Great tiling courses to improve your trade business

Why become a tiler?

Like all trades, you can take tiling courses. But the answer you should ask yourself is “why”?

Either you have an idea for setting up your own tiling business, or it’s a great way to upskill. It means you’re able to offer the service with existing work. For example, when fitting kitchens, bathrooms or wet rooms, tiling is an obvious skill you’re going to need.

Being a tiler helps homeowners achieve their dream property. You may not think of it as a glamorous profession, but people will look at those tiles every day of their lives.

When people have saved up to renovate a room, they want it to look fantastic. If you’ve got a tiling certificate, it’s not just a necessary part of home improvement, its often the icing on the cake.

What options are there for tiling training?

Tiling courses are available throughout the UK. You just need to know where to look!

Naturally City & Guilds approved courses are a good place to start. Specialising in skills development and apprenticeship schemes, the institution of City & Guilds is designed for more technical education.

However, there are a variety of places to learn how to tile. The three main places to learn this kind of trade are:

• Local colleges
• Apprenticeships
• Training on the job

Some colleges will offer short courses in tiling. Rather than full length courses, these glimpses into tiling training mean you can try before deciding whether to take a longer course.

There are also a number of NVQ tiling courses that can be found through the government’s National Careers Service.

Do you need to get a tiling certificate?

Some of the courses you can find will provide you with certificates upon completion. When working as a tradesperson, your customer may not want to see your accreditation, but your employer might.

At Checkatrade we want to put homeowners in touch with trusted trades. Getting the right certificate is a great way to help pass the 12 rigorous checks we have when trades want to become a member.

For example, that could be:

• Level 1 Certificate in Wall and Floor Tiling
• Level 2 Diploma in Wall and Floor Tiling

Checkatrade training partner Logic4Training has a number of fantastic courses that include tiling as a skill. Their options are good whether you’re looking to brush up on existing skills or get a new one. For example, Basic Site Skills and Property Maintenance both give a really solid basis for tiling.

You’ll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site, even as a tiler. That means it is worth getting the proper qualifications so you can apply.

Having a tiling certificate in place is one of the key ways to ensure compliance with regulations.

Professional tiling courses will:

• Get you the qualifications
• Increase your work options
• Help achieve high standards across the industry

Getting the right training as a tiler is essential if you want to work in that area. So it’s definitely worth doing your research before committing, to make sure you can learn all the skills you need.

Can you do an online training course?

As with everything these days, you will be able to find a number of websites offering online tiling courses. These are often ‘how to’ guides offering the basics, giving a degree of insight for the DIY market.

However, as a tradesperson, you know that this is not the best way to become a tiler.

Online tiling courses tend to be designed for homeowners looking to carry out work themselves. There are YouTube tutorials and other websites that you will be able to find with a quick search.

But you won’t get a tiling certificate, or the correct qualifications. As a professional tradesperson, you want to do the best for your customers. Doing the right tiling training is a guaranteed way to do that.

If you’re already working as a kitchen or bathroom fitter and are looking to upskill, a hands-on course at a proper facility is the only way to go.

Will you still need insurance as a professional tiler?

As a tradesperson, you always need to take the right precautions.

Whether that be with protective clothing, covers, assessments and accreditations, there is a lot that you can do.

Getting the right tiling training gives you the skills. Getting the right insurance will give you peace of mind.

As a trained tiler, you’ll probably want to think about these:

• Public liability insurance
• Employer’s liability insurance
• Goods in Transit insurance
• Tool cover
• Professional indemnity insurance
• Commercial vehicle insurance

As an example, all Checkatrade members need to have up to date public liability insurance in order to pass our checks.

Read our handy guide to help you find the right insurance type for your trade business.

Ready to become the boss?

Think you’ve got what it takes to set out on your own? If you’re looking to start your own trade business, make sure you check out our Become the Boss series.

Sign up today for a free series of videos and emails from Checkatrade. We’ve put the course together to help you get your trade business up and running. It includes a free strategy call!

If you’ve completed any of the great tiling courses out there and want to start your own venture, now is the time to start. There is always demand for tilers, so why not start today?

Key takeaways

• Tiling courses are useful for learning a new skill
• Good for beginners and experienced tradespeople
• Tiling is useful for kitchens and bathrooms
• Find an approved course
• Get the right certification
• Get the right insurance cover
• Build your own business with new or adapted skills