There are a lot of important items to consider when selecting tile. One is cost of installation. Why do we charge X for one type of tile and Y for another?

It's easy to answer, some tile is much more time consuming to install than others.

Typical 4"x4" builders grade tile is the fastest to install because it is small, light, easy to cut and you can cover a lot of space in a hurry with that.

But there are other things to consider, tile like many substances need some kind of trim generally, be it tile, marble or metal that comes in many colors.

Large format tile be it Porcelain, Marble or Granite in 12x24 size range is heavy and requires much more planning, different tools and work. Natural Stone and most large format Porcelain have to be cut on the wet saw which requires a trip to the saw where ever that is set up and can make for very long days depending on the tile layout. The more complex the more work and trips to the saw.

Trim is needed for outside edges and around corners and niches in order to cover the cut tile be it porcelain or ceramic. Marble and Granite we can grind and smooth outside edges but regular tile needs some help. If all else fails take a piece of tile to a paint store and have them match it even if it is a multi color and just paint the edges with a China brush.

Now that is just trim but tile depending on the type can really be a killer to install. Mosaic for instance demands more money to install even though it is on a backing. Cutting mosaic requires a different level of skill and equipment to accomplish. `Some mosaic has 4 or 5 different materials in it and have to know what happens to each when exposed to hard rock cutting tools.

This tiny black and white tile on the back wall and ceiling of this shower was an 8 in difficulty to install 10 being very difficult. The reason is the tile had no stiff backing. It was akin to trying to install a wet washrag into the adhesive. After getting the one foot square patches of material into the adhesive I had to go back and straighten every single tile. Did that with an aluminum ruler about the same width of the grout lines. Took forever but got it done.

When you set out to price a job or get an estimate from an installer it is important to determine the type of tile because they might estimate for one type of tile then you show up with mosaic that's a game changer. We also have to un-package the mosaic that can be wrapped in plastic with a hard paper backing with yet another piece of packaging to keep the backing from sticking. The price of installation can quickly double. Mosaic is not tile in the standard sense and there are many reasons for that.

Tools for mosaic instead of regular tile change too. I will be using a 1/4 or 1\8th inch sawtooth notch trowel or smaller to keep the adhesive from pushing up to the surface of the mosaic and now you have an irritating problem to clean up.

Backsplashes for example are typically about 18 inches high and mosaic is in 12x12 pieces that when set side by side connect together as designed. However, the top six inches are now an instant problem because when you start cutting the balance of tile to finish the job being the top 6 inches it will  no longer fit together.

It is usually a good idea for your installer to go with you or have a designer at the tile store help you with these projects so you know what material to use in what application to get you the best outcome possible. Good luck!