The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Modification Increases Visual Allure as well as Realty Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar houses in the San Francisco Bay Location to stretching mountain houses in the Colorado Mountain ranges, differentiating home owners are requiring custom-made layouts as well as surfaces in their kitchen areas. Particularly, they are seeking to reveal their uniqueness and also unique layout choices with the fast growing style material of choice-- concrete. In fact, concrete kitchen counters have actually become somewhat of a condition symbol for cooking areas, measuring up to granite as well as other high-end countertop surface options. Consumer Information Publication (August 2004) rated concrete highest for its "modification" and "exclusivity" amongst premium kitchen countertops. As a personalized item, the quantity of time and also craftsmanship needed to create concrete counter tops puts them as one of the most labor-intensive and also most expensive amongst leading kitchen counter materials. Nevertheless, concrete counter tops are becoming much more available for those on a small budget. The current do-it-yourself (Do It Yourself) pattern to mesmerize homeowners as well as building contractors is building your very own concrete countertop. This sensation has actually gained popularity largely due to Cheng's very popular publication Concrete Countertops: Style, Kinds, and Completes for the New Cooking Area and also Bathroom (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little financial investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the innovative gains of dealing with concrete abound. THE SHOWSTOPPER Significantly, home owners are moving far from the monotonous, manufactured appearance countertops for kitchen of traditional countertop surfaces as well as picking concrete for its earthy, ageless appeal. Plus, the options for customizing concrete counter tops are countless: one can tint, gloss, stamp and stain concrete or imbed personal items like rocks, seashells and also fossils right into the counter top's surface, adding belief as well as character. Useful attributes such as drainpipe boards, soap dishes, and trivets can also be integrated to fit the house owners' own requirements as well as way of life. Concrete is gradually ending up being demystified as classically cold and also commercial. In contrary, this age-old product is cozy and also surprisingly tactile; people can not assist yet touch their smooth, sleek surfaces. Real estate representative Joy Rasmussen, who has just recently sold her mountain house-- a short-term investment home in Boat Springs, Carbon Monoxide-- recounts her visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open houses, visitors moved to the concrete counter tops-- many people around below have actually never seen them". Delight's 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was personalized construct by her husband, Ken Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, head of state of Standard Special Customized Residences. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the house's kitchen and three shower rooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete kitchen counters were polished smooth, after that coupled with natural slate of differing colors-- like charcoal, rust and also gold tones-- that forms the backsplashes in the cooking area and bathrooms. As a design accent, tiny rectangular slate tiles were contributed to the edge of the shower room sinks, which offered a special information to the custom-made vanities. When Happiness and Ken decided to offer their residence, their financial investment in concrete countertops verified its worth. "We had the ability to list the house $20,000 over market price, as well as had not a problem marketing it," remarks Pleasure, while going over the long listing of upgrades throughout their house, consisting of knotty pine strong doors, all-natural slate wall surface accents and hardwood floorings. "The concrete kitchen counters were quickly the most unique and remarkable of all the coatings. I think they were a big part in adding value to the house. Around here, all you see in residences are granite counter tops-- as well as I actually assume property buyers are obtaining rather numb with granite."

2. " Concrete kitchen counters are a distinct offering to homebuyers that see the exact same coatings made use of in residence after residence they visit," describes Joy, using her monitoring as a skilled real estate agent. "Having concrete countertops nearly gives you bragging legal rights-- you have something various from your neighbors." BREAKING THE MOLD An additional advantage of concrete is its versatility in either contemporary or traditional settings, particularly when coupled with other products like diverse metals, timber or rock. "Concrete includes numerous [possibilities] to stone, and the mix with slate, which is extremely prominent here, provides the hill houses an overall warm, natural touch," says Delight. Joy as well as Ken have considering that developed a much larger house (4,000 sq. ft.) that supplies large views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is meant to function as a long-lasting investment for the couple. They've also broadened their list of custom-made coatings, including hand-troweled walls, classy oil-rubbed bronze equipment, knotty want doors that arch at the top, closets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favored-- concrete kitchen area countertops. Unlike in their previous home, KJ as well as his specialized staff poured charcoal-colored countertops utilizing the pre-cast technique in the unfinished cellar of the new