Granite Tile Countertop increase selling value?

[ToplessZ]

Ok I was getting ready to do my parents a nice little favor and install a granite tile countertop in the kitchen total price for me to do it is 300.00 max The real estate lady that came and looked at my parents house said that would be something you don't want to do as homebuyers aren't looking for that sort of thing. Just do formica at a cost of about 200.00+ I am trying to figure out why you would do a formica countertop when you could do granite tile for about the same price. Keep in mind the kitchen is getting new cabinets and new hardwood flooring. I can't imagine where she is coming from when coutertops are a huge selling point and no one likes formica? Why bother putting nice cabinets and flooring in and then install a formica counter??? Also there is ugly gold fleck on white tile in the bathroom from the seventies that I plan on replacing with beadboard. She ventured to say that this is a popular color that she sees often and it doesn't need to be replaced???!!! What the crap. Does anyone have any advice for designing a kitchen or bathroom scheme to add value and style without turning off buyers? This is going to be done in a house that will be priced at about 95,000 a good deal but this is gonna seem way low to alot of people in the city. This is good ole small town pricing.

[cygnusx1]

Tile counter tops are way out of style. If you do a granite tile with zero grout joints it would look cool but as soon as people hear tile and counter in the same sentance, they run. Ever try wiping a tile counter top? What a fiasco. I have formica in my kitchen and solid granite in the bathrooms. Formica is nice but I am thinking of doing a concrete counter in the kitchen. They are real nice..look it up.

[qwik240z]

Tile is not a popular choice these days.

 

A solid granite slab or a solid surface material like Corian is the way to go but quite pricey for a $95000 house.

[DemonZ]

I agree with qwik240z.

[RB26240Z]

Here is my $.02

 

A kitchen remodel (including the granite) will yield you the highest return/dollar spent versus any other section of the house, 2nd is bathroom, oh and garage is up there too. The first place a women looks for when buying a house with her husband/boyfriend is the kitchen and if it's what she wants, it's a sale$$$, and if the guy happens to walk into the garage and it's all decked out with all the goodies and a showroom floor then you just sold a house granted all else is decent, bedrooms can always be decorated, a gallon of paint and furniture carpets are out, except the reall fancy stuff, hardwood & laminate are highly desirable.

 

Sorry to rant on but I'm in the business and wanted to let you know that changing the granite is an excellent idea.

 

Oh and my project is still going, I have the RB26 stripped from the outside, will post some pix in the photo section, a six year old and an eleven month old are where most of my time is spent other than work, but plan to have it on the road by July.

[280Zone]

Reminds me of the time I saw this done on one of those stupid home improvement shows. I thought I would give it a shot by making a coffee table. First test failed, but the second try worked out ummm well? I know own a 650 lb coffee table that requires a floor jack for moving around. It sure has a cool factor and quite the conversation piece.

[tannji]

If the granite is Zero grout and a relatively neutral color it would be the way to go. The biggest mistake I see in home on the market is too much personalization and customization. People assume that since the room is perfect for them, and done with top dollar mats, everyone else will love it too. Anyone that is experienced in home projects will take one look at a house and start figuring costs on replacing unusual colors or features. when selling, always do upgrades with all possible buyers in mind, keep it neutral, and avoid making big statements. People EXPECT to spend additional money to "make it theirs", and will pass on a home that will require too much money on undoing your tastes.

[BillZ260]

Do it. The granit tile counter tops will not be advertized as tile, they'll be advertized as granite. Do the nil grout joints with a grout that very closely matches the tile color. If you do a good job an keep everything level, they it will be hard to tell durring the walk through and when the do realize, most folks will be like hmm.. To me, as long as it looks good people wont care, for a 100K house the tile will be tons better than formica. Just my .02

[clint78z]

I did a grey granite counter top with almost zero grout space. The grout matches so close you can barely tell it's not solid. It cost me mabey $200 more then formica, and looks 1000 times better. Solid granite is mega bucks, and not worth it unless it is some big dream house. Take you time use a level.

[cygnusx1]

A friend of mine just did his kitchen over with butcher block "sheets" from IKEA. It looks fantastic. I have no idea how much it cost but it sure looks great.

 

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15576&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=25731&langId=-1&parentCats=15576*16270*16273

 

or

 

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15576&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=60908&langId=-1&parentCats=15576*16270*16273

 

 

I still think if you can do the granite top with tight joints and avoid the word tile, it will be a good thing. How large are the tiles?

[ToplessZ]

for the above comment ^^^ the granite tiles are 12x12 and there will be minute grout lines as the tiles will be butted to net a 1/16 grout line. I can get the granite tiles for 5.75 sqf rather then the 13.29 sqf that lowes charges not to mention I have backerboard leftover from another project. Thinset and grout would be minimal for this project so it requires very little investment. I do agree that tile countertops are pretty much out but granite tiles aren't really classified as a tile countertop. Not only that but we are doing a small island so tiling the counter for it would be easier then a custom piece of formice...On another note I have heard tons of complaints about corian from current owners and how easily it scratches I think that option is out.

Still would like to hear comments from my earlier post on the beautiful (or not) gold fleck on white tiles in the bathroom that I want to replace.

[DavyZ]

I'm a real estate appraiser and I can tell you the real estate lady is off her rocker a bit--is she old???

 

I remodeled my kitchen with solid granite countertops. Most of the granite present day comes from China like it or not. I paid $650 for my 10' x 10' kitchen in prefab granite (full bullnose) and had to cut it and install it myself. If you dont have the tools or expertise to install it, then the granite tile becomes a very viable option, one that I did consider! I would do it!!! If you knnow you can lay tile, follow the gents advice and do 0 or near 0 gap. Use neutral colors if possible in the house in general since that appeals to most people. If this is a house you'll own for a very long time, do it to your taste, not everyone else's.

 

Doing the countertops with something more modern like granite will at the very least give you an edge in selling over another competing house with formica, etc. I hate formica.

 

Just my $.02.

 

Davy

[2003z]

at a minimum, if it doesn't add value, it will at least be a selling point.

 

I agree with you, that gold flecked tile is way out of date. We did beadboard in our master bath and it really looks nice.

[johnc]

If the granite is Zero grout and a relatively neutral color it would be the way to go. The biggest mistake I see in home on the market is too much personalization and customization.

 

And I've always disagreed with that assesment; its not a mistake to build a house to your own personal tastes. I build my house to please me, not to please a potential buyer or a real estate agent years down the road. When I do sell it, the home will bring the appropriate price based on my tastes and what the market feels they are worth.

 

I won't own a house painted Navaho white with Beige carpet just because some soccer mom five years from now might feel "comfortable" during the walk through. Just like I won't build and drive a stock, restored 240Z just because they bring the most money on resale.

[ToplessZ]

House is going on the market in 6 months so personal taste is not a huge issue. However, it is not an absolute necessity to sell so I think there is room for some style. More and more white everything is becoming a turn off to buyers from what I have observed.

[tannji]

And I've always disagreed with that assesment; its not a mistake to build a house to your own personal tastes. I build my house to please me' date=' not to please a potential buyer or a real estate agent years down the road. When I do sell it, the home will bring the appropriate price based on my tastes and what the market feels they are worth.

 

I won't own a house painted Navaho white with Beige carpet just because some soccer mom five years from now might feel "comfortable" during the walk through. Just like I won't build and drive a stock, restored 240Z just because they bring the most money on resale.[/quote']

 

OK, the difference I see here ( and I agree with JohnC in general, if you will be living in the house for an extended period) the house in question is about to get some work done, with a resale in the near future. We arent talking about compromising personal taste for years so that it will be easier to sell when you outgrow it or get bored, we are talking about current updates being done with the resale in mind. If you were going to live in the house for another 5 to 10 years, odds are that your lime green hippie shag and dayglo paint will need some fixing and replacing anyway, so go for it. Nor do you have to limit yourself even in the short-term to basic whites and mild beiges. If your house has distinctive wood or stone features, you can accentuate that relatively boldly if tastefully, because the odds are no one will be removing them. Conversely, I wouldnt go extreme makeover on the kids bedroom if you are short-term residents. If your personal tastes and pleasures go to expensive permanant fixtures like swimming pools and hot-tubs, fine... but I wouldnt do the heart-shaped tub and 3-angle mirror surround in the master bedroom if you want a reasonably quick and profitable sale. Referring to the 240Z example; its a valid point.... if the daily and extended use of the subject is a higher priority than resale value, mod away! But the question here specifically addressed effects on resale value, thus my two cents and change = )

[Moridin]

I've heard Quartz is not porous like granite. If it looks nice and is functional, it should raise the value of the home.

[Pop N Wood]

I agree with the real estate lady. I have an extreme dislike for tile counter tops. It might not keep me from buying the house, but it would be a mental note that I will be forced to upgrade them. I don't care how thin the grout lines are, they will still absorb moisture/stains as they age and will need to be maintained.

 

Just one man's opinion.

 

There is a huge difference between remodeling a house for sale and remodeling a house because you plan on living in it. Your goal is to sell the house as quickly as possible for the minimum expense. Unless the old kitchen was absolutely trashed, you probably will not regain the cost of the remodel via increased resale. That is true for most additions (with the exception of a bathroom).

 

Really, to sell a house the two most effective enhancements are paint and carpet. You want it to show well without adding anything that might distract a potential buyer with different tastes. That is why neutral colors show so well. Sort of a blank canvas that lets the buyer project their own sense of style.

[Guest iskone]

Okay I'll admit I didn't read every post. But it seems to me that the people who seem to think granite is out are not on the west coast. I'm not going to say I'm some guru but I've been lightly involved with real estate for a long time. Here in Washington granite is a plus (seemless)

 

I've nver heard of granite being a downer. Best hing to do is look at what sells high in your market.

 

IME on the west coast formica is a downer.

 

Isk

[ToplessZ]

Well most of the pictures I have seen are in books I found a few on the internet as far as grout goes one if you are going with a fairly dark color and you have a 1/16 grout line staining will never be an issue. Here is a good example picture of granite. This is not one of the colors I hope to use however. I am hoping to use ubatuba colored tiles but want to keep them fairly dark. http://www.pbase.com/monicakm/image/16157584

http://www.pbase.com/monicakm/image/16157592

I think as was suggested before in this thread that you can't give credence to this method and refer to it as being tile.