Travertine or Porcelain flooring

[Michael Anderson]

Hi all.. I am going to be tiling one of my rentals.   Replacing carpet of course.   Was at Floor & Decor today plowing through some tile.   My first approach is to do porcelain 18x18 at about 1.59 Sq ft.   Then I saw some travertine for sale at 1.52 Sq ft.   So a couple of questions for my BP friends out there.  But first let me tell you more about this property.   It is about 1275 sqft,  3/2 1 car garage. mkt value 125k.  What should be my target tile price per Sq ft?   Is the 1.50 range too rich?  We have awesome tenants who actually pay early every month.   I would expect they might be around for another few years so I don't mind doing it right for them and get some goodwill in return. 

Is travertine not as durable as porcelain?   Should I be looking for a cheaper tile? 

Thanks!   Mike 

[Christopher Brainard]

@Michael Anderson

Travertine is not as durable as porcelain and is much higher maintenance.  It is soft and porous, unlike the porcelain, and requires being sealed periodically, which your tenants will not do. I do not install travertine in any rentals, however, I do install it in all my Flips. Travertine (in my opinion) is a very attractive material and provides that 'wow' factor when you go to sell. 

-Christopher