Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post

brk-lnt · 09-23-2015, 06:05 AM

"It depends".

All other things being equal (though they never are) most sellers would prefer a home with granite counters (any color/style) over a home with laminate counters (any color/style).

As a *very* rough estimate, assume about $120/linear ft of counter for a decent granite. That's installed, and accounting for polished edges, sink cutout, etc. Again, it's a rough estimate, but it gives you something to start with.

A small 12x12 kitchen might have 28 linear feet of counter total (a 3-sided setup, some left out for a slide-in stove, fridge, etc.). So you'd be about $3,360.

Will the granite add $3360 to your selling price? Hard to say. It will almost certainly make the house more attractive, which can make it sell faster. If you're still carrying a mortgage on the house and it sells 1 month quicker that could save you an ~$800 mortgage payment.

Kitchen remodels are one of those things that tend to have higher payback value. But IMO you need to look at the whole kitchen to decide this. Granite counters on old cabinets with a semi worn out linoleum floor won't do much because most buyers will look at that and think the whole kitchen needs to be remodeled. Granite tops on presentable cabinets and a nice tile floor would probably give the whole space a nice uplift.

So, "it depends".

09-23-2015, 06:05 AM	#3
brk-lnt Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Down Shores Posts: 1,944 Thanks: 544 Thanked 570 Times in 335 Posts	"It depends". All other things being equal (though they never are) most sellers would prefer a home with granite counters (any color/style) over a home with laminate counters (any color/style). As a very rough estimate, assume about $120/linear ft of counter for a decent granite. That's installed, and accounting for polished edges, sink cutout, etc. Again, it's a rough estimate, but it gives you something to start with. A small 12x12 kitchen might have 28 linear feet of counter total (a 3-sided setup, some left out for a slide-in stove, fridge, etc.). So you'd be about $3,360. Will the granite add $3360 to your selling price? Hard to say. It will almost certainly make the house more attractive, which can make it sell faster. If you're still carrying a mortgage on the house and it sells 1 month quicker that could save you an ~$800 mortgage payment. Kitchen remodels are one of those things that tend to have higher payback value. But IMO you need to look at the whole kitchen to decide this. Granite counters on old cabinets with a semi worn out linoleum floor won't do much because most buyers will look at that and think the whole kitchen needs to be remodeled. Granite tops on presentable cabinets and a nice tile floor would probably give the whole space a nice uplift. So, "it depends". __________________ [insert witty phrase here]