Introduction

[Derek & Jacqui]

Hi Y'all, (Can't pronounce it, only spell it)

I thought I would like to introduce myself to the board and give you a brief resume of my history.

I commenced my apprenticeship in ceramic tile in January, 1960 with a large firm in London, England. (100 installers, plus helpers.) We are called fixers in England.

I moved from London in 1984 to Cornwall, sometimes known as Kernow, and yes, they do have Palm trees down the sidewalks there. Cornwall is known as the Riveria of England (supposedly to do with the better than average weather there). In 1993, Margaret Thatcher managed to more or less close down the building industry. It was then that I went to work in Germany, in what was the old East Germany, and learned their way of tile installation. My wife became my full time helper.

After 2 years, we came over here to the good old US of A and I learned (am still learning) your way of tile installation. You could say that I am the oldest apprentice on the Board!

My wife, who is a qualified legal accountant, has worked with me on and off since we married 37 years ago and is working full time with me now.

n.b.

Bud / Keith - we're heeeeere!

[Sponsored Links]

[Rob Z]

Hi Derek and Jacqui


Welcome to the Forum! I look forward to hearing how things are done over in Europe. I took a class several years ago with a tile setter from Scotland. We hit it off well, especially when it came time to get pints at lunch time.

And you have answered a question that has been bugging me for several years now. I couldn't remeber the British term for tile setters--tile fixers! I saw an episode of This Old House that was filmed in London, and they id'ed the tile setter as the "tile fixer". Does the term come from the "afixing" of tile to a surface?

Please tell us that greenboard is not used in showers in Europe!

Rob Z

[Bud Cline]

Derek/Jacqui,

Now we're gettin' somewhere. You guys have been layin' low where you been? I thought maybe Keith was keepin' secrets from ya's.

[kalford]

I was but Derek & Jacqui stopped over the other day and caught me on here!
I kaint hav nuthin!

Keith Alford
"shhhh....maybe they won't notice"

[Edited by kalford on 06-05-2001 at 12:21 AM]

[Derek & Jacqui]

I hate to tell you, in England ordinary sheet rock was used, at least until we left, but we did use water- proof adhesive and water resistant grout. That was the proper way: we won't go into (excuse the term,)the cowboy method (an English term for hack.)
In Germany they use green board but it is covered by a rubberized water proofing agent called dieterman. Internal corners are sealed with a rubber tape called eichband, and covered with dieterman. All internal angles on the walls, where the walls meet the floor and where tile meets the door frames are sealed with 100% silicone. They have a guy there and that is all he does. Man, is he fast and good.
Just as a side note, Jacqui earned 2000 marks in one weekend covering greenboard and the floor underneath were the shower pans were going. (A qualified east German plumber EARNED 2260 MARKS PER MONTH)

[Bud Cline]

That's nothin'.

I've earned a few marks myself. Shootin' off my mouth in a Cowboy Honky Tonk on Greenville Avenue, or was it Harry Hines Blvd?

Derek/Jacqui,
(Those are popular night streets in Dallas.)

[John Bridge]

Hi Derek and Jacqui, and welcome to the group. Setters, fixers, tilers, tile layers, and who knows what they call themselves in non-English-speaking countries.

In any case, glad you made it. Hope to see a lot of you.

But listen, I've been trying to get the mostly professional chat over to a new board called Professional's Hangout. Everyone is welcome everywhere on the boards, but I think when the talk becomes shop talk it intimidates the newbies.

Not that this is shop talk yet, but it will be if I know tile setters/tilers/fixers. I'll just move this thread over if you don't mind. Please, everyone follow along.

[Derek & Jacqui]

John,

Germans call their tile setters wand und boden (wall and floor) fliesenlegers and Jacqui attained the achievement of being called fugenmeister, (sounds good - means master grouter!).

[John Bridge]

Hey, let's hear it for Jacqui the Fugenmeister! I presume she is master of both wand und boden?

Actually, I spent two years in West Germany way back in the early sixties, long before I thought about tile and tiling.

I was stationed in Mannheim, but managed four trips to Berlin, which was then 90 miles inside East Germany.

How did you happen upon Tennessee?

[kalford]

They came here to tutor ME! At least it turned out that way

Keith(now what) Alford

[Sonnie Layne]

Speaking of utoring,

ahh well, never mind.

Of all the several times I've made it to Eur., never have I made it further north than Normandy, or east. S. France, N Italy and N Spain hold plenty of interesting food for me (and a bit of history, Flander's Fields). Being a most time construction guy and a part time poet, had to go see the fields of Flanders, which aren't so easy to find nowdays.

At any rate, fixers and renderers aren't that far apart, apart from a few hours of sunlight.

my smiling face

[Derek & Jacqui]

John,

I'll try to make it short and sweet. We originally came to Virginia for my neice's wedding - liked it, came back for Christmas, liked it better, came back and stayed. Our sponsor was in Tennessee - hence, this is where we are. I would not suggest this method to other folk yearning to live and work here. Our sponsor turned out to be an unethical, low paying, control freak. However, all's well that ends well.

[John Bridge]

You make it sound like the indentured servitude I thought we had eliminated a couple hundred years ago. When will your seven years be up? Keith, ease up on these poor people!

Sonnie,

I made it down to Barcelona once -- a four-day stay. Ah, the "Ramblas." Next time you cross the lake, check it out.

As for Northern France, I was assigned to Orleans (pas de Nouvelle Orleans).

[Derek & Jacqui]

Only had to do three years with our beloved sponsor.

Problem was that we were both employed by him, lived in one of his rentals......

[Rob Z]

D & J

Where did you visit in Virginia?

Rob

[kalford]

Speaking of your "beloved sponsor", I don't think I have but I would like to,at this time,apologize for him.As an American I can only say I am ashamed of him.As a relative of his......................IT'S BY MARRIAGE...I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.........THA AINT NO BLOOD THAR!!!!!!!!

[John Bridge]

Yeah, sure.

[Derek & Jacqui]

Rob,

We stayed in Virginia for one year. We lived at Smith Mountain Lake, near Roanoke. It's a very pretty place and we had a wonderful time there.

[Derek & Jacqui]

Keith, for all his many faults, to which he will readily admit to a few, has done a brave thing just by admitting that he is related (in a roundabout way) to .......... (I have great difficulty saying the name, it gives me nightmares.)

[kalford]

I appreciate that Jaqui but there is a fine line between bravery and stupidity.