Tile Counter Tops – Time to Replace Before Selling (Might Be)

Posted on February 6, 2009 
Filed Under Listing and Selling Your Home, Valerie Zinger

Of course we all know that granite is popular.  It is so popular that it is now popular to be against granite counter tops.  Solid granite, no matter the thickness, is expensive to install.  Some people think that installing granite tiles is just as good and most people will equate it with a sheet of granite.  Sadly, not so.  It might be granite but there are grout lines. 

I personally dislike tile counter tops – ceramic being the most popular – because of the grout issue.  The tiles look wonderful but all I see is raw poultry liquids being absorbed into the grout and having no way to sanitize the counter without bleach, bleach and more bleach.  My grout issue is most likely a phobia carried over from the days when, according to my mother, any raw or undercooked meat instantly killed you because of the  salmonella bacteria.  Imagine the Christmas turkey at my mother’s house.  Dust flew from the knife when the turkey was being carved because it was so dry. 

Okay, turkey and grout aside, the other disadvantages identified on The Kitchen Blog include tiles being fragile and the difficulty in chopping or kneading on the uneven surface.  Still, a brand new tiled counter does look nice.  Remember to replace any chipped or broken tiles before selling.

So, if you are selling, clean your tile counter like the Canadian Food Inspection Agency food inspector is coming to visit.  If you cannot get it clean, either re grout or replace the counter tops.

Don’t be chicken.  Be proud of the house you are selling. 

Photo credit:  Crying for bleach @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/preciouskhyatt/2146600693/

Valerie Zinger ~ Ottawa, Canada ~ T. 613-723-5300 ~ E. vzinger@royallepage.ca

 

Comments

Leave a Reply