Quartz is the preferred countertop surface in most homes. This is because of its many benefits including durability, ease of maintenance, wide variety of colors and ease of cleaning. It's no wonder most people prefer these countertops as opposed to wood, glass or granite.
Resale Value
Homebuyers place a high premium on quartz countertops, sometimes regarding them as even more valuable than granite. Rating: 5.0.
Granite and solid surface are the most popular choices for counters, but there are many options: quartz, stainless steel, concrete, marble, slate, limestone, soapstone, wood, tile and onyx, to name a few.
Installation ranges from $150 to $280 per square foot. That's for installing a quartz slab—If you want special finishes or need extra cutouts, the cost goes up. If you choose quartz, your heart rate might increase because you're in love but you should also see an increase of 3-7% home value.
Closure of facilities – public services, employment, amenities; if any of these services close, it could impact the value of your house as they're often appealing to buyers. Low school ratings – buyers pay to live in areas with good schools because they want their children to have access to the best education.
Sometimes, granite will come out as the cheaper option. Other times, you may end up with a quartz countertop that costs less than granite. In a comparison of the per square foot price, quartz will usually cost more – averaging about 20 to 40 percent more.
Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus, more durable. In fact, quartz is nearly indestructible, and because it isn't porous like granite, it's easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria-free. Be careful with cooking pans though: Quartz can be damaged by excessive heat, so use heating pads at all times.
Both countertop materials are similar in terms of cleaning and maintenance, but it seems that quartz may have a slight edge since it never needs to be sealed, and since it's a nonporous surface, stains or liquids penetrating the surface aren't as worrisome as they are with natural stone.
Today, Quartz is overtaking Granite as the number one, most desirable countertop material on the market.
In general, granite has a higher resale value than quartz. Granite can increase the value of your home by as much as 25 percent of the countertop's retail value, according to Robert Measer, of Hunt Real Estate.
Granite is the most popular countertop material among homebuyers, and it can boost your home's value while helping you recover some of the installation cost. Installing countertops made of granite or another type of natural stone can potentially increase your home's value by up to 25 percent of its retail value.
A quartz countertop can maximize that upgrade project for durability, style, and value, and there are many other reasons that keep these kitchen countertops in high demand. One reason to fall in love with quartz is the wide range of colors to choose from.
If you're old countertops are a neutral color and in decent condition, it may not make sense to replace them ahead of putting your home on the market. However, if the countertops look dated, are stained or are in poor general condition, they can be a deterrent to selling your home.
No, you can't use disinfecting wipes on quartz countertops. Disinfecting wipes contain citric acid as their primary ingredient and are not diluted in any way. When you use these wipes to clean your countertop, they will weaken the seal on your countertop's surface leaving them vulnerable to discoloration.
The main downsides of quartz countertops are their price, appearance (if you desire the look of natural stone), and lack of resistance against heat damage.
Clorox, whether it is Clorox wipes or the Multi-Purpose cleaning fluid, is not safe to use for cleaning and disinfecting your granite. The multi-purpose cleaner contains bleach, which is extremely harmful for granite and many other natural stones.
Granite and other natural stone countertop sales are projected to grow into 2025, according to economists. Consumers and homeowners have fallen in love with granite over the last twenty years, and that's not ending anytime soon!
Quartz is bound with resin which means the countertop doesn't have the crystalline structure or natural fissures similar to those you find in granite. Due to this, quartz has a smoother texture. You should note that the more finely ground the quartz is, the glossier and more polished the overall appearance is.
Laminate countertops are the easiest kitchen countertop to maintain. Once installed, all you will need to do is clean them with mild soap and water. No additional maintenance is required.
Because quartz counters are made with a blend of stone and resin, the resulting surface is very hard, like granite, but also glossy and non-porous.
Factors that make a home unsellable "are the ones that cannot be changed: location, low ceilings, difficult floor plan that cannot be easily modified, poor architecture," Robin Kencel of The Robin Kencel Group at Compass in Connecticut, who sells homes between $500,000 and $28 million, told Business Insider.
They say that the three most important things to think about when buying are home are location, location, location. You can live with almost any imperfection in a home if you love the neighborhood and your neighbors. You can change almost everything else. But, once bought, you cannot change your home's location.
Lifespan. Warranties on quartz countertops last from 10 years to the life of your home. In reality, they have the potential to last much longer than your house. The man-made products used in their construction don't break down over time, and the natural materials are all but indestructible.