Discuss Countertops - how do I choose?! on IKEAFANS.com. We're Personalizing the IKEA Experience. Countertops - how do I choose?! - Need help with planning your remodel? Want a kitchen planner to review your ideas? This is the happenin' spot!.
Oh my word! I did NOT know that countertops would be SO expensive!!! They're going to cost more than our cabinets!!! (Maybe this is why we got IKEA cabinets? So the cost overall would be cheaper.)
I just got back from Home Depot, getting a quote for their Silestone Quartz. It was $4700-5600 (depending on which color I like best) for our 60 sq.ft. of countertop with 10 sq.ft. of backsplash. YIKES! I was expecting it to be under $3000. She said it would be $440 less if I didn't have the breakfast bar sticking out 10", but I really would like a breakfast bar where that G shape is, b/c otherwise it's just... well... it's weird without it.
Can you help me figure out what to do? We'll be in this house for 3 years, and then we'll be renting it out (hopefully this will make a good investment house - we want to make it appealing for renters, but also make it last through their abuse, and we'd like it to be nice for us b/c we're living here for the next 3 years).
I really like granite, but didn't bother looking at it b/c of price. I'm in love with quartz - I fell in love with the Zodiaq at IKEA, but I can't get that b/c I live too far from IKEA (they said simply I can't buy it b/c I'm too far away). The quartz at Home Depot was perfectly fine - didn't fall in love with any specific color, but since we're only looking at it for 3 years this doesn't need to be my dream kitchen.
Corian is just too cheap-looking/feeling.
Any other recommendations of countertops? Anything I'm missing? Or maybe am I shopping at the wrong place? How does HD's prices for countertops compare to others'? I called COSTCO, but they take 2 business days just to call me back... and that's not going to be till Wed. We really want this done ASAP! We've got all the wall cabinets hung, and we'll have the base cabinets done by tomorrow evening (knock on Adel wood! lol).... so countertop is what is going to keep us from having a complete kitchen, and I'm going nuts with no kitchen!
Sorry this is so long. Could you please help me figure this out?
I don't know what the price difference is with Costco, but even if it's only $1000 - is it worth the loss ot that savings for possible speediness? Chances are HD is going to offer you some delays along with your order for $5000 worth of ctop, so I wouldn't be so quick to jump at their offer.
Also...do you need the backsplash? 10sq. ft. at that kind of price is a savings of over $700. I guarantee you that paint or a simple tile won't cost you $700, and the trend today is to drop the 4" backsplash and tile/paint/whatever down to the counter.
Give Costco a chance. At the very least, their customer service policies are FAR better than HD's. Costco's focus is the customer, whereas HD's appears to have been the CEO.
Susan
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what city are you in? there are granite resources all over the country that come in significantly less.... i just got my mom granite in her kitchen and bathroom with just under 50sf, backsplash up the wall on one side of the kitchen, two window sills done plus a 4in backsplash in the bathroom.... install will include undermounted sink (and all the faucet holes), cooktop drop in, and drop in bathroom sink. her total? 3200$
it's very hard for me to go into hd or lowes for anything other than immediate needs, they're convenient, but i shop my big purchases...
I recently helped my MIL with a Silestone project through HD. She had one of the third or fourth tier colors, and it ended up pricing out at quite a bit more than MANY granites. I agree with the comment that HD is pricier than a lot of smaller granite places, and they just sub it out anyway. Personally, I'd rather deal directly with the fabricator/installer than have HD in between.
I also agree to drop the Silestone backsplash. I did a beautiful custom river rock, marble and tile splash for her for less than $400 bucks in materials. Chose something simple for a tile splash and you could get by at half that cost easily...what she chose was spendy.
There is going to be a lead time no matter what. My MIL's project was a week before they could come out to measure and then another three weeks to install.
I would expect this is typical regardless of who or what you use.
I'd give Costco a chance at least.
Also, Zodiaq is avaliable through vendors other than IKEA.
What about granite tile? In a large size tile with very narrow joints it looks great, IMO, costs much, much less and is relatively easy to DIY.
i took simple measurements in picked a granite and they'll fabricate on site. the only hold up is us we ordered it wednesday and they could install monday. it's our electric holding up the install.... oh, and for 10$ a piece they'd bring and install the plywood. we're doing that part, but they're going to cut sink holes in that as well.
sure, it's prefabricated granite lengths, but once it's installed nobody can really tell the difference.
imo the only reason to buy slab granite is if you REALLY love a specific granite and want a particular flow and therefore you need to check multiple slabs (paradiso is one that i would want slab) OR if you have an unusual shaped area where 8-10 ft lengths at 26 in deep and bullnose doesn't work (though we also got an island at 8x3 bullnose all four sides)
I would encourage you to check into granite as well. I recently went into a kitchen showroom and was quoted $2800 for 60 sf plus an undermount sink, installed. I had a choice of 5 colors, Uba Tuba being one. I passed on it because granite doesn't do it for me (the guy made the offer without me even asking for it), but if I was concerned about appealing to renters it sure would be an attractive offer.
nicole, i actually had the choice of about 30-40 selections ranging in price from 99-500$ for a standard 8ft length bullnose on front and side (you choose left or right) and 20$ for another side. prices can be incredible in my area. Or i could go to HD and pay $100 sf
I saved a lot by getting the pre-fab granite slab for the perimeter of my kitchen, and putting Ikea butcherblock on the rather massive island. I love both, and the mix can work well if you like both with your kitchen style.
Kathy
I did leave a message with a local cabinet/countertop guy, as well as the message I left with Costco. So... I'll wait to hear from them.
How else do I go about finding a countertop vendor? I am in a small town in the middle of nowhere... but we have a Home Depot, which is why I thought I'd get a quote from them! lol I'm new to this home-renovation-stuff, so I don't know how to go about finding them. Do I just look up "countertops" in the yellow pages???
Thanks for all your help - I am really glad to know there are (might be) options!
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we ordered it wednesday and they could install monday. it's our electric holding up the install.... oh, and for 10$ a piece they'd bring and install the plywood. we're doing that part, but they're going to cut sink holes in that as well.
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