Condo Upgrades

[Antithesis]

I would also like to highlight the sentiment that you really need to be careful about what upgrades you make through the builder and which you don't. Remember that the $12 per square foot cost of laying tile is going to be amortized over the length of your mortgage ... 25 years? 35? In the end, it is going to cost A LOT more than $12 per square feet.

If this is a place you are planning on staying in for any length of time, I'd suggest not getting the builder to do upgrades like tile, etc ... you can save some money (or even take out a loan on a shorter term, if absolutely needed) and get it done later at probably at least half the cost.

[Shin Pad]

Originally Posted by Shazam

If you get tile, make absolutely certain that they put it on a proper substrate. I've been to way too many show homes where they lay it on OSB.

You're absolutely right. Make sure that the builder puts down a minimum of 5/8" plywood (not OSB or particle board) over your subfloor before you put down tile (See the Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association (TTMAC) 09 30 00 tile installation guide 2006-2007, detail 313F-2006/2007 (detail A). This is critically important, because in most new homes with the composite wood joists, they are installed at 19" o.c. - TTMAC recommends that the joists are installed at not more than 16" (406 mm) o.c. It is a good idea (and not usually too much more costly), to have your joist spacing closer together where you are going to have tile (I would say you should try for 12" centers). Material wise, you are only looking a a few joists more overall, and you get the stiffness from the floor that you require, to ensure you don't get any cracking of the mortar joints.

Oh - if you have Gypcrete or some other type of cementitious underlayment, you don't need the plywood.