The average cost of Saltillo Tile flooring falls around $6.50, which includes materials and installation. Read further to understand all costs and price considerations before purchasing Saltillo Tile.
Don’t let your remodeling budget break the bank with hidden expenses! Get a good understanding of the average installed costs for Saltillo Tile since costs for this popular flooring can add up quickly — especially when you start to include your install fees.
Staying within budget starts with understanding the cost of Saltillo tiles in 2022. Then, you can get 3-5 estimates before deciding which professional to hire for the project. Most contractors will offer an estimate free of charge.
Where Does Saltillo Tile Come From?
Tlaxcaltecas craftspeople in Saltillo, Mexico, have been producing Saltillo clay tiles since the 1500s. Saltillo is located in the northeastern part of Mexico, and the tiles are made from river clay only found in that area. While similar Mexican tiles can be found in other parts of the country, they can only be called Saltillo tiles if they come from this region.
The clay is excavated from the riverbed and put in a mixing pit to soak for a few days in order to soften it. Newspaper is laid on the ground so the tiles will have a smooth bottom surface.
The clay is formed into tiles wither with wooden molds or by hand. The artisans use wooden trowels to smooth the clay’s surface — a technique that hasn’t changed much in centuries.
The tiles are then allowed to dry in the sun, which can lead to imprints like bird feet or even puppy paws. Most people consider this part of the charm of these handmade tiles.
Once dry, the tiles are put in a kiln fueled by propane, oil, or diesel to be fired. The entire process is done by hand, making for unique variations from tile to tile.
Average Cost of Saltillo Tile Per Square Foot
The price of Saltillo tile flooring will vary depending on where you live. Since the tiles only come from one section of Mexico, transportation costs to your locale will influence the cost of the tiles. That said, the average cost of Saltillo Tile flooring falls around $6.50, which includes materials and installation.
However, this will not be your final price. There are other factors that will affect the bottom line, including site preparation, disposal of old flooring, complicated tile pattern charges, and more. You could pay several additional dollars per square foot when you add up these factors.
Let’s say you live in the Charlotte, NC area. Your cost to purchase enough Saltillo tiles to finish 500 square feet is likely to cost somewhere between $1,300 on the low end and $1,775 on the high end. There will also be sales tax and a possible deliver fee added to that total.
If you hire professionals to lay your tile, the estimated time to install 500 square feet— from site setup to site cleanup — is about 70 hours. Your labor totals would range from $5,000 to $9,000. Then you will need to add an additional $550 to $650 to account for supplies and equipment charges.
All-in-all, you can expect to pay between $6800 and $11,200 for 500 square feet of Saltillo tile flooring in Charlotte, NC.
Let’s look at the other side of the country.
While the high end stays roughly the same as in Charlotte, the low end is a bit pricier on the Pacific Northwest. Your cost to purchase 500 square feet of Saltillo tile (minus tax and delivery fees) will run between $1,300 and $1,800.
Your labor costs for the same 70 hours will start around $6,500 on the low end and go up to $11,600 on the higher side. And your supply and equipment costs will likely run between $530 and $630.
All said, you can expect to pay between $8,400 and $14,00 for 500 square feet of Saltillo tile flooring in Seattle, Washington.
Find Flooring Cost Estimates In Your State
5 Tips When Getting Saltillo Tile Flooring Estimates
Since most homeowners don’t have a construction or contracting background, it can be tricky to know what to look for in an estimate. You don’t want to regret rushing into a contract with a substandard company!
While every flooring installation job will be a little bit different, there are a few general tips that will help you evaluate the estimates you receive. With a bit of planning and due diligence, you won’t end up with a contractor you regret.
Do Your Own Research
You don’t want to go into your discussions with a contractor utterly oblivious to what things should cost in your area. And thanks to Google, there is no reason why you should.
Spend a few hours checking out cost-estimation sites like HomeAdvisor or Homewyze to get familiar with the price ranges you should expect in your area.
Give Yourself Time
Many times, homeowners underestimate the amount of time it will take to get multiple estimates. It is important to give yourself enough time to read reviews, contact the companies you may want to work with, and allow the contractor to work up the estimate.
Giving yourself at least 30 days to solicit estimates is a good idea. Contractors often work with a limited number of employees, and they may have many jobs at once. Scheduling time to come speak with you may take a week or two. Then, you may see another week go by before they have a proper estimate for you.
Evaluate Credentials
While reading online reviews for any potential contractor is good, they may not tell the whole story. Businesses can pay to show up first in online searches and pay people to leave good reviews.
Start with the online reviews, but be sure to check credentials elsewhere. One great place to look is the Better Business Bureau’s website. You can see each company’s score, check out any filed complaints, and see customer comments.
Depending on the cost of your job, it may be worth it to do a background check on your contractor. Before you hand over thousands of dollars, you’ll want to see if they have defrauded any other clients. Be sure to check further than just in your state; it is possible to lose your license in one state and set up a new business in another.
Analyze the Estimates
Pay attention to the time it takes to get your estimate back from the contractor. Unless you have tasked them with estimating a big project, they should be able to get back to you within two weeks. However, the critical thing to pay attention to here is if they delivered the estimate in the amount of time promised. If they can’t stay on schedule to get you an estimate, how do you think things will go during your Saltillo tile installation?
Another thing to evaluate is the level of detail the contractor added to their estimate. The more complicated the job, the more details should be included. You will also want to ensure all of the estimates are bidding with the same conditions so you can compare apples to apples.
Time to Compare
Once you have your estimates back from all the contractors, you can begin comparing the offers. Include your own estimated numbers in the comparison.
First, identify any outliers. Is there a reason why a specific contractor is much cheaper or more expensive than the rest? Being outside the pack isn’t necessarily a reason to get rid of them right off the bat. Ask the contractor for an explanation for the disparity. It is possible the contractor accounted for an issue that the others missed.
Once you have evaluated and chosen your favorite estimate, it is time to turn it into a contract. Your contractor will draw up the necessary paperwork based on their provided estimate. Be sure that all of the details are included such as the schedule for the work and when the payments are due.
Depending on the overall cost of the project, it may not be a bad idea to have a legal professional check out the terms of the contract.
4.7
Complimentary post-installation follow-ups
Provides convenient in-home consultations
Hundreds of flooring showrooms nationwide
4.8
Offers next-day installations on certain flooring options
Multiple financing options
Mobile showroom option for convenient at-home shopping
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Natural and engineered hardwood options
Offers augmented reality visualizer tool
Provides free samples online and in-store
3 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Your Saltillo Mexican Tile Flooring Project
We all know we get what we pay for, but that doesn’t mean saving money isn’t still on the top of everyone’s minds. There are some ways you can lower your costs when installing Saltillo tiles that don’t sacrifice quality.
If old flooring needs to be ripped up, you can save money on labor by taking care of this issue yourself. If you’re up to the task, you can save on the overall labor costs by having the floor prepped and ready to go when the contractor arrives.
In addition to the labor costs associated with ripping up the old floor, there is also a charge for hauling the disused material away. If you have the ability to load it up and take it to a waste management center, you can save yourself a (sometimes substantial!) fee.
While laying the tile may be out of your wheelhouse, you can likely manage the sealing process by yourself. Taking this task away from the professionals will again cut down on labor costs, shaving a few costly hours off the total for you.
Cost of Saltillo Tile in 2023
As you can see, there are a lot of factors that go into determining the cost of putting in Saltillo tile floors in 2023. Where you live being one of the larger factors. But if you are willing to put in a little bit of effort, you should be able to get the Mexican tile you are dreaming of at a price you can afford.
