Homeowners shopping for countertops have an array of options to choose from.
Virtually every large chain home improvement store and interior design company offer granite, tile, marble, and other countertop solutions. You visit their websites and look at beautiful slabs of stone that would look fantastic in your kitchen or bathroom. The problem is unless they’ve hired a professional contractor or designer to handle everything for them, most people have no clue where to begin.
They find a design they like and then stumble when it comes to the next steps. Countertop estimators are an innovate tool that helps homeowners, builders, and designers know how much material they’ll need and what it will cost. They automate a lot of the work that used to be hard to nail down.
Let’s take a look at what countertop estimators are and how they can help everyone make the right countertop choice.
How Countertop Estimators Work
In the most basic sense, countertop estimators help break down the cost of countertop material and how much will be required for the job. Many estimators have common kitchen design shapes like L-shaped countertops or kitchen island dimensions that customers can select. This helps material sellers know what cuts of slabs will be needed. The building process has become so compartmentalised, that these common countertop shapes account for over 90% of the market.
Next, buyers enter in the square footage of the countertops, which helps determine how much marble, quartz, granite, etc. will need to be purchased to get the job done. No one wants to short themselves on materials only to find out when the items are shipped to their home.
Estimators have come a long way since they first arrived on the scene. Now, estimators frequently include the ability to select material grades and colours. They have also integrated installation estimates. Users can select whether the installers will be required to remove old countertops and if they’ll need to cut out cooking openings in the slabs, plus other job requirements.
Users can also select the edge profile of the slabs. Edge profile refers to the cut of the edges of the slabs. There are several to choose from like triple pencil, double radius, bevel and more. It’s a custom accent that looks beautiful on countertops. The more intricate the edge profile, the more expensive it will cost.
Once the shape, specifications and size dimensions are plugged into the countertop estimator, it will give a price estimate based on the selections. You can find a great countertop quote estimator at Marble.com. With the integration of removal and installation, customers get an overall view of what everything will cost. Some estimators also include room for users to select a general grade for project complexity.
Even though complexity is a bit subjective, it gives builders and homeowners the chance to let installers know there is room in case any issues occur and helps the estimator give a more accurate quote. Complex jobs include things like inside corners, diagonal sinks located in corners, and if there are any unique cut outs. Users can also specify if they want as few seams as possible between slabs or sections.
Cost is a Major Consideration for Countertops
For most countertop buyers, price is a major factor in what material ultimately gets selected. Buying new countertops typically costs thousands of pounds, so they want to get it right. Mistakes can be costly. Homeowners and builders also need to consider whether their investment will be worth it.
They need to examine their selling timelines. If owners plan on staying for years, then there’s more room to be freer with the budget. It’s not a great idea, however, to spend a ton on new countertops if the house is going up for sale in a year.
Most homeowners dream of a designer kitchen with top-end countertops, appliances and finishes. It would be great if everyone could have all this, but it isn’t realistic. This can be especially true for people with larger kitchens. A homeowner may have been set on buying high-grade granite, but once the dimensions dictated a higher price than they originally thought, they might opt for a more affordable option.
Countertop estimators are a great way to avoid sticker shock. Consumers can use them when they first start thinking of renovating their kitchen so they have a general idea of what an appropriate budget will be. Most of the time estimators are free and easy to use.
Countertop Estimators Set Customers Up for Success
Transparency is key in any major home project. Whether you’re building a home or remodelling a kitchen, knowing what to expect will avoid any hiccups. Easy to use countertop estimators allow users to switch between different countertop materials so they can quickly analyse which one is best for their budget and space. It also gives homeowners a realistic view of how much it will cost to repair or replace damaged slabs.
Sometimes people meet the top end of their budget on installation, so when something chips or scratches they have to live with it for years. If they’d opted for a slightly more affordable option, then it would be no stress ordering an extra slab to switch out. There are no hidden costs around the corners that a lot of homeowners have been accustomed to dealing with. Everything is listed clearly so buyers know exactly what they’re getting.
Most homeowners are choosing granite and quartz in 2019. They’ve been the two most popular countertop materials for years because they are a great mix of beauty and affordability. They’re not the cheapest, but what homeowners invest in countertops often pays off because they’ll love their new kitchen for years to come.
Granite and quartz are also among the most versatile countertop materials. They come in a wide variety of patterns, colours, and thicknesses. Using countertop estimators helps buyers put the two materials head to head in comparison to help make the purchase decision easier. Once people become familiar with using countertop estimators, they can jump from material to material until they find the perfect one.