Sue Ct - no the $50/sq ft is just the labor to install. The quote was actually $55/sq ft with $5 of it the allowance for tile. I know our tile will be more expensive - so I figured I will just buy it myself and pay only for installation. Now its just the issue of finding someone to install it at a reasonable price Kevin - thanks for the input. Yea, the granite pricing was the thing that really troubled me. As to all tile vs tile and 4" granite slab splash - I was like you - thinking all tile. But one of the KDs has convinced my spouse that it will be easier to clean and that there will be issues with tile to the counter and the grout cracking as the house settles / wall contracts / expands. I do know we have laminate in the kitchen now (no tile, just drywall behind the 4" splash) and there is a slight gap between the laminate splash and the drywall that changes size slightly with the season - so that is what my spouse is worried about. Is there a way to help prevent the grout cracking issue at the counter? Thanks

My appliance garage goes to the counter and my cabinet installer installed it too high on purpose just to get it on the wall and off the floor. After the granite was installed he returned and lowered it into place. HOWEVER, he had to know the exact height of the granite so that once he lowered the cabinet, it would still line up at the top with the other cabinets. I gave him my sample of granite so that he could install all the cabs at the right height. In your case, I'd say you're pretty much married to where the cabs are already installed, and some kind of trim or molding will need to be used as Kompy suggested. I'm betting it will look fine.

Oh how I love gardenweb! When I posted this question I really didn't figure I would get any responses from others who had done the same thing since it is such a specific situation but then to see a post from someone with the same exact tile! How exciting!! So sorry to have taken so long to reply but we have had family in town and the kids are out of school so life has been hectic to say the least. GWlolo - WOW! Your floors look beautiful!!! Really wishing that I had gone with a thin grout line between my Super Saltillos like you did. Ours are much thicker (3/4 inch I think) and they get so dirty. Love the deco tiles too. We haven't used them in any of the other rooms but do you think it would look strange to use them through the kitchen only? Are your Super Saltillos Saguaro or Desierto? Also glad to see that your wood floors are very similar to the wood look tile that we chose :) miss_kenda - thank you for your input! Once we knock down the wall separating the dining room and kitchen the house will be much more open so we decided to continue the saltillo through the kitchen and start the wood look tile in the hallway at the other end of the galley :) alexx- Holy cow your kitchen is so nice! Had assumed that I would jump on the white subway tile bandwagon but your kitchen has me seriously considering going with a blue backsplash! Glad to see that a grout transition will work despite the grout between our saltillos being larger than they will be between the wood-look tile. Thank you again to everyone for the helpful feedback!!

Oh, wow. I like the picture of the ratty kid on there too. Beautiful, dressed in Moldering Faded Raj Wear. Except the books ... you can't really do all those books in moldering fading raj land: too moldering. That company definitely deserves some sort of prize! But think how much could be saved in renovation costs if you just sprang for this furniture and left it as "before"?!