How did you get into the tiling industry?
After a junior level serious sporting period in cycle racing, I moved onto getting, er… ‘needing’, a job. Tiling was actually by chance really, and in a time when training/apprenticeships were at an all time low. Trades were not in my family’s background so I was a first.
Why did you become a member of The Tile Association?
When The Tile Association was formed in 2000, combining the various existing organisations, James Reed, of Reed Harris Tiles in London, was part of it and suggested joining.
I was interested in being part of it and putting tiling in a more professional light both to the public and within the building trade.
I have steered customers towards TTA and the tiling sector if they didn’t consider it before as I remember in the early decade of my time how many people didn’t even know it was a trade at all!
Subsequently the greater interest in interiors and in tiles since 2000 has gone to show my involvement was opportune timing. However, the amount of jobs I am still asked to look at by others that go wrong, where the customer just didn’t know of TTA or that dedicated tilers are so much different to ‘a builder’, shows there is work to do.
What region do you work in?
Central and south London – though occasionally high value projects outside London, including abroad.
What types of installations do you provide?
My work over the years has covered virtually every type of tiling, tiles and situations. Currently I focus on mosaic, handmade and more specialised type of tile and stone tile. It is led more by what customers or projects are seeking to use. I say when asked I work with tiles from 1 centimetre to 120 centimetres! It’s quite a range.
What changes have you experienced since becoming a Master Tile Fixer?
There is a good throughput of enquiries seeking resolute, in-depth experience.
The amount of people who have experienced disastrous tiling episodes is many. More and more in the era of online searching are taking time to seek out quality.
The course of my career has been one of many repeat clients and companies in the development, interiors and architecture sectors, so the amount of ‘new’ clients was limited – but in the years since 2015 this has been a changing situation.
What tiling project are you most proud of?
A good lesson is that doing good work leads to more good work and holding to that dictum has led me to many prestigious and interesting jobs and indeed places.
Some of my work has gone around the world (stages for the Royal Shakespeare Company), created excitement on the ground and online (Tile Mile for Clerkenwell Design Week), and been publicly displayed in different regions (Greenwich mural) as well as in houses for many famous international names.
But for my late mum’s sake, doing work on the Mintons tiles at Buckingham Palace, Royal Mews in 2018 – so notionally for HMQ – was something to be proud of. My mum was ‘presented’ to the Queen there in the 50s so we have covered both ends of the social spectrum!
But the hard work, timescale, and cold situation of that particular job should be noted alongside any ‘glamour’ of that let it be said. Tiling can be – is – hard work! I was pleased to do it of course and the world’s visitors pass my work on a daily basis.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt on the job?
- Understand what it should look like at the end.
- Find a good coffee shop nearby. Er… no, that should be no.1.
What is the best advice you have been told or would like to share for those entering the industry?
I would encourage youngsters to take their opportunities and work as widely as possible to gain use of tools and insight into materials of building. Tiling is a speciality and it appeals to particular people to then learn to do it well. No one learns anything but the basics from any course. The application of oneself to being a ‘good tiler’ comes from the person. Tiling has the benefit of seeing a finished job make a visual and practical difference and that is a great motivator.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Read.
What do you like most about your job?
Great satisfaction from a job well done and carrying out a finishing trade that is both decorative and practical.
The Master Tile Fixer certification scheme supports highly experienced and skilled independent tile fixers with the aim of promoting best practice and encouraging existing tiling professionals to strive for excellence.
To find out how Master Tile Fixers stand out from the competition – including a directory listing at the top of search pages in TTA’s website directory as well as press and social media announcements – or to discover how to become a Master Tile Fixer, visit https://www.tiles.org.uk/master-tile-fixer/.
