Kitchen Worktop

[masterninja 0]

I just got quoted about $4500 for about 40 ft run of Cresto (white) solid surface by my ID. Wondering if anyone can help me with a couple of questions:

1) Should I go for a different material eg natural stone eg granite or marble?

2) what prices should I expect?

2) if the price is right, should I remove this item from the list and get a separate contractor to do just the top? Would this cause any problems?

Appreciate anyone's advice. Thanks

[jaskel 2]

I just got quoted about $4500 for about 40 ft run of Cresto (white) solid surface by my ID. Wondering if anyone can help me with a couple of questions:

1) Should I go for a different material eg natural stone eg granite or marble?

2) what prices should I expect?

2) if the price is right, should I remove this item from the list and get a separate contractor to do just the top? Would this cause any problems?

Appreciate anyone's advice. Thanks

Wow u must be very rich for the ID to quote u this amount. Either u stay in landed or private property.

[jaskel 2]

Moverover, this type of pricing can go for LG, Formica, etc. 100% arcylic solid surface already rather than using Cresto.

[masterninja 0]

I suspect so that's why I asked. What's the market price for LG and where should I get this from? I read its second best - compared to Corian? We like the white marble look best but I understand it's impossible to keep free from stains?

Assume it's ok for me to source this from somewhere else? How do I get the supplier to fit out the kitchen top properly - do they have to wait for the kitchen carcass to be fully built before the top is installed?

Sorry but I'm clearly a renovation newbie here trying to avoid to get fleeced. But I do like the design of this ID.

[stryke 0]

I suspect so that's why I asked. What's the market price for LG and where should I get this from? I read its second best - compared to Corian? We like the white marble look best but I understand it's impossible to keep free from stains?

Assume it's ok for me to source this from somewhere else? How do I get the supplier to fit out the kitchen top properly - do they have to wait for the kitchen carcass to be fully built before the top is installed?

Sorry but I'm clearly a renovation newbie here trying to avoid to get fleeced. But I do like the design of this ID.

LG/Samsung should be going for around 90/pfr. So for 40 ft you should only be paying 3600. It might be more expensive if you have an integrated sink.

If you can afford it, go for caesarstone or silstone. beautiful material. 100% non-porous so easy to maintain. can last you for a lifetime.

[liquid_fuel 0]

I think with that price you can even go for granite top, since you are purchasing at such length. Caesartone is quartz, very expensive, you probably pay double the price. But like what stryke mentioned, it can last you a long long time with almost no maintenance required. It's even harder than homogeneous tiles that we lay on the floor.

Solid surface, LG/Cresto/Corian..etc, requires alot of "care & concern" as they scratches easily and takes in stains. Though it can be polish and varnish. It voice down to how heavy do you use the kitchen. Pros, it has a smooth joining for the backsplash. Whereas, slate materials like granite, marble or quartz, they use silicon to seal joining gap between the kitchen work top and back splash.

Installation wise, not a problem, just bring in the kitchen cabinet with sink, hood, etc.. From there the installer will drop by to take measurement for production.

[dbkungfu 0]

Agreed with liquid_fuel, that kind of price can get u granite that is much easier to maintain. my ID quote me, 10ft indian black galaxy granite for $1100 but I still consider it a bit expensive. So 40ft = $4400. wanna do silestone initially, but over budget. quartz is said to be better then granite either in strength or maintenance wise. jaskel know best.

Few reason ppl still go for solidtop is it have more color , can have seamless "joint" & can have "curve up" effect between countertop and backsplash.

Edited May 19, 2010 by dbkungfu

[Amy Choon 1]

i was in between granite and solid surface too!.. wanted solid surface because it has the white that i wanted.. my contractor quoted me $105/ft for LG Hi Mac. but my contractor kept telling me not to use solid surface cos it really scratches so easily.. and he even told me to try with his samples.. i rub it lightly against his granite top and it was all scratches already.... imagine how gentle i'll have to be everytime i use the kitchen?

granite is easier to maintain compared to solid surface.. but the colours limited.... if you use your kitchen often enough, you should just go for less hassel in maintenace..

btw, the price your contractor quoted, is good enough to get you the higher range of solid surface. $112/ft for cresto is too much!

[wolflet 1]

i was in between granite and solid surface too!.. wanted solid surface because it has the white that i wanted.. my contractor quoted me $105/ft for LG Hi Mac. but my contractor kept telling me not to use solid surface cos it really scratches so easily.. and he even told me to try with his samples.. i rub it lightly against his granite top and it was all scratches already.... imagine how gentle i'll have to be everytime i use the kitchen?

granite is easier to maintain compared to solid surface.. but the colours limited.... if you use your kitchen often enough, you should just go for less hassel in maintenace..

btw, the price your contractor quoted, is good enough to get you the higher range of solid surface. $112/ft for cresto is too much!

i was quoted 120/sf by my ID for LG Hi Macs. and 120/sf for black galaxy granite. so i chose granite. unless i settle for other brands of SS which is cheaper.

[pinktini 0]

i was quoted 120/sf by my ID for LG Hi Macs. and 120/sf for black galaxy granite. so i chose granite. unless i settle for other brands of SS which is cheaper.

just being kpo... i believe contractor price for black galaxy granite might be lower than what you were quoted. maybe you should check if you can buy it on your own? can try looking at shops such as hafary or hua khian. i heard before that it was around 80pfr?

Edited May 20, 2010 by pinktini

[launlai 0]

I just got quoted about $4500 for about 40 ft run of Cresto (white) solid surface by my ID. Wondering if anyone can help me with a couple of questions:

1) Should I go for a different material eg natural stone eg granite or marble?

2) what prices should I expect?

2) if the price is right, should I remove this item from the list and get a separate contractor to do just the top? Would this cause any problems?

Appreciate anyone's advice. Thanks

cresto about $70pfr only...

[BlueFly 0]

Be careful when you deal with materials supplied by contractors. Unless you buy established branded products like Corian or natural stones like granite or marble, and can verify the supplier source - many of us are duped into believing that a worktop supplied is what the consumer has paid for.

For example, beware of contractors touting "solid surface" acrylic worktops - e.g. how do you know the worktop is made of acrylic and not some other look-alike material?

In my case, I became suspicious when I found my so-called acrylic solid surface worktop staining too easily - from simply placing a Fairprice plastic bag onto the worktop surface!! Or forgetting to wipe off tumeric liquid immediately after an occasional spillage. And yet I was advised solid surface acrylic worktops don't stain easily but are stain-resistant.

Later when I went to Ikea to compare their acrylic worktops there, I realized my "acrylic" worktop indeed felt different and "lighter" than Ikea's.

But that's just my conjecture - I don't have a lab to prove my worktop is nt of acrylic.

Many fty owners and contractors make good and easy money from the building and renovation industry, bcoz ignorant consumers like me (and many others too) can't tell one material from another - so I suspect inferior products - which yield high profit margin - have been produced for unsuspecting consumers for quite some time.

Aside from worktops, I also experienced another poor product - the laminate used for my kitchen cabinets. As detailed on my blog, the laminate scruffed too easily - just a tiny or light touch by wooden chair is enough to rip / scuff the laminate.

I suspect as there are no govt controls on the production of such materials for the renovation industry, anything goes and it's every man or contractor for himself - that is, helping himself to the fat profits waiting to be grabbed from the hands of unsuspecting consumers.

What's the solution? Sorry, I am unable to offer any real solution, except maybe a deterrent to require the contractor to certify the material supplied is as specified or pay 3 times in penalties the invoiced cost if the material supplied is not what it was supposed to be. This will not stop unscrupulous contractors but it may act to deter him if you are firm enough and show you're the no-nonsense type. Safest option is to get from authorised suppliers of established product brands like Corian or the product you are keen in. If you go for substitutes it may turn out to be expensive, as in my case. (I'm not happy with my worktop and would be replacing it with natural granite, but for the color. I ma thus looking for another proven, established product).

CaeserStone is a man-made composite material, produced by mixing pigments, polymer resin and quartz under high pressure and heat to form slabs, unlike natural granite or marble. Decades ago it was cheaper than marble or granite as it was marketed as a man-made substitute. In fact the early samples were made to look like marble and granite.

Finally I would go for solid glass for a real maintenance-free worktop, except the cost is not justified bcoz of plans to relocate within the next 5 yrs. Also, it is not available locally - yet.

cheers

[ngunadi 2]

I am currently using LG Solid-Top. After the installation, the LG would send me a warranty card. Not sure about Corian but I think this is a way for customer to ensure that you get what you pay for.

[matrix0405 0]

Be careful when you deal with materials supplied by contractors. Unless you buy established branded products like Corian or natural stones like granite or marble, and can verify the supplier source - many of us are duped into believing that a worktop supplied is what the consumer has paid for.

For example, beware of contractors touting "solid surface" acrylic worktops - e.g. how do you know the worktop is made of acrylic and not some other look-alike material?

In my case, I became suspicious when I found my so-called acrylic solid surface worktop staining too easily - from simply placing a Fairprice plastic bag onto the worktop surface!! Or forgetting to wipe off tumeric liquid immediately after an occasional spillage. And yet I was advised solid surface acrylic worktops don't stain easily but are stain-resistant.

Later when I went to Ikea to compare their acrylic worktops there, I realized my "acrylic" worktop indeed felt different and "lighter" than Ikea's.

But that's just my conjecture - I don't have a lab to prove my worktop is nt of acrylic.

Many fty owners and contractors make good and easy money from the building and renovation industry, bcoz ignorant consumers like me (and many others too) can't tell one material from another - so I suspect inferior products - which yield high profit margin - have been produced for unsuspecting consumers for quite some time.

cheers

Well said. Unfortunately, most ID are not on the owners' side, even tho they are collecting 'professional/consulting/project management' fee from owners. Owners still have to work closely with and against them to prevent short changed.

[liquid_fuel 0]

I may not totally agree. Many times ID does advised on the pros & cons with using certain materials or even brands. At the end of the day, it's still the owner to make the call pertaining their preference and budget. As mentioned in this tread, some experienced that SS takes in stain marks and is prone to scratches, which is advised by the ID. A more ideal precaution to these problems is to use granite or quartz top. Then again, how many would want to spent that kind of money and how many would like the limitation to colour choices. Btw, granite or marble top are prone to water marks, not an entirely stain proof material.