The pattern decides the quantity
A straight grid, a running bond, and a diagonal layout cut the same tile into different waste. The proposal should name the pattern and the waste assumption so the material quantity matches the layout that will actually be set. The area of the room does not carry that choice. Two proposals with the same area and different patterns are not the same material order.
Name the start line
The scope should say where the layout is centered: on a window, on a focal wall, or along the longest run, and whether the cuts at opposite edges are balanced. An unstated start is how one wall ends up with a sliver while the opposite wall gets a full piece. The start line is a scope fact because moving it after adhesive is down means lifting work that was already committed.
Some patterns consume more tile
Diagonal fields and herringbone use more tile than a grid on the same floor, because more pieces are cut at the boundaries. A required offset on large modules also changes the cuts at the walls. The proposal should state the allowance it is using. A bare area, with no pattern and no allowance, is not a quantity.
Confirm the layout before adhesive
The Tile Council installation FAQ says to place the tile before spreading adhesive so the centerlines can move and tiny cuts along the walls can be avoided. The pattern sentence in the proposal should include that confirmation. It is a step in the scope. It is not an optional dry check after the material is already committed.
Fetched 2026-10-11 from the Tile Council ceramic tile installation FAQ. The dry-layout sentence follows that page. It is not a company method.
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