If you're going with granite check out getting a pre-fab slab. Most 8' lengths can be had for about $300

Can you post photos?

I always worry about putting granite on possibly dated cabinets (sorry but oak and arches say that to me when I haven't seen them to check), because it makes for a bigger job to update the cabinets underneath. To explain better (hopefully): If I'm looking at a house with slightly dated kitchen, I'm OK with that and actually look forward to putting my mark on the house down the line. I am actually happier to see a house in this situation without granite for 2 reasons...1) I will feel I'm paying for granite that will have to come out and that might not be my choice, and 2) it's harder, mentally, to be OK with ripping out the new granite, so I might pass on the kitchen (and house) instead. Just granite wouldn't sell me the kitchen if the rest wasn't up to that standard...Which yours might be, but those are my thoughts in reading your plans.

The lighting and hardware are a great way to brighten and bring things up to date, and like you said, pull things together.

rhome is right about the pics. You will get much better opinions with them. Oak and arches, depending on the rest of the kitchen, the age of the cabinets and the color really may make the granite a moot point....

I respectfully disagree with the last two opinions. As long as your cabinets are in good shape, I think granite counters are a sensible upgrade. If you have time and patience, you could certainly paint them, but frankly, unless they are really nicked up, I can't see it being worth it. Can the prefab granite or a less expensive Uba Tuba or Absolute Black work for you?

Your plan seems sensible and well-reasoned for today's market. The less you can get away with doing, the better from a profit perspective. Sparkling clean and turnkey condition is your best bet in most markets.

Best to talk to a good local realtor and get an opinion specific to your market. Good luck!

I agree it's important to talk to a realtor who can pull comps for you. With our recent refresh for sale, we (a) took off wallpaper and painted, (b) took off laminate and added an inexpensive granite, and (c) added hardware. We found great satin nickle hardware very inexpensively at Costco, and it updated the look very well. I think if it's appropriate in your market/price range, your changes make sense. Multiple realtors have told us that buyers decide about a house after they enter the house, go into the kitchen, and then go into the master. Those areas are key. Good luck on your house sale!

OK, here is a picture of the arched cabinets with wallpaper & border we're removing:

Here is a picture of the backsplash we will remove and the Formica that we would like to replace with granite:

When I got home, DH had been to a granite yard & came home with a sample of Santa Cecilia. Here is that against the oak cabinets and with the white tile floor:

Everything in the kitchen is in good condition, but you can see from the pictures that the wallpaper & backsplash must go. Anyway, the Formica doesn't have a nick, stain or scratch, but I just think it is too dated looking. We need about 86 sq. ft. of material which would be two slabs. Santa Cecilia goes for $10/sq. ft. around here and slabs are 50 - 65 sq. ft. So the cost of materials, tops, is $1300. Yesterday, we got an estimate from a fabricator for turnkey installation of around $3500 for the job. Obviously, we are looking for multiple bids.

New, high-end laminate (which is what we would have to do), might be half of this, but we really think the differential would pay for itself if that means the house is on the market for a shorter time. Besides, it gives me about a year to enjoy the granite & see if that is really the material I want in the house we will build in SC.

Thanks for the feedback and anything you can add now that I have posted pix & given more detail.

Thanks, so much - Jo Ann

BACKGROUND

If you feel like reading further, here is the analysis that I have done on "competing" kitchens:

From the Houston Area Realtors website, I've pulled up all of the 1 story houses in our subdivision(our comparables) currently on the market and those that have sold in last year. There are lots of pix, so I can see the type of cabinet, lighting, countertops, etc. Seven out of the 12 houses have granite and all of the houses have oak cabinets, many (~1/4) with arches.

I also pulled up all of the 1 story new construction within our school district (we're built out anywhere near me, so to be in this desirable district puts people further out) and all of those have wood stained cabinets and granite. Ironically, some of the cabinets are oak and a couple even have arches. In short, stained wood cabinets are the norm for comps and granite is a requirement for new construction and a common upgrade for resale.

In this area, I think painting the cabinets would be the kiss of death and instantly reduce the price by at least $10K. Our builder is in the top rank of spec builders so I went to his website to look at all of the kitchens in the Houston area model houses. Out of twenty kitchens, there was only one which was not stained wood. Saw several which were oak and a few with arches. I guess we just roll differently down here in H-town. ;^) Also, only 4 of the kitchens have hardware and there a several with a border. Go figger.

The pink and the wallpaper do have to go ;-)...and it sounds like you have multiple reasons to give the granite a shot. It's a nice color choice, and nice that you'll be able to enjoy it for awhile.

HaHaHa! OK, the pink was here when I bought the house with some whacked out wallpaper that looked like it belonged in a bathroom rather than a kitchen. I had to find a way to work around it since I was single, at the time, and in no position to start doing major reno on the kitchen. But, I lurves my crisp ivy against white wallpaper & would put it in my new kitchen if I knew that wasn't idiotic.

Oh, yeh, got DH thinking that doing the island with smooth black cooktop in black granite if we can find a scrap is his brainwave. Now, I've set the trap for my soapstone in the SC kitchen. LOL!!!!

Thanks - Jo Ann