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As great-looking as sherenee's kitchen is, let's keep in mind that the thread is about whether granite is the only acceptable kitchen surface these days.
Rubbish. I'll bet you can't find one reference to health concerns of granite that doesn't come from manufacturers of competitive counter top materials.
To the contrary, here's a study by the Hospitality Institute of Technology & Management that shows that granite is the easiest counter top to eliminate E-Coli on -- even more so than stainless steel. THE Reduction OF E. coli on Counter Tops
Kdog,
one of the worst things that has happened to these consumer forums is allowing businesses to shill their product. Last spring we were in the middle of a major kitchen remodel and I allowed myself to be swayed by posters in the stone businsess. They and some of the homeowners had me convinced I had to go with granite for resale value.
I now wished I had listened to the few posters that warned about buying granite. One poor man was hounded off one of the forums for posting negative info about some granites, I didn't speak up and I didn't listen, so I guess I got what I deserved. I hate my granite, should have backed out when the problems started even before installation. They lost my slabs or sold them out from under me after days of deciding on them even though I had paid for them, broke one of the tops during installation, then threatened to file a lein on my home when we asked them to fix the mess. In the end, my husband was bullied into paying for substandard work. The "fixed" top later cracked in the same spot and there was no way I would have those men in our home again. Had I gone with a quartz or solid surface top we would have had a warranty to fall back on. I tried to find help on one of the stone forums that help consumers but most of them tried to say it was my fault for not hiring one of their members. I was so humilitated.
I didn't think I ever wanted to read another post from someone selling a product, but your post made me so mad. I googled that study you mentioned and found this. Contact Us
It looks like that study on the granite was a complete sham. I just wish the moderators of these forums would stop the crooks in the construction industry from using these forums for their marketing. Our remodel caused so much heartache and strain on my marriage, I wish we had never done it.
Kdog,
one of the worst things that has happened to these consumer forums is allowing businesses to shill their product. Last spring we were in the middle of a major kitchen remodel and I allowed myself to be swayed by posters in the stone businsess. They and some of the homeowners had me convinced I had to go with granite for resale value.
I now wished I had listened to the few posters that warned about buying granite. One poor man was hounded off one of the forums for posting negative info about some granites, I didn't speak up and I didn't listen, so I guess I got what I deserved. I hate my granite, should have backed out when the problems started even before installation. They lost my slabs or sold them out from under me after days of deciding on them even though I had paid for them, broke one of the tops during installation, then threatened to file a lein on my home when we asked them to fix the mess. In the end, my husband was bullied into paying for substandard work. The "fixed" top later cracked in the same spot and there was no way I would have those men in our home again. Had I gone with a quartz or solid surface top we would have had a warranty to fall back on. I tried to find help on one of the stone forums that help consumers but most of them tried to say it was my fault for not hiring one of their members. I was so humilitated.
I didn't think I ever wanted to read another post from someone selling a product, but your post made me so mad. I googled that study you mentioned and found this. Contact Us
It looks like that study on the granite was a complete sham. I just wish the moderators of these forums would stop the crooks in the construction industry from using these forums for their marketing. Our remodel caused so much heartache and strain on my marriage, I wish we had never done it.
Rebeccah990,
Your anger is misplaced. The grievances you cited are the fault of the distributor and/or installer, not the material. That installer could have just as easily dropped a piece of solid-surface material and broken it as well. The fact that you were bullied by the installer into accepting substandard work has absolutely nothing to do with the material. If you had a house built with wood framing, and the house fell down, would you say wood framed houses are bad? Of course not, that would be silly.
Secondly, the website you referenced (solidsurfacealliance.org/Steel-alliance-study-flaws.html) is exactly the kind of highly biased and prejudicial marketing propaganda that I was talking about. Clearly the "Solid Surface Alliance" exists for the solitary purpose to promote "Solid Surface" materials over what they feel are competitive produces. By referencing promotional materials that masquerade as an informational site, you have unwittingly done exactly what you accuse web forums of doing -- shilling products.
The "fixed" top later cracked in the same spot and there was no way I would have those men in our home again.
As someone in renovations and restorations the past 30+ years I find it hard to believe that its the "granite's" fault. Seems to me there was a high spot that the granite was sitting on which is why it cracked in the "same spot" twice.
Seems to me you had a lousy installer that didn't care to check the conditions before it was installed. I feel for you b/c thats their job not yours. Thats what you pay them for. Did you check their references before you used them...not that that always gives you 100% of the story but it sure helps. It sounds to me like you hired some real bullies which says a lot right there about the company...not the product.
Its up to the consumer to be well educated b/c unfortunatly there's a lot of shysters out there bullying their way around.
I love granite...there's nothing wrong with it. I love soapstone even more and its less expensive to boot but its personal taste. thats why you should buy something...mostly b/c its what YOU like...resale comes second to personal taste if you plan on living in the house.
I think this is a wise way to go. Having struggled with a house that previous owners decorated badly, I have learned to love neutral and light colors in the permanent features and add color and pattern in paint and fabric. I've also been down the path of painting a room way too dark and hating the result. It looked so good in small amounts but drastically changed the whole room for the worse. Of course the previous owners also paid for their bad choices - the house stayed on the market for a really long time and they had to take my low-ball bid for it.
Could'nt agree more! Might I add that in certain markets/price points - if you plan to sell your home - your house will suffer due to no granite or bad color choices.
I recently sold a home that had a neutral granite color (cream,tan,brown,black). A comparable house nearby had an orangey color still sits on the market today (just checked to confirm) 6 months later.
With today's housing market the way it is, if you don't have the best house on the block be prepared to lower your price substantially.
My personal opinion is that everybody should choose what they like in their home; they live there. I have see a "gazillion" ugly kitchens with granite countertops. And I do mean ugly (LOL) It's rare that I see a pretty color and the right combination. People just install it because it's the in thing to do. One out of every five granite slabs cracks prior to installation; they do stain, they are porous and very, very heavy. What happens when you need to replace your cabinets and you have a very expensive stone countertop to dispose of? Just my two pennies.
Linda
[quote=GeminiGal;2512214]Could'nt agree more! Might I add that in certain markets/price points - if you plan to sell your home - your house will suffer due to no granite or bad color choices.
Oh puleeeeze. They is a lot of hype perpetuated by people who market the product. There are many people out there who do not like granite and wouldn't want it.
Linda
Your anger is misplaced. The grievances you cited are the fault of the distributor and/or installer, not the material. That installer could have just as easily dropped a piece of solid-surface material and broken it as well. The fact that you were bullied by the installer into accepting substandard work has absolutely nothing to do with the material. If you had a house built with wood framing, and the house fell down, would you say wood framed houses are bad? Of course not, that would be silly.
Not necessarily. I have seen the $50,000 kitchens with granite and their problems. It's fine for people who really like granite and want it but that doesn't mean that there aren't problems with granite. My friend installed a granite countertop and the piece of crap cracked. I have seen it stain horribly and I don't like the gaudy colors, the shiny surface, or the weight of the material. That's my opinion and I don't think anybody should be pressured into getting something because of marketing pressure or feel that they must keep up with the Jones. We have never had granite countertops in any of our homes and neither did my parents and we never had problems; they lasted 15+ years with no problems.
Linda
I think what they mean is NO FORMICA. Sorry if you're a Formica salesman, but it's so over.
In my opinion, no tiled countertops either. To me it just looks like you're too cheap or lazy to replace the counter with something correct. Grout=bad.
That's your opinion. I'm going laminate all the way. My last countertop lasted 15+ years and I love it. My neighbor has tile and loves it. There are different types of grout. I'm sick of hearing the hype about granite.
Linda
Each counter surface has its merits whether its budgetwise or whether you are buying it for looks. Personally we didn't get granite because I was sick of looking at it everywhere and tired of trying to be sold on it. Granite might not be marketed in the sense of ads on TV, but go to any kitchen design place and they will try to push granite on you. Look through the papers and you'll see in home for sale descriptions whether or not the kitchen has granite - like that should really make me want to come look at a house more. There is plenty of hype about granite, but I've seem plenty of ugly ones, plenty of granites that have been ruined by hot pans (cracks do happen), stains on them because people do and will get lazy and not bother sealing them. Its popularity will wane. Zinc, soapstone and some other newer materials are becoming more the hype now.
I agree 100%!!!!
Linda
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Granite
