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Old kitchens

By
Real Estate Agent with Realty Pro Albuquerque

  Kitchen remodels seem to be the one thing that just about everyone agrees is needed in most older homes. At the very least, replacing older appliances with energy efficient models is a necessity.  Not only do they save money by using less energy they generally have a larger capacity than older models. There seems to be a good deal of leeway in floor refinishing given all the choices on the market todaqy. I have seen tile, vinyl, linoleum, laminate and wood. One thing that has cropped up in some of the 200-330k houses I have shown lately is round kitchen sinks...Has anyone else seen these? There almost a cone shape...one buyers I was showing homes commented that more than half of the houses we had looked at over the course of three days had what he called "Those bra sinks". They seemed to be everywhere, but noone I was showing homes to liked them. They do look pretty cool but how practical are they for dishwashing? Anybody have one?

  I just remodeled my own kitchen ---replaced everything. Highly recommend  the quartz countertop materials. They are beautiful, anti-microbial and all but indestructible once installed.  If sellers are thinking of kitchen remodels when getting ready to sell, they may want to consider it. It is granite and quarts in an epoxy setting I believe. It is an elegant touch in a small kitchen. (Mine is a narrow galley about 5 x 10 with no window)

Posted by

Ken & Mary Deshaies
SnowHome Properties - Breckenridge, CO
Deb, how to quartz countertops compare to granite or composite counters? 
Jul 17, 2006 01:40 PM
Deb Hurt
Realty Pro Albuquerque - Albuquerque, NM
ABR, e-Pro,Green, TRC

Granite, will stain pretty easily. It must be sealed and resealed regularly and then it still has a tendency to stain. Marble scratches easily so is not a good choice. It also requires a lot of maintenance to keep an attractive appearance. Acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus will damage them as well. Soapstone is better but still requires sealing and maintenance. Heat is a problem with all natural surfaces but the quarts is more resistant to damage than the others except perhaps soapstone.

 Solid surface countertops like Corian are great but they also stain more easily and are easily damaged by hot pans. They do not require as much upkeep and are easy to clean although they can scraatch, they fare better than granite in that department. Wood and tile are beautiful but very difficult to keep sanitary because of the grout lines in the tile and the fact that wood is rarely possible to get completely free of bacteria. Some marine treatments where the wood is encased in epoxy can be beautiful in the right setting but the scrathing and staining are still an issue.

Pricewise, the quartz is generally a little less expensive than granite depending on the color. The quarts is actually mixed with granite and a polymer so it looks just like granite, it is just a lot easier to maintain and as I mentioned before it has the built in antimicrobial feature. To clean it you can use warm soapy water or spritz it with 409 or use vinegar and water (which will destroy granite or marble becauswe of the acidity).

Jul 17, 2006 05:48 PM