Granite Tile Countertops Could Save You Thousands

So you are in the market for a new countertop for your kitchen and your heart is set on granite. Only one thing is holding you back, the cost. Granite countertops for an average size kitchen will run between $4000 and $8000 on average. They will last a lifetime and give a good return on investment. What if you simply don't have several thousand dollars to spare? There is a lost cost alternative that features real granite and can save you at least 80% off of the price for granite slabs. Sound intriguing. Read on to learn how you can install your own granite tile countertops.

Granite is a beautiful countertop material. It is available in hundreds of colors and each slab of granite is unique. Granite offers exceptional stain resistance, scratch resistance, is easy to clean and has a high heat tolerance. It is quite possibly the best all around material in terms of performance for kitchen counters. However, it is in high demand and always will be, therefore it is expensive. Most granite slabs range from $85 to $120 a square foot installed with edge detail costing an additional $20 to $40 a lineal foot.

An average kitchen has around 30 square feet of countertop space. If we take the above prices 30 square feet times $85 equals $2550. If you opt for simple edge design and have 15 lineal feet of edging that will add an additional $300 to the cost, bringing the total to $2850. Now above I stated that the average granite countertops will cost between $4000 and $8000. Where does the additional money go? You will likely need to purchase a new under mount sink for several hundred dollars, you will see an array of granite slabs when you go shopping and you likely will fall in love with one that costs significantly more than $85 a foot, possibly even more than $120 a foot. Finally, most purchasers chose a more ornate edge design than a simple round over edge and the costs begin to escalate.

I do advise that you go and look at granite slabs and see if anything can fit into your budget. Maybe you will find a great deal. However, if everything you desire is out of your financial reach, then I have an alternative that an average do it yourselfer can accomplish in a few days and will help you save thousands and you will still have beautiful real granite countertops.

The answer is granite tile. Granite tile is available in every color that granite slabs are available in. It may require some searching to find the perfect granite tile, but it is worth the savings. Granite tile ranges in prices from abut $2 a square foot up to about $10 a square foot.

There is a large selection of granite tile available online for delivery and you can even visit you local tile store to place special orders for granite tile. If you choose to install a granite tile countertop, you will need some other materials which I will list in detail in my "How to Install Granite Tile Countertops" article. For now, I will just list a run down of the cost for comparative purposes.

If you choose a mid range granite tile that runs $7 a foot and are installing it in the same example kitchen above then you will need 30 square feet of tile. The tile will cost $210. Additional construction materials will cost $50 for plywood, $30 for backerboard, $30 for thin set, $10 for grout, $30 for sealer, $20 for adhesive, $20 for screws, and $100 for molding or trim pieces. This brings your total to $500 significantly less than the minimum of $2850 listed in the example above. A savings of $2350. Sound good to you.

If interested in learning the detailed process of installing your own granite tile countertop, please read my article How to Install Granite Tile Countertops" This article will take you step by step through the process. It can be accomplished by the average do it yourselfer in as little as 2 days and is not as difficult as it may seem. You will be amazed by the results and even happier about the money that you have saved.