WEEK 18: Finally, something to cheer about – we passed the electrical inspection today. Not that we ever questioned if we would pass it – but another hurdle has been cleared. Did I mention that the wires from the basement, the new room atop the garage and the mechanical room all had to be rewired?

Add that to the new foundation, the new gas line, the new gas meter and all new gas pipes that ran through the basement and you can tell that we’ve been striking a match to hundred-dollar bills in a steady fashion.

MONEY PIT: Is there anyplace to save some money on this project? Indeed there is – the mudroom floor. The tile was left out of the budget of the contract in order to allow for us to choose whatever we wanted – high-end or economy. Turns out you can spend upwards of $30.00 a square foot for tile or more, pretty easily. The more labor intensive the design, the more it’s going to cost. Typically, a homeowner will splurge for this only in a kitchen or bath space, not a mudroom floor.

MUDROOM – EMPHASIS ON THE MUD: With three boys, this room will more than live up to its name. The “L” shaped space affords a row of free-standing storage units, a double wide closet, and an entry point from the garage and the back door.

Once you add a few doormats, how much of the tile are you going to see anyway?

UPSIDE TO FLOODING: One of the benefits to enduring a flood is that we had a chance to start with a fresh pallet every couple of years. Originally, I liked this color as it was light and opened up the room. Turned out to be really poor at hiding all the dirt my boys tracked into the house.

DARKER BY DESIGN: After a few years, you can see where the tile really darkened by exposure to the light (the lighter areas were covered by a doormat and storage units). But what about durability? With a pack of  boys throwing down weighted-down backpacks, sports gear and heavy ski boots, the tile has to stand up to a high threshold of wear and tear. Can you skimp on cost and still end up with a viable product?

TILE I.Q. : All tile is rated, whether you buy at a high-end boutique or Home Depot. There are three scales: PEI Rating (4 or 5 is good), COF, (higher number = less slippery) and Break-strength (300+ is what you want in a high traffic area).

If you check the labels on the desired boxes of tiles you want to buy at Home Depot, you can be certain you are buying a high quality product at a discounted price. You’re going to sacrifice points to originality as the big store options are designed to have mass appeal, but gain dollars in your wallet with the savings.

Big ticket or discount – know what you’re paying for before you throw those hard-earned dollars on the pyre.