Call the store and ask them. They want to sell the tile, and they probably have their own tile guys (our's did), and they should be able to answer you.

But yes, he's the one being unreasonable, not you!

Stinky:
Isn't this stuff the worst??? Worse than buying electronics. (And thanks for your feedback on my question over in bath).

We're having the same problem getting a breakdown on our granite purchase. It's like they think if we see it in black and white, we might question the unquestionable. Oh, so I'm paying $100 for acquisition of tile, and $100 for the careful handling of tile, and $100 for inspection of tile. It's like buying a car with all those intangible costs added in.

I would definitely demand a complete break-down of all his costs, labor and material, that he's charging you, not what he's paying. I think there's a certain worth to him getting the tile, delivering the tile, getting a discount on the tile, but that still shouldn't keep him from divulging YOUR cost. You are not being unreasonable. It may be that he knows you can compare costs on the internet to find out he's quite inflating the cost of the tile. I wouldn't care if he's great at his work or not. To me, this borders on dishonesty.

BTW, still agonizing over my own granite purchase.
Dee

Hi Oakley! Thanks. Well, they told me at the tile store that they give intallers a 15% discount.

Really, it is fine with me if the guy doesn't want to pass that on to me...the tile is super affordable to begin with. Also, I would like to work with one of the guys the plumber recommends as he is used to working with them. I think the process would go more smoothly that way.

It's just the principle...I like to know what I am paying and...I like to know the quantity I am buying. Yes, I have my own calculations. There's about 100 sf for the shower, 140 sf for the floor, 50 for the tub surround, according to MY measurements. What are HIS numbers? Why the big mystery?

Missed your post Dee. Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply! SO, I am not a diva for wanting a break down of the costs...good to know. Yes, to me it borders on dishonesty too. I think "transparency," to use a buzz word of the day, is called for in any business deal, no matter how small.

Good luck with your granite purchase! You'll find a good deal!

When did these contractors forget who puts the meals on their tables and in their bank accounts? You have every right to question the cost of materials, labor, and for that matter anything else about your potential job. It is not as though you are asking him what type of cologne he's wearing or what he pays for it.

I would move on, but my tolerance for contractors like the one you are talking with is zero.

What is the big secret with your guy? Red flags JMHO.

No, you are not being unreasonable!!

He should supply you with the sq. footage, price of tile, labor and any other costs involved. If he is being this difficult before you have even hired him, what will he be like if there is a problem down the road?

I wouldn't think twice about writing this guy off!

Liz

DH is in the excavation business, and I know that in no way compares to contractors and professionals in the home remodeling/repair/building business. Most of his work is hourly equipment rate, but he also provides materials if the customer requests. Examples would be gravel, drainage pipe, material for septic-systems, mulching and seeding materials.

He may purchase a truck load of mulching straw and provide it to his customers. He may be able to purchase the straw for $3.00 a bale but the customer does not need to know that. On the customer's invoice, they may be charged $6.00 per bale (incidentally, going rate). Why? He provided the truck and man hours to pick up the material on a farm perhaps 60 miles away, he provided the storage, he "handled" the straw at least three times getting it to the customer, plus he invested his money up front.

Same concept for pipe, etc.

His invoice will have a breakdown of equipment hours (dozer/backhoe/excavator/truck), HIS CHARGE for materials, etc, any manual labor for non-equipment work (i.e. mulching, seeding, shoveling, etc).

The example I gave is the way it should be, but I will admit, this is quite a controversial issue between DH and myself. He spends a lot of time sourcing, picking up, receiving and dealing with materials that he NEVER passes on to his customers.

Mr. Tuesday is very much in demand in our area because he does outstanding work and is more than fair to his customers.

To the OP, what I would expect to see from your tile guy is a quote for material that he is charging you (not what he pays for it) and a quote for labor.

Tuesday

It's just the principle...I like to know what I am paying and...I like to know the quantity I am buying.

I see a bit of a communication breakdown. In the sentences above it sounds like you want to know an itemization and what you'd be charged, also itemized. Perfectly reasonable request, imho.

But in your emails, here's the breakdown I see:
stinky: May I ask what price you are getting?
(Sounds like you are asking his cost, not what he'd be charging you for it.)

Tile guy: Like many companies, I feel it is not appropriate to give out my price. (Kind of affirms he got the same impression - he was being asked for his cost. Which I get he wouldn't want to divulge.)

stinky: Well, I would like to know what I am paying for...that's not top secret is it? I can't imagine buying something without knowing the price of it....I am a customer who pays attention to, & cares about details, & yes, prices. (Although it's not crystal clear, that response sounds more like you are seeking the price he would charge you. Especially since you mention not buying anything without knowing the "price" of it.)

With transactions like this, IMVHO, "price" is generally viewed as retail or consumer's final monetary output, while "cost" is viewed as a wholesale or dealer/contractor's final money output after any discount they get.

If you want to deal with him, I'd suggest a short, sweet to the point clarification: Dear Tile Guy, after rereading our correspondence I realize there may have been a miscommunication. I am not asking what your cost for materials is. I am asking for the price you would charge me. And I'm asking that the price you would charge me be itemized (or broken down) rather than stated as a lump sum.

If he continues to act vague or gets rude, ditch him and move on to Tile Guy #2. That's what I'd do. I've been dealing with an idiot contractor and office staff for an insurance claim. Supposed to be one of the insurance company's "Preferred Contractors". They have been vague, rude, inconsiderate, and a general PIA. Multiple rooms and items are involved. When I asked the contractor for a break down of allowable prices per item per the insurance company, I was faxed a sheet of paper listing breakdowns to the most minute detail. Problem was, with the exception of two large items, everything was blacked out. When I inquired, I was told there is some "flexibility". I was instructed to go out, shop, and we'd see what we could work out. For crying out loud, who operates like that. With a roofing claim, I knew what allowable expenses were to the last detail and the job was done with zero out of pocket cost to me. But this knucklehead...it all feels nothing less than shady to me and I've about had it.

Hi stinky,

I agree that he should give you a materials charge and a labor charge breakdown, but not what he is paying for the materials. Same thing with paint, flooring, etc. I don't expect to know what the contractor is paying, just what he is charging me. It is a given that he can purchase materials for a discount and that is fine with me. If it is more than I want to pay, I go elsewhere. Asking what he paid for the material seems to be a little like asking the store what THEY paid for the dress I am buying and how much their mark-up is.

I do hope everything works out beautifully and the tile job is perfect! No fun when things are difficult!

Thanks so much, WorkinProgress! I appreciate your supportive comments & thoughts. You also made me laugh with the cologne thing!

Liz, thanks for your feedback. Good points!

Tuesday, I hear what you are saying. You gave me insight from another angle. Thanks for the inside scoop.

Moonshadow, wow, so nice of you to so carefully look at my scenario & provide such an in-depth reply. It IS a bit confusing, but I think I hear you. I know that you are hearing me, & I appreciate that. I guess I was asking him for the price per square foot, & I wanted to multiply that by the number of square feet bought.

Actually, he probably already did as you suggest. He gave me a price #1, for the labor. #2 for the floor tile itself, but did not indicate how many square feet he was buying, or what he was paying per square foot. #3 for the wall tile price itself, again, without additional details. That may be as itemized as he is going to go.

Goodness, your contractor experience sounds grisly, but I know you will forge ahead, stick to your guns and make it all work. These experiences teach me a lot about the business world.

Cyn, thanks. That helps too. I appreciate your explanation & your good wishes. I am optimistic. I feel really good about my plumber & carpenter. Just need to get the tile guy squared away. But tile is a big part of a bathroom remodel. It needs to be done right!

OK, I have to jump in here. Yes, as phrased, you were being unreasonable. It's really none of your business what HE pays for the tile. The only thing you need to know is what he is CHARGING you for the tile.

As a former upholsterer, I carried one fabric line suitable for commercial applications - office waiting rooms and such, which was 80% of my work.

I bought for price x and I sold for price y. I would never tell a customer what I paid for the fabric. I would itemize the bill for fabric (with price per yard), and labor, plus incidentals (frame repair, new springs). If I had to give my wholesale price to the customer, I'd have been out of business. We independent businesses need to be profitable, too.

If people bought their own fabric there was a percentage increase in my labor charge to cover both the loss of profit on the fabric sale as well as the "Oh crap - this fabric is totally unsuitable for the job, and it'll be a bear to match, and they're a half yard short!" aspect.

On every tile project that we've done, our tile installer gives me the breakdown of the tile and supplies necessary (sq ft, bull nose amounts, trim amounts etc) and I have gone to the tile supplier and ordered or purchased the necessary supplies. The tile company asks for the name of our installer and I get his price.

I thought that was the way everyone did it....

ML

SG, in this economy you'd expect vendors to be a bit more service oriented, but if he's still busy he may be disinclined to "communicate," and may think it's not worth it to him to have a customer that he may thinks might be difficult. Yes, transparency is appropriate, but there's an easier way to get the results you want.

Part of my career entailed working as an asset manager in private industry and later for major public works projects. The written communication between owner reps and vendors were generally polite, concise and both sides understood that time is money. Some of us may have been friends IRL and, whether or not we were, no matter what tried to always be reasonable, even when sorting through issues that might result in their incurring penalties for missed deadlines or, worse, their termination. The flip side may have resulted in unnecessary change order costs to the owner. But in order to assure a fair ROI for both parties, we needed to get as much accomplished with as little aggravation as possible. I continue to use that approach in my private business dealings.

I think a good way to handle this with future vendors is to ask for a quote for installation, i.e., labor only, broken down by separate areas, i.e., tub surround, shower and floor. Typically they may want to know what type of tile you're planning to use as natural stone has a different labor and materials cost (excluding the actual tile) than they are likely to charge for porcelain or ceramic. If you haven't made that decision, it's fine to ask for a quote for both types so that you can budget accordingly. After you know their installation costs, if you want to ask whether they can buy the tile at their cost and pass along a portion of the savings to you, that's a fair question. They may not agree, based upon their margins, and that may be fair as well.

I don't like to get a lump sum for any job, so I ask for the breakdown from the get go. If purchasing a few of one type of item, get the cost for one, then inquire whether there is a quantity discount. Most vendors expect that a customer may ask. As you've already wisely done, know the retail and get the preferred vendor basis whenever possible before you even ask for quotes. It's not neceassrily good to let them know you have that info, but it will make it easier for you to analyze competitive bids.

Now you know I tend to be wordy in order to condense a lot of points into talking with y'all on this forum, but when I email or initially talk with vendors I try to be more concise. We might have a warm & fuzzy relationship once I give them the job, and I prefer to only hire those I like and trust -- both in ability to turn out quality work but personal integrity is equally critical as they are going into your home. That being said, I suspect any vendors would look at your email and think, "Sheesh! This lady, Ms. X, is going to take more time to deal with than Ms. Z." Not because they mind providing the breakdown, but it takes a bit more effort to deal with customers who seem not to know how contractors usually quote. If they have potential x, y & z's lined up, they may pass on Ms. X.

So, if you don't hear back from this guy, don't worry about it. If you really want to use him for whatever reason, then wait until tomorrow afternoon. Then perhaps a short email thanking him for the original quote but requesting clarification for his labor only per area is in order. Good luck!

This turned into an educational and interesting discussion.

Okay, what I would want to know is 1) what does he charge you for the tile, and 2) what is his labor cost.

He won't be giving away what he bought the tile for, but it will tell you if YOU get a discount which you're supposed to, and also tell you what the instore cost of the tile is at full price, compared to what he's charging you for the tile.

One bill with two breakdowns. Cost of tile which is NOT unreasonable, and cost of labor.

How else can you shop around for the best price? There's no way unless he give's you the total of both.

Mary C, another insider perspective. Thanks!

Maddie, that's interesting. Sounds like your system works! Don't change a thing!

AB, thanks for your detailed reply. Yes, I'm expecting not to hear back from this fellow. As you suggest,I will not to do anything or call anyone today. Taking a breather.

Btw, he did already give me a labor price. That sounded fine. The only bone of contention I have is with the way he's giving me the tile price.

Furthermore, even if his business practices are indeed commonplace, a little while ago I took out my calculator & ran the mumbers using my measurements, which should be pretty close, & the retail pricing of the tile. Seems he's adding quite a surcharge on for pick-up, or something! Why did I shop 'til I dropped for an excellent tile price if it is going to jacked up like this? Crazy.

Plumber said his #2 tile person does good work, is a good guy, but his crew can be "a little rough around the edges." That gives me pause. His #3 - a good guy, good work, but is a bigger company. Translation? More expensive? I wonder.

AB, I also want to thank you for finding my plumber! I did call the person you directed me to via the city-data thread. I think he is a real pro, a nice guy, & he has an excellent reputation. From FL you found my VA plumber! Thanks!

Oakley, hi again! Thanks for your insights.

FYI, I've had two other tile jobs done at my house.

#1-Guest Bath - Beautiful, well-done job, but the guy was a lunatic. Would never re-hire. However...I selected tile at Lowes, he picked it up, & gave me a 15% discount on the Lowes price. It was all upfront & on the table.

#2 - Kitchen Backsplash - Beautiful, well-done job & the guy was a complete sweetheart! Polite, kind, talented, & his assistant was a girl who was also very sweet. Great experience. He picked up my tile at Lowes, did not offer a discount, but I paid the store price. He picked up my accent tile at Dal-tile & passed on his 20% discount for that. Why am I not hiring him again? He went out of business! He does do jobs on weekends, but this would take FOREVER divided up over weekends. Ugh.

Just saying, I am used to a very straight-forward approach to pricing. It's good to know from others here though, that there are a lot of acceptable ways to do this. As Oakley said, I am getting an education!

Glad the plumber worked out!

Ok, if the bone of contention is over the tile, are you willing to purchase directly and either pick up or have delivered by the store? Either will costs you a bit, but maybe not as much as he's factoring in. If you are, you might simply accept his labor price only unless his quote specifies otherwise.

Many tile stores work with customers on the same basis as Maddielee suggested. OTH, I agree with MaryC, customers are not supposed to automatically get the vendor price. His labor rate may be lower than another installer's if it's based on the profit he built into the tile portion, and his quote may be a package deal. That's one way to structure a quote, and businesses need to make a profit.

In any event, it's wise to get several quotes, even though it can be a PITA and time consuming to do so. If you meet with Tile guy #2, I'd ask him about his crew. #3 might surprise you, but if not at least you have another price to help you evaluate. Someone else suggested asking the tile store for a referral. If you go that route, I'd ask a marble flooring place for their recommendation as the required skill level is much higher. As you know, tiles can make or break an impression based upon the installer's ability to produce level alignment and perfect seams, particularly noticeable if you have minimal grout lines.

You may already have all of this figured out, but somebody else may be facing a bath reno so here's a few more aspects to consider since you're GCing. Who is installing the greenboard, kerdi or other type of waterproof underlayment before the tile can be set? This may or may not be the tile guy. A handyman may be a good choice, but either may be less expensive than the plumber if (s)he is quoting it. Who is making sure the shower pan (or mud if no pan is used) is set correctly so that the water drains away from the shower entrance. As long as you're redoing the shower, maybe you want a wide, curbless ADA entry. Means a bit more in shower door costs, but might be useful to you or future owners in times of temporary or permanent disability. HTH!

P.S., n-o-n-e is missing from a few posts here so I'm definitely not the only one. Eventually I hope IT figures out the problem, but I may start a specific thread next week if it persists.

Stinky,

I haven't read all the responses so if this is a repeat, I do apologize. Many tilers are more than willing to pass that savings (usually 10-15%) from the stores on to their customers. Our contract even went as far as to set up a new account with the store we went with. If he's not willing to be transparent and you are already at odds then I would move on to another professional.

Sorry, didn't proof read, our CONTRACTOR was even willing to set up a new account.

I'm confused. If you've gotten 2 other quotes as well, doesn't it all boil down to the bottom line? Is his bid significantly higher than the other 2? When you order tile you also have to figure in an additional % for waste due to the cuts and all. I just ordered tile and ordered a bit more than that so I would have extra tile left over to have on hand in case of breakage down the road. I don't want to have to source a replacement tile 10 years from now.

Thanks again, AB...lots of good suggestions. So you wouldn't rule #2 out because of the crew. Okay. Maybe I should give him & # 3 both an interview.

Hi Lukki! Thanks. Looks like I am moving on! This guy has not been back in touch with me (coward!) He could have sent me an e-mail stating that he didn't want to work for me since he perceives me to be a PITA. Instead, there's no response from him at all. That's not professional either, imo.

Chickadee, I never interviewed the plumber's other two recommendations, just his #1.

I used two other tile installers in the past, but one was a nut, & the other one went out of business.

Finding workers is an ongoing challenge & basically at least a part-time job for me! I don't have good contractor mojo. Have been trying since April to find someone to replace some rotten wood around windows for me to no avail.

Don't think there have been 5 months in the 5 years I've been in this house, that I haven't been on a search for some sort of helper! It used to really discourage me! Now I just look at it as a very challenging part of my job as "housewife."

"Finding workers is an ongoing challenge & basically at least a part-time job for me!"

You are right about that! We built our house, and much of the job of finding subcontractors fell to me. But, we learned alot along the way too.

tina

Oh Yes, Tina...I'm learning! That is a good thing. You make a good point. Knowledge is never wasted! Who knows how I may use these tidbits of information in the future?

Hi Lukki! Thanks. Looks like I am moving on! This guy has not been back in touch with me (coward!) He could have sent me an e-mail stating that he didn't want to work for me since he perceives me to be a PITA. Instead, there's no response from him at all. That's not professional either, imo.

Seriously, what can he write or say to you that would not offend you? The only thing he can do is tell you that he cannot do the job until some day far in the future because he's already booked. Time is money for him (and you, too); he doesn't want a bad reputation and can't afford to spend too much time answering questions you wouldn't ask other retailers. Did you ask Lowe's for their wholesale price?

As others have pointed out, you asked the wrong question and got an answer you didn't like. Since you are already inclined to distrust this contractor, I'd use someone else.

Sg, I'd also ask for referrals from a marble store and talk with them in addition to interviewing the plumber's other 2. Three or four is the minimum usually, not just to see who might have the best price but also the best approach.

Mr W might be a good source for a handyman referral. Life gets a lot easier if you can find a good go-to guy who, if he can't fix it himself, may know someone who can. One of my current favs is a gas co retiree. Lovely and knowledgeable man. I've had luck with getting the name & # of a couple of guys who were sent by companies to do 9- 5 repairs/installs but who take on side jobs. Many contractors and their crews are struggling now so you may be lucky and come across some good ones too.

Even though your fav tiler is no longer in business it may be a good idea to ask if he has a referral. He might even have vacation time available to work for you himself. I'd also ask him how many wkends it would take. I doubt more than 3 or 4. But then I've lived w/ an incomplete master bath now for several months for one reason or another. DH & I happily share one sink again just like many entire large families have to do, until my contractor neighbor has a break that coincides with our schedule to finish up. Since you don't use bathtubs, maybe he can start with the floor and complete that over one wkend, then the shower, then finish the tub if your DH won't mind an extended project to get your fav tiler back. You'd have to use your other bath for a longer time but maybe that's not too inconvenient. If that's not feasible, then you'll just have to select one of the others. Best of luck! I know this is time consuming but you will be thrilled with your new bath.... eventually.

Hi Shermann! It doesn't really "offend" me that he didn't respond, but it does create an impression that isn't the most professional, imo.

Thought he might state in an e-mail: "This is my policy, take it or leave it," in so many words.

Though I disagree with him, I admire people who stand by their choices. By not sending a response & remaining silent, he is still standing by his choice. While I realize that it does send a message when one takes a stand implicitly, to express it explicitly is even more impressive, imo.

But you make good points. Time is money, & he has bigger fish to fry. This is the real world, 2011. The second after he read my e-mail, I bet he had moved on!

Hi AB! I agree, "Life gets a lot easier if you can find a good go-to guy..." Thanks for understanding. I would really love that!

It will all work out. I've reached a degree of acceptance about the "worker situation" that I didn't used to have. But this gives you further insight into HOW much I appreciated you helping me find this plumber... who is worth is weight in gold, ime!

Yes, Mr. W. may be a good resource to consult.

Frankly, (this is going to sound very silly) I am more worried about inconviencing the cat & unnerving her through all this, than I am concerned about any inconvenience to myself.

We have never once taken a bath or shower in this room, but I do my makeup & hair in there & the kitty eats & drinks & lounges on the tile next to the current giganourmous tub. So funny. Her hang-out is going to be gutted, & her household disrupted by a lot of noise, chaos, strangers & dust. I can manage to pull myself together in another room, that's no big deal.

Thanks so much for you interest & suggestions. I so appreciate all of your feedback!

Maybe it's a good idea to get Jasmine used to a new spot now, well in advance of project start. She may have an easier time adjusting while there's still peace and quiet rather than once strangers frighten her by invading and making LOUD noises and lots of dust.

sherrmann asked an interesting question that you didn't answer .. "Did you ask Lowes for their wholesale price?".

I simply think your answer just might make your confusing issue easier to understand.

Do you actually ask all contractors their wholesale prices for their products?

Lefleur, I am not asking anyone for their wholesale price. In this case, for this room, it is Morris Tile's retail price that I am interested in purchasing my tile for. If a tile person needs to add costs to the tile shop's retail price, that deal is not for me.

My other two installers picked up the tile at Lowes for me. I paid Lowes' retail price for the material ahead of time. Each installer's labor quotes surely included compensation for picking up & delivering the tile. That is a valuable service worthy of compensation, certainly, & I paid for that service through the agreed upon labor price. The tile price was the tile price.

It sounds like what you're NOT saying is what you're thinking:

"I shopped around and got a quote for $2.16/SF from Morris Tile. Based on the square footage I estimate, your materials quote looks significantly higher than this. Can you please clarify?"

As a contractor's wife, what I suspect your tile guy is hearing (not necessarily what you're saying) is that you want to pick apart his whole proposal to sniff out and then eliminate whatever profits he's built in for himself. What you're getting in return is the "She sounds like a problem client..." treatment.

Stinky, I'm a little late with this but so glad you won't be dealing with the likes. You CAN do better.

I respectfully disagree some of what's being said here, I think as consumers we have a right to know what we're paying for and ask questions ALOT of questions. Those who don't often wind up on the loosing end of the deal. If a contractor or builder isn't happy or comfortable with that it's a red flag to me. I asked a lot of questions with all the people I interviewed. My preference was to supply the tile and everything else that involved the aesthetics and I was still able to use the contractors discount.

Sweeby, but I don't want to eliminate his, or any business owner's, profits. I simply want to clearly understand what I am paying for.

I fully expect part of what I am paying for to be profit! Afterall, profit is why people go into business, & profit enables our economy to tick! I have no desire to sign up for the socialist regime's annual tile allotment, lol!

I'd prefer an indivdual to just boost his labor quote. It would make perfect sense to add in a fee for pick up & delivery of tile. I buy the tile, which is already marked up by the tile store, at their retail price. Tile store makes a profit. Installer makes a profit. I feel the transaction is easy to understand. This approach seems more forthright & honest to me.

I can give you another example. My plumber got all the info for my selected tub, faucets, shower fixtures, tub filler, & toilet. Said he'd get me his price on all the above.

He gave me a labor quote on one sheet. On another sheet he listed each item above with a price.

Well, his prices were significantly higher than the prices I had found for the very same items at HD or online. But guess what? I am going to pay the higher prices & have him do the ordering & delivery of them to my home. I am doing so with my eyes wide open. Why? I am happy to pay for an additional service that I value. I'm happy he's willing to provide that service. Of course, he should be compensated for his time & trouble.

I'm sure to the tile guy, I am a problem client. This was a business deal that wasn't meant to be. He gets a lot of work, so many people are fine with his approach.

Hey Lukki! Thanks for your encouragement. It's all good. I have a lot to learn!

"Sweeby, but I don't want to eliminate his, or any business owner's, profits. I simply want to clearly understand what I am paying for.

I fully expect part of what I am paying for to be profit! Afterall, profit is why people go into business, & profit enables our economy to tick! I have no desire to sign up for the socialist regime's annual tile allotment, lol! "

I totally get that! In fact, I'm the same way. I'm just suggesting that this tile guy (who has probably been burned 100's of times by people who DO try to eliminate his profit) is probably having a cynical day and lumping you in with those.

When my husband does detailed bids, he prices each item out at what he will do them for (or willingly lose that portion of the job if the client wants to buy her own tile, do his own demolition, hire another electrician, etc.) then openly posts his 'overhead and profit' at the end. Makes it a bit cleaner...

I'm jumping in late and have read through most of the responses. I understand where you are coming from as I went through something similiar a couple years ago when I wanted to have carpet replaced in 4 bedrooms and tile put down in all the other rooms except our baths. I thought I would get a better price overall if I used the same flooring place who could order the tile and carpet and have them do all the work. I got what I thought was a reasonable price from a place that came highly recommended but the man I was dealing with would not break down the labor costs for the tile and the carpet. His rationale was that it depended on who he actually got to do the two jobs since it would not be the same crew laying the tile and doing the carpet. No matter how I asked, he just wanted to give me a total price and wouldn't tell me the labor costs. I ended up feeling like I was actually paying more for the tile and carpet than he actually quoted me when he said I was getting it at a discounted price because of the size of the job.

So I started back at square one and got another quote that was broken down by a company that would do both the tile and carpet. It was lower - more for the tile and less for the carpet.

Then I found a guy that would lay the tile and he helped me get an even better price for the tile and a great price for laying it. I then went to the second bidder and got the carpet at his price and his company installed it with a better warranty than the first company. The total amount I spent was about $1,700.00 less than the original guys quote. One thing I found out was that the guy that did my tile only added 3% waste. The other two added 5%. My guy did such a great job of laying it out that we ended up with 11 boxes (4 pieces each) left over.
(This job was over 1,400 sq. ft of tile in 5 rooms that all feed into each other with walls between and he matched it so that we have no pieces less than 12" wide around the walls, we used 20x20 tile). We ended up ordering more of the tile this summer and had the same guy tile our back porch leading to our pool area, of course we used our left over and it did match well.

I hope you find someone who can give you the breakdown you need. You should be able to know what the materials cost and the labor costs.

Hi Sweeby! Thanks for elaborating. Wish I could hire your dh!

Hi MBoston! It's good to see you. Wow, you tackled quite a tile project! Sounds like you had a very happy ending...great! Would love to see pics of all that tile....sounds very nice. In Florida I'm sure it's quite practical to use tile in so many rooms, & it's cool & comfortable underfoot.

Thanks for your encouragement & for sharing your experience.