The husband would like to move but I don’t have any desire to. We are remodeling merely for our satisfaction.

The price does include install. We will do the tear out. Planning on new lighting, backsplash, bar stools, and dining set.

Looks like about 45 Square Feet. With sink cutout, I'd charge about $3206 installed...but does not include tear out or plumbing hookup. And that would be for a similar marble look color in Zodiaq. Other colors groups would be higher...up to about $4500.00 for a Cambria top. I'd say you're in the range....a good price on the lower end.

I did the same thing:) The laminate countertops were getting very worn. I asked myself if I was going to be in my home at least 10 more years. I have no plans to move. At the time my cabinets were 18 years old and fine except for some wear around the knobs. I spent a summer stripping and refinishing the cabinets - fortunately I have a small kitchen.

I refinished the cabinets, keeping them the same color because the interior doors and island are the same - the island is only about 6 years old. That was two years ago and I am very happy with my decision.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~110720042

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~109854029

If you do a backsplash, keep it simple.

I also added a small amount of under cabinet lighting. The under cabinet lighting and the sink are the most functional changes I made.

I really like the freshness of your kitchen! The under cabinet lights brighten it a lot I bet.
I’m torn about ditching the ceiling fan. We use it a lot.

Installed... no, I don't think you're overspending. Go for it.

We had a kitchen ceiling fan too and other ceiling fans upstairs. I found the one in the kitchen was much harder to clean then those upstairs because it was so close to the range it got greasy and needed too much scrubbing. I have not missed it:)

Here is another refreshed kitchen with darker cabinets. She did keep her fan:

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/finally-finished-with-kitchen-updating-dsvw-vd~4512247[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/finally-finished-with-kitchen-updating-dsvw-vd~4512247)

I moved into a newly built house many years ago .My new kitchen had a decent enough quality set of builder grade oak cabinets. I cooked and baked a lot. I liked to wipe down my cabinets pretty regularly with murphy's oil soap. Eventually the finish was gone. I then too decided to refinish my cabinets myself. They looked brand new when done and lasted many more years. So, I say go for it. Your counter choice looks very nice with your kitchen. I was amazed how well my builder grade cabinets held up structurally. Even though my newer cabinets are much better quality structurally I believe one doesn't necessarily need it.

Went sink shopping today. I thought I’d been talked into a white cast iron sink but the weight has spooked me. Should I get a good quality stainless steel undermount or a granite composite? If granite, white or dark brown?

My sink weighs a whole bunch - it is really big (Whitehaven - "short apron" apron front) but my installer reinforced the cabinet before installing it. If you are concerned, post in "Kitchens" and hopefully Joe Corlett will chime in and let you know if you need to be concerned about weight. I think what kind of sink you get is personal preference. There are lots of post about people's favorite sinks - no consensus - but lots of opinions.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath

it's not the price that bothers me, it's your choice. I don't feel that countertop works well w/your cabinets.

what granites have you looked at ? White River? Princess White? what about something darker? (or do you want white?)

I like these far better than that marble-lookalike

taj majal above, fantasy brown, below

Nougat, Alaska white

I was in the same situation, not thrilled with my builder grade cabinets, but hated the Formica countertops. Too costly to replace cabinets so I kept them and put in MSI Quartz. Even though it's the same cabinets, the new tops made a huge improvement. So I'm happy with my choice. If you choose a granite sink, my advice would be not to go with white, go with a dark color. I had a white Blanco silgranite sink, and it stained like crazy, I now have a metallic grey one, and it's so much easier to keep looking good.

if you truly love it it is never too much....it will bring you much happiness I think, especially as you are keeping your cabinets.....we did that and I do love the kitchen! Good luck.

Beth H. I’ve looked at every granite slab available in my area. Probably 4 times! We didn’t find anything we liked. Came close with one but it had garnet specks in it and we hated that. That taj majal you posted is pretty.

You have put a lot of effort into dated cabinetry, and the best money spent would be a counter depth fridge. Keep looking or splurge, but I'd say addressing fridge and ceiling light fan bigger priorities than the thrill of new tops...........no matter what they are : ) Yes the 3500 is very fair.

I love my new fridge. Doesn’t bother me at all that it isn’t counter depth.

Properly supported, the weight of a sink is irrelevant.

Thank you, Joe. And Joe, just so you know, I fell in love with Corian’s Dune Prima. Much to my disappointment, some trusted friends talked my husband out of it. I still gaze at the picture lovingly.

I'm curious what it was about the Corian that your friends didn't like? We had it in our former house and loved the simplicity and easy care of it. Who does most of the cooking...you or your husband? I've always felt whoever uses the space most gets the deciding vote. ;)

If you don't care how the space is perceived by others than ignore my advice, but I would remove the stickers on the side of the fridge. They're the first things I noticed when I looked at the photo. The devil is in the details.

Partial overlay cabinets. Old stapled drawers with epoxy drawer glides that are worn and will need replacing. Exposed hinge doors. Do they even have adjustable shelving?

The outside is prettier now. But it’s the inside that is really important to live with. And yours is going to need a lot more work to make that happen. That ship sailed on the exposed hinges. You can’t make adjustable shelves out of fixed ones. That leaves the drawers to work on.

All of that is to say that there’s enough lipstick here. Don’t try to put the pig in the prom dress too.

Put in a nice laminate and call it good. When you sell, the next owner will rip it all out and do all new everything. And laminate is perfectly functional.

I agree with Sophie, a nice new laminate is better bc your cabinets are so dated. Pigs in prom dresses and silk purses......hahaha!

i would spend the money on a counter depth fridge as some one else had suggested. That ceiling fan should go too. Plus the marble look alike will not look good or even marble like if it is used in a big size like your counters.

looking at the empty space above your cabinets convinced me to bring upper cabinets all the way up to the ceiling.

Take a look at what is being done today with laminate. Great edges and good finishes.

Leave the cabs; take all the stuff off the top as it is just calling attention to the cabinets; repaint the walls and ceiling. Replace the fan with another more up to date (no lights in the fixture) or a new semi-flush light.

I think the $3500.00 sounds fair, but, honestly, the cabinets are not worth it.

Both JudyG and Sophie have a very good point about laminate. Have you looked at Formica (or other brands) lately? I have shown homes where we had to really examine the countertop to determine if it was actually granite or mica. You would be surprised.

Look at this one for example: http://www.formica.com/en/us/products/formica-laminate-home/06696

Check Wisonart laminate too https://www.wilsonart.com/laminate/design-library

My 20 year old cabinets do have dovetailed drawers and adjustable shelves. No, my doors are only partial overlay - what of it? Not stylish enough? Sorry - I don't care:)

I am not raiding the retirement fund or the college fund for new cabinets. In looking at Parade Homes, I have not been impressed with the sturdiness of many of the cabinets I saw (thin MDF center door panels) - but why make them to last 20 years when the hope is the styles and trends will change in 15 - and a new kitchen becomes a "must have"?

I love the quartz but I think for a bathroom. It just doesnt say kitchen to me. Plus, opportunity cost. For 3.5k can you get a level one granite and order shaker cabinet doors off cabinetdoorworld? What kind of wood are your cabinets? Also, I added an apron and legs to my 40 year old cabinets..just sharing because I was pleased with the result. (PS. Note the doors were ordered to cover the stiles which is a more updated look, along with european hinges). You probably do not care for my granite...it is only 5 years old and dated. I knew Gray was the new neutral but I liked my cabinet color and it clashes with gray. I do wish I had gone black, white or that I had seen the newer granite selections at the time. Another point. Habituation, you will love your 3.5k counters for a while and will not notice them later. I spent 2k on granite and 2.8k on ash cabinet doors, new drawers and guides, shaker trim on routered edges and install including a built in desk with beaded glass doors installed by a pro. I stripped the boxes and finished everything saving 1k. ( My husband did the same later with the bathrooms off cabinetworld but painted so poplar doors).and the adorable pulls are century hardware, maybe $300. You probably hate my travertine backsplash...me too. Kinda pink. also, nice job on your refinish.

I love it, Tracy, that you know who you are! Enjoy your kitchen.

I like the Corian you posted better. Hopefully it’s not totally ruled out? I agree that you should look at laminate and save the $$$. If you don’t plan to move, you may have no choice but to replace your cabinets in the next 5-10 years.

Tracy,

You have done a great job here of making your kitchen look nice and it sounds like it functions so well for you and your family. I do not have an opinion if your counter choice is to much money to spend, but I will say in my own home I will splurge a bit more if it fits within my budget and makes me happy with no regrets. I have two inch thick solid walnut counter tops in my laundry room and smile every time I see them. I will point out here that the same people who scream about blindly following trends are also the loudest about not liking the style of your cabinets. A rule we follow in our family never let someone else spend your money for you!

Cute Piggy !

I thought I would show you a pic of my previous kitchens update (sorry I dont have before pics). We had builder grade cabinets in oak , not as nice looking as yours and the storage was terrible (think lots of narrow and short drawers)

For that remoded we removed one bank of cabinets and added another set of closely matched builder grade cabinets (from lowes) which were only 12" deep (along the left wall in the pic). Actually I think they were meant to be uppers but my DH rigged them to fit as base cabinets. The other set of cabinets we kept as it was (on the right wall). We then bought readymade formica counters ( we had to choose from 5 different colors/patterns :) so it was an easy choice. the counters were $120 for 8' length). We then ripped one of the counter along the length to fit over the narrow cabinets on the left wall. So for a small amount of $ we ‘updated’ the counter.

We splurged on a 6’ X 2’ island that DH constructed with real oak and tiled it

With a black granite tile that was similar to our formica counters. Added IKEA bar chairs, new lights from Lowes. Also a 27” silgranite sink in black , new faucet and called it a day. That version of our kitchen lasted us 10 years before the formica counters fell apart and we undertook our current kitchen.

Anyways the point I am trying to make is that you could keep the counter cost down and spend on other items that may really help with the functionality of the kitchen (for us it was the island and the sink). But you know, do what makes your heart sing (and your wallet happy at the same time . I am finishing a bigger kitchen remodel and 1 month after the new counters, I can honestly say I still love the counter but it’s the other aspects of my kitchen that I love (layout, drawers, 2 sinks…..)

Best of luck !

No one is suggesting you raid your retirement fund. In fact, I think the gist of the comments were trying to SAVE you money. Your question was whether you would be paying too much for the countertop. The short answer is no, the price is fair. But in the big picture it's wasteful to spend a few thousand if the cabinets are not going to change in any way. Regardless of what else you're doing in the kitchen, if the cabinets are staying the same, the kitchen will still look dark and dated. Let me put it this way: would you spend $3500 on a designer dress then wear rubber elevator shoes?

I didn’t make the retirement fund comment. This is entirely budgeted for.

Address the drawer makeover that the kitchen needs. Add roll outs. Add things that make the kitchen work harder and smarter. First. Then reevaluate new counters after you do that. Any counter that you pick will function fine. But it’s the last thing you do. You fix the function first.

I’ve got some installed roll outs in the peninsula and pantry. I’m all good on function. I did that last year.

3 in the peninsula. One in upper pantry.

Then replace your drawer boxes and glides next. Take the time in between to think about your spouses desire to move.

Tracy - pattyrsh and Diane said it all so well!! Re-read their comments and then follow your instincts. It sounds like you have made some really good and appropriate decisions for you and your lifestyle.

I appreciate your comment that this works for you. Not everyone lives in a model home style atmosphere, I'd actually guess 95% of us don't, but if someone suggests otherwise...gasp!

My only suggestion would be anything-but-white sink. I believe that mine is white Corian and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. My mom does have a white cast iron sink and it has held up much better but still a pain.

I like your kitchen! Your cabinets look very solid. If they are structurally sound, I think you will really enjoy some new counters.

I would consider removing or trimming that curvy wood valance over your sink; to me that dates your kitchen. Also, a smaller, more modern ceiling fan or light.

I am in the process of doing the same thing with counters. Mine are stained, oak cabinets (light brown) and I like them. The boxes are sound and I figure I can reface and replace doors some day IF I need to. I like the layout. My fancy new counters im getting will stay in place and hopefully make me very happy!

Another thing to think of. A salesperson told me, IF you sell your house, quartz or granite will help sell it. Corian or laminate (both of which I like) are a bit cheaper to install but will not have the same positive effect on sales.

PLEASE do not rule out Corian!!! I have had my Glacier White Corian countertops now for 33 years. When I re-did my kitchen 2 years ago, I re-used the countertops as they still looked perfect and I have loved them. Fifteen years ago, I added an integrated Corian sink - love the clean, simple look and no place for "nasties" to gather.

My DD put the same countertops in her kitchen about 13-14 years ago - also the same sink. She has a SAHH who is a slob - coffee grounds left in the sink all day long. She also has two boys who are now almost 16 and just turned 18. They are far from meticulous. And her countertops still look like new and so does her sink. A quick wipe and a swipe with a wand with dishwashing liquid in it in the sink, and it's all good to go.

The only dissatisfaction I've ever heard about Corian (and tons of my friends have it in multiple houses), is the ones who put in a dark color; unfortunately, Corian always scratches "white" so the scratches show on those dark countertops. To my mind, a light color/marble look/white are the best choices for Corian. Does it scratch? ALL countertops scratch but it develops a patina like ones sterling flatware does and it still looks fabulous.

And it's usually far less expensive than quartz. Plus no seams, and the possibility of that integrated sink (greatest thing since sliced bread!).

Corian has celebrated its 50th birthday. A product doesn't last that long by lack of consistent performance and fashion. I have to laugh at the sintereds and their irreperable chips and mitered edges.

@Tracy Lathrom - what did you end up getting? I'd love to see photos of your new countertops!

We did end up going with quartz. Just got new lighting last week. We still need ceiling work done (because of lights), fresh paint, and a nw kitchen table.

Everything looks beautiful. Love the white backsplash with the granite. You did a great job.

Wow what a great improvement. It looks wonderful

It looks great, fantastic transformation!

Lovely!

Looks great - bright and warm! Bravo!

Very nice job!