I see plenty of natural (marble, quartzite) stone slabs that would be large enough for a 6 ft wide x 7 ft long island...??? Part of the counter is the lip for seating, part of it is nested into the K area to serve as working space for cook. This is a large wide and deep Kitchen that then flows completely into large family room. But I get what you say: avoiding a seam on the island is a very big priority, so I am off the quartz for the island now. Next: how bad will the seams look on the perimeter? I may also have to avoid quartz there, as well: the number and location of seams will depend on the exact K design, to come later.

I can't advise without seeing the full picture, but islands that are this size are usually not successful. Just too deep to be practical.

the number and location of seams will depend on the exact K design, to come later.

I think there might be an issue here that could inadvertently snow-ball. I wouldn't consider surfaces until I had full visualization and understanding of the exact kitchen design. A focus on real life use and functionality should be considered at the start of the K design process. Once that's nailed down, focus can then turn to finishes, IMHO. Cheers

Even jumbo slabs are just over 10’x 5’. A 6’ island will need a nonexistent 75” deep slab. The chicken has to hatch from the egg before it can cross the road. You are cattywampus in your design process, because you’re working with “free design” cabinet sellers and not a paid Kitchen Designer who has the big picture.

You need to post the design.

I totally get the concern that the island, the walkways and the layout are bad, but absolutely nothing is set in stone, or even been seen or redone by KD, whom I have not selected yet. Getting help so I can set a good ballpark $ allowance for materials (we are discussing counter-tops here, a big $ item) and related engineering/construction is all I am trying to do: it is looking harder than I had hoped at this point. I should have been clearer that I am merely trying to get a sense of what issues are to be considered on counter-top material selections- pricing and engineering (seams, support) and function/useability, and relation to overall layout- coming up so far. I hear here that a large island is considered bad for a number of reasons. I am looking around for examples of large islands in actual designs of K's. I had one before in a new build spec home that I did not design, and the size did not bother me for cleaning or useability at all. The volume of the K in question here is enormous. It is one end of a vaulted 40 ft long room with peak 18 ft ceilings, with the family room at the other end, with an important view out that end. I was willing to go with this very initial idea of such a large island due to the scale of the entire room: a smaller island might feel too small, but that is a question for later.

There is no cabinet seller! No KD yet!!! The island idea was made off old plans to get the budget and to look at feasibility issues,. Geez. Instead of answering my q, you are all saying I am doing everything wrong, but you are wrong about what I am "doing". Budget issues (materials, engineering needs, etc.) can also snowball later if they are not looked at early on, so --- chicken and egg. This is from the perspective of a client who wants to get a job done well and without over-spending, who has to decide on scope and budget of a much larger job, before client chooses KD or designs the K or makes selections.

https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2019/

You need to hire a Kitchen Designer immediately. You can’t develop a budget without a design. It simply isn’t possible. All you can do is go off of industry averages.

The upscale large kitchen that you are describing averages 131K. 100K-160K is a realistic range. Structural alterations would increase that cost. Larger than average would be more.

Counters appropriate to that level would be roughly 12-20K. Cabinets would be roughly 50-80K. Appliances would be 20-30K. Etc.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5332686/10-tests-for-you-and-your-contractor-s-first-meeting

If you want a 1 piece island and no seams, granite or marble will be your options. That size is available dependent on a large block that was cut. Just go to a good stone warehouse in your area and check it out. You'll see stone that are that tall they happen to currently have.

Yes, without a design, getting cost estimates is not going to be possible. Labor is the largest percentage of any remodel. Without a written scope of exactly what has to happen, spelled out in detail, with design drawings, no contractor can give you any type of ballpark guess. All anyone can do is show you past projects that might be close, and tell you what they cost. Then adjust for inflation.

This is 63”W and is more than sufficiently wide for any function. That’s the width of one slab. It does require a seam because of the length. It was a 150K project because of some structural issues. The stone was 20K.

Memphis MCM · More Info

This in progress shot also shows a 63” wide by 121” island. We sourced the stone first, and designed around it. That’s what you have to do when you are pushing the limits. This was a 70K project, with the stone being 8K.

Custom Cabinets Process · More Info

Well, the budget I am working with is pretty much in line with those estimates from live_wire_oak. But the differences in pricing will make a big difference in other areas of the overall remodel. So, how do you KD's work? Do you design the kitchen for the client in order to submit a bid in a competition to get the contract? Should I get designs from several KD's (that I have vetted with past clients first), and then ask for bids from them? Do you KD's recommend certain cabinet brands and lines? Do you do the installation of the cabinets?

Different KDs work in different ways. All require an up front retainer commitment. Usually 4-10% of the anticipated budget. It depends if you want project ordering and project management services as well as design direction, conceptual designs, and design development.

Some that carry cabinets will credit the design costs to the cabinet purchase. But those generally don’t provide full design service or project management. They generally provide product sales only, and some general design advice. They may work with a team that integrates an interior designer and a general contractor and project manager.

If you have a larger remodel that needs structural issues, then you may need an architect first. Describing the project and general location could get you more specific targeted advice. After all one of those Kardashian women spent 50K just on slab stone. Fabrication extra.

Already have architect doing the plans, all the electric/plumbing, any permits; will ask about structural for island, as a latter job, once there is a K design. The KD's in my town do not "carry" cabinets, but each one works with only certain lines/makers, making that one factor in the selection of KD. I started a thread earlier about the actual cabinets available here to get an idea of what people here have liked or disliked, how they have been priced- to avoid getting locked in to a super-expensive or low quality or unaligned aesthetic set of options. In this area, the KD takes delivery of cabinets (and deals with maker, is responsible for correcting errors, etc.) and is in charge of installation, so that cost is another leap of faith. So many things are unknown before signing up with the KD to get that design.....?

We are repurposing all the existing Neff 1992 K cabinets into other rooms, not replacing the appliances that work even though they are at least 12 years old, refinishing existing floor, and so on, so please do not get me mixed up with the Kardashians. Looking at lower-mid barely semi-custom cabinets with fewer door options. The existing floor plan is very very dated with both an island and peninsula and black sparkly granite counters, Some of the appliances are in the wrong places, too. But the squarish U-shape of the K area perimeter and the location of the plumbing and electrical won't change.. The types of cabinets will be different, and selections there will affect the pricing, as well. The cabinet lines offered here by KD's are not discussed much or at all on Houzz, unfortunately, as you will see on my other post of today.

Here is where the wonder of Corian comes in! The seams will be invisible! I love Glacier White Corian - it's so clean and fresh looking and no visible seams.

For those of you who think it's not "upscale" enough - I was just reading an article about English designer Rita Konig (her mother is the famous designer Nina Campbell), and in her London house she used Corian. She wanted something more bullet-proof than marble and wanted it cost-effective. Now this is a woman who has Porthault sheets on her little girl's bed, so she is not averse to spending BIG bucks on things! In the UK, Corian (usually Glacier White) is used in many, many very high end kitchens. It works, is easy to clean allows one to change colors and lasts indefinitely (my counters - reused with my new cabinets - are now nearly 35 years old and still look like new!

Funny you mention that! I am leaving the original 27 year old white Corian counters (and vanities) in the bathrooms except for the Master bath which is being completely redesigned- it is very dark and has too many walls- that is a high budget project competing with the K remodel ;) I wish there were old white Corian counters in the laundry room and office mudroom- sounds like a good plan for replacing the green speckled formica there!!!

The plain whites, grays & blacks in Corian are classic and always in style. It's the strange colors that have fallen out of style from time to time, not the Corian.