But for larger overhangs (islands etc) & to avoid having to put in supports that you hit your knees on etc I lay in a piece of 18 gauge steel & epoxy the slab to it.They do offer a metal support that cost around $75 a piece plus install but I can do the steel plate cheaper & cover a greater area.We regret doing one kitchen with the thin 'Chinese' granite.It cracked around the sink & the surface scratched easily.

As I was reading your reply a lot of light bulbs started to pop up in my head, and I get the feeling that the examples you mentioned are just to scratch the surface. 

If your concern is a failing foundation, there are other indicators better than surface cracking: windows that won't open, jammed in their tracks, bowing or bulging, slanting, etc.

So far we have not come across any designers who provide an exhaustive end-to-end scope of surface and finish.

This discussion, whenever it surfaces, serves to highlight how local real estate truly is.

With that being said I haven't even scrapped the surface of real estate.

When you factor in servicing, escrow, and other miscellaneous costs these low priced notes on the surface may be double digit but when you factor in all the costs many are around 8% IRR.

That can be true for some surfaces like a wall or ceiling, but for items like stair treads, handrails, windows (for example), that is simply not the case. 

One aspect of MFR re-positioning that has always intimidated me is the rehab phase.I don't feel like I really have a good eye for aesthetics in terms of design, colors, layout, and materials.I've done cosmetic upgrades before, but they were for A-class, single-family homes, so it was fairly easy since I could just choose stuff that I already have in my own home (hand-scraped hardwood floors, granite and marble surfaces, and brushed-nickel or bronzed finishes, etc.)

. : ) But seriously, despite our bias for living mere inches from the surface of the sun, Account Closed and others have found Phoenix to be a very lucrative market for REI folks.