Thanks for all your inputs. I will be getting a few more estimates this week. I did call the company that gave me the estimate for $6350 and told them I won't be going with them as the price is too high. He came back and said he'll do it for $5600, which would include the hotmop. I still declined. itsallaboutthefood- thanks for your estimates... based on yours, I think the price of $3800 is around the right price. Bill - wow! What a steal of a price... where are you located? Like others have stated, I wish I can fly you in, out you in a hotel and have you do my tilework! It would still be cheaper! Just got a quote for $4500. This would include floating the floors and walls, including the shower pan (with some plastic membrane or something...poly...) Just a bit more info, my shower stall will be 3'X 4' with a bench of 16" (part of the deck that is 20" high). Tub is a 66" drop-in with some tile work along the top and 8'X 20" of tile along the side. Any thoughts on this? Around the right price to pay for my area?

We put in Metroflor solid vinyl tiles in our kitchen in 2003. You couldn't get any easier layout than our kitchen, a 14x13 rectangle. The materials were $300 and the labor was 3x that - skimcoating the existing sheet vinyl, then laying the tiles. Because it was the rainy season, they let the skimcoat dry overnight even though they didn't have to. Remodeling is like that - homeowners sweat over the cost of materials, but the real cost is in the labor. It's why DIY saves money, after all. I don't regret hiring this job out. Crawling around on the floor on our hands and knees for several hours isn't appealing any longer, LOL. They moved our stove and refrig, and in fact the foreman spent over 1/2 hour re-leveling the stove when they put it back in! He was more meticulous about it than the original stove installers.

I am sorry to say that your story is very much like the ones we are trying to educate homeowners about. First and foremost, if he did not provide you with an allowance of the cost of the tile in his budget, then you should not be obligated to pay. The contractor discount is not the issue -- it's about his allowances. If the contract says "furnish and install at $1,540 then that is what you should pay. If there is other language in the contract that allows for changes, then he may have the right to charge extra -- though totally unethical if you did not approve those extra charges. The extra $650 for the "tile membrane" should also be included in the install price. If he did not add it in his original quote but is a needed part of the project, then he should eat that. Overall, your expectations are reasonable. However, if your contract allows the contractor to bill for extras WITHOUT your approval, then you might be liable for the additional charges. If nothing is stated in the contract, it could go either way. I also recommend asking for receipts of additional materials he purchased without your approval. Definitely check with the tile flooring forum for the particulars. Finally, when we price out a job, small or large, we provide one fixed price. Period. The project includes installation and materials. If we miss materials, shame on us. Replacing the entire subfloor would depend on the age, tile, etc. Those are unknowns for any contractor until the area is exposed. When the types of changes you describe are required, we will issue a "change order" for final approval and signature. Nothing is done until the homeowner signs off. Here is a link that might be useful: Hafer Construction, Inc.

There are lots of variables at play, but we're paying around $11,000 CAD for labour and materials to install 360 sq. ft of porcelain in a new kitchen (the tile is a square 16" pattern) in a medium cost of living area (Ontario, but outside major cities). That includes the fancy membrane. It's our biggest reno indulgence by far.