Minimize Your Cost for Granite Countertops

Granite is fast becoming the material of choice for kitchen countertops. If you already have a kitchen and are thinking of updating to a granite countertop, or are in the process of building your own home or setting up your new kitchen in a new condo, granite is a wise choice of material for countertops. They are easy to clean, are not susceptible to stains, and are impervious to bacteria once they are sealed. The only prohibitive factor could be their cost. There could be several ways you could minimize your cost for granite countertops so that it doesn’t break your budget.

Here’s how it can be done

1. Purchase your granite slabs through a wholesale dealer. Home improvements stores charge significantly higher than wholesalers for granite countertops. This can save you considerable money.
2. Choose and order the granite yourself, without depending on a kitchen designer. Some wholesale dealers have websites through which you can easily choose your style of granite. There are online tools that help you determine the size and thickness you will need to fit the dimensions in your kitchen. This can save you money by saving on the designer’s fees!
3. Reduce the edge treatments on your granite countertop. The more fancy the edge treatment, the more the cost of your granite and installation will be. Choosing a standard edge treatment over a bevel edge treatment, for example, can reduce costs significantly.
4. While the installation and fabrication should be done by professionals, you can save costs by doing some of the prep work for the installation yourself. This can be done by removing the sink, faucets, appliances under the countertop, and the old countertop itself.
5. Choose colors and finishes of granite that work out to be cheaper than others.
6. Granite remnants can be used for smaller areas like kitchen islands or if you have a smaller kitchen and do not need a larger slab of granite. Granite remnants are slabs left over which are not sufficient for larger countertops and so are sold at a much cheaper price by dealers. You can get them from both home improvement stores as well as from wholesale dealers who often list them in classified or on their websites for sale.
7. Granite tiles are cheaper than a single slab of granite. These are economical and easier to transport and install. These also reduce your installation charges as they can be installed over your existing countertop. You do not have to remove or demolish your old countertop.
8. You can minimize costs of granite countertops by looking for the hidden charges and cutting down on them. A large part of the cost of granite countertops are due to transportation, so buying your granite from a local supplier will considerably reduce transportation charges and the total cost of the granite as well.
9. Some suppliers offer installation at reduced prices. Find them and choose them to work with.

With all these tips, you can be sure of having your dream kitchen with a granite countertop within your budget itself!