I had a brief conversation with @nathancook on Twitter after asking for questions I could answer on this blog:
Nathan: How do I save money on Tile and Stone? Buy from you? DIY? What’s reasonable? How to: Improve equity on the cheap…
Me: Of course you save by buying from us! We have some clearance sales now … I’ll get some facts on DIY vs. installers for a post
Nathan: Yeah I have always loved stone, but swallowing $3-5k without a refi is tough, what other options exist?
After spreading the question around the office a bit, I think I have some good information for you, Nathan!
There are a couple keys to lowering your costs on a tile or stone remodel. Jeanie’s opinion is that it is worth upgrading to improve the value of your home, but that it is smarter to stay away from difficult areas like bathrooms. Any place where you need to contract extra help like a plumber or electrician is going to raise your costs significantly. Living room or dining room floors are much simpler to work with, and can give amazing results.
A larger scale tile can make a space appear much larger, although you can go as small as 13x13s on point. On another note, Jeanie also recommends sticking with neutral colors – tan, brown, or green earthy tones — for both the tile and the grout, as well as avoiding any ‘grid looks’ (strong contrasts between tile and grout). We have a selection of tile on sale at the moment – you can see a list on our Current Specials page.
Mark’s advice is to look at ceramic and less expensive porcelain tile, which can range from $.89 to $3 dollars per square foot, but stay away from natural stone, which can easily cost upwards of $6 per square foot. Doing it yourself is definitely something else you will want to look into. There are many sources for learning how to set tile on your own – we may have some tutorials here at some point, but for the moment, here are some helpful links I’ve found. These are meant as examples, and none of the information is specifically recommended by Schumacher.
* The Tile Council of North America publishes tile setting standards, but most of their literature has to be ordered. These can also be very technical and difficult to use.
* This article from the Marble Institute of America is especially helpful for getting more information regarding granite slab fabrication and installation, and has specifics relating to sinks: A Homeowner’s Guide to Natural Stone Countertop Installation. It also has information on granite and natural stone tiles.
* Unfortunately, Schumacher does not sell any books on setting tile. However, Lowe’s has a web article about setting tile and Home Depot is reputed to have the best collection of literature and how-to books on the subject.
* With just a little Googling, there are many How-To sites on the Internet with good information; however, as with anything you pick up online, try to find a reliable source and double check all advice against common sense, as well as someone who works with that material, if at all possible. The designers and tile setters here at Schumacher will be glad to answer any specific questions or help with problems you run into.
In addition to these sources, any good designer should be able to tell you what you will need in order to complete a job, including underlayment, setting materials, grout, and any sealant. These can vary depending on which tile you get, so be sure to ask when you are purchasing. Tile can also vary in strength and weather-resistance, so keep in mind the location you want to tile when shopping.
The last hint I have for you is that the winter months are generally very slow times for home improvement stores. From about November through February, you can expect to find sales and extra incentives to buy, as evidenced by our sales page and a recent post. So now’s the perfect time!
Schumacher Tile & Stone
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Thanks Heidi. That’s exactly the sort of information I was looking for.
January 23rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Awesome! I’m so glad we could help. Please don’t hesitate to ask any other questions, we’re always happy to oblige.
April 5th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
very helpful information. Thats been my concern too much spending money remodeling.
April 9th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Many of the “big boxes” also have tiling classes. Some of those classes have professionals in the field teaching, so they know what’s involved, and offer great tips and advice.
This post has given some great advice, it’s good to see there is still some good information on the web.
April 9th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Thanks you have been a great help i hate spending too much.
April 15th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Thanks for the comments, guys. Yes, Toby, I know I’ve heard of a lot of classes recently at some hardware / supply stores — I think Emser Tile has had some classes recently, though those might be geared more towards contractors than the retail public. You might want to browse local newspapers, also, to see if there are any classes being offered as incentives to visit local stores.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
so essentially, in your premise you’re stating “you can only remodel by choosing specific parts of your home” that really doesn’t address all home remodeling needs (such as bathroom).
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Perhaps I can compile a more comprehensive post of tips on remodeling your bathroom (or other specific rooms) more cost-effectively; however, the sad truth is that when you’re looking at the whole house, there are some areas which are going to be easier to work on. If your goal is to improve the overall appearance of your house (and hopefully its value) for the least cost, you will want to work on these areas.
If you have a specific need, say a bathroom or kitchen that needs work, there are ways to save money in the process, but either area is likely to cost more than a basic floor re-do.
November 19th, 2009 at 2:28 am
It’s true, neither remodeling nor improvement should be done in winter. I had it started in Autumn and even at that time had lots of troubles which slowed down the whole process.
December 16th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Great information, thanks for sharing! I am in the process of remodeling myself, this website has proven to be a great resource.
December 30th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Great read, very informative.