Please check that the porcelain tile you choose isn't slippery when wet!
My sister put in beautiful porcelain tiles (12x12) in her pool room and when it gets wet from people in and out with wet feet.... well we have our own slip and slide.

Oh a happier note, porcelain tile is beautiful.

I don't mean to be a downer but have you installed tile before?
I know that the cost of install can be equal to actual materials however; the job will be done correctly the first time. There are lots of elements to doing a whole house with tile that only a professional will know what to do.

Contractors or tile professionals are expensive but a "novice" job gone bad is even more expensive to correct.
Any friends or family that have experience in laying tile? They might be able to help.

I have tile in my beach home also and I would not change it except that the grout lines are too big and sand gets in. My tile is a sealed adobe sand color.

Yes, I bit the bullet and had it professionally done and the tile is still perfect even after 20 yrs! It was so worth the expense. My sub floors were not level and had to be redone. The original owner had filled in parts of the floor with cement and no sub floor. We even found an open toilet drain under the sub floor that had not been sealed off!

Get lots of referrals from friends, family and neighbors and keep hunting for the professional of your dreams!

We are in the Northern California area. If you are near us, let me know and I can refer you to a pro. You can also check Houzz professionals here on Houzz!

Let me know if I can help you. ENJOY YOUR BEAUTIFUL HOME BY THE SEA!

joani

This was so helpful. The contractor we are using will guarantee his tile installer, and that is worth a lot. This is definitely a learning process for me. It is one thing to pick out a material, but one should know what the installation expenses are also. I do love the porcelain planks I chose. (8x40). Now I have a better understanding why it costs what it does. It would be helpful though if the showrooms associates shared the information on what the costs could run and why, so that there isn't sticker shock on the buyers end. I understand the the sub flooring could really change the cost dramatically, but a ball park per foot would help.