In the long nightmare that my renovation has become, yet another problem has arisen. The quick version is ...bad framing where a staircase was taken out = cracked floor tiles above = cut in-floor electric heat = repair of framing, floor and heat = heat still doesn't work = need to find MORE tiles to actually repair the floor properly.

Since I bought the floor tiles at an liquidation auction, it is NOT possible to just buy more. They were a 12" square gold limestone, with a leathered finish. I have, however, found a reasonable facsimile of the stone...in fact close enough that it MIGHT be the same thing, since the names of these things are somewhat maleable. This is called scabos travertine.

However, the fancy-schmancy tile store I found it at in Baltimore wants $55 a square foot for it and an additional $4 to get the polished finish it comes in refabricated to a leathered finish.

A quick internet search reveals a fair amount of scabos travertine tile available in the $5-$6 a sq. foot range, so I'm thinking for much less than the $1,200 plus the fancy-schmancy shop wants for it, (I need about 10 tiles, would probably have to buy 20 to pick and choose the closest matches) I can buy 30 or 40 tiles elsewhere and pick the best....IF I can find a local fabricator who can leather the finish.

And yes, the subcontractor who did the work, is making good on his mistakes. But no one should have to fork over $1200 for tiles that might be available for a tenth of that. And he's the one person in my whole nightmare reno who actually did (mostly) good work to begin with and has manned up when he did make a mistake.

Any recommendations?