Tiling with Marble

[spotty]

We've got some marble tiles that we want to lay. They are 600mm x 600mm and 20mm thick. We have had tilers in to have a look. A couple of them got out the door as quick as they could. The other has told us we need a cement base of 25mm for the tiles to lay in, that cutting is going to be a nightmare and there will be at least two weeks work for two full time tilers. We are tiling around 50sqm. The price quoted was astronomical. My wife and I are both professionals and the amount this guy wants is more than three times our joint fortnightly salary. I'm not making any comment about work and wages here but I am asking what is considered a fair days pay for a fair days work? And if the rate quoted is the going rate how difficult is marble to lay yourself! Should mention the guy with the quote liked the marble and wants to buy it. Can't help but wonder whether the quote is high cause he wants my marble. Thoughts please.

[jay]

hi spotty it depends on the marble colour texture also the area being tiled (hallways toilet bathroom) substrate sealing ect theres a lot to take into the quote best bet is to keep getting quotes until you are happy with the fixer you find dont go the cheapest quote as you may not like what your money buys get refs andlook at previose work if you can

hope this helps

[supreme tiling]

I'm guessing that it has to be wet laid right?

That means the marble has to be laid in a bed of cement and worked into the correct level because of the uneven thicknesses presented of the tiles themselves. If so then the work is tedious and should be completed by tradesman that are proficient in this style of laying. Why do you think the first guys that saw the job shot through?

There is an old saying that is really appropriate in the tiling industry and that is "the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the price is forgotten".

Good tilers can make very good money Spotty. You will get exactly what you pay for. I know some people have a hard time understanding the costs associated with laying of stone but it is a specialised area and the people who do it well have a good reputation and that comes at a price.

[spotty]

Supreme tiling I appreciate your reply and understand your comment that you get what you pay for - and agree to a degree. In all professions there are some people who can get greedy. Like the tiler I too practice in a specialised area and just like my quoting tiler it has taken years of study and training to achieve my skills. If I charged my customers the amount he quoted me I wouldn't have clients.
As I stated, there has to be an element of a fair days work for a fair days pay. Tradesmen who practice that ethos get my custom for life. I'm not wanting to screw anyone over I am choking on the hourly rate of the quote - total divided by length of time and then by number of tilers - this guy would earn more than the prime minister pa and then some - and did I mention that the figure quoted was generously offered as a discount figure if we paid cash?
As for the procedure of laying tiles on a cement scree? According to the tiler that was due to the concrete slab not being level rather than the tiles. The house is new however the floor is out by up to 5mm in places. Tiler wants to lay 25mm of cement scree which means with a 20mm tile on top the dishwasher will no longer fit and all the skirting boards have to be removed and then replaced - the costs just keep accumulating.
I reckon I'm being conned. I live in a rural area and it has taken eighteen months to get the tilers here to do quotes. I have had numerous broken promises, cancellations and no shows. They obviously aren't desperate for work.
So to those in the trade I'm not looking for a lecture on how 'we charge for skilled work.' I'm asking for an honest opinion from tradies as to what is a reasonable rate? - is this cement scree necessary? - do I really need to raise my floor level by 45mm? - do I really need to remove the skirting boards? - and is it really necessary to buy a new dishwasher which probably won't fit because my wife informs me we had to buy the lowest in height for the kitchen anyway?
So please stop protecting the 'brotherhood' and give an at the end of tether client some good practical advice.

[jay]

So please stop protecting the 'brotherhood' and give an at the end of tether client some good practical advice (quote)


without viewing as i stated above i can not give a price
if floor is only out 5 mm in places as stated it can be leveled up with leveling compound or is sand and cement used for fixing that will fix prob

as for fixing there are adh around but they will struggle with the weight of the tiles in question so sand and cement screed would be best and cheapest option


have a nice day

[FrankM]

OK, before this gets out of hand.......

I don't think that anyone is protecting the brotherhood here. You just haven't been all that forthcoming with the information, i.e. How much were you quoted? Only then can we tell you if it's reasonable or astronomical.

The other thing we don't know is what you're tiling. Is it one 50m2 room or are we talking Kitchen, hallways, cupboards, closets. A heap of nooks and crannies in other words, as that's going to make a massive difference. Maybe scan a plan and attach it to your next post.

With regard to the installation, as long as the marble has been properly graded to 20mm, a sand and cement base isn't required and it can be done with adhesive, raising your floor level by about 26mm. As Jay said, 20mm marble tiles are quite heavy, around 18.5kg per tile in your case and a specialised adhesive needs to be used. They're readily available, but expensive. To do it properly, given that your floor is out by "5mm in places" and you're in a rural area, I'd say the adhesive cost could conservatively hover around $15 - $20/m2. My guess is that the tiler's employees would also like to get paid, so you can't just work out the m2 divide it by the number of tilers and the time he estimates and come up with an hourly rate, it just doesn't work that way.
Additionally, how long does the tiler have to drive to get to your place? I would certainly calculate traveling time into my quotation.

Finally, removing the skirting boards is definitely a good idea.

[S.L.]

Option 1. exchange or sell your current tiles for some 10mm thick stone tiles, and maybe think of changing size to 600x300. install rates will cheaper. skirting wont have to be removed. then level the floor with self levelling compound to fix the uneven slab. its a job pretty much any tiler can do then. next time put the skirting and kitchen in after the floor coverings. its easier for the tiler, and better finish for you.

You have to understand its a specialised job what you have, not every tiler is familar with this style of laying, and if its those tiles you want laid then if you want a good job you gonna have to pay for it.

good luck.

[supreme tiling]

Sounds to me like you should have done some more investigation into the laying of such a floorcovering spotty. Had you contacted a professional tiler in the first instance you would have been made aware of some of the pitfalls associated with marble. You would also have been made aware of the screeding ,the impact it would have made on your cabinet heights and that you need to install skirtings AFTER the installation of the marble.
While i'm at it you should also be aware that marble stains easily ,it is very soft scatches easily,and will require sealing immediately after laying. Being a natural product some level of maintenance is going to be on the cards. It is not something you can lay and forget about. IMHO,not the best choice for a lot of residences. It looks great but it does have it's drawbacks.

No rates are set in stone so to speak spotty ,so as the client you have to make an educated decision as to what you think is a fair price to pay. I charge what i think i'm worth,not what someone else thinks they should be paying me.

[Notch Away]

Marble rates should start at around $100/sq.m. & go up from there according to size of tile, pattern-if any and difficulty of area ie: halls, nooks & cranny's etc. extra for any floor preparation. A good tiler should be able to get at least 10 sq.m. of marble laid a day, on average over the length of the job....taking into account difficult areas and grouting. Prep would be extra. The cutting & fussiness in laying of marble takes a lot of extra time & effort.Plus at 20mm thick & 600x600 they are bloody heavy & awkward to handle.
The blokes running out the door should be a hint to you that marble is only for the best of tradesman to fix.

[ttek]

Totally agree with the boys here. $100.00/m2 is the minimum going rate for marble/stone etc. Just remember the rate takes into account the cutting involved - on wet saws is very time consuming...., leveling the tiles......most stone arent cut perfect...ie variances in thickness, the labour in moving these tiles around......quite back breaking stuff.......cost of ahesive is a lot dearer than for say ceramic.