SFGate

Deborah Butler, Brickwood Builders Can you please define what you mean by synthetic hardwood? I have not heard that term and sometimes it's hard to tell what a homeowner actually means. Are you talking about engineered wood (if so that is still a wood product) or are you generically referring to prefinished wood or are you talking about laminate or maybe the new vinyl planks????

Significant Buildings and Construction There are lots of options as Deborah mentioned for synthetic hardwood. They actually just came out with a porcelain tile that looks like wood which is AWESOME for wet areas and is so easy to clean. Otherwise, you're talking about laminates which don't have as good of durability.

bwhiten89 well not the wood product thats most likely going to be out of our budget but I really dont know we are wanting something that looks like real hard wood but with out the cost.... if that makes any sence im trying to do this whole buying and remolding a house from overseas through my wife that equals a headace !!!

bwhiten89 would the procelain tile be something that i could/would use through the whole house
??

Significant Buildings and Construction Yes! It looks like wood, but it is tile, so really you could use it anywhere. It is just especially nice on wet areas since it is tile and will not get ruined by water damage.

Ironwood Builders bwhiten89, If wood is out of your budget, then so is tile. About the same price point. Laminate is cheaper...but not in bathrooms...too wet. There isn't anything that looks like the real thing without the cost....actually, no matter what anyone says, if it isn't the real thing...it is a substitution and fake. Real wood is absolutely random, even with computers randomizing manufacture, they still must repeat for cost control...repeats show up. Real wood never repeats, each piece is totally different, just like us.
Look at laminates for your living spaces and sheet vinyl for your kitchen and bath. These are the lower price point items. If you decide you have enough to go for an engineered wood product (thin layers of wood on top of plywood) you can use that in the kitchen...but not in the bathrooms. Most of the cost is in labor on any of these installs. Upwards of 50% of any job is labor cost. Get home soon.

Deborah Butler, Brickwood Builders Around here a tile floor, properly installed, would cost more than a hardwood floor (sand and finish on site). And that would be a modestly priced tile. I hear folks from other areas say tile is cheaper. Interesting.

Cancork Floor Inc. Like Ironwood said, a floor that looks like wood but isn't will either be cheap and LOOK FAKE or it will be expensive and sit outside your budget.

'Cause I'm a cork sales person, I'm going to put cork floating flooring on the table. It is a click together floor (low installation costs) that is long wearing, can be sealed for kitchens AND comes in a glue down version for bathrooms! The install cost for a bathroom = cost of laying tile.

A cork floating floor, in a basic "ground cork" look starts at $2.17/sf in Canada (USA = $2.29/sf). The Icork Floor and Cancork Floors "max out' at $4.09/sf. Most sit at $3.39/sf. If this is "in your budget" then visit the websites:
Canada: www.corkfloorsales.com
USA: www.icorkfloor.com

If this is out of your budget, then a "nice looking" faux wood floor is going to be out of your budget. The only thing left is "bad laminate". Some vinyl flooring (not including underlayment) is about the same price...but the quality will vary depending on your budget.

If you have to go lower priced laminate/vinyl, please do yourself a favour and purchase a high end underlay. Your floor will only be better for it! A low end floor can "feel" and sound like a more expensive floor when I high end (perhaps cork...?) underlay is used.

Here are some cork "mimics" of wood burls...maybe...just maybe.

ASVInteriors I agree with Ironwood and Cancork here on their take on fake wood floors. Instead of trying to put something in that is clearly not, do something different. Cork seems a good option, linoleum is making a comeback with some interesting designs so there are options out there.

spmm Not sure what types of engineered flooring you can access in the states, the choice can also depend on the stage of life, I know families with kids and dogs who love their engineered QuickStep type of flooring because it looks great, is easy to clean and they don't have to resurface it every five minutes :)

bwhiten89 spmm, i really like the quickstep but form the web sites im finding i cant get any prices per sq/ft? cancork that looks is just not for us

spmm Assuming you are in the US
http://www.houzz.com/pro/usquickstepflooring/quickstep-flooring

Also you can diy but not really recommended so price may depend on your regional dealer.

Judy M If you go with laminate flooring, get the cork underlayment. Makes the floor less hollow sounding and makes it a bit softer and warmer to walk on.

spmm Usually it is laid on a high-tech but separate thin underlay, which assists that restful spring, so your legs and feet don't get sore as on tile or other glued to the slab floor coverings. It is all about personal preference and budget priorities.
Some people would rather take the family on a great holiday :)