How to save on granite countertops
Granite countertops. Handsome. Sophisticated. Neat. Natural. No matter what your personal taste or home decor, there is certainly a granite color and style you will fall in love with. But what about the price? We sure love the look of granite, but how can we get granite countertops in our home without breaking the bank? As we can save on granite countertops?
Here are some tips for achieving your dream kitchen by adding granite countertops on a budget.
Many people are under the mistaken impression that granite countertops ALWAYS cost more than composite or fabricated products. Not so! In fact, there are several styles of granite that cost less than similar looking solid surface gold quartz products. And while granite can never be less expensive than laminate, it can definitely be less expensive than solid surface or quartz.
Granite comes in a wide range of color combinations depending on the area of the world in which they are cut. There are ‘standard’ granite colors and ‘exotic’ granite colors. And their cost ranges are as wide as their color ranges. Standard granite colors can cost as little as $35 per square foot installed, while exotic granites can fetch upwards of $300 per square foot.
There are about a dozen different granite colors that are considered “standard” in the industry. According to granite countertop installers in Maryland, some of the colors considered standard include:
- cinnamon sand (a medium brown shade with streaks and streaks of a darker brown)
- tan brown (a darker shade of brown with cinnamon, dark brown and black flecks and streaks)
- Saint Cecilia (a light brown heather style with black and gray streaks and a medium speckled pattern)
- Caledonia (a medium gray shade with greenish flecks and lighter gray streaks)
- green butterfly (a dark green down with tan and lighter green streaks and streaks and a variegated speckled pattern)
- Cinnamon (a shade of pink with light pink, gray and dark gray streaks and streaks)
- Ubatuba (a deep green shade with dark green and black streaks and streaks)
- Sapphire Blue Brown (a medium to deep brown shade with light brown, dark brown, and blue streaks and streaks)
- black brazilian (a deep black with dark streaks and specks)
- black impala (a dark grayish hue with black flecks and a tight mottled pattern)
- baltic brown (a medium brown with dark green and brown flecks and veins and a large speckled pattern)
- sunset gold (a light shade of pink with brown, green, and light flecks and a tight speckled pattern)
- pearl moon (a light to medium grayish shade with dark gray flecks and a tight speckled pattern)
Many of these standard granite colors can be installed by a professional for as little as $35 per square foot. So, depending on the size of your kitchen and countertop coverage, granite countertop installation could cost less than $2,500. Nothing bad!
Before you rule out granite, do some research. Browse the web to see the colors and styles you like. Visit home showrooms to see various colors and styles in use (granite can look very different when you see 10 feet of it versus a few inches on a sample), and contact a reputable granite installer who can review your options with you and provide an accurate cost estimate.
Your dream kitchen with granite countertops may be closer than you think!