Granite Countertop Upgrade - Why, When, How!
Adding granite countertops to your kitchen is one of the most popular kitchen upgrades for remodeling projects.
The beautiful colors and unique grain patterns make it a wonderful design choice for your kitchen.
The strength and durability of granite is unmatched by other natural countertop materials.
A properly installed set of granite countertops will last for several lifetimes and with minimal care will continue to look just as they did the day they you had them installed.
In terms of value, there is no better addition to your home to maintain and increase the market value of your home.
In many instances, the absence of stone countertops can be a shortcoming if you are trying to sell your home.
Although well-done granite countertops are not inexpensive, in the end, there is no better investment in your home.
Meanwhile you get to enjoy the visual and practical benefits of Mother Nature's finest creations! The most difficult portion of your granite countertop remodel will likely be choosing the stone that best suits your tastes.
The natural colors, veining, and "movement" that are found in stone slabs vary widely and you may find yourself spending several Saturday visits to the slab suppliers to find the perfect granite for your kitchen countertops.
There is no substitute for these natural variations found in the various stone types.
A good eye can see the difference between the man made "look alike" materials and the real deal from a mile away! Once perceived as a material only for the most expensive homes, granite countertops have become less costly over the years, and are widely used in average homes of all values throughout the country.
The increased demand for stone countertops has in turn created an increase in the number of fabricators whom you can hire to fabricate and install your countertops.
This should be cause for due consideration on your part as you work to decide which fabricator to hire.
The obvious first consideration is the experience of the contractor you are working with.
Although everyone has to learn their trade somewhere, you probably do not want to be their training site! There are the other obvious things to look for in a fabricator.
Always consider the responsiveness of your prospective fabricator, take note of how long it takes them to get back to your requests.
Many times, we have customers who thank us for getting back to them so soon, and a surprising number thank us for getting back to them at all...
I cannot understand this, but whatever, it is good for us when other shops ignore homeowner requests! In addition to the obvious things you would look for in a contractor, there are details as to fabrication methods that you can look for.
When you have decided on two or three fabricators, you should look at some of their work and talk to two or three of their previous customers.
Obviously, you will not be directed to unhappy customers, so this is not always a good indicator of what to expect, but in most cases if one customer is happy so are the rest.
Take particular note of the quality of workmanship where two pieces of stone have been joined and at the edge detail work.
Next, look at the fit of the pieces, and the detail around the sink area.
Many fabricators do a fine job in the shop, but do not quite get the installation right.
We have re-done countertops done by other fabricators on more than one occasion.
It is not worth a few hundred dollars price difference to have to police your fabricator, nor to deal with the stress that you will experience from a bad installation.
We are just saying, "take care who you hire!" Your new granite countertops should be sealed either before or immediately after installation.
Stone varies greatly in terms of porosity, and may need more than one application the first time around.
It never hurts to seal your countertops again, and in general re-sealing once a year is a good idea.
You can opt for one of the 15 year sealers such as Dry Treat for an additional charge.
This is an excellent choice if you think you won't get around to doing it every year! Overall, there is not anything to not like about granite countertops, and you will get a lifetime of use and enjoyment from your new countertops!
The beautiful colors and unique grain patterns make it a wonderful design choice for your kitchen.
The strength and durability of granite is unmatched by other natural countertop materials.
A properly installed set of granite countertops will last for several lifetimes and with minimal care will continue to look just as they did the day they you had them installed.
In terms of value, there is no better addition to your home to maintain and increase the market value of your home.
In many instances, the absence of stone countertops can be a shortcoming if you are trying to sell your home.
Although well-done granite countertops are not inexpensive, in the end, there is no better investment in your home.
Meanwhile you get to enjoy the visual and practical benefits of Mother Nature's finest creations! The most difficult portion of your granite countertop remodel will likely be choosing the stone that best suits your tastes.
The natural colors, veining, and "movement" that are found in stone slabs vary widely and you may find yourself spending several Saturday visits to the slab suppliers to find the perfect granite for your kitchen countertops.
There is no substitute for these natural variations found in the various stone types.
A good eye can see the difference between the man made "look alike" materials and the real deal from a mile away! Once perceived as a material only for the most expensive homes, granite countertops have become less costly over the years, and are widely used in average homes of all values throughout the country.
The increased demand for stone countertops has in turn created an increase in the number of fabricators whom you can hire to fabricate and install your countertops.
This should be cause for due consideration on your part as you work to decide which fabricator to hire.
The obvious first consideration is the experience of the contractor you are working with.
Although everyone has to learn their trade somewhere, you probably do not want to be their training site! There are the other obvious things to look for in a fabricator.
Always consider the responsiveness of your prospective fabricator, take note of how long it takes them to get back to your requests.
Many times, we have customers who thank us for getting back to them so soon, and a surprising number thank us for getting back to them at all...
I cannot understand this, but whatever, it is good for us when other shops ignore homeowner requests! In addition to the obvious things you would look for in a contractor, there are details as to fabrication methods that you can look for.
When you have decided on two or three fabricators, you should look at some of their work and talk to two or three of their previous customers.
Obviously, you will not be directed to unhappy customers, so this is not always a good indicator of what to expect, but in most cases if one customer is happy so are the rest.
Take particular note of the quality of workmanship where two pieces of stone have been joined and at the edge detail work.
Next, look at the fit of the pieces, and the detail around the sink area.
Many fabricators do a fine job in the shop, but do not quite get the installation right.
We have re-done countertops done by other fabricators on more than one occasion.
It is not worth a few hundred dollars price difference to have to police your fabricator, nor to deal with the stress that you will experience from a bad installation.
We are just saying, "take care who you hire!" Your new granite countertops should be sealed either before or immediately after installation.
Stone varies greatly in terms of porosity, and may need more than one application the first time around.
It never hurts to seal your countertops again, and in general re-sealing once a year is a good idea.
You can opt for one of the 15 year sealers such as Dry Treat for an additional charge.
This is an excellent choice if you think you won't get around to doing it every year! Overall, there is not anything to not like about granite countertops, and you will get a lifetime of use and enjoyment from your new countertops!
