I think when I looked into having my bathroom re-done, the quote I got was around 5,000 as well. This included demo, dumpster rental, "materials and labor" (excluding tile, grout, tub, sink and fixtures). Note: when I read that "materials and labor" excluding a bunch of materials - I had to ask wat materials were covered. Basically he covered mortar, any minor drywall work and backerboard for the tile -- the items whose cost was pretty much fixed and known. In any case, I opted to do the work myself (10'x8' bathroom). Tiling the floor was *very* easy. Tiling the ceiling above the tub was surprisingly easy as well (althought grouting was a bit messy). I did have a little trouble tiling the walls however. The tiling was a bit uneven on the first wall I did. Forutnately the grout hides a lot of the inconsistancies. In any case, if you want to save money, I'd recommend doing the demolition and tiling the floor yourself and then hiring someone to do the walls and ceiling.

"As I am spending all this time in the tile stores I see/hear people pop in, seemingly for their first visits, look at the tile boards, debate 5-10 minutes, and then order tile!!!!! It is unreal! how can it be so simple for them!"-wow. I remember feeling so lost exhausted and tired in one of the huge stores in LA..and some woman came up to me and asked me "I'm so overwhelmed..can you help me pick something?" have no idea why she approached me..maybe because my jeans were in the laundry and I wore something nicer? lol. or maybe just out of desperation. because nobody's helping you in these huge places. I told her "I'm sorry I can't..I wish someone would help me))" It would be nice and interesting to help of course but I felt like dying between all these tiles and stones..like they're there to crush me or something. had to get myself out of that store asap. too huge, too overwhelming..nowhere to sit..i felt like i was going to faint. this poor lady probably felt the same way. I'm trying to think why it's so beautiful in the nature and sometimes so hard in the interiors-to marry some very different things. when it's about these finished hard surfaces. maybe because our variation is very pre-set? it's too much but too little, at the same time? I know I'm not making much sense..I'm just thinking aloud. The view out of your window really intrigues me. Maybe not just colors come into play but the overall feel? our walls etc are too plain too sleek..can't compete with the snow? Snow's white but also ever changing..has depth that's hard to get with tile..it's never really just white even though it's an icon for white..? (My DH also used the word "cave" a lot lol. )

I wonder if Rockybird has decided. I am starting to think that I will never make a decision! I have given up on dark floors and white tile walls. I went to the tile store again yesterday to get some cream porcelain stone look tiles. One is OK, but I don't love it. On one of the boards was a dark tile I have brought home before (or similar looks a bit washed out I think too much light coming in the room): Master Bathroom · More Info It is a very bright room. Maybe the dark on the floor and the shower wall will work? this is the bath again: So this tile: which matches the wood in the room very well, would be on the floor, the shower floor, the corner shower walls and around the tub. It comes in a few sizes which would work. then there would be a white tub. white toilet. then I get stumped. I guess I could keep the vanity as is although it is not exactly the same as the window, closet and door trim. could the walls still be white? or would it look unfinished? counter? Sinks white?

I can't tell how true the colors in the photos are -- they look pretty dark. I'd look for a medium gray (warm, not cold) or tan tile that matches a tone in the slate -- there are a zillion cement-look tiles that might do the trick, say -- and use that on the floor and around your tub. You haven't said what color your vanity is, so it's hard to suggest a counter, but again, you might look for a stone that coordinates with tones from your slate while giving sufficient contrast with the vanity (that is, a mix of grays and browns with a cream or white vanity, maybe more toward cream with a darker wood vanity)... Should be possible to make it all look intentional. Maybe you can find a small slate accent tile to put at the top of your tiling near the tub to help tie things together (or maybe as a backsplash for the vanity, depending). Here are a smattering of photos that might help you think: