Tiling Suppliers

MysteryM

Has anyone got any advice on tiling suppliers? I'm looking to get my kitchen and hall tiled (approx 37 sq meters) with some cream starlight quartz tiles.

However the prices that some of these suppliers quote is crazy (e.g. topps tiles are approx £95 per sq meter), and i was wondering if that's because of the quality they offer or if it was just a silly markup. At that price i'm going to be looking at paying £3500 on tiles alone

The other big supplier is Porcelanosa, but again i know they can be expensive, but i do know they have sales twice a year where they can offer up to 40% off. Does any one have an idea as to when these normally occur?

I'm read some horror stories about cheaper tiles ordered on the net that have started warping etc, and also that its possible to tell the difference between an expensive and cheap tile just by looking at it.

tired_dad

I know porcelanosa do one of the sales in Aug or Sept over a whole month. Fantastic tiles in terms of the overall look. Call them. I have found the salespeople very helpful. Even when I was short of a tile, they offered to ship the only remaining box in existence of the same batch from Spain. As it happened they also lab tested the current batch and told me it was a near 99% match so I just ordered the current, but i was just so impressed with the level of customer service.

Furts

I would suggest British Ceramic Tiles. These are made in the UK with a proven quality control and reputation, and available without the Porcenalosa type mark ups.

I have bought boxes and boxes through Wickes and Tile Click. The floor tiles are cheap. On regular offer at Wickes at around £10 per square metre. Wickes shift a range of them by the pallet load. Obviously this depends on the pattern and Wickes do not say who the manufacturer is. But if you look for Made in UK it is quite likely to be BCT

For good quality BCT cream wall tiles I was recently paying £13 for 44. This was expensive because I knew builders buying them cheaper than this. That said, for the quality, I was happy with the price.

rainbow12

I bought some tiles recently from Walls and Floors (wallsandfloors.co.uk). Much cheaper than the big shops , I went into one of he big shops who, even with a deal, couldnt come anywhere near their prices. I got samples first and all the tiles have now been delivered.

jellie

Are you using a tiler to lay your tiles? I got a discount off both the tiles and adhesive/grout at a local suppliers by giving them my tiler's name (his labour charge was the same regardless of where I got the tiles from). Might be worth having a word with your tiler to see who he uses?

aylesby

In Cheshire we used this outfit
http://www.realearthuk.com/our-offers
We paid about £30 a meter and found a tiler with a water cut saw to keep waste down. Very happy with the deal.

Furts

jellie wrote: »

Are you using a tiler to lay your tiles? I got a discount off both the tiles and adhesive/grout at a local suppliers by giving them my tiler's name (his labour charge was the same regardless of where I got the tiles from). Might be worth having a word with your tiler to see who he uses?

I have found that by not being brand specific, adhesives and grout can be purchased at excellent prices at both B&Q Tradepoint and Wickes. I vary according to price. That said, promotions and vouchers come into this, with constant deals. Plus it can be get one product at one and the other product at the other. The savings out weigh the fuel costs because my stores are only a few miles apart. Under these circumstances the trade tile outlets cannot compete.

It can be a different story for more specialist adhesives, such as granite fixed to timber floors. Then it is a definite for the trade outlets.

cddc

MysteryM wrote: »

.

However the prices that some of these suppliers quote is crazy (e.g. topps tiles are approx £95 per sq meter), and i was wondering if that's because of the quality they offer or if it was just a silly markup. At that price i'm going to be looking at paying £3500 on tiles alone

The other big supplier is Porcelanosa, but again i know they can be expensive, but i do know they have sales twice a year where they can offer up to 40% off. Does any one have an idea as to when these normally occur?

I'm read some horror stories about cheaper tiles ordered on the net that have started warping etc, and also that its possible to tell the difference between an expensive and cheap tile just by looking at it.

Topps=silly markups. There is virtually nothing in Topps that you cannot get cheaper elsewhere.

Porcelanosa are expensive but generally very good quality.. you pay for what you get which cannot always be said of Topps.

Tiles will not start warping...they might come out of the kiln warped and if the quality control of the manufacturer is not good or if they are sold as run of kiln or seconds to suppliers arrive with you warped....

There are some dodgy suppliers out there but there is a whole network of good, reputable, importers and distributors serving the independent sector too.

Quartz is not cheap but you will be able to source it cheaper elsewhere. Try your local independent tile shop or CTD or Walls & Floors, there is also a company called FEET in London which brings in some good stuff from China. There will be sure to be someone importing a decent quality one from China at a much lower price. The Porcelanosa one is probably Spanish made, hence the price. I reckon you could halve the price and still get a good one by shopping around.

I can look at a tile and tell whether it is good for the money or not, but I spent over 20 years selling them. It is not so easy for the untrained eye. I would always like to see what I was buying beforehand, though. Always get a sample if buying over the net.

itsanne

We've done bathroom and ensuite ourselves. Topps can be useful for looking at tiles, but its prices are ridiculous - same applies to adhesives etc. Choose what you like by visiting several tile showrooms and then look online to find the best price. You may be able to negotiate a similar price with a local supplier - I like to give the custom locally where possible. Alternatively, you can then check out the website, and phone them - cheapest is not always best! Other than that, it depends on who is fitting the tiles - are you doing it yourself or having them fitted?

If you are doing it yourself, be careful what adhesives you choose. DIY stores are not necessarily the best bet.

Good luck.

jackyann

we ended up at Tile Choice who were very helpful.

I also did one bathroom very cheaply by getting plain white tiles (whatever the quality plain white are usually cheap) and then buying mosaic (5cm square tiles) and doing my own design. I used mosaic mesh to make it then put it up. Looks fantastic IMO.

murphydog999

Topps have various offers though. There would be £200 off 40sqm I'll need soon which makes them very competitive. I've got no association with them, but have been in there recently and found their offers to be good.