What’s The Best Time of Year to Buy or Replace Your Countertops?
If you’re planning on buying a new granite countertop for your kitchen or bathroom, you’ll want to research the subject thoroughly beforehand, since granite can be rather pricey. We at Artelye do granite countertop installation, and one of the questions we’re asked most frequently by new customers is: What is the best time to replace countertops? Here’s the answer.
Best time of year to buy granite countertops
Often, when people ask this question, what they really want to know is when fabricators and sellers offer discounts. There is usually an off-season for most items when you can buy them for a discount. Unfortunately, granite is an outlier in this regard. There’s always a chance you’ll find sales during national holidays (4th of July, Thanksgiving, Presidents’ Day, Christmas), but don’t bet on it.
Now, since you’ll also need the countertop installed, let’s discuss the best time for countertop installation. Since it’s a time-consuming process and your kitchen will be unusable till it’s completed, and perhaps longer depending on your plumbing, there are good and bad times to get it done.
Spring and summer
The best time to replace countertops is undoubtedly in either Spring or Summer. This is because the weather is pleasant, so work will progress smoothly. It doesn’t matter a whole lot when the work is indoors, but the weather influences projects in many subtle ways.
Winter
Generally, winter isn’t considered a good time for countertop installation. This is because firstly, the installers will be going in and out of your home, and you might find that annoying when it’s cold outside. Secondly, you may have to eat quite a few meals at restaurants (or get takeout) when your kitchen’s not usable, and that’s not very fun when it’s cold outside. Then there’s the possibility that snowfall may cause delays, and keep the installers from finishing the project on time. Winter is generally a slow season, however, so you may be able to get a discount on certain granite colors, fabrication, and installation.
So to sum up, the best time to buy countertops is when the weather is pleasant. You can try to couple it with a holiday if you’d like to wait for a sale. Feel free to bookmark our website and check back, so you’re informed if we’re having a sale at the showroom. You can also join our mailing list and save even more money when we have specials on new colors, remnants, or other sales throughout the year!
Signs you need a new countertop
When do you know it’s time to get a new countertop? Here are some reasons you might want a new countertop:
- If your old countertop is damaged. Chips, cracks, stains, burn marks and stubborn dirt can ruin the appearance of a countertop, and make it unhygienic. Wood or Formica countertops are very high-maintenance and can get damaged easily. If your countertop has any of these issues, we’d recommend getting it repaired or replaced.
- If you aren’t happy with your current countertop. If you’ve had a countertop for too long and are bored or want an upgrade, then you should get a new one. Gray granite countertops look gorgeous, and they’ll do wonders for your kitchen!
- If you want to increase your home’s value. When preparing your home for sale, it’s a good idea to do repairs and add in small upgrades, because they’ll increase the value of your home. Gray or white granite is an excellent investment.
Your kitchen doesn’t have to be a utilitarian space – it should be a place that makes you and your family happy and gives you joy. You spend a lot of time every day in the kitchen, so it should be pleasant to use, and nice to look at. A damaged or outdated countertop may make that difficult, so if you want to get a new countertop, go ahead and get one!
Chain stores or local fabricators – which is better?
Chain stores are easy to get to, and are often the place people look first. However, is it a good idea to go to your local home improvement store when you want to buy some granite? We think the answer is no. Here’s why:
Chain stores don’t necessarily offer lower prices
Many of our customers have been surprised at our prices and told us they went to home improvement stores first expecting lower prices. What most people don’t know is that chain stores can be very inflexible when it comes to pricing. Stone slabs are expensive to transport, fabricate and install, so they usually like to keep a large-ish profit margin.
Local fabricators have more experience
A chain store has a little bit of everything, and the same goes for the staff’s knowledge. They know a little about most items at the store, but they don’t know about anything in-depth. It’s understandable, knowing the nature of the store, but if you want high-quality grey granite countertops, you’ll be in better hands with a local store that’s been selling them for years, and knows what’s best. They’ll be able to advise you better.
Local countertop fabricators are often more affordable!
As we mentioned previously, chain stores don’t offer lower prices necessarily! You’ll be surprised to know, however, that a local granite countertop showroom or local granite fabricator is likely to offer the same product for a lower price! This is because chain stores often get their products and services from local stores, but when this happens the big store charges you (the customer) a huge amount, keeps a large portion of it, and pays the local business as little as possible. This means that you’re effectively getting the worst deal possible – inferior service for a higher price!
Small businesses offer a better buying experience
If you want to discuss your needs and preferences and find the best product for your needs, we recommend going with a local business. They know more about the product and therefore will be able to guide you better and suggest specific solutions for you, instead of pushing you to buy a product that’s been sitting at the store for years. You’ll also get better after-sales service from a local business because they don’t want to negatively affect customer relations.
So this was our guide on the best time to replace countertops. Have more questions? Reach out to us! You can call us at (301) 931-6616. We have over 2000 slabs available in our warehouse, and our staff will gladly show you around and help you find the perfect one for your kitchen or bathroom.
