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Solid granite worktops v overlays

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about the pros and cons of solid granite v granite overlays for kitchen worktops? Such as it is true that the overlays can be done within a day or so? How long would we be without a working kitchen if we go for the solid granite? Any recommendations for either in Herts/Essex ? (I live on the border). I did have another post about the damage to the base units but that has been covered and I am happy that that won't be much of an issue.
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Comments

  • I’ve only seen it done once and wasn’t impressed with it!
    I know solid granite is a big expense but it’s your kitchen once it in it’s bulletproof 
    Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene.'
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 34,021 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    You already have worktops.  There's no reason for you to be without worktops at all.  If they can use your existing as a template, they'll just come, take the old ones off and put the new ones on.  

    I'm not sure why this needed a new thread when we're having exactly the same conversation  on your first one.  
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • I have solid granite and it still looks as good as the day it was installed 17 years ago.  Then, the installers turned up and fitted within half a day.  It was already templated so there was no delay. 
  • I always think of overlays as being akin to veneers on teeth.

    Pick a thick solid granite / quartz that you can live with for decades and you'll be able to update the kitchen units over your lifetime without spending on the worktop again.
    No man is worth crawling on this earth.

    So much to read, so little time.
  • Ok so I am getting Cambria Quartz for just over £4K plus VAT. Thanks for your input everyone.
  • That's a hefty wad of wonga.
    No man is worth crawling on this earth.

    So much to read, so little time.
  • Petriix
    Petriix Posts: 2,258 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I've had great success picking up second hand granite worktops from ebay. I paid £150 for mine, then about £100 on getting them cut down to size and fitted, with a small section of solid oak to fill a gap. Paying £5k is hardly money saving... 
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 34,021 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Petriix said:
    I've had great success picking up second hand granite worktops from ebay. I paid £150 for mine, then about £100 on getting them cut down to size and fitted, with a small section of solid oak to fill a gap. Paying £5k is hardly money saving... 
    There's different types of money saving, but you'd hope that £5k involved some shopping around.  
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 6,880 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I've seen the overlay and wasn't impressed.
    Can't explain why it didn't look quite right even at first glance but I could see no fault.
    When I bent down to look at their new oven you could see the doubling up of overlay and old worktop. Just a smidgen but to me it looked temporary.
    Not that I said so to them, just admired. They'd spent a lot. None of my business.

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  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 48,717 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    I had overlays put in 14 years ago. I’ve been very happy with them. Still in excellent condition. They fitted them in one day, including an island, work tops to 3 sides of the kitchen and a small piece of shelving. 
    Only reason we got them was that we bought a house where the seller had put in a new kitchen but run out of money, so the rest of the kitchen was decent but the work tops were cheap and nasty.
    if you examine them closely, compared to solid granite, the worktop looks much thicker; other than that it would be difficult to tell the difference.

    I used granite transformations, Garston Branch. I think they are still in operation, though I assume it’s a franchise.
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