Are you wondering if you can afford granite countertops for your kitchen? Granite countertops, after all, lend a look of luxury and elegance to a kitchen, so the price may be beyond the average budget. It can be, but that depends on the choices you make when getting a quote for your kitchen.
Many factors impinge on the overall cost of granite countertops. On average, you can spend about $100 per square foot, installed. In some cases, that can go as high as $200 per square foot. If that sounds a bit much for you, you will be glad to know that you can just as easily find a supplier to fabricate and install kitchen countertops of granite for as low as $45 per square foot.
You might be wondering why there is such a wide range of prices for the same countertop. Well, they are not precisely the same ones, but they are all granite countertops. Here are the different factors that can affect the cost of granite for kitchen countertops.
Color and pattern
Granite comes in a great variety of colors and patterns. Some are more common than others, however. When you choose granite in common colors and patterns, you tend to pay less.
Your supplier will walk you through the different granite slabs available in the showroom. You will find that gray, brown, cream, and beige colors in uniform speckles or striations tend to be less expensive.
These are more common granite slabs, but they are nonetheless as durable and beautiful as rarer, more expensive ones. Choosing a less expensive granite based on rarity is not going to make your kitchen countertops any less functional or attractive.
Place of origin
Granite is the most abundant type of rock in the world, so granite slabs come from all over. While there is again no significant difference between granite that comes from Italy and from Brazil, one may be more expensive than the other may be because of the distance. Your supplier will have to pay more to transport slabs from a place further away so that added cost will pass on to the end user. Generally, the nearer the place of origin of the granite slab, the less expensive it will be.
The only exception to this rule is local granite in the US. Since processing granite happens on-site, local slabs may cost more because labor in the US is more typically expensive than in Italy or Brazil.
Thickness
Most granite slabs designed for countertop use are 2 cm and 3 cm thick. As you can probably imagine, thicker slabs tend to be more expensive as it uses more material per square foot. Generally, countertop specialists recommend 3 cm slabs for kitchen countertops because they have to stand up to much more use than bathroom vanity tops, for which 2 cm slabs are good enough.
That said, you could save quite a bit of money by choosing a 2 cm slab for your kitchen countertops. Your installer will simply add more support under vulnerable areas of the slab to keep it from buckling or cracking under heavy loads. Your slimmer kitchen countertops should last just as long as the more robust ones. It would be best to keep the overhang as close to the edges of the support, however.
Form
Most people associate granite slabs with kitchen countertops, but that is not the only form it takes. Granite producers also provide tiles for use with backsplashes, and they might serve as kitchen countertops in a pinch.
Granite tiles come in standard dimensions, and the price per square foot ranges from $6 to $10. That is at least four times cheaper than slabs. This does not include installation, but the good news is you can actually install them yourself. If you have a small budget and have some DIY talent, you can save some money that way.
The thing to remember when installing granite tile is that it uses epoxy instead of mortar (which is what you use for porcelain tiles), and you set them end to end without gaps. You will have seams but no grout lines.
Some people may dislike the idea of granite tiles for countertops because of the many seams and the difficulty of matching patterns along the edges. However, this mosaic look can also be attractive for some people, so choosing granite tiles in lieu of slabs is a viable way to keep your costs low.
That said, you might be able to strike a compromise by choosing slabs for your kitchen countertops and tiles for your backsplashes. This can be a big cost saver if you plan to have a full backsplash.
Fabrication
Granite slabs for kitchen countertops are difficult to handle by amateurs. Fabricating and installing them requires an expert touch, so you have to resign yourself to paying professionals to handle that for you.
Generally, you can expect installation costs to be about the same as the cost of the slab itself. Reputable remodeling companies will offer free estimates for your project that includes installation, so you will not have to worry about finding an installer that will not break the bank.
That said, you could still make some choices to keep your fabrication costs low. One of the most important is the edge profile. Edge treatments refer to the design of the edges of your countertops, and they range from simple square edges to fabulously ornate ones.
Most fabricators will not charge for simple edges but will do so for complex ones. The more complex the edge profile, the higher the charge. While ornate edge profiles can greatly enhance the look of your kitchen countertops, you should stick to simple ones if you have a small budget.
Conclusion
Granite for kitchen countertops does not have to break the bank. Make the right choices, and you can get the best of both worlds. We at Cabinet Land Kitchen and Beyond can help you make the best kitchen countertop decisions for your kitchen remodel.
We are a local remodeling company with a showroom located in Schaumburg, Illinois. Our service Chicago land and have the expertise and resources to complete virtually any type of kitchen remodel – ON TIME and ON BUDGET with top quality craftsmanship that will exceed your expectations.
We work only with the best cabinet brands at the best prices compared to our competitors such as Advance Cabinets and Handsome Cabinets. Also we offer a wide selection of granite and marble slabs for your kitchen and bathroom countertop needs.
We offer free consultation services and quotes, so you know exactly what to expect from your purchase. Call or visit us today to see what we have to offer!
