Tiling vs Laminate

budgie123_2

Hi,

We hav an insurance claim going thru at the moment for laminate flooring that was damaged by water. We want to put down tiles to avoid the same problem happening in future. The contractor is charging the loss adjustors £254 to supply and fit the laminate. Contractor wants to charge us more for tiling so my question is, how much more would be reasonable?

The room is 5m square and we would be happy to buy the tiles from the £254, so how much should he charge for tiling and grouting?

Thanks.

Bishop_Basher

The laminate would be done in a day.
Tiling may involve priming and leveling the floor, its just much more labour, bear in mind that the adhesive should be allowed to dry completely before grouting. I like to leave them at least a day before grouting.

I'd charge at least £250 for labour alone (tiling). Thats without seeing it mind you.

sujman

Back in about 2003, I was getting quotes for £25 per sq mt cost (labour only). I had 18 sq mts of tiling that needed installing, so £450 for the job.

Picked up a card from a large tiling retailer, and the lads did the job for £250. They said they'd need atleast a day, maybe two for the job.

On the day, they started at 7.30am and were out, heading for the weekend footy match by 13.30 - whole job done and dusted.

All I needed to do was give the floor a good mop the next day.

2 lessons learnt:

1. You can get quality at half the price.
2. Jobs rarely need to take as long as the tradesman says. Naturally, they need to build in some buffer time, just in case.

andyhop

sujman wrote: »

Back in about 2003, I was getting quotes for £25 per sq mt cost (labour only). I had 18 sq mts of tiling that needed installing, so £450 for the job.

Picked up a card from a large tiling retailer, and the lads did the job for £250. They said they'd need atleast a day, maybe two for the job.

On the day, they started at 7.30am and were out, heading for the weekend footy match by 13.30 - whole job done and dusted.

All I needed to do was give the floor a good mop the next day.

2 lessons learnt:

1. You can get quality at half the price.
2. Jobs rarely need to take as long as the tradesman says. Naturally, they need to build in some buffer time, just in case.

6hours for 18sqm

Primers need 30mins between coats and should be done twice
Adhesives such as keraquick fat set takes 3-4 hours to cure before grouting
Grouts from Mapei(ultracolour) Which are fast setting still take approx 30mins

Your quality job was rushed and corners where cut

Cheap jobs are cheap for a reason,No tanking,No primers,I would like to see it 12 months down the line

brownbake

andrew-b wrote: »

Judging by other recent quotes here i'd say £100 for tiles based on £20 per sqm - obviously this bit is variable on what sort/quality of tiles you want, £200 maximum for labour and materials. So maybe another £50 at most. If i were you i'd get some quotes in and see if the insurance company will let you use the company of your choice.

Andy

To be honest that is an absolutely extortionate price for 5m2 and a square room. £50 per square metre!! Avoid at all costs!! If you are getting natural stone like Marble or Limestone that is at the very top end of the price bracket.

We live in the SW in a VERY expensive area and the max a tiler charges - including adhesive - is £30m2. 5m2 is obviously £150

Another poster went on about floor levelling. That is not necessary unless you have VERY uneven floors - say 10mm + but that is unlikely.

You can get some very nice ceramic floor tiles from Wickes that are only £4.80 or so per square metre - free delivery on orders over £45 so you are looking at under £200 all in for a 5m2 square room.

TBH it is very easy to do yourself - if you have a look at guides on line and either you or your partner are half handy - you will be able to do that for under £75.

£50 a m2 --- LOLOLOLOL :T Good luck!!!

brownbake

bishop_basher wrote: »

the laminate would be done in a day.
Tiling may involve priming and leveling the floor, its just much more labour, bear in mind that the adhesive should be allowed to dry completely before grouting. I like to leave them at least a day before grouting.

I'd charge at least £250 for labour alone (tiling). Thats without seeing it mind you.

sorry!!!! - quoted the wrong person!!!!! Doh!!!;)

sujman

andyhop wrote: »

6hours for 18sqm

Primers need 30mins between coats and should be done twice
Adhesives such as keraquick fat set takes 3-4 hours to cure before grouting
Grouts from Mapei(ultracolour) Which are fast setting still take approx 30mins

Your quality job was rushed and corners where cut

Cheap jobs are cheap for a reason,No tanking,No primers,I would like to see it 12 months down the line

Never mind 12 months, its been 6 years since I've had the tiling done.

Still get complements and referal requests from people who see my floor.

Next time you're in the Midlands send me a pm, you can see for yourself.

Forgot to mention a 3rd lessons I've learnt:

3. People who try and lecture you on "you get what you pay for" or "cheap is cheap for a reason" are usually (but not always - to be fair - but definately usually) trying to sell you expensive rubbish.

Bishop_Basher

andyhop wrote: »

6hours for 18sqm

Primers need 30mins between coats and should be done twice
Adhesives such as keraquick fat set takes 3-4 hours to cure before grouting
Grouts from Mapei(ultracolour) Which are fast setting still take approx 30mins

Your quality job was rushed and corners where cut

Cheap jobs are cheap for a reason,No tanking,No primers,I would like to see it 12 months down the line

Spot on.

I'm doing a kitchen floor at the moment:

1. Plinths off
2. Scrape floor
3. Sweep floor
4. Vacum floor
5. PVA Prime floor, leave to go off
6. Concrete Self level floor left a day to go off
7. Cut and fix tiles leave to go off
8. Grout tiles and leave to go off
9. Buff up tiles and clean grout lines
10. Cut plinths and refit
11. Silicone seal

This is a proper job done correctly.
Its funny how the 'experts' are always the punters isnt it?

sujman

Bishop_Basher wrote: »

Spot on.



I'm doing a kitchen floor at the moment:

1. Plinths off
2. Scrape floor
3. Sweep floor
4. Vacum floor
5. PVA Prime floor, leave to go off
6. Concrete Self level floor left a day to go off
7. Cut and fix tiles leave to go off
8. Grout tiles and leave to go off
9. Buff up tiles and clean grout lines
10. Cut plinths and refit
11. Silicone seal

This is a proper job done correctly.
Its funny how the 'experts' are always the punters isnt it?

Don't really consider myself an expert and I always take the tradespersons views on board but I do take the time to understand what I am paying for and why.

But having being accused of having a cheap job that was rushed with corners cut that wouldn't last past 12 months - here I am 6 years later... floor lovely as ever.

Perhaps "punters" shouldn't consider themselves know it alls but I recommend that they should never, never feel the need not to challange anything anyone ever says to them.

Which brings me to my fourth lesson learnt:

4. Always trust your instinct. Might not always be 100% right but will be the best tool you'll ever have.

mhplumbingtiling

From a tradesperson's point of view, I wouldn't price a 5m2 floor in terms of per m2. A floor this size will come down to your daily rate. Some guys charge £130 per day, some £300. I would expect to charge somewhere around £200 which I think is fair, considering payment of taxes, liability insurance etc.

When the floor is 20m2 then there's no way you can charge £50m2 unless it's top notch natural stone or Italiam mosaic.

Bishop_Basher

sujman wrote: »

Don't really consider myself an expert and I always take the tradespersons views on board but I do take the time to understand what I am paying for and why.

But having being accused of having a cheap job that was rushed with corners cut that wouldn't last past 12 months - here I am 6 years later... floor lovely as ever.

Perhaps "punters" shouldn't consider themselves know it alls but I recommend that they should never, never feel the need not to challange anything anyone ever says to them.

Which brings me to my fourth lesson learnt:

4. Always trust your instinct. Might not always be 100% right but will be the best tool you'll ever have.

It wasn't aimed at you, and you're right to ask questions as there are many many 'dilutees' out there.