Countertops for basic flip

[Jennifer Marshall]

I’m wirking on a mid-level flip property with a limuted kitchen countertop budget we are installing ourselves. Because granite and other solid surface options are out of our budget and not necessarily needed in this neighborhood, would you install a nice laminate or real butcher block countertops? I have never been a fan of butcher block, but realize its coming back in style so am leaning that way.

[Jim Cummings]

@Jennifer Marshall. You can do Granite for about $35 / SF. Another option might be Concrete. 

As previous posters indicated, Butcher Block is returning to vogue.  

[Craig Ruhland]

@Christopher Blanco yes! Wilson HD is nice laminate. I’ve found HD laminate with white subway tile backsplash looks great is easy to clean & affordable

[Scott Morongell]

@Jennifer Marshall i'd go butcher block.

[Allan Szlafrok]

I always say that it pays to see what the competition is offering and do one better. You may find that even if competing houses aren't offering granite or other upgrades it may pay to install it so that your property will sell faster and closer to list price than your competitors. When i flip a property my goal is to offer a product that's better than my competitors. I never want to hear from a  potential buyer that the property wasn't nice enough for them.  Upgrades like granite countertops and stainless steel appliances are often what sets my property apart from what others are selling at the same price point. Bottom line is if you can afford the upgrade i think you should go for it. Do what it takes to set your property apart from the pack.

[Ryan Blake]

@Jennifer Marshall I know you are down in the San Marcos/Austin/San Antonio area but in DFW you can get the lower end (read as less desirable colors) granite at about $28/sq ft installed. This is the retail price if you are coming with just one job. If you have connections or are bringing more bulk amounts, it can go lower from there.

[David Floyd]

Tough decision.  Granite looks great and should help sell the house but there are some laminate that looks decent too.  If the kitchen is small then shop around for granite.  Here in Florida I have found it as cheap as $25/ft2 installed.  I have even put it in my rentals since it is more durable and attracts a better tenant.  Look at your sales competition.  Do equivalent properties in the area have granite?  

[Justin Robert]

I second the advice on looking at inexpensive / lowed end granite. Especially if this is a smaller SQ FT of countertop.

[Andrew Syrios]

I'm not a fan of butcher block, so I would just go with a nice laminate or maybe a tile countertop.

[John G.]

Wow, lots of great insight from everyone.  I currently am a realtor and own a granite countertop business.  So I might be a skewed view. But, I would say check your market around you, if you can find granite or quartz for a reasonable price I would for sure do it.  With a small square footage to jump from the HD laminate to a granite or quartz should not be very big.  At least in my market its not.  Butcher block is high maintenance and narrows the scope of buyers.  Usually people will accent their granite with a butcher block island or something.   Best of luck!!

[Jim D.]

Call a few countertop providers and ask if they have any remnant pieces that are discounted. Sometimes you can get a good deal on leftovers from another project they did, though it of course limits your color options.

[Kellen Canfield]

@Jennifer Marshall you may have already been advised this, but these days there are a lot of cheaper granite options out there. Or another type of coposite material. The days when granite was only attainable in higher end houses are a thing of the past for sure. 

[Lisa Thoele]

Many times stone fabricators have salvage pieces of granite or quartz in their yards.  Butcher block is all over Pintrest!  Its hot right now.  Super inexpensive and easy to install.  Depending on your kitchen you could always do a mix - butcher block on the island and granite or quartz salvage piece on the countertops or vice versa.   You can totally cut costs and still get a high end feel.  In our market  laminate would not work in a mid-level flip - its ridiculous but even first time buyers expect a high end/HGTV feel to the kitchen.  

[Brian Pulaski]

If you want an opinion assuming granite/quartz is out of the question/budget... laminate. Butcher block is maintenance and can look ugly when it's not clean. I have never seen a tiled countertop that looked good. I grew up in my parents house with a tile countertop... I would never put it in any property after that experience.

[BOB CRANEY]

@Jennifer Marshall Look at the Formica and wilsonart high end laminate options. They look just like the real granite. Go to LOWE’s or HD to see the samples they have and some of the stock tops they have to see a larger sample. I wouldn’t buy there but they have lots of displays. If you have the budget you can upgrade the edge to a Bevel or 1/2 bullnose to make it look more realistic. I just used a Wilaonart HD in a rehab I’m finishing and it was nIce

[Scott Nidell]

What about solid surface counters or concrete? Just throwing ideas out there. I like the look of some of the concrete counters.

[Melissa Gittens]

I like the idea of find other ways to cut different items in your budget to get granite or some kind of solid surface options. 

[Austin F.]

Another vote against butcher block. A friend put it in one of his rentals last year, and in only one year it has stains, and even mold underneath where a cutting board was!! 

[Natalie Schanne]

Jennifer Marshall - the cheapest granite is like $30-35 psf installed. Not necessarily low quality, just their most common stone colors. When laminate in my 10x10 kitchen was like $300-400 and granite was like $1000, it was a no brainer to put in a more durable product. I sold that place for $145k (asking) to the second person who toured.

[Sam Shueh]

Granite w/o back splash runs like $400. That is the cost of faucet fixture. The valuation company consider a granite and hardwood floor replaced as good and those w/o as average. Easily 5-10% of total house cost.

There are simulated granite(more like Formica) at Home Depot or Lowes go take a look. You can install granite over existing counters. If I was going to flip a home I buy the most trendy kitchen style as that speaks for wanting or walking away from viewing a house these days.

[Cody L.]

Originally posted by @Jennifer Marshall:

I’m wirking on a mid-level flip property with a limuted kitchen countertop budget we are installing ourselves. Because granite and other solid surface options are out of our budget and not necessarily needed in this neighborhood, would you install a nice laminate or real butcher block countertops? I have never been a fan of butcher block, but realize its coming back in style so am leaning that way.

 Black Ikea countertops. I’ve used them up to pretty high end units. 

[Angie Williams]

@Jennifer Marshall The kItchen Is generaly the most important, not to the mention most popular room in a home. I believe granite is a must when rehabbing. You should work it into your budget as a must have and skimp on other stuff not as noticeable. Many granite yards have left over pieces called Rembrandts that you can get for a very reasonable cost.

[Michael Noto]

For our rentals and basic flip projects we use this countertop from Lowes. We are in CT but I assume the stock in similar in other states. 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/VT-Dimensions-Wilsonart-8...

[Brian Pulaski]

@Michael Noto I'm pretty sure that is the exact counter the PO put in my primary house. It hides EVERYTHING. I can see it being a great product in a rental! I hate it in my personal house, but it stays for now.

[Jennifer Marshall]

Originally posted by @Ryan Blake:

@Jennifer Marshall I know you are down in the San Marcos/Austin/San Antonio area but in DFW you can get the lower end (read as less desirable colors) granite at about $28/sq ft installed. This is the retail price if you are coming with just one job. If you have connections or are bringing more bulk amounts, it can go lower from there.

[Jennifer Marshall]

Any suggestions on suppliers? I didn’t realize it was that low (installed).