French Deal

This is all about tiles, bathroom tiles. Previous post noted that finding decent bathroom tiles at affordable prices is not an easy task, unless you can nip over into Spain with a five axle lorry. So it was those expensive numbers from the family factory down the road in Orriule if you remember. I believe in supporting local artisans, it makes me feel sanctimonious because I'm putting money into the local economy and I live with the probably false impression that everyone local will like me better for so doing. Anyway, the tiles were installed in one bathroom, one ensuite and one additional W.C. Not the taj mahal in terms of space, but an alright-sized-more-than-swinging-a-cat around space.

So Guillhaume, bless, finally sent the costings of work done so far. To lay tiles in those ablution areas, it has taken 109 hours of work (and we still haven't done the upstairs ensuite). I chose bigg-ish tiles so it wouldn't be fiddly, and suspended toilets and basins so it's easy to get around. You have to think of these things when paying 33.50 euros an hour to the tiler. So figure that, a solid three weeks work at high cost with no Ricard stops. It's cost a fortune, thousands in fact.

So now I have bathrooms that I will have to stop myself from marvelling at for the sheer expansive cost of sticking some tiles on the floors and walls. If I can remember how to put up a blog picture I will do so - one of the hand painted tiles around the basin. What WAS I thinking.

John, if you're reading this - there's a space behind the cooker which needs your attention once I've laid my hands on some nice antique type tiles in a junk shop in the UK. Have a free holiday and the tiling job is yours - mind you, you would get a free holiday anyway - but I could dress up as a French maid.

posted by French Deal @ 3:50 pm