Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB

Can you get different colours?

You can get loads of different colours and patterns. You can also get
synthetic patterns, at about 2/3 the price.

Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Rob a bank.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
t...
Can you get different colours?

You can get loads of different colours and patterns. You can also get
synthetic patterns, at about 2/3 the price.

Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Rob a bank.

Sell the wife?
-seriously, what sort of pricing are we looking at here (perM? or M^2)
cheers,
JB

In article , JB
writes

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
et...
Can you get different colours?

You can get loads of different colours and patterns. You can also get
synthetic patterns, at about 2/3 the price.

Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Rob a bank.

Sell the wife?
-seriously, what sort of pricing are we looking at here (perM? or M^2)
cheers,

250-350GBP/m :-)
http://www.naturalgranite.co.uk/naturalgranite/ (colours) &
http://www.naturalgranite.co.uk/natu.../technical.htm (prices)
--
fred

"JB" wrote in message
...

Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Rob a bank.

Sell the wife?

................and marry me ....................I would love granite
worktops I just need a husband who is willing to pay for them!


-seriously, what sort of pricing are we looking at here (perM? or
M^2)

What's that old saying - "if you need to ask the price you can't
afford it" !!!!

God I am envious

Angela

"JB" wrote in message
...
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB

We're just in the same process, and am busy getting quotes, but it very much
depends upon the amount of work involved, just so you've got a rough idea,
I've put a pdf of our kitchen plan here http://tinyurl.com/vjoo (next few
days only) and the quotes so far for Nero Assoluto / Zimbabwe Black 30mm
granite are £2020 +VAT from a supplier in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and
£2400 + VAT from our slate floor supplier based in Paddock Wood, Kent.

These are supply only and templating will be provided by myself. Not as bad
as I was expecting as Ikea want around £1000 for custom-made laminated
worktop for the same kitchen.

Hope this helps a little bit

Jon

In message , JB
writes
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Where are you? I can recommend a place in Bristol where we got ours from
- very nice and competitively priced.

Tony.

"Jonathan Pearson" wrote in message
...

"JB" wrote in message
...
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB

We're just in the same process, and am busy getting quotes, but it very
much
depends upon the amount of work involved, just so you've got a rough idea,
I've put a pdf of our kitchen plan here http://tinyurl.com/vjoo (next few
days only) and the quotes so far for Nero Assoluto / Zimbabwe Black 30mm
granite are £2020 +VAT from a supplier in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and
£2400 + VAT from our slate floor supplier based in Paddock Wood, Kent.

These are supply only and templating will be provided by myself. Not as
bad
as I was expecting as Ikea want around £1000 for custom-made laminated
worktop for the same kitchen.

Excellent info thanks Jon.
Double your layout lengths, add a larger island, and that is what I'm up
for!
Thanks again.
JB

"JB" wrote in message
...


Excellent info thanks Jon.
Double your layout lengths, add a larger island, and that is what I'm up
for!
Thanks again.
JB


Thats one ell of a kitchen!!, Sadly I don't have a breakdown of costs, but
based of the quotes I had, and assuming that you need the same sink / hob
cut outs, I reckon about an extra 150 - 200 quid per linear metre of worktop
(a bit less than the guide price referred to in freds post), so in your case
its gonna be around 4k - ouch!

Incidentally the quotes were from www.hart-stone.co.uk and www.stonell.co.uk
(who supplied our slate floor - excellent service on the flooring!)

Jon

"Jonathan Pearson" wrote in message
...

"JB" wrote in message
...


Excellent info thanks Jon.
Double your layout lengths, add a larger island, and that is what I'm up
for!
Thanks again.
JB


Thats one ell of a kitchen!!, Sadly I don't have a breakdown of costs, but
based of the quotes I had, and assuming that you need the same sink / hob
cut outs, I reckon about an extra 150 - 200 quid per linear metre of
worktop
(a bit less than the guide price referred to in freds post), so in your
case
its gonna be around 4k - ouch!

*Tell me about it*!


Incidentally the quotes were from www.hart-stone.co.uk and
www.stonell.co.uk
(who supplied our slate floor - excellent service on the flooring!)

Already checking them out.
thanks again,
JB

"Steve" wrote in message
.. .
Jonathan Pearson wrote:

Incidentally the quotes were from www.hart-stone.co.uk and
www.stonell.co.uk
(who supplied our slate floor - excellent service on the flooring!)


Why not look at decorative concrete tops too ?

You tell that to the missus!
I even mention "Crystalstone" (quartz granules sintered with binders) or
concrete, the reply comes back "but that's not granite!".
When we get the quotes things may change.
cheers to one and all.

God how I wish these bloody women's mags didn't do features on "Your Dream
Kitchen" every month or two.

JB

"JB" wrote in message
...
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB


Have you thought about using Corian?

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 20:43:34 GMT, "Mike Hibbert"
wrote:

"JB" wrote in message
...
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB


Have you thought about using Corian?


Why would anybody want a kitchen that looks like McDonalds?


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Mike Hibbert" wrote in message
...
"JB" wrote in message
...
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB


Have you thought about using Corian?

What is Corian?
Never heard of that material.
I'll have a search.
thanks,
JB

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 20:39:16 -0000, "JB"
wrote:



Already checking them out.
thanks again,
JB


I can recommend Stonell for slate flooring - excellent quality
materials and little waste.

We also bought tumbled marble wall tiles from them and are pretty
pleased with them.

Regarding the granite worktops, there is a large range available.
Costs depend in part on where they are from (transportation) and the
amount of machining and cutting.

Don't be surprised if you are quoted £3-4k depending on what you
select.

One thing that I would strongly advise is to select a supplier who
will do a complete turnkey job.

This would include templating and measuring the tops, machining and
finishing them and fitting. Then if there is a screw up, the buck
stops in one place.

Fitting is not difficult at all, but it makes much more sense for one
outfit to own the complete exercise. Typically it takes 1-2 weeks
from measurement to completion. In this time you can fit some
temporary worktop.


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Jonathan Pearson wrote:

Incidentally the quotes were from www.hart-stone.co.uk and www.stonell.co.uk
(who supplied our slate floor - excellent service on the flooring!)


Why not look at decorative concrete tops too ?

Steve

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 21:29:39 -0000, "JB"
wrote:


"Mike Hibbert" wrote in message
...
"JB" wrote in message
...
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB


Have you thought about using Corian?

What is Corian?
Never heard of that material.
I'll have a search.
thanks,
JB


I wouldn't bother. It is not a substitute for the real thing and is
widely used in fast food places.


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 21:29:39 -0000, "JB"
wrote:


"Mike Hibbert" wrote in message
...
"JB" wrote in message
...
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB


Have you thought about using Corian?

What is Corian?
Never heard of that material.
I'll have a search.
thanks,
JB


I wouldn't bother. It is not a substitute for the real thing and is
widely used in fast food places.


Agreed.
I don't think it would go down too well with 'the boss' either!
If one of her mates mentioned "that's lovely, that's just like the Burger
King worktop" she would *totally* freak.
cheers,
JB

In article ,
"Jonathan Pearson" writes:
These are supply only and templating will be provided by myself. Not as bad
as I was expecting as Ikea want around £1000 for custom-made laminated
worktop for the same kitchen.

I needed lots of worktops custom made for a computer room
(far more than you would ever have in a kitchen unless you
stack your worktops 3 high). I used a kitchen installation
company in Cambridge who had their own worktop postforming
factory, and the whole lot was under £1000. Sorry, but I
haven't kept a note of their name.

--
Andrew Gabriel

JB wrote:

Why not look at decorative concrete tops too ?


You tell that to the missus!
I even mention "Crystalstone" (quartz granules sintered with binders) or
concrete, the reply comes back "but that's not granite!"

Oh alright, but why not get the book - hell it might work, and its a lot
cheaper than granite if it works....

http://www.taunton.com/store/pages/070599.asp

Steve

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 22:01:11 -0000, "JB"
wrote:


Agreed.
I don't think it would go down too well with 'the boss' either!
If one of her mates mentioned "that's lovely, that's just like the Burger
King worktop" she would *totally* freak.
cheers,
JB


Quite.

Another few tips.

For the granite, you will also find that the price is affected by the
blend of colours. We found one which is predominantly black but with
crystalline silver-grey and quite subtle but rich blue under certain
lights.

Try to borrow pieces of your chosen type and put them in the room for
a bit, together with a cupboard door to get an idea of the final
effect.

For the floor, it is worth buying a few pieces of slate of different
types - two of each should be enough. It is worth looking at
different sizes as well, but do try them in the room. We wanted
something that would work for the kitchen and adjoining conservatory
and settled on 600x400mm. This allows you to have fairly wide
grouting which looks better with the uneven slate but without being
massive.

We also played around with different floor finishes. I don't like
highly glossed floors because they look like plastic. On the other
hand, a matt or satin finich can look quite dull.
Eventually we settled on products by Lithofin which are excellent,
albeit a little expensive. However you don't much at all so it is
likely to be something like one £30 container. We found that two
coats of a silicone sealer (which dries just above matt) and a colour
enhancer produced rich colours without making the final result look
artificial.


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

JB wrote:

"Jonathan Pearson" wrote in message
...

"JB" wrote in message
...

Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB

We're just in the same process, and am busy getting quotes, but it very

much

depends upon the amount of work involved, just so you've got a rough idea,
I've put a pdf of our kitchen plan here http://tinyurl.com/vjoo (next few
days only) and the quotes so far for Nero Assoluto / Zimbabwe Black 30mm
granite are £2020 +VAT from a supplier in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and
£2400 + VAT from our slate floor supplier based in Paddock Wood, Kent.

These are supply only and templating will be provided by myself. Not as

bad

as I was expecting as Ikea want around £1000 for custom-made laminated
worktop for the same kitchen.


Excellent info thanks Jon.
Double your layout lengths, add a larger island, and that is what I'm up
for!


Go to local grave maker (monumental masons) and ask them. Often a lot
cheaper.


Thanks again.
JB

Mike Hibbert wrote:

"JB" wrote in message
...

Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB



Have you thought about using Corian?



I looked at that and it was more expensive than granite...

Andy Hall wrote:

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 20:43:34 GMT, "Mike Hibbert"
wrote:


"JB" wrote in message
...

Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB


Have you thought about using Corian?



Why would anybody want a kitchen that looks like McDonalds?



Cos they like McDonalds?


.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Tony Wood wrote in message ...
In message , JB
writes
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Found myself in a similar situation earlier this year. It was
"decided" that our kitchen "needed" a revamp. And a granite worktop
was "specified". Ended up for about 4.5 metres of 30mm x 600mm
anthracite coloured granite £500. Not bad I thought and I actually
like it. No fathing about with mats for saucepans straight off the
cooker,hardly ever even use a chopping board.
Guy came to measure up once the new units were in, made a 6mm MDF
template. Couple of weeks later came back and fitted the granite,
glueing it down with adhesive and filling the joint with black
silicone. All in all a great job.

Rgds

Noel

noel dot hegan at virgin dot net

"JB" wrote:

Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.
thanks,
JB

Got Granite worktop this year. Great. Used local supplier (Norwich)
Half the price of other quotes. They did the template,and supply and
fit. Essential in my view.

What no-one else has meantioned here, but you should NOT overlook, is
that Granite is HEAVY. Your Kitchen units must be well constructed.
Good carcas, and potentialy supporting braces.

Granite woortops tend to be half the depth of Laminate tops. To make
them look the same depth a nose is glued on at the front. Ask them for
options how this nose is cut. It does not have to be square, nor
rounded. In my case i went for
~~~~~~~~\
|
|
/ Front Edge
~~|~~~~~ \
| |
| |
|______/

With the join hidden in the nib in bit.

To help support the worktop, and to provide a tempoary top whilst it
was being cut etc the units were topped with half inch hardboard
coming right up to the edge of the units. The granite being cut and
designed to overlap by about 50 mm and the hardboard thus being hidden
by the nose.

The unit drawers and doors should be hung such that they do not hit
the granite when fitted. A couple of mine had to be lowered 1-2 mm
when the granite was put in place because they just caught it.

Also if you have a big kitchen, expect to wait more than a couple of
weeks between template and fit.

Finally, when they come to create the template, agree with them where
the joins are going to be. There are always joins, granite joins are
less visable but still irritating if in the wrong place.

Richard

Tony Wood wrote in message ...
In message , JB
writes
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Ooops, may have had a slight memory problem with the granite worktop
price. We are still waiting for the bill (after 6 months)and the
figure may have been nearer £750 or so. I do recall that the granite
was £500 more than the ordinary laminate worktop. Still good value and
was chamfered and cut on the draining area beside the sink.

Rgds

Noel

noel dot hegan at virgin dot net

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 17:43:36 -0000, "JB"
wrote:

Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.

Have a read of "Concrete Countertops"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1561584843/codesmiths
Highly recommended for anyone considering a major kitchen worktop
project. Concrete is an interesting option and some of the techniques
apply equally to any extra-heavy worktop material.


--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 21:28:16 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

Why would anybody want a kitchen that looks like McDonalds?

Because when they get home after a hard days work they want to pop in
the kitchen and order a ready meal on demand from SWMBO?

PoP

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 22:55:38 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

For the granite, you will also find that the price is affected by the
blend of colours. We found one which is predominantly black but with
crystalline silver-grey and quite subtle but rich blue under certain
lights.

Not having had experience of granite worktops a couple of questions
are in order......

Presumably, being granite, the surface could be a bit cold during the
winter months. How does granite stand up to having a hot pan stood on
it?

And I would guess that you buy the granite worktops for a specific
size. Can't quite see my router trimming one down......

PoP

And I would guess that you buy the granite worktops for a specific
size. Can't quite see my router trimming one down......

Granite needs serious equipment to make the cutouts and chamfers etc. You
pretty much have to get the supplier to do this, which is very expensive. A
long straight slab of granite is much less than a complicated one with a
Belfast cutout and integral drainer.

Christian.

Noel Hegan wrote:
Tony Wood wrote in message ...
In message , JB
writes
Having decided to revamp the kitchen my wife has 'decided' on granite
worktops.
Sourcing, specifying, installing?
Can you get different colours?
Any advice on typical pricing much appreciated.

Found myself in a similar situation earlier this year. It was
"decided" that our kitchen "needed" a revamp. And a granite worktop
was "specified". Ended up for about 4.5 metres of 30mm x 600mm
anthracite coloured granite £500. Not bad I thought and I actually
like it. No fathing about with mats for saucepans straight off the
cooker,hardly ever even use a chopping board.

.... er, don't your knives get blunt?

--
Chris Green )

PoP wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 22:55:38 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

For the granite, you will also find that the price is affected by the
blend of colours. We found one which is predominantly black but with
crystalline silver-grey and quite subtle but rich blue under certain
lights.

Not having had experience of granite worktops a couple of questions
are in order......

Presumably, being granite, the surface could be a bit cold during the
winter months. How does granite stand up to having a hot pan stood on
it?

My wife's sister also finds that she has broken quite a bit of
crockery on her granite worktop, especially glass. It's very
unforgiving if you drop anything on it.

--
Chris Green )

In article , The Natural Philosopher
writes
Go to local grave maker (monumental masons) and ask them. Often a lot
cheaper.
Esp if you don't mind a few typos . . . . "In loving mammary . . ."

I used to know one and he said that they did do a lot of on the side extras,
fireplaces etc [any puns, if present, not intended]
--
fred

wrote in message
...
PoP wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 22:55:38 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

For the granite, you will also find that the price is affected by the
blend of colours. We found one which is predominantly black but with
crystalline silver-grey and quite subtle but rich blue under certain
lights.

Not having had experience of granite worktops a couple of questions
are in order......

Presumably, being granite, the surface could be a bit cold during the
winter months. How does granite stand up to having a hot pan stood on
it?

My wife's sister also finds that she has broken quite a bit of
crockery on her granite worktop, especially glass. It's very
unforgiving if you drop anything on it.

--
Chris Green )

Plus not forgetting that some types of granite worktop are quite
radioactive. A friend of mine suffered severe headaches after having granite
worktops fitted to her new kitchen, and had to have them replaced with
granite-look post formed tops after being hospitalised.

Mal

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 08:33:35 +0000, PoP
wrote:

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 22:55:38 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

For the granite, you will also find that the price is affected by the
blend of colours. We found one which is predominantly black but with
crystalline silver-grey and quite subtle but rich blue under certain
lights.

Not having had experience of granite worktops a couple of questions
are in order......

Presumably, being granite, the surface could be a bit cold during the
winter months.

In reality it acquires the temperature of the surroundings. It does
feel slightly cool to the touch because of being a better conductor
than wood and for food preparation works well.


How does granite stand up to having a hot pan stood on
it?

There's no real problem, although not something we often do.



And I would guess that you buy the granite worktops for a specific
size. Can't quite see my router trimming one down......

That would be a challenge......


PoP

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On 19 Nov 2003 10:08:42 GMT, wrote:

PoP wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 22:55:38 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

For the granite, you will also find that the price is affected by the
blend of colours. We found one which is predominantly black but with
crystalline silver-grey and quite subtle but rich blue under certain
lights.

Not having had experience of granite worktops a couple of questions
are in order......

Presumably, being granite, the surface could be a bit cold during the
winter months. How does granite stand up to having a hot pan stood on
it?

My wife's sister also finds that she has broken quite a bit of
crockery on her granite worktop, especially glass. It's very
unforgiving if you drop anything on it.

I'm not sure. I can't say that we have broken more things on a
granite worktop than the laminated one that preceded it. Neither
surface will flex if you drop a glass on it.

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

In article ,
PoP writes:
Not having had experience of granite worktops a couple of questions
are in order......

Presumably, being granite, the surface could be a bit cold during the
winter months. How does granite stand up to having a hot pan stood on
it?

Not sure how granite compares with thick slate, but my father
made their dining table ~25 years ago, and had the slate top
custom made from large sheets of polished slate from the slate
mine at the top of Honister Pass in the Lake District. He liked
the thought of it being completely heat proof (came out of a
volcano, and plates and dishes don't get that hot;-) so no need
for table cloths or place mats. However, the first time a hot
plate was put on it, the plate cracked in half, and we had a
couple more such incidents before having to return to place mats.
The slate top has survived perfectly over the years without any
damage appearing on it, in spite of constant use.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Try these guys..

http://www.naturalstoneproducts.co.uk/

I had them make a Fireplace hearth for me a while back and were very
good and I'll be using them for my kitchen in January. They supply
loads of types of granite and are willing to travel pretty much
anywhere. They're based nr Leeds but will come down, do the template,
go away and do the work then fit the tops for you when completed
(about 2 weeks in general).

mention my name if you speak to them as I'm looking to contact them
soon also !

thanks,
Antony Cook.

Where are you? I can recommend a place in Bristol where we got ours from
- very nice and competitively priced.


So... what is the name? How competitive?

Colin