# Tile showers Pricing?



## arturjhawk

now...
how come the tile/flooring stores do the same job for half the price?


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## PrecisionFloors

arturjhawk said:


> now...
> how come the tile/flooring stores do the same job for half the price?


IF thats the case (which I doubt) it would be because either they are using employees or uneducated subs that don't know what their labor is really worth. I doubt very seriously you will get a complete package price that is half of what a reputable tile contractor will charge though....why would a retailer give something away?


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## All Tiles

I'm in the Toronto area and would normally charge (if it's tub walls we're talking about) $850 for approx. 85 sq/ft.
I just finished a bathroom (3 tub walls) 60 sq/ft and 30sq/ft of floors (incl. scratch coat) all with 12x12 porcelain tiles and charged $850 cash.


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## Floordude

Scratch coat???


That's not what I think it is!!!!


Who ever taught you that needs to be prosecuted for theft, and making you an accomplise


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## kevjob

jersey mud job?


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## Bud Cline

I thought this thread was about tiling real showers! Now it has diminished to overpriced tub surrounds and Jersey mud jobs. Next someone will be bragging about charging a fortune to install lick 'n' stick vinyl tiles. You won't find them in "The Book" either.

Doesn't anyone want to follow recommendations for installing quality long-lasting tile jobs. Is everything "grab the money and run" these days?


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## All Tiles

Floordude said:


> Scratch coat???
> 
> 
> That's not what I think it is!!!!
> 
> 
> Who ever taught you that needs to be prosecuted for theft, and making you an accomplise


My bad, I think it's what you American's call a Mortar Bed. 
I know, how silly of me of not using the exactly trade termanology...


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## All Tiles

Bud Cline said:


> I thought this thread was about tiling real showers! Now it has diminished to overpriced tub surrounds and Jersey mud jobs. Next someone will be bragging about charging a fortune to install lick 'n' stick vinyl tiles. You won't find them in "The Book" either.
> 
> Doesn't anyone want to follow recommendations for installing quality long-lasting tile jobs. Is everything "grab the money and run" these days?


Bud,
There's such a variety of products, and shows that teach ppl about general renos (most in my book are crap). That ppl almost convince themselves that the tv/label way is the right way!

*I.e. I was tiling a tub surround/shower last week and Rona sold the client 1Gallon of Acryl-Pro adhesive for this area (89 sq/ft). B4 starting the job I was already pissed of because i knew it wasn't enough so I had her call Rona and order more. Long story short, One and half walls in and I was out of glue, so what happens? Rona gets on the phone with me and stats that this 1 gallon should do up to 250sq/ft using a thin trowel (which i was using for her 4x4 tiles) and after owning this lady on the phone, she shows up AT THE HOUSE 30 min later with the exact same f***n tub!...And she points out that on the back of the label it says up to 250sq/ft, i told her i could care less what the label says, seeing i was using a thin trowel and i needed 2 more of that size or 1 DAM 4 gallon!*

The moral of this story is, don't believe everything ppl say!

There are WAY to many cash grabs out there that it makes pricing a job accordingly almost impossible, because there's always the ...yes sir HANDYMAN that will charge then 1/2!


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## Bill_Vincent

There will always be customers who are all about the bottom line. If you try and lowball just to get the job, your quality is going to suffer, and before long, you're starving. Any time I get a customer who tells me Joe Blow down the street will do the work for X dollars a foot, and it's this much less than what I charge. my answer is the same, every single time-- He knows what his quality is worth. I'll then go on to show in dollars and cents WHY Joe Blow can't be offering as good a job as what I'm offering. It's not very often I'll lose a job I really want, and I don't drop my pants for NOBODY.


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## All Tiles

2 options to giving An answer when it comes to pricing, is either what Bill uses (price/job quality comparison) or if your dealing with a person whom has the "I want a handyman" sign around their neck, is option 2:
"OK great, if that's the price they gave you, use them, Here's my card, call me in 6 months"...trust me, they'll get your point.


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## MattCoops

Or you can show the price shopping homeowners your BBB credentials, your insurance policies, and copy of your license.
School the customer on your installation methods, go over the details, show step by step pictures from past jobs.
Get into your portfolio.
Provide the customer with infomation on materials.
Give an overview of your warranty policy.

Then give your price for materials and all labor and ask them how soon they'd like to get started. Break open your schedule book and inform them you'll need a deposit to set an appointment to start their project.

If you can do the work - be a sub contractor, if you can sell your skills as a benefit to the homeowner, become a better contractor.


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## Floordude

All Tiles said:


> My bad, I think it's what you American's call a Mortar Bed.
> I know, how silly of me of not using the exactly trade termanology...




Scratch coat and a mud bed, are two totally different setting techniques, a tile setter would never confuse the two, as one is the sign of a true hack and a professional with an education, would never knowingly label himself a hack.


*"I was tiling a tub surround/shower last week and Rona sold the client 1Gallon of Acryl-Pro adhesive"* 


Speaks volumes.


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## All Tiles

Floordude said:


> Scratch coat and a mud bed, are two totally different setting techniques, a tile setter would never confuse the two, as one is the sign of a true hack and a professional with an education, would never knowingly label himself a hack.
> 
> 
> *"I was tiling a tub surround/shower last week and Rona sold the client 1Gallon of Acryl-Pro adhesive"*
> 
> 
> Speaks volumes.


No "jersey mud job" done my friend. 
Those were my early days and after a few call backs, I've learned my lesson.


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## Floordude

I do believe you...

Last week when you were using acrylic pro in a tub surround, was your early days.


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## A W Smith

*being as I am from New Jersey*

what the hells a jersey mud job?


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## kevjob

A W Smith said:


> what the hells a jersey mud job?



Techinique labeled jersey mud job is staple galvanized metal lath to floor then set tile over scratch coat over metal lath.


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## A W Smith

kevjob said:


> Techinique labeled jersey mud job is staple galvanized metal lath to floor then set tile over scratch coat over metal lath.


 
good lord, not for a shower pan. right?


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## kevjob

no it is for floors, used to take place of backer board, cbu, ditra etc..

I see cbu nailed to subfloor with liner and cbu nailed into top of curb for shower floors. :whistling


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## neolitic

kevjob said:


> see cbu nailed to subfloor with liner and cbu nailed into top of curb for shower floors. :whistling


Had an architect ask me to do just that.
Shower over livingroom, in his own house.
"No habla shower pana, Senor Architecto."
Never saw what he wound up with.


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## Bill_Vincent

I'm doing one for an architect's home right now, but I got lucky. This guy knows what he's doing. Alan Lapidus- google the name. He and his father have made names for themselves.


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