If you like cultured marble, get cultured marble! We had polished cultured marble (white on white with gold flecks and streaks) in all three bathrooms in our old house for 25 years. It looked just as marvelous when we moved out as the day we installed it. I hear complaints that cultured marble doesn't wear well but I dyed my hair in those bathrooms all the time and our cultured marble never stained or got scratched. The only thing I ever did was make sure I never used anything scratchy to clean it with and every once in a while (like maybe once a year) I would put a coating of turtle wax on it. I would happily have used the same cultured marble in our new home except I couldn't find anyone who made the particular color combo we had. We had purchased ours from a big box store that has since gone out of business and tho I looked everywhere, nobody seemed to be making quite the same color combo anymore so I ended up with silestone which looks nice but not nearly as light and airy as the cultured marble. Go with what you like! It's not as if you don't have any experience with cultured marble. It is a perfectly fine surface. The only reason people look at you like you've lost your mind is that granite is all the rage right now and cultured marble is "out." I'll bet that in 15 or 20 years, when all the new high-end homes are using something else for countertops, if someone suggests they're thinking of using granite, they'll get the same "have you lost your mind" look! LOL.

you just need to keep the heat above about 50 to keep them from freezing. since you say you could be gone a week, then i would think you want electric heat for the safety. another option would be to install a hose bib at the lowest point of both the hot and cold lines. when you will be gone for a few days simply turn off teh water, open teh highest faucets, and then place a bucket under the hose bibs and open them to allow the lines to drain. leave both open while gone and close thjem before you turn teh water back on. don't forget to turn off teh WH before you do this!

It can work but you have to meet egress requirements. TakeThis Link to see the requirements for basement bedrooms. Good luck

I haven't yet installed a solatube - but if any small area has no floor above it, bring in any light ya can !? If this helps: consider what activities would be best with/ without sun and glare [tv maybe without]... and best with open windows....