Why are granite countertops so friggin expensive?

[RummyTheDummy]

In some cases $30-40 per square foot. WTF? It's granite, not gold!

End of rant.

[trotsky]

1. 'Cuz it's so purty!

In seriousness, I caught an episode of This Old House once where they showed a company that rough-cuts granite countertops. From the quarry to the (nearly) finished product.

That is fucking labor-intensive work. Massive slabs of rock that they break out of the ground, then transport, then load into these HUUUUUUGE cutting machines that have to proceed at a pace that would make a snail check its watch.

They're beautiful, and durable, but clearly expensive for good reason.

[RummyTheDummy]

4. That makes sense

I never considered those factors. Oh well, looks like it'll be ceramic tile then. I just thought it was expensive because somebody decided it was going to be expensive. Sorta like BMWs.

[Lerkfish]

2. ever tried to work granite?

I'm just sayin.

[unhappycamper]

23. A router bit to edge sink holes costs about $80 a pop in quantity.

If you're careful you can get 3~4 sinkholes from a bit.

A set of polishing disks for a hand-held polisher costs about $400. A table saw to cut slabs is around $20,000. All the tools use diamond dust to get the job done.

That adds up after a while.

[CottonBear]

3. Probably shipping and handling costs are high due to the weight.

I live near the Granite Capital of the Worls (Elberton, GA) and it's expensive here too! The quarrying, cutting, design, shipping and installation are all expensive.

Granite is so beautiful. I can't afford it though.

[WeRQ4U]

5. Because they are basically artwork... really

They are labor-intensive, expensive to mine, ship and finish. They are hard to cut. There is quite a bit of waste. There is a ton of preparation.

If you have the money, go with Silestone, Cambria, Corian, etc. They have products that look exactly like Granite, and because they are non-porous, you don't have to seal them. They never stain, and if you nick or scratch them, most of them can be sanded out. You can't do that with Grante. Granite is porous and will stain.

Then again, they may be even MORE expensive. Oh well. Good luck .

[sui generis]

8. I have silestone

it is more expensive than granite! But it looks great - and I use every square inch of my kitchen, a lot.

[Heidi]

6. You need to buy your granite here.

It's the most prevalent stone in this part of Switzerland and marble is dang cheap in Ticino and northern Italy, too.

But I'd caution you against untreated granite countertops. Granite absorbs oil like nobody's business. (I learned that after having olive oil splash onto my terra cotta stone floors. Not a pretty, or inexpensive, cleanup project.)

[sui generis]

7. granite is for people who don't really cook

they just use their kitchen as a museum display space.

I have a special "engineered" granite - costs more than the real thing but is much more chemical, heat and stain resistant.

The reason for the cost is simple: granite comes in fixed sheet sizes. Every time you cut a strip for counter the rest of the sheet becomes scrap. Also, they have to figure in breakage and wastage and spread that factor over all their customers. Finally, the finishing (the bullnose, lapidary cement, joining and final grind / hone are expensive because they destroy tools quickly.

[Heidi]

12. I agree.

I have stainless steel countertops. I _really_ cook. :hi:

[sui generis]

14. I was going to suggest that!

I grew up in and around laboratories - I always associate stainless steel with chemicals and dissection so my personal pick is the fake stuff - but otherwise would be stainless steel.

[Heidi]

16. Stainless steel countertops = easy cleanup. (nt)

[gizmonic]

26. oooohhh! Tell me more about stainless steel countertops!!

That's what I want for my kitchen now!!!! :woohoo:

Any advice??

TIA

[Heidi]

31. Welcome to DU!

What I can tell you from personal experience is that they scratch easily, but I don't mind a few knife marks on a clean, well-used countertop (though I usually use a cutting board when slicing/chopping). They also show water drops (who cares? :eyes:), but they clean up beautifully and reflect the available light in the kitchen (unlike dark, natural stone counter treatments, which seem to absorb light and make the kitchen darker).

Hmmm. What else to say? I love stainless steel. Google stainless steel counter tops and see what you come up with. I live in Switzerland, so the prices and currency changes prohibit an apples-to-apples price comparison. I've read that in the US, stainless steel counter tops run from $85 upward per square foot. One thing I'd mention is that it's really important that you have them professionally installed, because depending on your kitchen configuration, welding might be necessary, and you'd want the joined places to look nice.

Also, you might check whether IKEA in the US carries stainless steel kitchen components. www.ikea.com

[gizmonic]

33. Thanks! nt

:hi:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

15. I'm jealous!

Stainless steel counters are awesome!

[evlbstrd]

18. I was thinking either tile, or ripping the whole sucker out

and installing a stainless steel restaurant sink and counter. Think I'll head down to the restaurant surplus.

[Heidi]

22. If you love cookin' . . .

but hate cleanup, I recommend stainless steel. I also believe, but have no scientific evidence to prove, that it harbors fewer bacteria than more porous counter treatments. (And even when it's not perfectly clean, stainless steel _look_ pretty clean.)

[WeRQ4U]

28. Stainless steel is great, but....

Despite the fact that they look "clean" all the time and clean up is relatively worry-free, they do scratch really easily and they collect fingerprints and handprints like you wouldn't believe. Just a reminder.

I like mid-century modern stuff, and stainless looks good combined with that style. I would do it, but my wife hates them, and she's runs her father's home remodling business.

[Heidi]

32. Oh, you're absolutely right.

But I use a cutting board 95 percent of the time, and I don't mind a few scratches in a well-loved and well-used kitchen. I don't have kids, so we don't have a lot of surface touching to contend with. I guess I rarely touch the counters, except to clean them. :shrug: Ours are combined with a really rustic, handmade oak-topped kitchen bar. (We don't even have a dining room table and chairs . . . just a giant bar.) It's a good mix of natural and modern.

Why does your wife hate stainless? Is it for the reasons you mentioned?

[WeRQ4U]

34. Pretty Much. "Hates" was probably too strong a word. I tend to do that.

She believes in beauty, function and simplicity. One main reason is she isn't into the industrial look of Stainless. Plus, she would rather have a counter top that she can cut on and scrape than have to use a butcher block. The finger prints and oily areas are another detractor. Another reason is, she hates butcher blocks and cutting boards. They are porous (even with a coating) and trap bacteria and disease. Of course, you can avoid it by being really careful, but she would rather clad her counters in COrian or Zodiak or Cambria or something, than have wood or stainless. It's seamless, completely level (unlike grouted tile countertops), non-porous, stain-proof, customizable, and sandable etc. I sound like a Rep or something, but you get my point.

She's picky. Stainless counters are popular and perfectly functional, she just prefers other things.

[AlCzervik]

9. very labor intensive. i've had corian in my last 2 homes

and it's been a good selling point plus it's really easy to to maintain.

[Redstone]

10. "It's granite, not gold?" Tell you what, go out and dig a big hole until

you find a large mass of granite.

Then cut a piece of it that's larger than your countertop.

Get it up out of the hole without cracking it.

Cut it down to countertop size, again without cracking it.

Smooth and polish it (be careful you don't crack it).

Load it into a truck and carry it into your house and install it on the base, but don't bump it into anything that could crack it.

.........How much would you charge someone if they saw your caountertop and asked if you'd do one for them?

This is kind of the way I explain why things are expensive to my kids when they ask.

Short version: It takes a LOT of work to make.

Redstone

[Bridget Burke]

11. According to HGTV....

Laminates are cheapest but the least durable. Tile is a bit more but hard to keep clean & breakable (but also individually replaceable). "Synthetic solids" cost even more, are durable & can be fitted seamlessly. Stone costs the most--but granite is not the only one available. (I've also seen concrete countertops.)

www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_kitchen_bath_counters/article/0,1797,HGTV_3745_1386541,00.html

I'm sure you can find sites with more details. Here's one:

www.kitchens.com/Remodeling-And-Design/Products-and-materials/countertops/your-options2.asp

As a renter with Formica in the kitchen, I've gotten tired of all the granite on the decorating shows. I'd vote for soapstone, myself.

[BrotherBuzz]

13. Granite makes lousy eating counter surface....

It's cold! Especially for us slobs who insist on putting elbows on the counter. Granite has only one recognized use in a kitchen: candy making. I say an ideal kitchen should have multiple surfaces - wood butcher block, stainless, plastic laminate, and tile. Mix them up and place them where they do the best job.

End of rant.

[spacelady]

17. It's Hard! And a lot of Work!

[RevCheesehead]

19. Because DU keeps handing out granite cookies?

:evilgrin:

[norml]

20. You don't have to quarry formica, and it's lighter to transport.

So formica is cheaper than granite.

[China_cat]

21. To pay for the hernia operations

of the people who have to lift them.

[Deep13]

24. Anything that has to be quarried is expensive.

Use formica like everyone else rather than digging up the Earth for a countertop.
:eyes:

[Burma Jones]

25. So we can differentiate ourselves from you proles

Now, get back to my lawn.

[coffeenap]

27. Save the planet--and get a beautiful countertop here: (link)

http://www.enviroglasproducts.com/

[NewJeffCT]

29. it's also trendy right now

that adds a bit to the price as well...

granted, it is heavier and harder to work with, but I think part of it is also trendiness.

[Squatch]

30. Check out concrete countertops...

VERY nice.

Or soapstone:



Beautiful

[AngryAmish]

35. I like concrete too

Is soapstone what they had on the biology tables in high school?

[chaska]

36. I hate those damned things. There's cold, noisy, break dishes....

And they're elitist. If I were going that route I'd use colored concrete which is just as durable but if it get's scuffed, who cares.

I hate prissy ass rich people kitchens. They're strictly for looking at. God forbid you should actually want to cook in one.

I hate my sister-in-law!

[ComerPerro]

37. You wouldn't want Gold Countertops anyway