I've done tile work before but not hardwood flooring. Tile work is not particularly hard, just labor intensive and 900 sqft is a lot of space to cover. That's a lot of time on your hands an knees. Your big box hardware stores (Lowes/Home Depot) frequently have classes that can teach you these skills. They also sell some books where you can read up on it. You can probably pick the same books up for cheap used on Amazon, or better yet for free at your local library.
Some things to consider: If the room is fairly square/rectangular you'll not have a lot of tile cuts to make. Every nook and cranny, door way, cabinet, etc. means extra cuts. I"m assuming you have base boards: that will have to come up to do the tile work. The same with door trim. The backer board, mortar, and tile height will likely be different than your existing carpet height; so think how that will effect transitions and door heights.
That's just some of the stuff that comes to mind right off the bat. Ultimately I don't think laying floor tile requires any great skill you can't learn quickly, it just takes patience and a lot of time on your hands and knees to lay the tile, grout, and seal. Price will really vary depending on your tile choice. Mortar and grout are fairly inexpensive. If you don't have the tools to do the work hopefully you know someone you can borrow them from. Having to buy all the tools you'll need can also add up fairly quickly. Trowels and sponges are fairly inexpensive. You'll need a paddle mixer and probably a 1/2" drive drill to mix your mortar/grout. You'll need a couple of buckets. You'll need to borrow/rent a tile saw. On the surface the tools don't seem like they would be a lot, but it adds up quickly.
By no means is that a comprehensive list, just that stuff that pops into my head at 2:00 in the morning.
Hope this helps.
Oh yeah, what's under the carpet currently?