- the ability to work on your own
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of building and construction
- marking out an area to estimate the amount of tiles and adhesive needed (known as setting out)
- cutting tiles to size and shape with hand-cutters or bench-mounted tools
- preparing surfaces by levelling off with plaster, sand or cement
- fixing the tiles and applying grout before finishing off
- repairing or removing the previous surface before the setting out stage
- working with various building materials