If you haven't already done so, I recommend you post this on the "Discussions" side of the Kitchens Forum. This is the "Gallery" where mostly finished kitchens and few picture-heavy threads are usually found. However, not much goes on on this side on a day-to-day basis, unlike the Discussions side...which can be quite lively! Good luck!

Joanie, what brand of solid surface are you looking at? I have been looking at countertops for 4 months, and have definately found that at least in our area (northeast) granite and solid surface are priced very close. The budget solid surface colors are very limited as well. We actually had plan to go with an LG clor that was on special. I was really drawn to the seamless aspect of solid surface. When the price came in after templeting I was shocked. They charge an arm and a leg for integrated sink and backsplash. By the time it was all said and done it would have been more than a basic granite by about 25%, even more if I wanted everything completely seamless. So I'm back to the drawing board myself.

Shannon - happy to provide more details: The sink was installed about 2 weeks ago, and it's been "working" for about a week. I got the sink from a plumbing supply house. I paid a little more than on-line, but I wanted to be sure there were no delivery-damage issues. (hahaha, huh?) We ordered a 36" base cabinet. We also asked for a bump-out on the sink. WITHOUT telling us, the cabinet guy used a 31" base with the bump-out bringing it to 36". He never changed our drawing, and no one ever told us this. I KNEW all along we needed the 36" cabinet. Our builder told us we could install the sink in the 31" cabinet - he would have to cut-it out a little (it turned out to be quite a bit actually.) When speaking with him last night he told me he had put some type of supports in there as well. The granite guys basically "installed" the sink in the granite. Our plumber did all the pipes, etc. I also confirmed last night that the crack is leaking. My real question to all of you knowledgeable GWer's out there: Is there any way to REPAIR rather than replace the sink? My husband is working with Blanco right now to see about a replacement. I just don't think there is any way to get the old one out without doing terrible damage to the granite and/or cabinet. I honestly don't care if I see the crack repair. I just don't want it to leak, or continue to crack further. There must be something out there to repair a crack in granite, isn't there? Any advice would so be appreciated. Thanks!! - SQ

Sincere thinks to you all for the feedback. After doing more sink research, I found out that the new sink's cutout size had the smallest cutout size of all for the double-basin SS sinks I was looking at. I bit the bullet and found a handyman who came out to enlarge (dry cut with a shop vac) the granite. He was able to do it in <30 minutes., just by cutting 2 sides. It did cause a lot of dust, even with us prepping the kitchen area by removing everything from the counters, open food items, plus hanging plastic tarps on all sides of the kitchen to contain the dust to the area. The edge of the cabinet under the granite got slightly damaged but is still hidden, and the sink now sits flush to the countertop.