OT--Buying Granite Countertops

[Nicolepa]

How do you find out if a granite place has sample sales? Is this something that would be ongoing? I'm wondering if you can just ask the salesperson. Our current kitchen probably couldn't have been done with leftovers from another job, but this would be handy for a smaller kitchen or for a bathroom vanity top.

Most granite warhouses will have a leftover pile that you can get stuff really, really cheap. It is definitly the way to go if you have a small area.

To the OP, I would never allow HD to install granite in my home. I want someone who eats, sleeps and drinks granite. I would call the granite warehouses in your area. If they don't work directly w/the public, and I haven't found one in my area that doesn't, then they will certainly have a list of people that they recommend.

I also would never buy granite without going to the warehouse and picking out the EXACT slabs you want. When we were building our house we had picked our color from the builder. It wasn't something we loved, but it was the best choice they gave us. When we got to the warehouse we hated the granite (keep in mind our island is almost a slab big), we fell in loved with something but it wasn't an option for our builder. The guy said, hey, we can put in ANYTHING in this warehouse, you pick what you want. We picked our granite and the building designer threw a fit said it would be horrible etc. Our cabinet guy came after it was installed and said it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The best part for me? I know that NO ONE in my neighborhood has this awesome color in their house. EVERYONE who walks in loves it.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

We just have the 1 sink vanity in both bathrooms, so I wonder if we could use a sample or scrap for those. They aren't very big. I'm definitely going to call and ask! Thanks for the info.

I know I could have for my bathroom vanity. There isn't much granite, when you look at how much space the sink takes up.

If it were just my vanity in my master, I'd look into it, but I also want a drop-in bathtub, set in granite. I think I'll have too much space.

 

[crjack]

they have a great search tool too!

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/

Trish

I highly second this forum for any kitchen remodeling questions! I love that site and used it frequently for our kitchen re-do, which was very extensive.

We got some great recommendations from members who were from our area. We've had granite countertops in our kitchen and baths for several years now.

There is info on budgets, install, maintentance, etc. very detailed and a wonderful gallery to look at completed kitchens and get some ideas.

Good luck.

 

[ticktock]

Please tell us what kind of faucet this is! I can't wait to know what kind costs $1200! And I thought we had expensive ones A picture would be great too!

OK this will be long and most will find it dull, so just skip this post if you wish .

I had wanted a goose neck bridge faucet. The goose neck part is self explanitory. What the bridge is, is this- instead of having the faucet and knobs sitting on a base plate on the counter with the hot and cold water pipes coming together under the counter and then coming out of the faucet nozzle, you have the hot and cold pipes coming up through the counter then coming together in a "bridge" and then going up into the faucet nozzle. Does that make sense?

ANYWAY .With a traditional bridge faucet you can't get a spray attachment with the faucet because the water mixes above the counter in the bridge, not under the counter were you can attached the sprayer's plumbing. And everyone asks "Why can't they make one that just sprays cold?" I don't know.

You can buy a fake bridge faucet that has a third pipe coming up between the cold and hot water pipes that feeds water from under the sink into faucet nozzle directly, but I don't like that look.

I finally did find a company that manufactured true bridge faucets with a sprayer. They have some complicated plumbing system where a small tube goes from the hot water pipe through the bridge, down into the cold water pipe and then mixes in a seperate tank under the sink. At least that's how I think it works. I don't know, ask my husband, he's an engineer and it impressed the pants off of him (or at least the wallet out of his pants ).

I can't remember the name of the company, but they're in England and only do special orders, they make it when you order it. So, that's why it cost so much money. Not because it's gold plated or anything .

 

[punkin]

So what is the advantage of a bridge faucet? Why does it matter where the water is mixed?

 

[Lorikr65]

I was looking into granite but actually went with silestone because it looks like granite (about the same price) but you can put anything on it (hot or cold) and you don't have to treat it like you do granite. No maintenance.

 

[ticktock]

So what is the advantage of a bridge faucet? Why does it matter where the water is mixed?

There is no advantage. I just like the look of the bridge faucet but I need a sprayer since my sink is so large. I could never get it clean otherwise.

Which reminds me, to the OP. Look online for a sink. I wanted a large, one bowl stainless undermount sink. This ALSO wasn't very popular at the time ( along with bridge faucets). I did manage to find one online for half of what anyone else was selling them for at the time.

 

[ticktock]

This reminds of when way back when .......my parents got a new faucet- it was a Moen- I think probably the original model they came out with LOL... But I recall my Dad Loving it so so much. And the joke in our family was "who cares about the china I want to know who gets the Moen in the will?" And as my Dad was mad as one of us- the other would get said faucet in the will. To this day I think it is mine all mine!!

That is TOO funny. I only have one kid, but it doesn't matter. I told dh I wanted the faucet buried with me .

 

[Anastasia]

I was looking into granite but actually went with silestone because it looks like granite (about the same price) but you can put anything on it (hot or cold) and you don't have to treat it like you do granite. No maintenance.

We have granite, and we put hot and cold things on it all the time. (I put pots directly from the stove on the granite.) I remember being concerned about granite maintenance issues when we were researching granite. My granite installer said it really doesn't require any maintenance. The only thing I can imagine people are referring to as far as maintenance is sealing the counters. My installer said that the sealer they use should last 5 years. I also think I have heard that it is not necessary to seal them, as they become "seasoned" over time, from use.

Also, someone commented about the mess of demolition. Our granite countertops were installed in one afternoon. The formica countertops were removed, and the new counters put on in a few hours. There was no mess, other than having to throw out the old countertops. It was no big deal at all. I can't imagine it taking three days.

I would just be careful to investigate all of the "negatives" that the sellers of non-granite products are telling you about granite. We have had our counters for 5 years, and absolutely love them. It is one of our favorite improvements on our house.

I agree about the garden web forums - they were great when we were doing our granite. I used to spend a lot of time on there before I became addicted to the Disboards!!

 

[DisneyDazed]

As far as the samples sales or left over peices we just asked. We got grogeous tumbled marble tiles for our backsplash for FREE! We have two knooks that I want to travertine on and Im waiting for some leftovers. Its a great way to do small jobs. Surely doable with a bathroom vanity.

 

[chrissyk]

As far as the samples sales or left over peices we just asked. We got grogeous tumbled marble tiles for our backsplash for FREE! We have two knooks that I want to travertine on and Im waiting for some leftovers. Its a great way to do small jobs. Surely doable with a bathroom vanity.

How did you get the pieces for free??? That is so awesome!! DH and I definitely want to look into this for our bathroom vanities.