Ah! I can see I have your attention now.

I should, because the advice I’m about to share to you come from years and years of thrifting. If you are looking for garage floor tiles, bedroom tiles, or just about any tiles for your home, be savvy about where you buy your flooring.

You see, there are many ways to get those garage floor tiles (or any tiles for that matter) really cheap. And, if you don’t mind getting flooring that is not part of a running line, not top-of-the-line, or not first quality, then you’re in for a treat. You can get your tiles really CHEAP - the kind of cheap that makes eyes pop and jaws drop.

So, how do you get even more discounts from discount tile flooring? How do you get tiles so cheap you get them for practically nothing?

1. Buy seconds. A second is just what it’s name tells you it is - a second. These are tiles that will never grace display windows. They may have an irregular pattern or a streak. Or, they may be off color. But just because quality control has pronounced them not fit to sell doesn’t mean they will not be sold. They definitely get sold, especially to savvy bargain-hunters and retailers who know that there is a market for seconds.

You see, the good thing about getting discount tile flooring that are seconds is that while these tiles won’t finish first in a beauty contest, there is absolutely nothing wrong with them structurally. Their streaks and patterns will not affect their performance; and you can bet your bottom dollar they will hold up to pressure as well as firsts, or those tiles you pay top buck for.

Be careful about buying seconds, though. Some retailers may claim your discount tile flooring is a second when it is, in fact, a third. Thirds are all right, if you’re desperate. Don’t get them, though, unless you really have to. Discount tile flooring in the thirds category generally have some installation or performance issues. If you must buy thirds, get them for areas that are not very high traffic. Thirds as garage floor tiles? That could work.

2. Buy overruns. You will be surprised by how pretty many overruns are. Overruns are tiles that have been produced but not sold; and they end up in retailers, where they go for a fraction of their usual cost. There is nothing wrong with discount tile flooring that are overruns, except that no one bought them. So go ahead, feel free to buy them.

There are many reasons retailers end up with discount tile flooring overruns. The most common reason is that the tiles are promotional goods. Promotional goods are tiles that are in their testing and trial stage. Manufacturers do not know how well a new tile design will sell, so they make a few hundred of it. Then, they see how the market reacts. If the response is favorable, the new tiles are turned into a running line. If sales are dismal, they will end up on the shelves of your local retailers, as discount tile flooring.

3. Buy from closeouts. In these tough times, businesses fold left and right. While this is sad for business owners and their staff who will be put out of their jobs, it’s good news for people looking for discount tile flooring. Why? Well, when a wholesaler or retailer closes shop, it holds closeouts. This is where everything that hasn’t been sold will get sold, at basement-low prices. Again, there is nothing wrong with discount tile flooring sold in this manner. They are sold cheaply for the simple reason that they need to get sold.

Make sure you tell your local retailer you are willing to consider discount tile flooring that are considered seconds, overruns, closeout items, or off-goods. That way, when something hits their shelves, you will be one of the first people they will think of.

But what if you are uncomfortable buying from closeouts or getting overruns or seconds? Well, then, don’t. You can still get discount tile flooring for a much lower tile price - not as low as overruns and the like, admittedly - but a discount is a discount. And even if it’s only 5 cents per square that you save on your discount tile flooring, that’s a lot of 5 cents to add up, right there!

Ask any homeowner what they consider when they choose tile flooring and you will most likely be told it’s the price. True, a homeowner would have to consider color, size, and texture, too. But at the end of the day, it’s the price tag that will tip the scale in the favor of a certain type of flooring.

So how much can you reasonably expect your tile flooring to cost? Below are some estimates. The figures are computed based on the assumption that you have a 10×10-foot area.

Glazed ceramic tile flooring: $100 - $2,000 at $1 to $20 per square foot

Unglazed quarry tile flooring: $200 at $2 per square

Porcelain tile flooring: $200 - $400 at $2 to $4 per square (Porcelain is a great tile flooring option if you want the feel of stone but don’t have the money for the real thing.)

Custom-made tile flooring: $2,500 (This is perhaps the priciest that you can go, because custom-made flooring cost as much as $25 apiece; for this reason, you would be better off using them as border or accent pieces.)

Terracotta tile flooring: $100 - $250 at $1 to $2.50 apiece (Be prepared to pay more for European terracotta.)

Natural stone tile flooring: $200 at $2 per square foot (Be warned that costs increase for special orders or custom designs.)

Mosaic tile flooring: $300 - $2,500 at $3 to $25 per tile (Whether you need porcelain mosaics, glass, metal, stone, or a combination of those, you should remember that mosaics measure less than two inches square, and may be hexagonal or round.)

The price list above cover only the purchase of materials. How much could you reasonably expect to pay for installation? Well, charges start anywhere from $5 to $10 per square foot. Using the same 10×10 feet dimension, that amounts to $500 - $1,000. And if your room is laid out oddly (read: neither square nor rectangular), expect your contractor to charge you more.

Moreover, there’s usually a fee for tearing out old tiling, as well as moving the furniture. So you see, there is nothing cheap about getting your flooring done. Make sure you do yours wisely by using discount tile flooring and getting free tile samples first.

To get there, though, you need to get the best deal on your discount tile flooring.

How do you do that?

Here’s the first part of this mini-series of tips: how to enlist the help of your contractor, knowingly or unknowingly.

1. Ask for an estimate from several contractors. Get this estimate in writing. This estimate should cover not just how much to allocate for discount tile flooring expenses but for everything else you need to pay for.

2. Choose your contractor with care. Pick out the contractor who

a. has all the qualifications you need (specifically licenses)

b. comes well recommended by people you know

c. offers the best deal for your budget

3. Meet with your contractor and go over the estimate you received. Your project estimate should include a clause covering

a. unexpected and unknown repairs to your discount tile flooring;

b. cost adjustments to your discount tile flooring, when necessary (and how much to allow for these);

c. approval of changes (as homeowner, you should retain the right to approve ALL changes in writing to make sure the project proceeds as planned, with no side expenses to drive costs up).

Most contractors pride themselves on doing honest and dependable work. After all, they know that future work depends on how well they do their present work. Recommendations and positive reviews from customers are still their best sources of clients so as a rule of thumb, contractors give clients a fair estimate. This is not always the case, however.

Like it or not, you can expect a few contractors to undercut their estimate so they will get the contract and then make up for the difference by adding to the price without your consent. For example, instead of using discount tile flooring you chose yourself, they will use another material you’ll have to pay extra for. Don’t fall for that trap! Tip no. 3 should discourage padding of expenses and help you make the best deal out of your discount tile flooring.

I hope this series has helped you! In the next series, I will cover some of the items you need to check for in the contract with your contractor. In the meantime, check out this article on how to get tile samples and where.

Stores give out samples out of charity; they do so because it’s smart business. They give out samples to advertise the quality of their product, the superiority of their design, and most importantly, to help you make up your mind. But where do you get tile samples and how?

Online. Thanks to e-commerce, you can now order tiles directly from a website. All you have to do is make a search for porcelain tiles, for example, and you will get directed to a number of stores. These online stores usually have an online catalog that you can browse and even print out. Typical information found in these catalogs include tile size and price. Get the most competitive price possible by checking out several websites.

Retailers. Most retailers, home supply stores, or local hardware have showrooms where they showcase their products. You can simply ask the staff assisting you for a sample and bring this with you when you go home. You can also ask the staff specific questions about the samples. Some retailers give out samples for free; others charge about $4 per piece. You can also ask for a brochure — this is always free.

Manufacturers. Manufacturers give out the best tile samples. Here’s why. First of all, they will give you a complete line of their present selection the moment you ask about their tiling whereas most stores only carry bestsellers. Secondly, manufacturers are in the best position to offer  you discounts. So not only do you get a wider (if not complete) selection, you are sure to get samples for free. At the same time, you can drive costs down by asking the manufacturer for a discount.

There’s a downside to asking for tile samples from your local manufacturer, though. Not all of them have a website or a showroom you can just pop into so you just may have to drive all the way to where they are.

Best thing to do? Look up the manufacturers nearest to your area, ask about their tiling and pricing, and ask if they provide tile samples for free. Then, check out the one that shows the most promise.

See? I told you getting tile samples is easy.

What if you don’t know anything about how to tile floor? Here’s a quick tip when it comes to shower floor tiles: you want tiles that offer two things - excellent slip resistance and low water absorption. That said, here are two tiling materials you would be better off not using for the bathroom, or any other high moisture area such as the sauna.

Natural stone. Marble and granite are beautiful and are valued for their luxurious and elaborate designs. However, these materials are very sensitive to moisture and absorb water quickly.

To make matters worse, they are porous and are naturally efficient at trapping moisture from the air. Why is that a problem for homeowners like you? Natural stone exhibits a high tendency to crack as a result of humidity.

Other problems associated with natural stone include tile discoloration, mold formation, and loosening of tiles. Manufacturers are quick to point out, however, that these three problems have more to do with the installation of the shower floor tiles than with the tile type itself.

Laminate flooring. More often than not, wet laminate surfaces are slippery. For this reason, you would be better off avoiding laminate flooring, particularly if you have children at home.

Choosing shower floor tiles is a decision you don’t want to take lightly. Done right, it will help create the atmosphere you want. Done wrong, it’s a costly mistake that could result in horrific spending and terrible accidents. So don’t hesitate to get professional help if you need to. It will be worth it in the long term.

Click Here To Get Your Hands On More Shower Floor Tiles Installation Tips!