I recently got a question from a friend about granite countertops. He was getting prices on an installed slab for $50 per square foot and wanted to know if he should install them to help him sell his condo.

Is $50 per square foot a good deal on installed granite countertops?

The short answer, of course, is yes. But I would be wary of a $50 installed price for granite. In some instances I’ve seen people buy a slab for more than $50 per square foot and have the installation cost just as much as the material, so it ends up costing them $100 per square foot. The ads I’ve seen for this price nearly always include only the stone, and usually only the more budget pieces. But you can usually find nice stone options in the “standard” materials.

This granite is not an inexpensive piece and the finish and installation work on it is top of the line.

So you really need to MAKE SURE the low price includes all fabrication, setting of the granite, any bull nose edges AND sink cutouts.

There are other costs that can creep up on you: Is the slab 2 cm or 3 cm? If it’s 2cm then will the installers build up the edges to make them appear thicker? Find out if they also provide a backsplash or if you have to do that with tile. (I have gotten quotes without the backsplash and then asked them to “throw it in” to close the deal – after all, they already have the material.) If you do a backsplash in granite make sure it is at least 6 inches tall rather than a standard 3-4 inches. The taller profile makes it look much nicer. Also, see if you will need to move electrical outlets to accommodate the backsplash … another cost.

Is it worth it to install them?

Now the next question – is it worth it? What is the total cost? A few thousand dollars? Do other properties that are for sale in your neighborhood have granite? If so, you may want to do it just to compete and if not you may or may not get your investment back but you may provide the incentive that helps your home sell quicker. If you have a real estate agent they may be able to help assess this but I would say at $50 per square foot, if that is truly the installed price, it will not hurt you much and it could help you. If you currently have Formica or worn tile, the granite will really upgrade the look. Heck, install them and bump the price $5k and know that you have negotiating room.

Learning more about granite and other materials

If you’re interested in redoing your countertops, we recently wrote a pretty lengthy article comparing granite, quartz, and soapstone countertops. It’s a great starting point if you’re trying to make some decisions.