twinsmomfla99
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,972
Jun 26, 2014 13:42:47 GMT
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Post by twinsmomfla99 on Jun 16, 2021 12:48:22 GMT
I understand how you are torn. I have had Corian and granite countertops in the past, but I have 20-year-old formica countertops in my current kitchen. I don't have a problem with formica and have no desire to change it right now. And it would cost a small fortune to replace with an updated surface with about 36 linear feet of countertop and a 4x6 center island.
However, my 20 yo kitchen is getting a makeover when we replace our appliances (9 yo). The cabinets are in great shape and just need a facelift--either new stain or maybe paint. We will redo the floors as well, as we do not care for the tile color and would also prefer something easier on the feet (and easier on our bodies if we fall in our fast-approaching old age). It will be a pretty significant investment to do these updates, but right now, my kitchen is pretty "blah" when it could be spectacular. It has a great design layout and is very spacious. It is also the first thing you see when you walk in from the foyer, and I would love to turn it into a showstopper, which requires something more than formica. We have no plans to sell the house anytime soon as it is designed for us to age in place, so I want something that will stand the test of time and not require an upgrade in my lifetime.
Enjoy your kitchen remodel and take advantage of this opportunity to do it the way you WANT to do it, not the way you think you should just to save on the cost. And I completely agree with the others who have stated that you will get the value back if you resell, not just with the selling price but with the time on the market. Formica countertops are a turn off to many, and you may be waiting a long time for the right buyer to come along who can see the potential and is wiling to do the renovation after purchase. If you have done everything else to update the kitchen, there might not be many buyers who want to go through the hassle of new countertops when everything else has been redone.
There are a lot of things about my house that other buyers didn't like--8 foot ceilings (not uncommon in WV in a 20yo home, but not something that younger buyers moving from other locations want to purchase), textured walls, formica counters, (ugly) green tile floor in the kitchen--but all of those factored into our extremely low purchase price after the house sat on the market for 8 months. My SIL with MS was moving in with us a couple of months after purchase, and we had some renovations to make things more accessible to her. Renovating the kitchen was low on our list of immediate needs, so we decided to keep what we have and upgrade when it was time for new appliances. I am sure that time is drawing near, so I need to really start thinking about what I want to do with this space.
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,798
Jun 29, 2014 1:56:04 GMT
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Post by teddyw on Jun 16, 2021 15:55:17 GMT
Replace the countertop. If you don't it will be a "jarring look" against the more modern things in the kitchen. Go with quartz. It is just as modern as granite with less upkeep to worry with. (granite has to be sealed etc.) countertopadvisor.com/granite-vs-quartz/You will love your new kitchen when it is done. I have both in my house. The installer sealed my granite and said it should never need it again. You can also put hot things on it. Quartz cannot have hot things out on it. Also when water sits on it it leaves marks.
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,596
Jun 25, 2014 19:55:12 GMT
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Jun 16, 2021 17:08:34 GMT
I am with, almost, everyone else. If you're updating, update the countertops as well.
As far as your oven goes, I hope you have better luck than I am currently having. I ordered my range on 01/04 and I'm STILL waiting. If I'm lucky I may see it the first week in July. And I'm talking, if the planets align.
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,596
Jun 25, 2014 19:55:12 GMT
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Jun 16, 2021 17:10:14 GMT
Replace the countertop. If you don't it will be a "jarring look" against the more modern things in the kitchen. Go with quartz. It is just as modern as granite with less upkeep to worry with. (granite has to be sealed etc.) countertopadvisor.com/granite-vs-quartz/You will love your new kitchen when it is done. I have both in my house. The installer sealed my granite and said it should never need it again. You can also put hot things on it. Quartz cannot have hot things out on it. Also when water sits on it it leaves marks. This is why I went with granite. And if I have to seal it once a year, it's a spray that will take less than 10 minutes. Plus, quartz was more expensive than granite where I went.
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Gennifer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,988
Jun 26, 2014 8:22:26 GMT
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Post by Gennifer on Jun 16, 2021 18:20:40 GMT
Replace the countertop. If you don't it will be a "jarring look" against the more modern things in the kitchen. Go with quartz. It is just as modern as granite with less upkeep to worry with. (granite has to be sealed etc.) countertopadvisor.com/granite-vs-quartz/You will love your new kitchen when it is done. I have both in my house. The installer sealed my granite and said it should never need it again. You can also put hot things on it. Quartz cannot have hot things out on it. Also when water sits on it it leaves marks. The only stone countertop that is heat-impervious is soapstone. You risk damaging your granite any time you put something hot on it, and there are plenty of images online of that damage. Also, my quartz doesn’t have have any marks from water. (I’m not saying one is better than the other, just correcting some misconceptions.)
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Post by dewryce on Jun 16, 2021 18:24:54 GMT
We’ve had our quartz (Silestone, I think) since 2008, and do not have any marks from water. Not any marks from anything, actually. But we are careful about acids and wipe them up immediately. Okay, I am. I imagine there have been many times DH left something to sit for a while. He did manage to chip the edge of the extra piece from the sink. We had it trimmed and put rubber legs on it. But it has a square edge and DH said he dropped something heavy on it juuust right. The rounded edges from our actual countertop are still like new.
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,798
Jun 29, 2014 1:56:04 GMT
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Post by teddyw on Jun 16, 2021 19:59:02 GMT
I have both in my house. The installer sealed my granite and said it should never need it again. You can also put hot things on it. Quartz cannot have hot things out on it. Also when water sits on it it leaves marks. The only stone countertop that is heat-impervious is soapstone. You risk damaging your granite any time you put something hot on it, and there are plenty of images online of that damage. Also, my quartz doesn’t have have any marks from water. (I’m not saying one is better than the other, just correcting some misconceptions.) Good to know because I put stuff right out of the oven onto the granite.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Jun 16, 2021 20:18:14 GMT
I have both in my house. The installer sealed my granite and said it should never need it again. You can also put hot things on it. Quartz cannot have hot things out on it. Also when water sits on it it leaves marks. The only stone countertop that is heat-impervious is soapstone. You risk damaging your granite any time you put something hot on it, and there are plenty of images online of that damage. Also, my quartz doesn’t have have any marks from water. (I’m not saying one is better than the other, just correcting some misconceptions.) I've put hot pans directly on my granite for decades with no issue. A quick search shows the consensus is at worse you may damage the sealant. www.msisurfaces.com/blogs/post/2017/06/10/tips-from-the-trade-will-hot-pans-damage-granite-countertops.aspxI don't seal my granite regularly, so perhaps that's why I have no issue. I could only find one picture when searching for a damage granite hot pan and it was actually an article discussing how you can't put a hot pan down on quartz - so not sure where all the pictures of damage granite from pans are, but the first few pages don't show it. architypes.net/countertops/granite/vs-quartz/
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knitnmomma
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Jul 13, 2014 2:57:03 GMT
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Post by knitnmomma on Jun 16, 2021 21:05:56 GMT
Check out Cambria quartz countertops. Beautiful choices and made in the USA.
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Gennifer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,988
Jun 26, 2014 8:22:26 GMT
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Post by Gennifer on Jun 16, 2021 22:36:18 GMT
The only stone countertop that is heat-impervious is soapstone. You risk damaging your granite any time you put something hot on it, and there are plenty of images online of that damage. Also, my quartz doesn’t have have any marks from water. (I’m not saying one is better than the other, just correcting some misconceptions.) I've put hot pans directly on my granite for decades with no issue. A quick search shows the consensus is at worse you may damage the sealant. www.msisurfaces.com/blogs/post/2017/06/10/tips-from-the-trade-will-hot-pans-damage-granite-countertops.aspxI don't seal my granite regularly, so perhaps that's why I have no issue. I could only find one picture when searching for a damage granite hot pan and it was actually an article discussing how you can't put a hot pan down on quartz - so not sure where all the pictures of damage granite from pans are, but the first few pages don't show it. architypes.net/countertops/granite/vs-quartz/I participate daily on the kitchen forums over at Houzz, and the countertop pros and stone experts there are always going on about it and posting pics there. You do you, and continue with your hot pans. 👍🏻
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Post by Darcy Collins on Jun 17, 2021 0:20:33 GMT
I participate daily on the kitchen forums over at Houzz, and the countertop pros and stone experts there are always going on about it and posting pics there. You do you, and continue with your hot pans. 👍🏻 I totally read that as hot pants which kinda made my day.
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Gennifer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,988
Jun 26, 2014 8:22:26 GMT
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Post by Gennifer on Jun 17, 2021 1:04:42 GMT
I participate daily on the kitchen forums over at Houzz, and the countertop pros and stone experts there are always going on about it and posting pics there. You do you, and continue with your hot pans. 👍🏻 I totally read that as hot pants which kinda made my day. I mean, for that, we’re gonna need pics. 😜
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Post by lily on Jun 17, 2021 15:22:51 GMT
I hear ya on the 'if you give your DH....' We needed a new garbage disposal - which ended up being well may as well get a new sink, and a new faucet and a new dishwasher. But I love them all now!!
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caangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,432
Location: So Cal
Jun 26, 2014 16:42:12 GMT
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Post by caangel on Jun 17, 2021 17:31:44 GMT
Our kitchen remodeling idea resulted in gutting the house to the studs and adding a second story, so yeah. But we would totally do it again! We love our house and our neighborhood. We may not retire here but it is wonderful for raising a family.
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,727
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Jun 17, 2021 22:21:19 GMT
I just ordered my new kitchen cabinets for a complete kitchen renovation, and they are due in November 3rd. Looks like holidays with no kitchen in the maryann house.
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,389
Aug 16, 2014 23:15:53 GMT
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Post by peaname on Jun 18, 2021 10:32:53 GMT
Before you spend thousands spend a couple hundred and get a real estate professional’s opinion. If the feel of the home is late 60’s and you put in a modern kitchen it may feel disjointed and bring down the value of the home where simply updating the appliances with a retro style might work better. Even if you plan to live there a long time always always consider the average buyer when modifying property.
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Post by lisae on Jun 18, 2021 11:47:54 GMT
Yes, replace the countertops for all the reasons everyone else has mentioned, particularly if you are changing the backsplash. You can't come back later and put in new counters and preserve the backsplash.
My kitchen has a $20,000 door. Years ago I wanted to move the kitchen door down the wall about 6 feet. $20k later I had moved the door, put in hew cabinets, mostly new appliances, granite, tile backsplash, new light fixtures and added a closet to the hallway. I really wanted to do all this but I like to joke that moving the door started it all.
The door though was not actually replaced and still has a dent on the garage side where DH let a jack slip and hit the door once.
So redecorating can snowball.
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Post by arielsmom on Jun 18, 2021 12:32:13 GMT
I replaced mine with a Formica that looks and feels like stone, it's not smooth. Its been 13 years and I am still happy with it. Our contractor helped me pick the counter top. He said nothing is as durable as the old Formica. I put a dark stone Formica on the bathroom vanity and you can see wear marks.
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Post by CardBoxer on Jun 18, 2021 13:34:17 GMT
Are you going to retire in your house? Will resale be a consideration? If yes and then no, and if you like your counters, why not stick with them. (I’m saying this as a mostly retired color consultant who worked with businesses, churches and more homes than I can count.)
But if you’re installing a new backsplash - up to the cabinets - replacing the counters at the same time with quartz is how I’d fly, and no pattern or one that’s extremely subtle.
Glass backsplashes can be a pain, tile would be my choice, and again one with a no pronounced pattern. If you must have a pattern, either the counter or the backsplash but not both. Trends come and go, some very quickly. A subway or other simple tile as the backsplash that coordinates with the counter can look fresh and timeless. Color can be added and changed in many ways.
Looking at samples at home is key. Place the backsplash sample on a piece of white copy paper with white paper behind it on the wall and butt it upright against the wall. The counter sample can be put on another piece of paper against the backsplash - in other words, how they’d look if installed, a mini counter against a mini wall.
Otherwise it’s hard to see undertones - how one cream tile is more yellow and another slightly pink that isn’t noticed in the showroom or just holding them up in the air. By putting them against white in the position they’ll be installed, you can really see. In fact get several backsplash samples if they seem close, even if you don’t like a couple. By comparing against that white paper and to each other differences are obvious. You don’t want a dueling counter and backsplash.
Some people want a certain look, and don’t care if a trend will be dated or if buyers won’t like it. That’s valid. And some homes with a lot of character want a specific tile and can look beautiful. It’s just good to consider things before plunking down an awful lot of bucks. And showrooms can be the most seductive places on earth. I like to think I’m a bit immune to it, but I swoon too.
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