Posted by Ryan (NC) on March 17, 2006 at 19:36:26:
The higher end sticky tiles with the grout lines look 10x better than the cheapo tiles… However laminate flooring is just about the same cost and almost as easy to lay as the sticky tiles and also adds value to higher end homes. With that said I personally use the cheap sticky tiles for cheapo units and high end sticky tiles in the bath rooms with laminate in the main living areas for mid to higher end units reaping about a 1-2k markup for a few hundred dollars worth of flooring. Just my 2 cents.
The trick is to find the good stuff @ a great price. Check Home Depot for their loss leader tiles. I paid .69 for some great thick tiles, very dimensional. The floor looked every bit as good as laminate, which is normally my fave. There is a big difference in tile quality, but the labor is identical between good & cheap tiles. In my opinion, the quest should be for good tile, purchased cheap.
I do agree w/Ryan that generally laminate trumps vinyl tile, but if you get a good buy & do a quality installation, it’s a push. Vinyl also doesn’t require a saw on site, & can readily be done w/out a helper.–