Ensure your home upgrades make a splash with the help of City Tiles & Bathrooms

If you are making ‘a considered purchase’ such as a new bathroom, it’s important that you have a reputable, top class company on board to accompany you on the journey. So says Pat Roche, founder and CEO of City Tiles & Bathrooms (CTB), which has state-of-the-art showrooms in Togher and Blackpool in Cork (both measuring 10,000 square feet) as well as in Limerick and Dublin.

Mr Roche, who is in partnership with Michael Tyrell, has over 35 years of experience. He is proud of the bespoke service he provides which is vital as he is in the business of ‘consultative sales.’ 

“A customer might have a loose plan to do up their bathroom or to buy tiles for a new kitchen or hall, for example,” says Mr Roche. “They gather information by visiting two or three stores. People have an idea of what they want. And that’s when we really come into our own. Whether you’re a first time buyer or you’re trading up or you have an expanding family, we have the products and an expert to give you the right advice and solution.” (Mr Roche estimates that the Togher showroom has at least 150 years worth of experienced personnel, while the Blackpool one has forty-five years of experience.) 

Always conscious of possible ‘red flags,’ Mr Roche says that sometimes, a company will sell a shower door to a client only for it to be too big for the bathroom. “Some of my competitors will say they can’t take it back. What are you going to do? We won’t sell the shower door until all the tiling and construction work is done. We’ll make sure the measurements are correct.” 

When a client is on their journey to create a new bathroom, they are going to need a good team such as a builder, plumber and interior designer. “We work with established trades-people. I’m not a fitter. I sell you the product. I will put you in touch with the trades-people. It’s up to you to satisfy yourself that they’re the right people for you. There’s always a suitable person for a complex job. The bathroom is a tricky job. It has to be done correctly. There’s the plumbing, the wiring, the carpentry, the tiling and the painting afterwards. There’s a lot of work in it. I’ve heard Dermot Bannon say that by square foot, your bathroom is the most expensive room in the house. So I want to make sure we get it right for you.” 

This is a mark of pride as well as having a very practical application. Mr Roche wants to give a good service because he knows that a satisfied customer will recommend CTB. “Basically, I want your business. I respect the money you give us. You have worked hard for it. I want to work hard for you. I want you to recommend me. That is my philosophy.” 

The staff at CTB are being constantly trained. The company employs forty-five people nationwide. “Because of the power of knowledge, it takes a year or two to three years for people to understand all the different products that we sell. We operate a kind of ‘buddy-system’ where experienced sales staff take on junior sales staff and they shadow them for six months, twelve months or eighteen months until they get up to speed.” 

When it comes to hiring sales staff, Mr Roche says: “I have a penchant for people who are experienced in sales and have life experience and are cool, calm and collected. They would be homeowners themselves and can relate to the customer.” 

One of CTB’s big advantages is its warehouses where products are stocked. This means there is no delay in delivering bathroom ware and tiles.

Mr Roche points out that because of the times we live in with increased cost-of-living, the cost of products have gone up by 25%-40% in the last couple of years. “The cost of labour has nearly doubled. So our clients are making very considered purchases. If you were doing up your bathroom six years ago, it would have cost €5,000-€6,000 whereas today, it costs €9,000-€10,000. It’s a bit like buying a car. You’re hardly going to buy online. When making a considered purchase, my advice to anyone is to take your time and make sure you’re dealing with the right company.” 

If the amount of tiles purchased from CTB is too big, the company will take them back unlike a lot of competitors, says Mr Roche. “We are more than helpful.” 

In today’s market, a bathroom’s life cycle is about twenty years. “Before, it might have been forty years. The reason it has changed is because of showering, access and mobility needs and teenagers in the house. People have to take out the bath and put in a new shower because there’s so much activity going on. Tiling styles change and certain looks become dated. People come in with lots of ideas that they saw online on Instagram or Pinterest. Or they get ideas from staying in a nice hotel or from magazines. At the moment, wood effect tiles, concrete effect tiles, marble effect ones and large format tiles are in fashion. Pastel colours come and go. In bathrooms, we have a wide range of colours. Brass fittings are popular. Traditionally, they would have been chrome.” 

People of a certain age will recall avocado-coloured sanitary ware which didn’t stand the test of time. “We’re seeing changes such as black sanitary ware. People want something that is trendy or ornate or unique.” 

Future proofing the bathroom is something that many households undertake. If subject to a council grant, an occupational therapist has to approve the layout of the new fitments. Most new houses now have at least three bathrooms which is in keeping with the need for a downstairs bathroom later in life.

CTB does all kinds of tiling; for bathrooms, kitchens and conservatories. “We also do outdoor tiles. They are much better than patio slabs. They’re porcelain and frost-proof. You hose them down at the start of the outdoor season and they look brand new every year. Patio slabs don’t look new after a while.” 

Mr Roche advises anyone embarking on a ‘considered purchase’ like doing up a bathroom to contact CTB. You can make an appointment with the sales team. Ultimately, what is on offer is not just a shiny new bathroom but also “peace of mind” as Mr Roche puts it.

City Tiles & Bathrooms are open seven days a week, from 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and from 1pm to 5pm on Sundays. To learn more, visit www.citytilesandbathrooms.ie.