Kitchens - anyone just replaced worksurfaces?

[mumoverseas]

We are thinking of 'tarting up' our kitchen a bit. To be honest, there is not much wrong with the main kitchen itself, ie layout and units but want to build a breakfast bar in the corner where we currently have a freestanding table and chairs which take up too much space.

To tie it all in, we thought maybe we could replace the existing worksurfaces to match the surface on the new breakfast bar but wondered how easy/difficult it was to replace without damaging units/tiles etc.

Anyone done this?

We are just about to have this done, but will be retiling at the same time as ours are vile. But according to the builder, it's easy to get them off without damaging anything

Thanks for that. I actually quite like our tiles so want to keep them so its good to hear they can hopefully be saved (and the expense!)

Any idea on costings for replacing worksurfaces? We are looking at a black granite type surface, average size kitchen?

Can't help but v interested as am thinking of doing exactly the same - have done precisely nothing about it though!

well lets keep each other posted

I got wooden ones from Barncrest an online shop based in Cornwall. Pleased with them.

Real granite = mucho money. DH priced ours at about 2k. Granite look laminate = 200 quid excluding fitting

fake granite sounds lovely
I'm not paying 2k for it as we are not sure how long we will be staying in that house. We are currently living abroad so really only there around 2 to 3 months a year. Fake will be just fine for us. Thanks for that

Can anyone recommend a good and reliable kitchen fitter in Sussex?

Your house is near Gatwick isn't it iirc ? My colleagues (when I was office based I lived in E Grinstead, and worked in Crawley) DH does kitchen fitting down there. If you want name/number, I can CAT them to you

Ooh, I'm planning to do this, too, and would be grateful of a recommendation of a worktop fitter in Glasgow.

(also thinking of fake granite, after pricing the real thing!)

fantastic, thanks CMOT our UK house is in Crawley! don't think I've got CAT so could you please email me on [email protected]
Thanks
BTW, when I was back in the UK a few years ago I lived in Crawley and worked in EG

Have emailed you mum. Funny old world isn't it !

Am just going to see if I can find who I looked at - they don't replace the whole top but cover it slightly like a film which goes directly over the top but it Granite like or composite stone... That way you can cheapo build the breakfast bar and then put everything on top - let me look and will post what I have found in a minute!

Found it! worksurfaces no hassle - have no idea how much it would cost though.

wow, that sounds good too.

Thanks for info CMOT. Have just regained control of my laptop from DC2 so will check. They joys of the bloody ash which means DC1 and 2 are here so I can hardly ever get on MN

we did ours last year, got some black shiney ones from B & Q for about £400 then paid a joiner to do a good job cost around £150. we just wanted to tart up the kitchen too so just replaced cupboard fronts etc... cost around £1000 in total (inc. work tops)

Mine were replaced 15 years ago as they were bubbled up and I was pulling out the broken hob and round bowls so it would've been impossible to have kept the old ones. I also put in an extra one and it's made such a difference to the amount of space I can junk up use.

Doodleydoo, that link doesn't work...

I used these people. did an excellent job.

www.granitetransformations.co.uk/tunwells/?gclid=CNKy0PLTkqECFQc9lAodpCd2OQ

Thanks so much everyone, I knew MN would have the answer. Have been trying to mooch on places like B & Q and Homebase for ideas/guessimates but its good to get info from people who have done it.

RooBear, that sounds fantastic, just what I want. Black shiny instead of daft price real granite. Am thinking of cupboard doors too so they will match any cupboards I might have under breakfast bar and that price sounds brilliant.

I'm abroad at the moment, back to the UK end of June and would love to get it all done by the start of September when DH gets back.
The kitchen drives him mad as we have a table in there at the moment that just takes up too much space and he is forever walking into it or kicking it across the room. I think a breakfast bar will give us so much more room.

Thanks again everyone.

p.s. might post another thread later asking for recommendations on new flooring for kitchen

you'll find a lot of sales round then mumoverseas so you will be fine! btw we did our floor with them too, we might have done it on the cheap, but it all looks good and it means we can save up to do it all properly from scratch in about 5 years or so

mumof2222222222...... has the same website it is Granite transformations that I was thinking of. don't know how much but looks good if you ask me

About 4 years ago we paid nearly £2k for an average size top. They did an excellent job with minimal hassle. Measured one day and fitted another...all done and tidy when we came home.