Granite Worktops - Truth, Lies and misinformation

Alan_M_2

hotcookie101 wrote: »

Sorry Alan-another question! We have had a quote for Colonial Cream granite, which we quite liked too, and comes in around £1500 less than the cost of the labrador from the same supplier. Obviously it is a budget granite-but what are your opinions on it? We are having white wash oak flooring and cream painted wood doors-do you think the colonial cream is dark enough in places to pull it off?

The best way to see if the colours work is take a sample door panel in your chosen colour to the stone yard and offer it up to the slab colours.

There's no substitute for actually having a look.

Alan_M_2

kazd wrote: »

I have a lovely kitchen and I have no desire to change it apart from the work surface. Would there be a problem having a granite worktop fitted to an existing kitchen.

The kitchen is a dark pine with gun metal handles, one set of wall cupboards actually sits on the work surface at one point where we have spice drawers. This is the main concern my husband has because he is worried about getting the gap absolutely correct. Also the gap between work surface and wall tiles.

We are in the Northampton area any recommendations gratefully received. Most of the kitchen shops are not interested unless its a full kitchen.

Replacing tops only can be a nusinance, especially if you're set on keeping the existing tiling.

Most companis I know would walk away froma job like this unless the kitchen was prepared for them (tops removed, sit on cupboard removed, sink, hob etc out.)

This is mainly due to the long list of unforseen problems/damage that could arise.

Once all this has been removed you then have to check that the base units are fitted level and solid enough to accept the new surfaces.

It's all starting to get a bit expensive at this stage.

hotcookie101

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Look I know this is going to sound lik,e advertising but please check out the colour of Kashmir Gold that I'm sure mant outfits have in stock at present.

However I can vouch for the stuff Mayfair Granite have at present, that's what I had fitted and it's the best I've seen. But with some lovely rich gold, purple and reddy brown it may just be too much for you.


Alan has said it before, you need to view the stuff you are buying, the samples are miles off.;)

PS, take a sample out of the waste skip, which todays material rather than the stuff in the showroom.

The colonial cream we saw was in a slab, they don't have a proper showroom, but we would make sure we went to their supplier to pick the actual slabs. I had heard Kashmir gold was a premium priced granite, and if it was only going to be a few hundred £ between another and the Labrador then there would be NO contest Its just its £1500 between colonial cream (which I do really like) and the most wonderful perfect granite in the world... Thats a holiday to Cuba!! :cool:

hotcookie101

Alan_M wrote: »

The best way to see if the colours work is take a sample door panel in your chosen colour to the stone yard and offer it up to the slab colours.

There's no substitute for actually having a look.

We don't actually have a sample door, but I suppose I could bring some of the floor and something cream to see...

jpsid

I agree, Labrador Antique is lovely but for a cheaper alternative have a look at Tropical Brown which is what we are considering. It's a mid-brown with black and a pearly lilac colour and really is quite pretty.

tpt

i've only scanned this thread - but noticed the question about suppliers.

we used Diapol about 3 years ago in our kitchen. They we very friendly, came and measured up and were very competitive. About 18 months after i noticed a watermark near the sink (my fault as i hadn't topped the sealant up), i rang to see what i should use to remove the stain and the chap offered to come out and sort it at no charge.....can't fault that.

Since then i have passed their info on to customers, and they pass ours on for customers looking for tiles. i haven't had any adverse feedback.

kazd

Alan_M wrote: »

Replacing tops only can be a nusinance, especially if you're set on keeping the existing tiling.

Most companis I know would walk away froma job like this unless the kitchen was prepared for them (tops removed, sit on cupboard removed, sink, hob etc out.)

This is mainly due to the long list of unforseen problems/damage that could arise.

Once all this has been removed you then have to check that the base units are fitted level and solid enough to accept the new surfaces.

It's all starting to get a bit expensive at this stage.

My neighbour had her worktop replaced and it cost about £8k and she has a smaller kitchen and worksurface area than me. At that rate I can see a new kitchen costing about £20k and it's a pain because I love my kitchen but the worktops are tired. When we bought the house we had the upgraded kitchen, the kitchen was by Symphony and it is a really lovely kitchen but I wanted the work top that had the wood finish on the edges. After 10 years it now needs changing but the cupboards are fine. It is so frustrating.

hotcookie101

tpt wrote: »

i've only scanned this thread - but noticed the question about suppliers.

we used Diapol about 3 years ago in our kitchen. They we very friendly, came and measured up and were very competitive. About 18 months after i noticed a watermark near the sink (my fault as i hadn't topped the sealant up), i rang to see what i should use to remove the stain and the chap offered to come out and sort it at no charge.....can't fault that.

Since then i have passed their info on to customers, and they pass ours on for customers looking for tiles. i haven't had any adverse feedback.

Because it seems like quite a complex shape I was reluctant to buy online as they all seem to just do straight bits? Buts its good to hear positive things about them

Alan_M_2

kazd wrote: »

My neighbour had her worktop replaced and it cost about £8k and she has a smaller kitchen and worksurface area than me. At that rate I can see a new kitchen costing about £20k and it's a pain because I love my kitchen but the worktops are tired. When we bought the house we had the upgraded kitchen, the kitchen was by Symphony and it is a really lovely kitchen but I wanted the work top that had the wood finish on the edges. After 10 years it now needs changing but the cupboards are fine. It is so frustrating.

If you're budgeting as much as £8K you'd get it done.

Most of the time when I'm asked about replacing worktops only the budget tends to be under £2K which isn't realistic.

Be prepared to be without an opertaing kitchen for a week to 10 days.

The firms can't really template for new tops until the old ones are removed. If you have a utility room it's very helpful to get the job done in two hits - it then gives you somewhere to operate and have runnign water.

cyclonebri1

kazd wrote: »

My neighbour had her worktop replaced and it cost about £8k and she has a smaller kitchen and worksurface area than me. At that rate I can see a new kitchen costing about £20k and it's a pain because I love my kitchen but the worktops are tired. When we bought the house we had the upgraded kitchen, the kitchen was by Symphony and it is a really lovely kitchen but I wanted the work top that had the wood finish on the edges. After 10 years it now needs changing but the cupboards are fine. It is so frustrating.

I was determined not to change the cabinets as although mine were 13 years old, they were in a "timeless" solid oak style and still in 99% new condition, only the handles needed replacement.

Levelling the old units if they've settled is no more difficult than levelling new units so I would ignore that aspect but you will have the same inconvenience of being without the utilities for a few days, which again is only the same as with a completely new kitchen.

Regarding price and design, if you can understand my description:

My kichen was a good average size I'd say. The layout consists of 2 L shaped worktops in 2 opposing corners due to doors etc

1st 1 is overall 1750 x 1200 and the oppodite 1 is 3660 x 1750. The worktops are 620 deep

I had no upstands, a hob cut out and eventually 2 polished undermounted sink cut outs as my choice of sink was too large for the strength of Kasmir Gold.

I didn't have upstands as my kitchen was allready fully tiled, all I did was fix 6mm ply to the top of the existing units to take up the difference between 30mm granite and the original 38 composite ones.

The cost came in at under £2000, and considering both the colour and fitting quality I am very pleased.

I do all the ground work myself so you would have to factor in the cost of a plumber/handyman, but even for me it wasn't much more than a day and a halfs work.

Hope that encourages you not to waste the existing.:money: