Will Contractors Limit My Choice Of Tiles & Laminate Finish?

[boonkhim 0]

If I engage a contractor (instead of ID firm), will I be limited by choice of tiles and laminate finish for carpentry? I know they always bring you to one or two tile shops, and have a catalogue of laminates right?

What if we can't find anything we like? Can we go to more specialist shops like Stiles, Goodrich, Lamitak? Will they refuse, even if we are willing to pay more? My friend said that some of these contractors have exclusive agreements with certain tile shops, therefore you must get your tiles from these shops. Even if you offer to pay more they also refuse. Got such thing ?

[applefreak 1]

it's the same for ID and contractor

the price they quote you is limited to a very low display price of tiles and laminates

alternatively, you can ask for quote based just on workmanship

then you go buy the tiles yourself

certain things like metallic laminates and granite/marble tiles definitely require topups

[Native02 0]

it's the same for ID and contractor

the price they quote you is limited to a very low display price of tiles and laminates

alternatively, you can ask for quote based just on workmanship

then you go buy the tiles yourself

certain things like metallic laminates and granite/marble tiles definitely require topups

Not really. For tiles, we wanted homogeneous, and our contractor let us choose any homogeneous tiles that we want.

For laminate, the same thing applies. We got a laminate catalogue book from another ID, and we just brought it to him, tell him the codes of the laminate we want.

For painting, it's the same too. We chose both Nippon Easywash and 3-in-1 medifresh and he's fine too.

I think it depends on how flexible your ID/contractor is.

[applefreak 1]

hmm i'm still not too sure about the tiles

i asked for homo tiles but the box states it's porcelain

not too sure if it's the same thing...

the tile display price is the deciding factor, not the type of tiles

usually the going price is around $3 to $4psf, nothing more than that

those common floor tiles 600 x 600 is around this price

however, if you choose those $16psf ones they'll definitely make you top up

same goes for laminates

look behind the catalogue and you'll find the price

no top up for normal laminates, only those metallic ones

i.e. those look exactly like metal ones

the normal glossy / matt / flower patterns ones are the same price

Edited September 21, 2008 by applefreak