GRANITE COUNTERTOP DILEMMA

To use granite or not, that is the question. Personally, I love the look and cool feel of real granite, but it is soft and porous so stains, it is hard to maintain and expensive to install. One decorator friend says that the only way to do it is to get the most expensive, hardest stuff but that raises the price. Natural stone is definitely sought after. It is generally cut thick and will last a lifetime. Granite is heat tolerant and scratch resistant if it is polished and sealed properly and annually. The price is $75 - 100 a foot, but it looks so good!

Countertops are the first thing you see in a kitchen or bath. The eye is automatically drawn to the surface so it has an immediate impact ...... it is a moment of truth about the home. It is said to be the single thing a homeowner can replace to get the most impact. But it is expensive and if you are going to replace the countertop why not put in the stainless steel appliances and the expensive cooktop, and so the cost spirals up and up.

So what are the alternatives? Corian is a good substitute for looks, but to me is a definite "wanna-be" in terms of looks and feel. It is just too symetrical in the pattern and is not cool to the touch. So who are you fooling? Nobody. It says "I was too cheap to put in real granite." It's not cheap either.

There are now a couple of alternatives that "pass". One is silestone which Lowe's carries and another composite or solid surface countertop with granitelike appearance. These alternatives can often be laid right over the existing countertop so the installation takes just one day. The granite is crushed and mixed with a polymer to create quarter-inch slices. Its more resilient than solid granite and costs around $70 per foot to install. One company has a thermoplastic coating that is sprayed onto the existing countertop that comes with a 10-year guarantee installed for $30 per s.f. This one is a good choice for someone who is cash strapped but needs to spruce up the look of the kitchen for resale.

My choice? Granite. When working with buyers, we often set up a search to include granite countertops even if the cabinets are dated. The latter can be replaced or refinished, but granite is such a big expense that can be avoided if the home already has it. However, I do see older homes that replace only the granite to "justify" an inflated listing price, and that strategy does not work. Buyers aren't fooled. For me, I am saving my money for granite and stainless steel!