Counter Tops (granite, Home Depot, Lowes, laminate)
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Do you find that Home Depot and Lowes are more or less expensive for counter tops then a store that specializes in them?
Also, leaning towards silestone but not crazy about the speckle patterns. Any complaints about silestone? I prefer the granite patterns with the long lines but even on the granite there seems to be limited color choices for that. Granite is so expensive and I don't even see them using it much on HGTV make overs. They mostly use some type of quartz so I'm assuming that is good quality. Would appreciate opinions, thx.
Why don't you get quotes for the Silestone of your choice and installation? That way you can compare apples to apples.
I have the Amarillo Palmira and have never regretted having it installed. It is virtually indestructible and has an antibacterial product in it. Silestone Antibacterial (http://www.silestone.com/international/antibacterias.asp - broken link)
There is absolutely no maintenance. I never have to seal the product. It has never scratched on me either. The one thing that you have to be careful is that the surface is very hard. I broke several pieces of stemware when I first had it installed because this stuff is hard! For those that are concerned about radon gas emitting from granite - Silestone is a quartz product and does have any radon gas levels.
Your local independent shop will most likely be less expensive than HD/Lowes. The reason is because HD/Lowes subcontracts that work out to the local shop, and by the time they add their own markup, you end up paying more.
But you should price-shop for yourself. Make sure you know what is being included in the quotes you get (e.g. demolition/removal of old countertops, a new sink, certain edge profiles, etc). Don't focus only on the price per sqft because the lowest sqft cost may not include some of those 'extras'.
If you like granite, look for a local granite shop in your area. I found that the granite shops have a much better selection than the big box stores and their prices are better too. Both times we did granite - bath and kitchen, I was able to pick out my own slab.
Corian also has solid colors. In fact, once when I looked, the prices per foot of the solids were less expensive than the patterns. I prefer Silestone over Corian, but Corian is a bit less pricey. They were kind of the pioneers of solid surface but since then they've been supplanted as market leader, so maybe that's why. It's a useful, virtually maintenance-free product though, so it's still a good choice. I'd stay away from the molded sinks, though. I've seen some that for whatever reason haven't held up as well as the counters.
The big box stores will always be more expensive and have less choices then the small shops. Always. Since granite is a natural product there will be limited choices of colors and grain patterns. Man made products like solid surface will have several hundred to several thousand color choices. Solid surface is Corian and Silestone. Silestone is a superior product which is far more advanced in technology then Corian which Dupont invented back around 82 or so.
Silestone is a tad more costly then Corian but both these products cost more then granite. Granite is dying in popularity despite what Realtors will tell you. The new generation of countertop materials will overtake granite soon but I feel granite will never disappear from our kitchens. It's still a great product though I don't like it. The future is going to be decorative cement. It's already growing quickly and will grow quicker when the price comes down
Don't buy anything from the big orange who only wants your little green. If you want to know more then don't listen to me. Google their name followed by complaints and your computer screen will light up the night sky.
desrtsun41, I'm a Realtor and never say granite is all that. Either the house has it or it doesn't but 99% of people I show houses to want it. I really don't, I would prefer the silestone and it's less expensive not more expensive than granite. I went to several stores and granite was more expensive in every one of them.
I just can't find a pattern I like. I looked at the links provided in another post and still didn't like any of them. They seem to busy to me and I don't like the plain colors either. I guess I'm being a pain but I prefer the marble type of look but want it in the silestone.
... I would prefer the silestone and it's less expensive not more expensive than granite.
No, it's more expensive. These days, a lot of granite is prefabricated into 2'x8' or 2'x9' slabs already and can be had for under $200. Here in SoCal, I've even seen slabs go for under $90 ... which is about the same price of what prefabricated laminate goes for.
As for Corian ... 1967 is when it came out. It didn't get more popular until the 80's, however.
No, it's more expensive. These days, a lot of granite is prefabricated into 2'x8' or 2'x9' slabs already and can be had for under $200. Here in SoCal, I've even seen slabs go for under $90 ... which is about the same price of what prefabricated laminate goes for.
As for Corian ... 1967 is when it came out. It didn't get more popular until the 80's, however.
In HD near me it's the opposite but I don't know in the smaller shops the prices. The granite was $10 more per sq ft then the silestone which I think is a hugh difference. I have to go shop around and compare prices but at HD granite was the most expensive counter top offered.
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