Spring for the granite or no?

Question

So I'm already way over budget. I have not much big left to buy except for my kitchen countertop. Everything in the house is beautiful. Gorgeous tile, fresh hardwood, new cabinets, stainless steel appliances. It's coming together very sweetly. But do I have to buy the granite counertop? man I'm looking at like 3k plus. I'm not feeling it. But that kitchen is the first room you see when you walk in. Should I go with granite, or can I skip it?

Minna Reid · Answer

Ok the kitchen is smallish 11x11 and the only place I can really lay any counter is along one wall and another spot where I have a 9" cabinet. The cabinets are 24" out. So whats that maybe 25-30 sq ft? At $60 a sq ft that less than 2k. I dont think 3k is out of the ballpark. Maybe that's even too little counterspace and I should find some way to incorporate a small island  or something. But - yeah I guess I do have to go the granite. It would probably be the worst shortcut not to go that route.

Frank Adams · Answer

You are sooooo right rodriguez! I live in a small town, although we have TWO granite quarries and about 25 installers (total "metro area-4 towns in 2 counties is less than 25K people) and cheap labor, central TX and it's still going to run about $55-$60 sq ft, including edge beveliing, around here.

We're in the process of doing a smallish kitchen right now and it's going to be about $3600. I've got a friend in the business, who doesn't really cut me any breaks, he knows he can "slip" my job if a bigger one comes up, and most important he doesn't have to charge me the FULL SLAB, as long as I use a very common granite! Which is a huge savings!

all cash

Frank Adams · Answer

Since you're "way over budget" it's too late to start cutting. The kitchen in any house is NOT the place to cut, particularly in a higher end house. Since you've done everything else first rate don't cut corners now.

$3K plus, it must be a pretty small kitchen! Even taking Pam's advice, how much will you actually save? Consider this, $4K for granite, $3.5 for silestone, $2K for granite tiles. That's only a $2K savings. You could lose that much on extra holding costs is this place doesn't move due to the kitchen looking "cheapo". And it will!

all cash

Pam Fausett · Answer

Do the granite tiles instead for 1/3rd the price. Pick a grout color that matches the granite, and tell your tile installer to lay the tiles as close together as possible. It'll look great. Good luck.

Pam Fausett
Investor/Realtor in Georgia
Harry Norman, Realtors