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home Construction and the built environment
Wall and floor tiler

Wall and floor tiler

Construction and the built environment

Level 2 - Technical Occupation

Tiling walls and floors.

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Reference: OCC0368

Status: assignment_turned_inApproved occupation

Average (median) salary: £28,098 per year

SOC 2020 code: 5322 Floorers and wall tilers

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:

  • 5322/03 Tilers
  • 5314/04 Tilers and slaters

Technical Education Products

ST0368:

Wall and floor tiler

(Level 2)

Approved for delivery

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Moderna Contracts Limited Building Adhesives Limited WB Simpson& Sons (Midlands) Ltd The Tile Association Leeds College of Building (LCB) South and City College, Birmingham

Summary

This occupation is found in both new build and refurbishment construction sector. Wall and Floor Tilers operate in domestic and commercial properties undertaking all types of wall and floor tiling. Premises include houses, schools, offices, airports hospitals, factories, and construction sites. Wall and Floor Tilers could be working for either a sole trader or a large limited company.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to install of a wide range of ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles using different techniques. Wall and Floor Tilers work both internally and externally. They have a good knowledge of tiles, backgrounds, and ancillary products. They understand and comply with statutory, safety and environmental requirements. Wall and Floor Tilers interpret drawings to extract relevant information to the task in hand. They work to clients’ specifications following design drawings, compliance sheets and manufacturers’ specification. Wall and Floor Tilers recognise and achieve high levels of quality in their finished work, working to current British Standards.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with clients, site managers, and other trades. 

Wall and Floor Tilers work individually and as part of a team. They are good problem solvers and communicators and are able to interact effectively with colleagues, clients and associated trades.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for completing their own work, with minimal supervision, ensuring they meet installation quality standards and deadlines. They may work as part of a team, with responsibility for a specific aspect of the installation, contributing to the completion of the project. 

 

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Moderna Contracts Limited Building Adhesives Limited WB Simpson& Sons (Midlands) Ltd The Tile Association Leeds College of Building (LCB) South and City College, Birmingham

Typical job titles include:

Tiler
Wall and floor tiler

Keywords:

Building
Commerical
Construction
Domestic
Floor
Stone
Tiler
Tiling
Walls

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: Awareness of health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance (Emergencies and First Aid provision and mandatory reporting of accidents and near misses) and impact on role. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). Fire safety. Health and Safety at Work Act. Asbestos awareness. Manual handling. signage, fire extinguishers. Safety signage. Situational awareness. Slips, trips, and falls. Working in confined spaces. Electrical safety, emergency stop procedures. Lone working. Safety equipment and guards on machinery and power tools.
K2: Safety Control equipment and how to use personal protective equipment (PPE) respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and dust suppression.
K3: Working at height equipment and safe use.
K4: Safe systems of work: Site specific inductions, risk assessments, method statements and hazard identification in the work area.
K5: Standards and regulations relevant to the wall and floor tiler role: British Standards including BS5385, BS8000, building regulations, quality standards and Codes of Practice including the installation of movement joints and construction joints in line with the tolerances set out within the standards.
K6: Tiling industry: private residential, new construction, commercial, refurbishment, retrofit.
K7: Construction technology: traditional, modern. Principles of buildings: structural support, cavity wall, timber frame, steel frame, modern methods of construction.
K8: Order of work methods and techniques. Pre-installation checks.
K9: Protection of work area and adjacent finishes.
K10: Wall and floor tiles: ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, agglomerate and mosaics tiles. Characteristics, quality, uses.
K11: Resource estimation techniques relevant to the role.
K12: Substrate: types, weight limits, preparation for tiling techniques, drying and curing times: adhesives, grouts, primers, levelling compounds, screeds, render, anti-fracture membranes, board systems.
K13: Setting out techniques for wall and floor tiling.
K14: Techniques for measuring, marking and cutting materials including cutting around obstacles and using laser levels.
K15: Wall and floor tiles fixing techniques.
K16: Wall and floor tiles removal techniques and methods.
K17: Electric underfloor heating: installation techniques.
K18: Decoupling membranes: uses and characteristics.
K19: Tanking: types and installation techniques.
K20: Techniques to select and apply adhesives for wall and floor tiling.
K21: Techniques to select, apply and finish grouts for wall and floor tiling.
K22: Techniques to rectify defects or damages.
K23: Handover process to commercial and domestic customers.
K24: Techniques of using tools and equipment: power tools, hand tools, cutting tools and measuring equipment.
K25: Techniques and methods of moving, handling and storing tools and equipment: hand, power and cutting tools, materials and measuring equipment.
K26: Methods of interpreting and extracting relevant information from drawings, specifications, digital documents, and work instructions, including manufacturers instructions
K27: Awareness of environmental and sustainability regulations and the principles of recycling, reusing, and disposing of waste.
K28: Team working techniques.
K29: Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving information. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them.
K30: Responsibilities and methods for reporting non-compliance with regulations or Standards.
K31: Contractual arrangements: penalty clauses, customer rights and product as described.
K32: Principles of inclusion, equity, and diversity in the workplace.
K33: Well-being: mental and physical health considerations in yourself and others and how to access support.
K34: Employment types (self employed and employed), small business start up principles and tax responsibilities.
K35: Final inspection and workplace documentation and methods of completing.

S1: Follow procedures and comply with health and safety regulations, standards, and statutory guidance.
S2: Identify and use personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and dust suppression.
S3: Comply with risk assessments, method statements and safe systems of work.
S4: Use access and work at height equipment, for example step ladders, podium steps, hop up safety platforms.
S5: Plan order of works and carry out pre-installation checks.
S6: Protect work area and adjacent finishes.
S7: Prepare and maintain working area.
S8: Select and use wall and floor tiles such as ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, agglomerate and mosaics tiles.
S9: Calculate required amounts of tiles, materials, and resources for the work requirements.
S10: Select and use substrate primer.
S11: Set out for tiling wall and floor areas.
S12: Measure, mark and cut tiles including cutting around obstacles and using laser levels.
S13: Fix wall and floor tiles.
S14: Install electric under-tile heating.
S15: Install decoupling membranes.
S16: Install tanking systems.
S17: Apply adhesives in preparation to fix tiles to wall and floor surfaces.
S18: Grout and finish tiles that are fixed to wall or floor areas.
S19: Complete final inspections and workplace documentation.
S20: Complete a customer or site manager handover.
S21: Select, check, and use hand, power, cutting tools and measuring equipment.
S22: Move and store hand, power and cutting tools, measuring equipment and materials.
S23: Read and interpret information from manufacturers guidance and other sources, for example from drawings, specifications, digital documents, or work instructions.
S24: Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
S25: Ensure materials are used efficiently and sustainably.
S26: Apply team working principles.
S27: Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
S28: Remove wall and floor tiles.
S29: Carry out and record learning and development activities.
S30: Identity substrates and prepare for tiling using renders, levelling compounds and screeds.
S31: Rectifies defects and damages.

B1: Put wellbeing, health, and safety first.
B2: Take ownership of given work.
B3: Maintain working relationships with colleagues, customers and others.
B4: Consider the environment when using resources and carrying out processes.
B5: Seek learning and development opportunities.
B6: Contribute to an inclusive and diverse culture.

Duties

Duty D1

Work in compliance with occupational health and safety and environmental legislation, relevant regulations, and recognised industry guidance to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of self and others always. Report in a timely manner any non-compliances against the construction programme to the appropriate person.

Duty D2

Deliver work in accordance with design and specification.

Duty D3

Use and inspect hand tools, power tools and associated equipment to complete task to industry standards.

Duty D4

Receive, unload, move and lift materials to site for installation following good handling practices preventing injury or damage.

Duty D5

Work to the construction programme, adapting to changes in schedule and requirements where necessary.

Duty D6

Prepare the work area, checking it is safe and in accordance with method statements and risk assessments and implement the necessary control measures.

Duty D7

Maintain a clear and tidy workspace and ensure that waste materials are disposed appropriately and sustainably.

Duty D8

Complete accurate records of work undertaken in accordance with company policies and procedures.

Duty D9

Remove existing wall and floor tiles, understanding what action should be taken or who to report situations to if problems arise.

Duty D10

Estimate materials needed, limiting wastage of resources.

Duty D11

Prepare backgrounds for tiling.

Duty D12

Fix wall tiles to meet design and specification.

Duty D13

Fix floor tiles to meet design and specification.

Duty D14

Install under-tile heating systems, tanking systems and decoupling membranes to meet design and specification.

Duty D15

Collaborate with stakeholders including clients and other construction trades.

Duty D16

Carry out continuous professional development to maintain knowledge of current and future developments affecting the role.

Occupational Progression

This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.

In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.

It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.

Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.

Technical Occupations

Levels 2-3

Higher Technical Occupations

Levels 4-5

Professional Occupations

Levels 6-7

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Level 2

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Level 2

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Level 2

Construction and the built environment