Where did you get your tiles from?

[wendybird77]

I want Fired Earth look, but not their prices. Anyone found this? Care to share a link? I need about a million sq meters of tiles to replace horrid blue floor that is everywhere in my new house. It is an old cottage and I want something vintage looking, whilst not being too twee. Anyone?

I bought my tiles from B&Q (they have a fab new range) and Topps Tiles.

I think I got my last ones from Topps. Some people say you have to go to a posh tile merchant, but any tiles I buy will stay in place for sixty five years or more, and they could only be up-to-the minute for six months, whatever I got.

p.s.

If you have an old cottage, you might get quarry tiles (so called, not because they come from a quarry, but because they are square in old Norman French)

PigletJohn do you have a trade account with topps (from your posts I've seen lately since lurking on diy, you seem very knowledgeable and I would guess in the trade) and if so what sort of discount do you (and by 'you', I mean typical tradesman) get?

Trying to work out what I might save on the tiles I've seen in topps

nope, sorry.

I selected them and the tiler fetched them. No doubt he allowed for his margin in pricing the job, and would have charged for for labour otherwise.

charged more for labour

Ah, ok,`thanks.

I can find out by asking DF to ask his good friend that is going to do our kitchen, or the one that is going to do the bathroom (both have given us access to their trade accounts (so, for instance, I have a price broken down quote from howdens in front of me...)) and are only charging mates rates for fitting but I'm a really pissed off at him at the mo and would rather maintain my frosty silence

Note to self: ask DF tomorrow. No, wait. Tuesday.

Someone posted on here a while ago that Tons of Tiles (just google it) did some Fired Earth tiles (allegedly from the same factory) at a fraction of the cost of Fired Earth. Haven't ever used them, but might be worth a look?

I've used Topps tiles previously (for convenience) and wallsandfloor tiles (internet based although they do deliver and you can collect in Kettering which isn't far from my parents). Masses of choice and very cheap (especially for the extras - tiling edges / grout etc).

Thanks all - off to have a look...

I have seen brick flooring whilst obsessively browsing pinterest so may go off to have a search for that as well.

All the trade use Topps Tiles. They don't do a trade discount IIRC, they just offer a credit account which is probably no good to you.

If you're talking Fired Earth, I'm guessing you want irregular, "handmade" tiles rather than the flat uniform ones. Topps def do these, but may have a limited range.

If you don't find what you're looking for, independent tile showrooms will be able to offer you virtually identical products but still at a considerable saving. Criterion and World's End are two I use regularly in London, and they have fab clearance sales.

Independent, expert and generally all round great
www.onthetiles.co.uk/
some of the 'end of line' stuff we got from them was GORGEOUS
and they were happy to hold things till the day we needed them ....