Tilers

Tilers are not a Registered or licensed trade in Western Australia. Registration or Licensing is only required for builders, electricians, plumbers and painters. Tilers can obtain formal qualifications through TAFE, but many would have learned their skills “on the job” rather than be formally trained. There is a Ceramic Tilers Association to which some tillers may belong, but the trade is largely unregulated.

Whatever the value of building work to be performed, your agreement should always be in writing, setting out the schedule of works and agreed fee. If the tiling work is valued at over $7,500, the Home Building Contracts Act may require that the parties use a written agreement including terms and conditions laid down by the Act. There are penalties for non-compliance.

Similarly, for contracts valued over $7,500, contractors cannot demand advance payment for work not yet done.

Issues of non-performance, shoddy workmanship, and contract termination can be areas of contention. Depending on your agreement you may have a right to determine the contract. Both parties may have different ideas and expectations about what has been agreed and under what circumstances a contract can be determined.

When you select your tiles and how you would like them laid, it is important that you have a plan drawn up or be available on site at all times do that the tiler can confirm how you would like the tiles to be laid. A plan is always best, as it provides a reference point for sub-contractors to use. Often what you might think is a straight-forward job, is a little more complicated. For example, if the tiles are large and the area is small, tiles will need to be cut for floor wastes and falls required in the shower. You may not have imagined this when you selected the tile and how this would look when completed.