Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Cost of Granite Countertops

###The Cost of Granite Countertops###

The beauty, hardness and utility of granite makes it a highly desirable material for countertops in home design. In expanding to its natural strength, granite is a gorgeous stone that adds color and warmth to a room. Though the cost to add granite countertops to any new kitchen or remodel can be quite high, they remain the premiere selection in many new and remodeled homes.

Tile Patterns

The price of granite countertops ranges from to 0 a square foot, which may or may not consist of the cost of installation. Allowance granite can be found for as dinky as per foot, not together with installation. The prime cost is not in the stone itself, but rather in the costs connected to communication and installation.

The stone commerce remains unregulated, which can make it confusing. Every entity that handles the granite, from the quarry to the supplier and fabricator, can compose their own pricing based on the ask in the local market. Dealers who provide full service, so that a homeowner doesn't have to do the shopping or planning, will add a markup of up to 50%.

Granite suppliers will typically have three or four groupings (or "tiers") of granite to pick from. The first tier will consist of the prime products that sell for the highest price. Stones are grouped based on any criteria together with the country of origin, color, veins or patterns, thickness of the slab, whole of soft minerals in the stone, and current fashion trends. Some granite colors exhibit ""movement"", or a distinctive pattern within the color. The mixture of color and movement also work on the final price of granite countertops.

Granite from lower tiers has the same charm and utility as the slabs in the upper groupings. Additionally, stones in a lower tier could be harder than stones in a first tier, so it pays to get out and look around. A lower tier could also be referred to as "commercial grade." Typically the market grades have a large whole of "pits" that have been filled in. The presence of softer minerals may need added cabinet supports or penetrating sealant, which adds to the final price of granite countertops.

Cheaper, thinner cut stone may be a dinky less than two centimeters instead of a recommended three, in which case the installer would laminate it to plywood backing for added stability. Allowance granite suppliers will typically deal with a thinner cut stone; many suppliers now carry stones that are intentionally cut thin and laminated at the quarry. It is now tasteless for stone that originates in Asia or India to be cut thin and fabricated prior to shipping. Pre-fabrication does originate a lower cost product with less waste being shipped to the supplier. In addition, the fabrication is done in countries with much lower wages, salvage on the labor costs at the final destination.

The price of granite countertops is greatly affected by the whole of seams and cuts that will have to be made in the stone slabs. Discuss how the cuts will be made when the installer or fabricator makes their preliminary measurements for the template. Other thing to ask are the hidden costs of wasted material. Depending on the length of countertops being installed, there will be at least three square feet of waste by the time the fabricator is finished. The cost of wasted material is paid by the homeowner.

Shopping for granite countertops doesn't have to be frustrating. Focus on seeing a reputable supplier and installer who are willing to respond all your questions. Despite the fact that labor expenses are the largest price of granite countertops, this is one project that needs to be left to the professionals. The oversized sheets are highly delicate and must be surely cut. Failure to properly set a granite countertop could originate an expensive mistake for a do-it-yourself homeowner.

The Cost of Granite Countertops


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