02/26/2026
When returning estimates , I often get asked what the line item under materials listed as "Consumables" is for. A fair question! I figure I'll just post and pin this because I often forget to explain before hand.
"Consumables" is a cost for all the small things that are required for every job that aren't worth listing separately on an invoice. Here's just a quick list of some examples:
Wear on tile saw blade (each blade is about $100 but I can usually get 2 or three jobs out of a blade before the wear effects quality of workmanship), wear on life of tile saw (a professional tile saw cost around $1000 currently, and when you're using it almost every week of the year, it needs repairs/ replacement eventually), tape (painters tape for caulking, duct tape/ masking tape for drop cloths & protective cardboard paper), protective cardboard paper/ carpet protectors/ drop cloths, gloves, buckets (even when cleaned and re-used, they eventually get too chewed up or often the bottom cracks) electrical tape around open outlets, demo blades, screws and fasteners when wall rebuild is required, cloth towels, paper towels, scrubbers,sponges, spacers that get used up over time, trowels that get worn over time, pencils and wax pencils, markers, utility knife blades, picks that wear or get weak from bending, shims that I use at the meeting of counter top/ tub/ shower pan and tile surface to get consistent grout caulk spacing etc etc etc... all costs that are a part of every job.
The amout per job is dependant on the size of the job and what all it encompasses. Usually $50-200 in range.
Also my work is insured and guaranteed, which allot of cheap installers won't offer/ follow through on.
So remember, when you hire me, you aren't contacting "Quick"Setter or "Cheap"Setter, you're hiring PROSetter!!!
PS, if love to hear from other installers about how you found best to handle this type of thing or any other words of wisdom. I have a saying, " you learn something new every day.And if you don't , you're doing something wrong with your life!" So I am always down for other perspectives!
Thank you all!
