The Best Countertops You Should Consider and Where to Look

Some product categories offer so many options that they end up confusing the consumer. One such category is countertops and the best countertops are sometimes options that you may not have even thought of. As with most consumers, price and color are the two most important factors in deciding which countertops are appropriate. By assuming costs may be prohibitive, most home owners don't look beyond their local home improvement store. There exists a vast network of distributors and fabricators that compete every day with home improvement stores with a wide number of options for the professional contractor and the home owner. Where should you start and how do you work through the confusing options?

A great place to start is actually by deciding whether you will perform the installation yourself or hire a professional contractor. You may become an expert at selecting the best countertops, but you still need to figure out who will be responsible for the task of installation! If you choose to hire a professional contractor, they will have an existing relationship with several granite fabrication and granite distribution companies. You will always be better off working with one of these existing relationships than by trying to get the contractor to work with a company he is unfamiliar with. The reason is that if something goes wrong, the contractor is a repeat customer of the existing relationship. When things go wrong, relationships matter and there will be a greater likelihood of the issue being address and resolved.

If you opt to install the kitchen or vanity countertops yourself, then you can consider your own options. Here is a brief list of places to consider for some of the best countertops:

• Home Improvement Super Centers such as Home Depot or Lowes.
• The internet: Yes, the World Wide Web has an incredible number of options (like us EliteCountertops.com).
• Kitchen and Bath stores: There are local stores that offer complete kitchen and bathroom renovation.
• Local hardware stores: Ace Hardware, TruValue, Do-It-Best Stores are a few examples. Note that not all stores offer kitchen and bath showrooms.
• Lumber yards: Check to see if your local lumber yard sells kitchen cabinets. If so, there is a strong likelihood that they also offer countertops.
• Plumbing wholesale showrooms: Look for stores like Ferguson Enterprises, Noland's, HD Supply, or other plumbing oriented showrooms. They will often have options that you won't see anywhere else.
• Tile Districts: Many larger metropolitan cities will have a tile district. This is typically a street filled with tile and stone distributors and fabricators. It seems odd that so many competing businesses would end up right next to one another, but it makes life simple for the consumer looking to get the best deal.

Regardless of where you shop, it is important to do as much homework ahead of time. Be sure to become familiar with the terms and be open-minded to materials you may not have previously heard of. Some of the best countertops are unrecognized brands and are only known by trade professionals. You will know when you have found the right option for your kitchen or bathroom countertops when you hear yourself say "I love it" and recognize that the countertop is within your budget.

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