New countertop buying for dummies

[ellipsis]

H and I are going to start looking to replace our counters soon (granite or quartz, but probably granite). We also want to replace the gas cooktop and the sink and faucet at the same time. Should we pick those out and purchase them 1st before the template is made? Does the cooktop need to be installed before they can make the template?

Please share your countertop buying experience! Did you find places that would let you bring home samples, or is that something that only happens on TV?

[dr.girlfriend]

I DK about cooktop since we had a separate stove, but they took the sink with them to make the template, so I think you want that in advance (although a lot of granite places do a free sink with granite purchase, so if you're just getting a plain sink you may want to do that). I don't think the faucet matters much, they just need to know how many holes, unless you're doing something really different for a faucet, because the holes are all the same size. My place didn't give samples, but I took a piece of tile and a cabinet door with me while shopping. My place let you pick out your slab at the yard, and in fact sent me to the distributor to pick my slab since the yard didn't have many choices. That was great -- the exact same granite "name" can look totally different between lots. I have some threads about my granite shopping / kitchen reno in my recent threads, probably.

I definitely recommend doing the air switch for garbage disposal.  That's not something I knew about before this recent reno.

[imimahoney]

I'm actually going through this right now as we just got measured yesterday for our new counters.

The granite guys required us to have on hand the sink, stove and to know about the cuts at measure. We got 4 free cuts, anything more was extra.

And we went to a kitchen remodel store who gave us samples if we wanted them. I took a lot of pics at the showroom but ultimately didn't need to take any samples home.

[ellipsis]

Dec 23, 2014 9:18:31 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

I DK about cooktop since we had a separate stove, but they took the sink with them to make the template, so I think you want that in advance (although a lot of granite places do a free sink with granite purchase, so if you're just getting a plain sink you may want to do that). I don't think the faucet matters much, they just need to know how many holes, unless you're doing something really different for a faucet, because the holes are all the same size. My place didn't give samples, but I took a piece of tile and a cabinet door with me while shopping. My place let you pick out your slab at the yard, and in fact sent me to the distributor to pick my slab since the yard didn't have many choices. That was great -- the exact same granite "name" can look totally different between lots. I have some threads about my granite shopping / kitchen reno in my recent threads, probably.

I definitely recommend doing the air switch for garbage disposal.  That's not something I knew about before this recent reno.

Hmm interesting! We already have a wall switch for the disposal, but that would be awesome if it was repurposed to control under-cabinet lighting...that we don't yet have yet... Ha, this is getting expensive (shocking, right?).

Thanks!

[munkii]

You need to have the cooktop, but it does not need to be installed. In fact, if it's installed, it will have to be removed prior to the new counter going in because the cooktop rests on the countertop. The reason you'll need it is the same as the sink: to use as a template. Ours came with a template, but our counter guy preferred measuring off the real thing rather than the template because he said they're not always correct (or something).

[moolarkey]

Ok - what is "air switch for garbage disposal" I don't know what an air switch is. Would someone explain? Thanks.

[dr.girlfriend]

Dec 23, 2014 11:00:45 GMT -5 moolarkey said:

Ok - what is "air switch for garbage disposal" I don't know what an air switch is. Would someone explain? Thanks.

It's a little button that gets installed on your countertop that you press to turn the disposal off and on.  It's an "air switch" because it's triggered by air pressure, not an electrical current, so you don't have to worry about water near it.  It's good because it's usually very conveniently placed (right to the side of the faucet), and you don't have to interrupt the backsplash or whatever for a switch placement.  I know the pp said things are getting expensive, but I bought my air switch off Amazon and it came with three different finishes and was like $30 I think?  And the granite folks usually do at least three holes for free with the install.  We have the main faucet, the air switch, and an instant hot water faucet which I LOOOOOVE (I drink tea like crazy).

Here's a picture of my sink area before the backsplash was installed.  The air switch is a little hard to see, but it's on the left side equidistant from the main faucet as the hot water faucet.

I also recommend the Silgranit sink and touch faucet for anyone who is interested...all my kitchen choices are in my big initial kitchen reno megathread, I think.  I will talk you into spending more money but I love everything I got!

[jillybean222]

our appliances had to be on site for the template. we put in an apron front sink and that had to be permanently installed before template. we could take as many samples home as we wanted to.

[moolarkey]

Dec 23, 2014 11:13:50 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

Dec 23, 2014 11:00:45 GMT -5 moolarkey said:

Ok - what is "air switch for garbage disposal" I don't know what an air switch is. Would someone explain? Thanks.

It's a little button that gets installed on your countertop that you press to turn the disposal off and on.  It's an "air switch" because it's triggered by air pressure, not an electrical current, so you don't have to worry about water near it.

That sounds super - I love your pics!

[kaylie]

Some of this will depend on how your particular granite place works. I suggest talking to them and finding out what their policy is on what has to be on site. We have a slide-in range and they wanted that in place, but we only needed the template for our sink and to know how many holes our faucet required. The good news is that as long as you put down a deposit, most granite yards will let you put slabs on reserve and will hold them for you for quite a long time until you're ready to have them installed. Everywhere we went gave us samples.

I'm happy to rec granite places and our appliance place if you happen to be in the NJ/Philadelphia region. We scored pretty great deals with both.