Pricing and Costs of Tile and Stone Floor Manufacturers
Understanding the factors that impact tile flooring costs
When it comes to purchasing materials for tile flooring, it is important to know the pricing and costs of tile and stone floor manufacturers. These costs vary based on the material that is selected, how much is purchased, and the labor required to produce it. The more natural or exotic materials tend to be used for more "high end" projects and are priced accordingly. Special cuts or shapes are more labor intensive to produce than your basic square shape, and the cost will reflect this as well.When comparing pricing and costs of tile and stone floor manufacturers, there are several factors that will impact your budget. Consider the three factors discussed below that will very likely have the greatest impact your budget's bottom line:
1. Manufacturers of tile and stone floors price tiles according to the costs of the materials from which they are made.
2. The per-tile price can vary according to the size of the tile floor order.
3. Tile and stone floor manufacturers will charge more for special more labor intensive orders.
Decide on the material you'd like for your tile flooring order
Natural stone like that seen in limestone flooring, marble flooring, granite flooring or even a slate stone floor tends to fall into higher price ranges, and can cost anywhere from $7-$20 per square foot (some as much as $200 per square foot). Tile and stone floor manufacturers tend to charge less for synthetic materials like ceramic tiles, which run from $5-$15 per square foot, or even vinyl at $1-$4 per square foot.
Try: FloorBiz is a self-described "flooring portal" that lists manufacturers, contractors and even distributors of various floor tile products. CornerstoneWholesale provides the names of synthetic and natural tile manufacturers.
Consider buying tile flooring in bulk to save money
Many manufacturers take advantage of factory direct prices and are able to pass along the savings to you when ordering in bulk -- sometimes as much as 25-50%. These sites are ideal for design professionals, contractors and multi-home builders.
Try: StoneLocator takes minimum order quantities of 5,000 square feet for 12", 16", 18" or 24" tile. They advertise stone for as low as 99 cents per square foot. The Tile Stone Outlet has discount arrangements with a handful of stone and tile manufacturers for the specific purpose of allowing buyers to order in bulk.
Factor in the cost of a custom design or special order when choosing tile flooring
Costs will increase when custom designs or special orders come into play. Custom designs are often hand crafted or hand cut, in which case the labor costs are reflected in the higher per-tile price. Custom tiles can run as much as $15-$30 per tile.
Try: Tiles with Style specializes in creating custom ceramic tile floors and ceramic floor tiles. Gustin Ceramics offers a variety of custom made ceramic tiles that can be cut into several shapes and sizes and can be custom glazed in a range of colors. They even have sample kits for designers and architects.
- Save on floor tile materials by purchasing directly from the factory, effectively eliminating the middle man and reducing your costs. Factories have also been known to have overstock sales -- where builders and contractors can take advantage on purchasing flooring tiles at steep discounts.
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