Does he have pictures? It sounds strange from the description...

hmmm...how tall are you? How long are your arms? Do you know your "ideal" working height?

Calculating ideal work height:

(This takes two people since you cannot measure for yourself.)

1. Stand up straight with your arms hanging down at your sides.

Now, bend your elbow 90o, keeping your arm against your body.
Have the other person measure the distance from the floor to your elbow.
Subtract 6"
This is your "ideal work height"

Repeat for any other adults in your home.

Note that overall height is only one factor in someone's ideal work height...the other is upper arm length. So two people the same height but with different arm lengths will have two different ideal heights.

I would not go any higher than the highest "ideal work height" you just calculated. Is your sink there? How easy will it be to reach into the sink?

Is the window already in? I would think a counter-height window would be more useful...that's what we did. Our bay window is 36" off the finished floor and goes down to the counter.

If you can't lower the window, I'd skip the idea and just do a delicately edged ledge on the sill. Of course, I'm short, so I don't go for extra tall counters. Remember it'll shrink the gap between uppers and lowers unless you account for that. That isn't always a big deal.

I also wouldn't do it because a 4" counter looks weird unless it's in a kitchen with that kinda look (or it's butcherblock which is allowed to be tall). If you were planning a kitchen where this kind of counter style would work, you'd have already decided on a fatty counter.

lesson learned from my project - make sure to mock up in cardboard whatever depth you are considering and study it with your cabinetry. make sure it looks right and covers the right amount of reveal as designed.

I'm tall (5'7") so the extra height wouldn't bother me at all. In fact, I would love it. Are you having barstools or any seating? That new height is not standard and could make finding seats difficult. I would ask for pics.

Are you doing an air switch? My regular thickness granite was almost too thick for my garbage disposal air switch, so thats something to consider too.

I built up my counters to be taller not thicker. Although
thicker is sooooo pretty. See below.
~boxerpups

"My fabricator suggested I build up my 2cm granite up to 4- inches so it can extend into my new windows."

Maybe I need more coffee, but I do not understand this statement. Photos? Is this because the window bottoms are higher than the countertop by 2 cm, and thus you would end up with a single level countertop? Then how does the mitering fit in? Will you have an underlayment and the mitering will cover it?

As for higher-than-standard countertops, I have some of them--because the cabinet maker screwed up and no one was willing to take responsibility for the error. Everyone in my family, except for me, loves the higher countertops--because they are tall and I am short. Thankfully, I have a lowered counter in one area of the kitchen, ergonomically perfect for me, to which I gravitate and which everyone else ignores. So, the moral is, yes, do a mockup and imitate the gestures that you will make while using the kitchen and see how it feels to you and to others who regularly cook regularly in your kitchen. (Or maybe, marry someone closer to your height?)

Honest, I don't mean to sound nasty. This post is just reminding me of the battle I had with my GC, that's all.

And, for the record, I love thick countertops. I am a more-is-more girl, though.

By any chance did your GC make a mistake and is trying to either cover it up or find a fix that won't cost him anything (but will cost you when he "builds up the counter" and when you need the extra stone)?

Was your window supposed to be counter-height to begin with? It sounds like it's only 3-1/4" above the "standard" finished counter height. (2cm = 0.79" and 4" - 0.79 = 3.21"). I think that's an unusual height difference...

It's been a couple of days we have not heard from the OP...I think we'd like more details of "why" this is needed...

Never mind...I just saw your latest thread, you are GCing this by yourself.

I go back to my original answer...it depends on how what your ideal work height is and how difficult a higher counter would make it to work at and use the sink.

Ideal working height is something I never considered in either of my kitchen remodels. My counters are about 6" off according to buehl's calculation. I just assumed they were standard height due to the drawers under. I am short-5'2" and my counter height hits at my elbow, so this would make them high for me. My DH is 6'1". We both use the kitchen pretty equally, so who's height would we use to calculate in that case? My measurement would make my countertops only 2" higher than my dining table!

So I did an experiment. I put on a pair of my high heels (4 in) and stood at the island in front of the cooktop. I can see everything in the pot!!! Ha! What do you know. It does seem it would be more comfortable to work at a lower for me counter height. Just never noticed it before. Time to lower the island! My DH on the other hand would NOT like this new island, thats for sure!

Yep- this was all me again. Although we had never planned for the windows to be exactly counter height (unlike my wood debacle, not trying to fix a mistake here). I had assumed I would use a 3cm as I did in my last two kitchens and let the window trim go down to the counter. My granite fabricator has two slabs of a 2cm on clearance that I actually love (called fantasy brown- totally new to me!) and she suggested building up to extend into the window. Because I have to miter the edge anyway, I thought I would consider. I love the look of a thick slab, but 4 inches looks too big to me without a fancier edge. And with mty farmhouse sink, I wonder if it will look odd.

It may look great or it may look really too chunky. It would be super helpful to get a look at the area you're speaking of. 38 wouldn't be a huge problem for me but it is quite high in general. From what you're describing I would say your original plan of going with the trim going down to the counter probably would look better, but it will really hinge on the space. It may be that your fabricator is trying to up-sell you on more granite and fabrication cost.

OUr new counters ended up being about 1.5 inches higher than our old counters. I'm fairly tall (5'7") and it made a pretty big difference in my comfort level when prepping. If I could do it all over again, I would make sure the counters were at a comfortable height. I'm in good shape, but just find my arms get tired and it feels "out of whack". I certainly can't do kneading on my granite counters which is something I was looking forward to. Fortunately, I have a table height island, but it has a wood top and is not an ideal prep spot.

Aaaacccckkkk!!!!

I am pulling my hair out. Drove 45 miles today to verify the slabs, only to find out fabricator just used one of the two slabs they had on hold. So she sends me back into town to look at the bundle they are about to get from the supplier. Drive there only to find out supplier just sold all of it to another fabricator. Now my people are scrambling trying to piece together remnants to get this job done. I am so over this renovation.