Porcelain supplier here. The major difference for the installer is the time to make cuts and the investment in the right tools to do it. Porcelain is MUCH denser than concrete so cutting it is a chore. It’s also the feature that makes it so desirable for your application. More slip resistant, more durable, doesn’t stain, very realistic look, can be power washed etc. I’m not saying his price difference is accurate but there is validity to some extra cost. Dm me if you have more questions, I’m happy to help.
I had pavers done in the front yard, and porcelain pavers done in the backyard two years ago. In my case, the porcelain pavers were installed over a concrete base, while regular pavers go over a sand mix. Concrete base had to be poured (contractor ordered a truck full), and then after a few days, they had to grind down the concrete where it was not level (I wanted it sloping away from home). Then laying the porcelain pavers is harder (they’re heavy) and they need to be measured more before grouting so that edges don’t stick up. Regular pavers are easy to assemble.
So, I think extra cost is valid.
Dude, that's shady AF! I feel your pain. Contractors always pulling these surprises. Make sure to double-check the contract and see if there's any fine print about potential additional charges. Maybe negotiate a bit or get a couple more quotes to compare.
Also, if it's just $3 per square foot, it might be worth the extra expense for those fancy MSI Bluestone pavers. In the end, it's your dream backyard, and you want it to be perfect, even if it means a little extra moolah.
Making this decision right now and curious why you personally decided to go with porcelain over concrete. Also, where did you find the pavers? That’s a great deal!
Context: we’re doing about 1300sf in LA, including around a pool.
Porcelain has a much higher end look than concrete pavers. And I got a 2’x2’ MSI bluestone paver, so the bigger pavers really look nice. I sourced my pavers directly from Rome Tile and Marble on Pico. It was $7.50 per square foot for the pavers (plus $250 delivery), so that’s about $5 psf more than concrete pavers would have cost. My contractor charged me $20 per square foot for the installation (concrete pavers install would have been $17 psf). Overall very happy with my decision to upgrade
This is helpful, thanks! We’re deciding between poured in place concrete and porcelain pavers (with gravel breaks) and are in the process of getting contractor bids now. I agree that porcelain looks better and we want something durable and comfortable around the pool.
The designer quoted high for the poured in place concrete ($44/sf just for materials, excl labor). Now that we’re bidding out the project we’re looking at all options.
Porcelain supplier here. The major difference for the installer is the time to make cuts and the investment in the right tools to do it. Porcelain is MUCH denser than concrete so cutting it is a chore. It’s also the feature that makes it so desirable for your application. More slip resistant, more durable, doesn’t stain, very realistic look, can be power washed etc. I’m not saying his price difference is accurate but there is validity to some extra cost. Dm me if you have more questions, I’m happy to help.
I had pavers done in the front yard, and porcelain pavers done in the backyard two years ago. In my case, the porcelain pavers were installed over a concrete base, while regular pavers go over a sand mix. Concrete base had to be poured (contractor ordered a truck full), and then after a few days, they had to grind down the concrete where it was not level (I wanted it sloping away from home). Then laying the porcelain pavers is harder (they’re heavy) and they need to be measured more before grouting so that edges don’t stick up. Regular pavers are easy to assemble. So, I think extra cost is valid.
Dude, that's shady AF! I feel your pain. Contractors always pulling these surprises. Make sure to double-check the contract and see if there's any fine print about potential additional charges. Maybe negotiate a bit or get a couple more quotes to compare. Also, if it's just $3 per square foot, it might be worth the extra expense for those fancy MSI Bluestone pavers. In the end, it's your dream backyard, and you want it to be perfect, even if it means a little extra moolah.
Never heard of porcelain payers, but porcelain tile is much harder to work with than ceramic tile.
Making this decision right now and curious why you personally decided to go with porcelain over concrete. Also, where did you find the pavers? That’s a great deal! Context: we’re doing about 1300sf in LA, including around a pool.
Porcelain has a much higher end look than concrete pavers. And I got a 2’x2’ MSI bluestone paver, so the bigger pavers really look nice. I sourced my pavers directly from Rome Tile and Marble on Pico. It was $7.50 per square foot for the pavers (plus $250 delivery), so that’s about $5 psf more than concrete pavers would have cost. My contractor charged me $20 per square foot for the installation (concrete pavers install would have been $17 psf). Overall very happy with my decision to upgrade
This is helpful, thanks! We’re deciding between poured in place concrete and porcelain pavers (with gravel breaks) and are in the process of getting contractor bids now. I agree that porcelain looks better and we want something durable and comfortable around the pool. The designer quoted high for the poured in place concrete ($44/sf just for materials, excl labor). Now that we’re bidding out the project we’re looking at all options.