Renovation Questions

[nanannjen]

Sink: Undermount, but not molded in as an integral part of a Corian counter.

You ask about porcelain and ss but are you familiar with granite or quartz composite sinks? They are made from 80-90% crushed stone mixed with a polyresin and molded into a sink. We had one installed with our new granite counters earlier this year and we really like it. It is very resistant to chips, stains, and heat and comes in a number of colors. And unlike ss, it doesn't dent, discolor, or make a racket when you drop a spoon.

I'll second the vote for the granite composit sink. Our brand was Silgranit - it is very low maintenance, and looks good. Our contractor was unfamiliar with it, but had no problem installing it (undercounter).

As far as granite, there are many different types of granite with varying degrees of hardness. Our granite is very hard and does not absorb anything, so I have no concerns about stains. (The Corian that we replaced stained fairly easily - although it was quite old). You just can't beat the beauty of granite, IMO. Also, what are houses in your area doing? If you're the only Corian in a town full of granite, that puts you at a disadvantage.

I also second the recommendation for Gardenweb - their forums are invaluable for kitchen/bathroom remodeling (and a lot of other subjects, too!)

 

[MichaelB]

We put in new countertops, sink, cooktop and hood late last year. We thought about the kitchen floor (is wood, prefer ceramic) but left it for a later date.

Granite: prices have fallen a lot, tons to choose from, and the look is unbeatable. It is truly a buyers market. We also put in a tile backsplash. DW is very happy with the granite, and when she is happy, so am I.

Sink – deep single bowl, stainless, undermount. I clean the kitchen and prefer it hands down to other options. Bought it from the granite folks, about ½ of price anywhere else.

Cooktop – stainless, 5 burner with excellent heating controls. It’s beautiful, the cook loves it, and it’s scratched everywhere.

Hood – see cooktop, add noisy.

Wood vs tile in the kitchen is as much about personal style as anything else. Tile is easier to clean and shouldn’t stain as much, but does chip.

Contractor. We chose a contractor from angies list. It has worked out well. Excellent work ethic, 1 year guarantee – and they’ve been back 3 times for retouching or reworking something without complaint.

 

[Meadbh]

We are about to redo our master bedroom (and have been on the cusp of this project for the past four years... so maybe will get to it in the next four) and are seriously considering cork for the flooring. It's renewable, soft underfoot, as durable as most hardwoods, warm, and comes in click formats for easy DIY. I love the way it looks, I like the way it smells, and I think it would be perfect in our master bedroom, where we really need sound absorption (vaulted ceilings).

I've been in a couple houses that had it throughout the house and it was lovely.

My holiday home has cork flooring with inlaid patterns. I love walking on it in bare feet. It's softer than tile and feels very natural.

My home has hardwood floors throughout, except for the bathroom. The kitchen is holding up very well after 80 years.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Mead, we put cork tiles down in the motorhome and I love it! So pretty and quiet and soft. A great improvement over the gross carpet and little patch of worn out linoleum in the kitchen.

 

[Meadbh]

Mead, we put cork tiles down in the motorhome and I love it! So pretty and quiet and soft.

It's nice, isn't it?

 

[samclem]

Counters: We put in Corian countertops with an integrated sink. It looks good and there are no sink/countertop seams to grab gunk.

If for a kitchen or bathroom, don't cross vinyl off your list before giving it fair consideration. Is this house for you or for a Fine Homebuilding pictorial? Top quality sheet vinyl has no seams, is not cold or hard under bare feet, won't chip if a pot falls on it, is easy to clean for decades, and gives dropped glassware a good chance of survival. In 20 years when it's time to change the look of your kitchen or just replace the flooring, it's a one day job. I like the stuff with the color that goes deep into the vinyl and which doesn't pretend to look like stone or wood. It's plastic and proud!

 

[scrinch]

If for a kitchen or bathroom, don't cross vinyl off your list before giving it fair consideration. Is this house for you or for a Fine Homebuilding pictorial? Top quality sheet vinyl has no seams, is not cold or hard under bare feet, won't chip if a pot falls on it, is easy to clean for decades, and gives dropped glassware a good chance of survival. In 20 years when it's time to change the look of your kitchen or just replace the flooring, it's a one day job. I like the stuff with the color that goes deep into the vinyl and which doesn't pretend to look like stone or wood. It's plastic and proud!

Ditto on the vinyl for kitchens and bathrooms.

I've talked to two people now who have loved their Corian kitchen countertops for years, but who hate the molded-in sinks that came with them. They both complained about flexing and hairline cracks, which eventually get filled with uncleanable black gunk. We've had small molded-in sinks in the bathroom for 11 years now with no cracking...very easy to clean and attractive looking. I think it is the large, flat-bottom molded-in kitchen sinks that have the flexing/cracking problems.