Kitchen sink replacement advice - Corian, farmhouse, resale, etc.

3 months ago

last modified: 3 months ago

I hate my kitchen sink! :) I didn't really pay attention to the sink when we bought the house six years ago, but I realized IMMEDIATELY after first use that it was a nightmare - it's a tiny, shallow single bowl (undermount) made of either Corian or a similar material that is impossible to get clean. Why the previous owners installed a 21" wide sink in a 33" cabinet I will never understand, but there it is.

Anyway, I have been meaning to replace it for years, but what with other more pressing projects, then the pandemic, it just never became a priority. Now we are talking about moving within a couple of years, and I am looking for small projects to refresh the kitchen and a few other areas that will help the house look its best when we sell. Not sure if a nicer sink is one of them, but it can't hurt, and it will make my life a LOT better for the next year+.

If I were doing this just for myself I would choose a double bowl, but since resale is a definite factor, I am leaning toward a single bowl - are singles still the more popular option? The counters are Corian, so I assume it should be no problem to cut them to create a larger opening. Is it possible to retrofit the cabinet for an apron front, or do I need to stick with an undermount or drop in? I would appreciate any advice, as well as suggestions for what type of contractor to call for this sort of job. I have a few other small projects that could be done along with this if needed to make it worth someone's while. Thanks!

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PRO

Joseph Corlett, LLC

3 months ago

Bio:

I get your call regularly in my sink replacement business. Odds are, we could refinish your Corian sink and countertops for $1,200.00 or so to factory new. You would literally have new countertops and sink because your old ones leave in my vacuum machine.

We could top mount a stainless steel sink for $1,900.00, sink and plumbing included:

Here's the same sink undermounted in stone, but you get the idea. In a solid surface undermount retrofit, budget $2,500.00 or so.

If you've got a more extensive budget, you could have an apron front sink or a Karran stainless seam undermounted. North of 4K.

Overwhelmingly, single bowl sinks are the more popular option. 200 sinks a year, 190 are single bowls. 7 are low divides and 3 are fully divided double bowl sinks.

What part of the country are you in please? I'd suggest you contact ISFAnow.org to find a fabricator.

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Comments (7)

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
Original Author
3 months ago
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“we really like the modern European style but that seems to be the most expensive.” Nope. There are Ikea cabinets. Reasonably priced. If you don’t want to put them together yourself, you can hire a contractor to do it. Also, the two photos you posted are not “the modern European style”. They seem rather traditional to me. Before investing in changing things in your kitchen, pin down more what style you really like. As has been mentioned already, your current cabinets have the dated arch design. They also don’t reach the ceiling. Painting them won’t change that, and I think you’ll be disappointed in the result. You don’t mention budget. If you have the funds, change out the whole kitchen for a new kitchen that is in line with the dream kitchen you want for your house. I am guesstimating - assuming you don’t make structural changes like taking down walls - it will cost $30-40k if you make middle-of-the-road choices. If you don’t want an entire re-do, I’ll repeat what others have said - change the counters, backsplash, and switch out the black-hole appliances for gleaming, reflective stainless steel ones. When you change the counters, you’ll want to replace the sink with a more current one, and remove the little tree line of sink fixtures you have there for a single-handle integrated-spray faucet.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 months ago
"I hate my kitchen sink! :)"

I've legally trademarked that phrase.
biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
Original Author
3 months ago
@Joseph Corlett, LLC I was hoping you'd weigh in. Refinishing this sink wouldn't help matters because it would still be the approximate size and depth of a teacup. Seriously, 21" wide and less than 8" deep. It also has almost no slope to the drain so everything has to be pushed toward the disposal by hand. Absolutely idiotic. I'm also not even sure it's Corian - looks like some kind of cheap knockoff plastic. Here are close ups:

Anyway, I'm in Southern Westchester/NYC suburbs, so if you know anyone in the area to recommend I'd be grateful. Budget is flexible but I don't want to spend more than makes sense from a resale perspective since we're probably not going to be here more than two more years. I like farmhouse sinks from a functionality perspective but I don't feel the need to pay an extra $1500+ in this case - a regular stainless undermount (and given your stats, single bowl is obviously the right choice) would already be a huge upgrade!
K L
3 months ago
"Overwhelmingly, single bowl sinks are the more popular option. 200 sinks a year, 190 are single bowls. 7 are low divides and 3 are fully divided double bowl sinks."

Joseph Corlett, wow, this is really valuable information! I had no idea the division would be skewed this strongly! And I previously thought a fully divided sink was standard. Is my generation-assignment showing?

Oh, and I didn't know it was possible to get an apron-front sink that didn't have that "farmhouse" vibe to it. But the example you provided looks like it could fit in a contemporary setting. And from your other posts with people complaining about the counter seam being dead in the middle of their sink front, I can see the advantage of an apron front. I follow you, because I am learning so much from your responses. Thanks!

Bio.... My stainless steel sink, installed by the builder in 1979, is 21" x 6" and I think it's fine, very easy to clean, possibly because it is stainless steel though. My daughter has an extremely deep sink that makes my back ache when I babysit and wash the dishes. Only on occasion do I wish I had a deeper sink, but even then, I don't think I would want a sink deep enough to to wash my big soup pot, which I only use now to cook down fresh greens. Maybe it's time to give the soup pot to my daughter.

You should get what YOU like. I hope you enjoy your new sink. But I really don't think the dimensions of your current sink are as horrid as you currently feel. I hope you can de-stress about that a little. :-)
biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
Original Author
3 months ago
Well, I struck out with ISFA, but a Google search found me a couple of local people who specialize in Corian repair/resurfacing and you guessed it....sink replacement! I'll post back with results if I decide to go ahead with the project.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 months ago
If they cut a new cutout for a top mount sink, make sure the new cutout has all the tool marks removed please. Raw solid surface has stress risers that can create cracks.

Kitchen sink replacement advice - Corian, farmhouse, resale, etc.

Joseph Corlett, LLC

Comments (7)

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
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Kitchen sink replacement advice - Corian, farmhouse, resale, etc.

Joseph Corlett, LLC

Comments (7)

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)Original Author

Related Discussions

Joseph Corlett, LLC

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)Original Author

K L

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)Original Author

Joseph Corlett, LLC

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BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
Original Author

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
Original Author

biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
Original Author