossible Finding a Tiler at a Reasonable Price

Ltunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 14:20
Last edited 24/09/2024 - 14:29 by 1 other user

I have a small floor tiling project - 10sqm.

I'm struggling to find a tiler (at a reasonable price) for the work in Sydney.

Are tilers really making $1000+/day?

I understand there's some complexities to my job but most people are saying they can do the work in 2 days, so when you back out the daily labour rate it comes to $1000-1500/day. Most of the tilers are one-man outfits. Some say they'll use a labourer, others will do the job solo. What gives?

tldr; Does $2500-$3500 for a 2 day 10sqm tiling job seem nuts or did tilers start minting money at some point and everyone else just missed the boat?

Home & Garden

Comments

- - - tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 15:50
      
      -1
      
      Sounds like they are quoting based on how difficult the customer
      
      Nah - I just venting here. Most of them just ghost me after seeing some pics.
      - CalmLemons on 25/09/2024 - 20:13
        
        +1
        
        @tunafish007: Man to be honest sounds like your job would be difficult and most would rather tile a laundry with some flat walls.
        
        Unfortunately man if your job is a pain, be prepared to pay.
  - CurlCurl on 24/09/2024 - 16:20
    
    +3
    
    Looks like the 4 to 5 years on a PhD was a total waste. Plus maybe a huge hecs debt.
    - qvinto on 26/09/2024 - 09:07
      
      +1
      
      There is no hecs debt for a phd
      - CurlCurl on 26/09/2024 - 10:59
        
        @qvinto: Oops. Of course, it's paid upfront or scholarship.
  - brendanm on 24/09/2024 - 16:59
    
    Dumbf***
    
    realized
    
    It's realised.
    - - brendanm on 24/09/2024 - 17:01
        
        +3
        
        @tunafish007: I'd expect someone with a PhD to be able to realise when something has been autocorrected, and rectify it. Strange that my autocorrect doesn't use the z version 🤷‍♂️
        
        tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 17:03
        
        -1
        
        @brendanm:
        
        Strange that my autocorrect doesn't use the z version
        
        No it's not that strange. For reasons I wont go into I haven't updated my dictionary to the Australian spelling.
        
        brendanm on 24/09/2024 - 17:04
        
        +5
        
        @tunafish007: Ah, you are trying to get this tiling job done in America? Have you tried tipping?
        
        tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 17:05
        
        -7
        
        @brendanm:
        
        Ah, you are trying to get this tiling job done in America?
        
        In America I could hire a couple of Mexicans and be done in under $500. None of this unionized minimum wage BS.
        
        brendanm on 24/09/2024 - 17:06
        
        +8
        
        @tunafish007: Yes it's truly terrible when people get paid according to supply and demand, and the labour market isn't destroyed by illegal immigration.
        
        Just do it yourself.
  - Ghost47 on 24/09/2024 - 18:56
    
    +2
    
    I blow 1k on tools (can probably break even if I buy used and sell them afterwards), 1k on tiles, 1k on demolishing my mess.
    
    If you take it slow and steady and think it through you won't make a mess. Tiling a floor isn't like knocking down a wall or building an extension to a house, you could even probably do a better job than a tradie.
  - Skinnerr on 27/09/2024 - 22:08
    
    Have you considered going into politics since you already know everything?
apsilon on 24/09/2024 - 15:49

+7

If they're all quoting around the same doesn't that say their rates are reasonable in the current market and it's your expectations that aren't?
- tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 15:53
  
  -2
  
  If they're all quoting
  
  They're not all quoting. Most of them are disappearing after inspecting the job.
  
  doesn't that say their rates are reasonable in the current market and it's your expectations that aren't?
  
  Perhaps … but just made this post to say this its f***ing nuts that tilers are charging 1k+/day
  - coffeeinmyveins on 24/09/2024 - 16:14
    
    +22
    
    If your replies are any indication of who you are to deal with then they're probably noping out of there ASAP
    - pharkurnell on 24/09/2024 - 16:35
      
      +2
      
      was thinking the same thing.
    - Skinnerr on 27/09/2024 - 22:09
      
      "I CBF dealing with this know it all pr!ck, here's ya quote".
  - apsilon on 24/09/2024 - 16:16
    
    +2
    
    The ones who aren't quoting aren't interested even at $1k+ per day. If the ones that are providing a quote are all around the same then it says that's reasonable and you either pay that, roll the dice and get an unknown off airtasker, DIY or forget about doing it at all.
    - tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 16:49
      
      -3
      
      roll the dice and get an unknown off airtasker
      
      Lol - you think there's a difference with an unknown off airtasker and somewhere else?
      - apsilon on 24/09/2024 - 17:03
        
        +12
        
        @tunafish007: I think I've found your problem. You don't see the difference between a qualified and licensed tradesperson and a random that claims they know what they're doing and might just watch a youtube the night before turning up to the job. That's why your expectations are not in line with reality.
m a c9 on 24/09/2024 - 16:14

+18

Our guys charge between $80 - $100 + GST per sqm for the tiling which includes glue and grout, then another $30-$50 on top per sqm for the cement bedding.

But, that's because the whole job is usually 150-300m2. (Residential)

If we get them to come out and do some extra tiling works here and there on day labour, just for labour they're asking price is $600-$800.

The day labour rate our joinery guys charge is $85-$100 an hour depending on the size of the job and the details involved such as finishes, adjusting, angles, LEDs, etc.

A flat day labour rate for them is $600-$700. Our concrete finishers charge $650 + GST.

$1,000 for a 10sqm job? Not sure what kind/size of tiles, whether they're doing mitres/angles, etc but yes it's a bit high - but not omg wtf he's crazy high given today's market.

Assuming you supply the tiles only and he has to supply the cement, sand, glue, grout, angles etc. But that's me speaking from a residential reno company doing mostly architectural builds so ymmv.

Of course you can find cheaper but who knows what you'll end up with. You might get lucky, you might not and the dude will waste so much tiles you'll need to buy more boxes but of course they same shade is out of stock so you're left with a wall with 2 shades of the same tile. Who knows.

Plus, the good tilers who are good at their job won't have time for a job of 10sqm unless you pay a marked up price. Which is probably what they're charging you.

My 2 cents

Source: trust me bro
- tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 16:32
  
  -1
  
  just for labour they're asking price is $600-$800 … A flat day labour rate for them is $600-$700. Our concrete finishers charge $650 + GST.
  
  This is what I'd expect … so $1000/day is taking the p*ss … but I'm not even getting quotes anywhere $1000/day. They're closer to $1500, when I back out how long it will take them and materials.
  
  $1,000 for a 10sqm job?
  
  Lol - I'd pay $1000 for a 10sqm job in a heartbeat. They're asking $1000+/day. Like $1500 - so the whole job is coming to 2.5k-3.5k. Some people have quoted 5k/10k/25k etc.
  
  My 2 cents
  
  I understand the market dynamics pretty well and any which way I look at it, this job shouldn't cost $2500.
  - larndis on 25/09/2024 - 07:47
    
    -1
    
    You're looking at it wrong then
- greennick on 25/09/2024 - 09:48
  
  +2
  
  It is so mental how it has changed. 10 years ago it was 30-35 psqm here in WA and even in booming building there was still availability. Most wages haven't gone up by that much, so the jump in trade prices has really compounded how hard it is for regular Joes to afford to build a house, particularly on top of the jump in land prices and material costs. It's tough out there if you have a basic wage!
jv on 24/09/2024 - 16:22

+8

Does $2500-$3500 for a 2 day 10sqm tiling job seem nuts

Yes
- kaleidoscope on 25/09/2024 - 22:17
  
  Lol.. idk why people can’t say it straight like this without being condescending
JustinFR on 24/09/2024 - 16:33

Sounds expensive, but it's all about who you know, timing, workmanship. Maybe the quotes you are getting are from top quality contractors. The guys I used weren't top quality, I had 3 small bathrooms done, approximately 80sqm, mid last year, $6.5k. 3 guys and I think it was about 2-3 days.
- tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 16:39
  
  -1
  
  Maybe the quotes you are getting are from top quality contractors
  
  Unfortunately I have no was to assess their quality. They all have a bunch of pictures on their Instagram which may or may not be their work.
  
  80sqm, mid last year, $6.5k
  
  $81/sqm seems reasonable … 8 man days labour at $750/day … also reasonable. $1000/day not reasonable.
  - CurlCurl on 24/09/2024 - 17:45
    
    +3
    
    Unfortunately I have no was to assess their quality
    
    Damn Yank keyboard again.
AustriaBargain on 24/09/2024 - 16:53

+2

Boomers have a tonne of money and they love new tiles, so he probably in high demand rn.
brendanm on 24/09/2024 - 17:03

+6

If it's so easy, you can just do it yourself? That's what I do if I think the prices are too high.
- coffeeinmyveins on 24/09/2024 - 17:53
  
  Except that you'll need a lot of tooling for 10sqm
  
  I'm guessing op has some weird cuts and non standard requirements that were going to be a headache
  
  I had 2m X 60cm that cost me $300
  
  Still took the guys 8 hours
  - brendanm on 24/09/2024 - 18:07
    
    You can keep them for the next tiling job you do.
    
    I'm guessing op is not only a "bad customer", but that the good tilers already have too much work, and have better things to do than stop work elsewhere for 10m2.
- Name on 26/09/2024 - 06:26
  
  +5
  
  Yep. I've reverted to doing a lot of jobs myself. The prices tradies are quoting are stupid. I paid a premium last year to get a room painted. The job was terrible, would have done a better job myself, had to get them back out to redo it.
  
  Had a plumber come out to fix a leaking toilet, $290 for an hour, he replaced the waste seal, was still leaking. Said he couldn't source the flush pipe seal said he'd call back, never did. I went to the manufacturer got the seal for free, replaced it myself.
  
  So even paying these inflated prices you can still do a better job yourself in a lot of cases.
  
  I watched a few YouTube videos and waterproofed / tiled /grouted a full bathroom and it came up great and no water pooling. Tiling is not hard if you take your time.
soan papdi on 24/09/2024 - 17:52

tldr; Does $2500-$3500 for a 2 day 10sqm tiling job seem nuts or did tilers start minting money at some point and everyone else just missed the boat?

They don't want your job. However if you still hire them, the tradie makes a healthy profit. You make the choice.
- tunafish007 on 24/09/2024 - 17:54
  
  +2
  
  You make the choice.
  
  My choice is to live with a concrete floor and tell the world (one forum at a time) that $1000/day for a tradie is f***ing nuts.
  - soan papdi on 24/09/2024 - 17:57
    
    +9
    
    $6 for a coffee is nuts. $17 for a maccas meal is nuts. $1.25 for ONE gold kiwi fruit is nuts. However it is reality. Accept and move on. Alternatively, keep the money and enjoy your concrete floor.
  - brendanm on 24/09/2024 - 18:07
    
    Get a quote for concrete polishing as well.
  - [Deactivated] on 24/09/2024 - 20:01
    
    +8
    
    @tunafish007 - You’re certainly out of touch with this statement, and you deserve to have a have poor quality built house with that attitude. Tradesman build the most expensive investment that you will ever purchase in your life to shelter yourself and your family, and you think their services aren’t worth this kind of money.
    
    My father is 69, he retired at 58 when he was diagnosed with cancer, he was a carpenter/builder for 40 years for his entire adult working life. The second home he owned in his life was in his early to mid 20s when he built his own house himself in the early to mid 1980s, while working 2 jobs. All of dad’s clients were from the wealthiest areas in Sydney such as Mosman, Kirribilli, Vaucluse etc. He run his own one man business, he always had plenty of work, he was sought after, and never had to advertise, it was all word of mouth. He has skills that the majority of people don’t. Plenty of people in this world think they can do what he does, after watching a mere few YouTube videos they think it’s easy and believe they are experts (that’s the arrogance of the world we live in in 2024) and that they are good to go and they can do it, when the truth is they can’t, and if they were to try they likely would fail and the quality of their work would be absolute rubbish.
    
    Office workers like you and I who sit on their arses all day are generally soft men in comparison and couldn’t survive doing that kind of work. Dad was charging $45 per hour in the 90s (that didn’t include materials), and he often worked 10-12 hours per day, and now when he speaks about it he believes his rate back then was too low, and he should have been charging more.
    
    I remember dad telling me a story about how a client he did some work for called him to query a $100 charge on their invoice, implying that dad had ripped them off, dad’s response to the customer was “you didn’t see me at the hardware store at 5:30am selecting the very best quality pieces of timber for you for your job did you”… The customer contacted dad back to do some more work not too long after, and dad rejected the job and to take on anyone work from him. Dad’s view is that he didn’t have time for people like that.
    - whyisave on 25/09/2024 - 10:31
      
      +1
      
      So, since your father had integrity in his work, he would most probably know some other good tradies too, right ?
      
      Since, he's retired, I'm after some good recommendations, if he knows anyone.
      - [Deactivated] on 26/09/2024 - 18:52
        
        +2
        
        @whyisave: Dad hasn’t kept in contact with anybody he used to know that was also a tradesman since retiring, he is happily retired and so are the tradesmen he knew when he worked in the industry.
    - greatlamp on 25/09/2024 - 12:01
      
      What is his health like after a lifetime in the trades? I know so many trademen who spend their retirement contemplating whether having a rod inplanted and 3 discs fused in their lower back would improve their pain.
      - [Deactivated] on 26/09/2024 - 19:14
        
        +1
        
        @greatlamp: He’s pretty healthy for his age despite still having cancer. It started off as prostate cancer in 2013, after the operation to remove it a tiny percentage of the cancer still remained, the treatments over a period of 2 years failed to eliminate the rest, and unfortunately during that period it spread to his lungs then became inoperable (he never smoked a day in his life). He is a self funded retiree, he doesn’t receive a cent from the Government/Services Australia and never has even though he has cancer, he pays for all of his treatments and medication himself. He has a check up every 3 months to assess his cancer, in fact he had one last week, and everything come back good and very positive.
        
        He’s always eaten healthy and been fit/looked after his body. Kayaking was a major hobby of his up until about a year or 2 ago, he had to give it though because his wrists have had it. The job certainly has had an impact on his joints, but nothing in the way of back problems. He goes mountain bike riding a lot now to stay fit. He recently took ownership of a brand new caravan, he upgraded to a larger one, him and his wife enjoy travelling around Australia metal detecting.
    - cille745 on 26/09/2024 - 18:02
      
      That sounds fantastic, but let’s not pretend that the overwhelming majority of trades/builders are anything like that now
      - [Deactivated] on 26/09/2024 - 18:26
        
        @cille745: That’s because plenty of people like the OP are told that they can make more money and will have a higher social stature with a PhD and are prepared to go into substantial debt for it, and think that being a blue collar worker is degrading and is for bogans, and that it’s beneath them to be a trades person, therefore there has been an influx of Lebanese and other immigrant cultures with poorer skills and standards taking up trades here for work, and being allowed to get building licences to fill the void of many Australians not wanting to do the work. If Australia was like the U.S. and we were able to use cheap foreign labour as the U.S. does with Mexicans, then the quality of the work and building standards here in Australia that you are complaining about would be even worse than it is in 2024.
        
        greatlamp on 27/09/2024 - 08:07
        
        @[Deactivated]: I'm not buying into the meme that foreigners would have lower standards. Every immigrant tradesman I've met works hard and to a high standard while a number of their Aussie counterparts are high school dropouts with a reasonable chance of an ice addiction. You need to vet the people you hire - meet them in person if possible.
        
        If you need Australian standards in your construction, use an Australian architect.
yellowfever on 24/09/2024 - 18:46

+3

If it's only 10m2 why not just do it yourself
EFC94 on 24/09/2024 - 19:18

+7

You're getting very aggressive and upset about something very small. Are you supplying the tiles or are they? You claim you've watched hours of videos on youtube, in the time you've spent complaining on this forum you probably could've gone down to Bunnings and bought everything you needed, then gone back home and had everything finished yourself.
JimmyF on 24/09/2024 - 19:46

+1

I understand there's some complexities to my job

So its a nasty job that no one wants, so they have priced it as such….

do the work in 2 days

Yep, it is a multi day job. Tiling one day, return another day to grout etc, maybe return another day for caulking etc.
JIMB0 on 24/09/2024 - 20:34

+2

With rates like this for trades it amazes me that young kids still go to university for years and rack up a huge debt in the process.
- CurlCurl on 24/09/2024 - 21:00
  
  My 18 year old grandson will finish year 12 after the exams. He could go to uni for 4 years and have a Hecs debt. He said no way. Got himself an apprenticeship as a plant mechanic with Komatsu.
  
  Earning money from day one. Top $$$$$$ and when qualified.
  - JIMB0 on 24/09/2024 - 21:03
    
    +1
    
    Good move. Diesel mechanics are highly sought after, they can earn really good money in the mines.
  - whyisave on 25/09/2024 - 10:33
    
    He can still study, part-time, to get a skill like accountancy so that he can handle his own money and not rely on some one else.
    
    Money-handling skills is essential.
    - CurlCurl on 25/09/2024 - 10:45
      
      +2
      
      He's worked at Macca's since he legally could and still working there. Does lawn mowing around his neighbourhood. Saved all his birthday and Christmas cash in lieu of presents. Purchased a $23000 (comma key is stuffed) for cash at 17. Runs a spreadsheet for money in and out.
      
      He's a go getter
  - Name on 26/09/2024 - 13:00
    
    I remember when I was an apprentice (25 years ago) and was paid $6 an hour as a first year. Was so crap, living off rice and noodles. Trades have come a long way with reasonable pay.
- netjock on 25/09/2024 - 19:03
  
  +2
  
  Theory with uni is it is gateway to knowledge industries.
  
  Problem with Australia is the biggest industry is mining, construction, agriculture and education. So really 3 of 4 don't need university degrees.
  
  Even with university degrees we don't have much in terms of high tech / innovative industries. Maybe something wrong with our education sector.
  
  There is also a culture of looking down on people with bright ideas (CSIRO has patents in WiFi but notice how all the WiFi standards are being pushed from overseas, UNSW invented modern solar cell and it is China that is leader in that field) and education.
  
  Basically you have the same debt whether you come out of top tier university like Melbourne Uni and bottom of the barrel (I won't mention who but it is like ranked 50 vs 300) which flies in the face of equality.
- Name on 26/09/2024 - 07:00
  
  Because if you're good at what you do, you can still earn more and not screw your body.
  
  I started as cabinet maker fresh out of high school - so many people with missing fingers and bad backs in the industry. Did a degree in engineering, working in the planning space now, was earning about $780 per day as an employee of a large firm ($203k package), started up my own contracting service and now charge $1600 per day in my local market and $2400 per day in the Sydney market. I sit in an air conditioned office not breaking a sweat or injuring myself.
Mechz on 24/09/2024 - 20:49

+3

If you think it's too much then do it yourself for cheaper.
Deridas on 24/09/2024 - 20:57

+2

OP is in Penalty Box, is there anyway to work out why?
Munches on popcorn
- souljah on 25/09/2024 - 08:41
  
  Based on attitude my guess would be that he started sending DM's where he could really share his thoughts?
- onetwothreefour on 25/09/2024 - 09:22
  
  Probably this comment but I didn't see it before it was deleted.
  
  https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/15736203/redir
vince088 on 24/09/2024 - 21:22

+1

tried OneFlare or Hipages to get 3 quotes?
- movieman on 26/09/2024 - 20:55
  
  This is the answer.
Herbse on 24/09/2024 - 22:43

Check FB marketplace. Lots of people willing to do small jobs
da1andonly on 25/09/2024 - 00:13

+5

Fly in a professional tiler from south east Asia and they could do it for like $100
- AlexF on 26/09/2024 - 18:06
  
  +1
  
  Second best advice in the thread, if numbers add up. First is do yourself and help others with learnt skill and bought tools.
  Rule of thumb: if someone doesn’t want the job, they’ll do shit job, irrespective of how much you paid them.
Penguin30 on 25/09/2024 - 03:12

Seems like a reasonable price. People that compare work to Hourly rate will never understand. Yes you may make $40/h but that is just rocking up.

Quoting a job is totally different and has to accommodate for mistakes, materials, time, reasonable profit, overheads and individual income. Lot more involved than just 10sq/m should take a day. probably Happy to pay $100/sm for the tiles but then not the installation which the installer has to buy materials for.

Haha.
john_conner on 25/09/2024 - 03:42

+1

Have you tried using service seeking or similar, rather than calling up trades directly?

You can get a range of quotes and determine if you think it’s worth the cost.
morse on 25/09/2024 - 04:17

I find the best way to get a trades person is via word of mouth. Ask neighbours, friends and colleagues if they have used a tiler they’ve been happy with.

The quotes do seem expensive but obviously some people are willing to pay that so they are making hay whilst the sun shines. You’ve got to consider sometimes they’ll lose out eg if they’ve been doing work for one of the many building companies that have collapsed. Tiling is also not something you can do your whole life before your body gives out, so they need to earn whilst they can.

I know of people who are untrained who have done their own tiling and has it turn out well. Maybe this is your path if you can’t get a quote you’re happy with.
moneyhungry on 25/09/2024 - 06:40

+2

Can you please post a pic of what you want tiled? Would like to see the complexity of the job.
AG_ACT on 25/09/2024 - 07:12

+1

My 2c: use anyone you find from facebook with extreme caution. Don’t use anyone from hipages.

I had an unfortunate series of events occur that required me to hire pretty much 2 x every type of trade you can think of. Quotes from people from hipages were cheaper by about 10~20% job was at least 50% worse. Quotes from facebook were sometimes same sometimes up to 20% cheaper but the finish left a lot to be desired.

I’d recommend you get some personal recommendations, and see if the person will work on time and materials. I managed to get a tiler to do that, at $100 an hour + materials for a 8 hour minimum. Ended up getting the tile I was getting quoted $1500+ to replace replaced for less than $1000 + also had a splashback regrouted for the same money.
- furyou on 25/09/2024 - 22:55
  
  yep,
  
  why pay someone $1000 for a job worth $1000, when someone is for some reason willing to do it for $500?
  
  ppl keep thinking they "found a deal" like that $500 person has no idea the market rate is $1000.
  
  We all make that mistake 1-2 times, then never again.
kyle on 25/09/2024 - 08:30

The tiler is using value pricing. Can't reduce everything to an hourly rate.
Wasabi Ninja on 25/09/2024 - 09:19

+5

Pay it or do it yourself. No one cares.
I just retiled our ensuite. Hired a tile cutter and the rest of the tools I already had. It’s not difficult.

However if it is difficult for you then you pay whatever it costs to have it done. As you obviously lack common sense and the basic intelligence to use your hands and a few simple tools.
DingoBilly on 25/09/2024 - 09:36

Does whatever you get paid seem reasonable for the work you do?

You complain a lot and can't seem to get basic tasks done like a small tiling project. Probably have wasted $100-$200 in time already just complaining about it and will waste more in future.

Can't anyone just complain and put off work and still get paid?
OzzyOzbourne on 25/09/2024 - 10:33

Anywhere else I'd say it's nuts, but it's Australia so yeah, normal.

It's pretty easy to do yourself actually.
alexdagr8 on 25/09/2024 - 10:53

Depends on the job and materials and location (different states have different requirements)
Council approval required? - are they doing it?
Paying for the skip bin for demo?
Are they waterproofing?
Are they flood testing or paying a 3rd party to flood test? - some states require this.
Are you supplying tiles?
Electrician for heated towel rack or new lights?
Are they organising a plumber or you? (To cap off the water while they tile)
Are they using premixed tile adhesive or mixing it up?
Are they creating a new fall to fit your bathroom layout?
Are they changing the dimensions of the shower area?
New tile insert drain?
Are they project managing other trades?
Are they doing demolition of existing tiles?
Some things form part of the cost.
It’s also good to know what’s included vs excluded & some of this comes from experience. And what trades you need.
Full bathroom Reno required for us:
Plumber, tiler (who also did waterproofing), cornice installer and glass installer.
UFO on 25/09/2024 - 11:09

"Reasonableness" is relative.

You may not be happy with paying the quoted price, but clearly others he is quoting clearly are… and that's the determining factor. He knows his market and what people are prepared to pay, so charges accordingly.

It sounds harsh, but maybe your expectations need to change?
Get more quotes on the work required, and see what they are charging. My bet is your expectations are no longer realistic to today's market of a shortage of tradespersons.
JimB on 25/09/2024 - 11:17

Show us a photo of the job required.

10sqm in a shower with tiled showerbase and a niche is very different from a 2.4 x 4m bathroom floor.

The smaller the job the more it will cost per sqm.

Anyway, what I suggest is go to a tile shop, pick the tiles that you want and then ask the store if they can recommend a tiler.

Tell the tiler you will organise all materials and have it ready before they start. Ask the tiler how many sqm of tiles, bags of glue (and preferred brand), grout, spacers, angles, silicone,etc you need and get it delivered to your place.

Order a few extra tiles in case one cracks in future.
brianjefferson on 25/09/2024 - 11:55

+1

Tiling's fairly easy. You won't need too many tools and watch loads of youtube videos. Plus you've got a skill for life to use next time or help out a mate.
Kamsi on 25/09/2024 - 12:52

+2

These days is DIY, I know sometimes you think you will faak it up but in the end you will found great satisfying and achievement.
- gromit on 25/09/2024 - 13:27
  
  many tasks I will happily do at home, tiling isn't one of them even though I know I can as I grew up with parents in furniture and flooring business that I regularly helped out in. My knees (which are problematic enough) are worth far more than the cost of a professional to do it.
Saura on 25/09/2024 - 13:04

It's your choice if you wanna cheap out, could go good, could go very bad too 🙂
Ononono on 25/09/2024 - 14:16

-1

I agree that paying a $1000 for a small tiling job is ridiculous, that's the reality here though. I've forced myself to learn things off youtube and doing things myself, most things are a lot easier than you expect, tiling specifically is an easy DIY job.

In other developed countries they import trades workers which keeps labour costs low, but in Australia we're not allowed to do that. You can take a guess why (it's nothing to do with "quality")
- brendanm on 25/09/2024 - 18:42
  
  +2
  
  You can take a guess why
  
  We don't want to turn the country into an overpopulated ghetto?
  - Ononono on 25/09/2024 - 23:18
    
    +2
    
    Reading is not easy, I understand. Give it another go
gakko on 25/09/2024 - 14:58

+1

Find a handy man who says they can tile imo. I do my own minor tiling for splash backs and it's not the craziest thing in the world to do good enough. I think an experienced generalist could do a small job reasonably well.
drfuzzy on 25/09/2024 - 16:17

-1

They have alot of costs you don't have as an employee.

Why don't you offer them a lower rate you are happier with, then offer to pay their vehicle running costs, insurances, tools, equipment etc?
JDMcarfan on 25/09/2024 - 16:39

+1

If it costs that much why not buy a excess amount of tiles and learn to DIY.
If its a small job then you should be able to get a job done over a weekend.
congo on 25/09/2024 - 17:18

+1

In the old days, tilers charge around $25 per square metre.
But the money value back then is a lot more than what it is now.
Fast food meals were less than $5, now they are more than $10.
Houses were $100K, now they are like $1M.
Everything has gone up due to inflation.
Drewbo on 25/09/2024 - 18:00

-2

If you’re not happy with the quote, “dO iT yOuRsElF”.
FlyingMiffy on 25/09/2024 - 18:47

So much anger from the OP on reply posts… if you dont want to pay, why not DIY and learn from Youtube. We paid about 1200 labour for a tiled (mosiac) kitchen splashback about 2 years ago. Demo of the old, rubbish disposal, prep and finish. The guy started at 7AM finished around 6PM with a lunch break. I cant say the job was flawless but it was better than what i could do and the guy actually turned up on time and finished when he said it would. Arguably kitchen splashback is easier as there is less (if at all) waterproofing to do on prep but trades is supply and demand. We did it when there was a construction boom so meh.
bobolo on 25/09/2024 - 22:07

-1

I'm imagining an unkept guy sitting alone by himself on a concrete floor with old thongs and stained singlet, with nothing in the room but some kind of arts PHD against the wall (not hung) + 2 candles lit beside it. The only other light source coming from the screen of a (refurbished) laptop glowing into his furrowed face whilst furiously typing to strangers on ozbargain
- jackspratt on 26/09/2024 - 01:08
  
  +1
  
  Is that the large mirror you have?
metrosilver on 25/09/2024 - 22:17

It's just economy of scale you're being screwed because it's such a small job so they have to charge through the nose to make it worth their while when they could just get a big job hire a few people and make way more money. For reference $50 a SQM without materials(tiles, concrete, chicken wire ,etc) is a good price for a big job. Recently did a whole house tile job at that price then had to pay $400 just for him to come back and redo 4 single tiles after trades had damaged.
mini2 on 25/09/2024 - 23:26

+1

Find a handyman, they're probably more geared to do small jobs.
stopthecap on 26/09/2024 - 10:02

+1

Ill chime in here..
Paid 2300 for an out west tiler. locals on northern beaches were asking 4000
Took him 12 hours without a break + an hour the next morning.

https://ibb.co/h7Gzq6b
- JDMcarfan on 27/09/2024 - 13:07
  
  gotta pay their mortgage/rent somehow right?
  incoming ethnics stealing jobs comment from a random
  - stopthecap on 27/09/2024 - 14:58
    
    You took that as political?

Impossible Finding a Tiler at a Reasonable Price

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