Avoid Buying New Kitchen Countertops At Home Depot: Here's Why

The stakes are high when it comes to renovating a kitchen. Many people would agree that the kitchen is the most important room in the house, and every design choice you make for your kitchen matters. Choosing the right countertop is particularly crucial. In addition to being a big budget item, the prominent role countertops play in a kitchen has a significant impact on the style and function of the room. If you're looking for ways to save money when renovating your kitchen, purchasing countertops from Home Depot may seem like a cost-effective, convenient option. However, you may want to think twice as there's a good chance you'll be disappointed in the end.   

There are several reasons you may want to avoid buying countertops from Home Depot. While the convenience may be appealing, their selection of countertops is often more limited than local suppliers and the final product may not match your expectations. In addition, the quality of their fabrication and installation can vary widely and their pricing isn't always the most competitive. 

Variety is important when it comes to picking the perfect countertop. This is one area you may find Home Depot lacking. For instance, when it comes to natural stones — marble, granite, quartzite, and soapstone — which are popular choices for kitchen countertops – Home Depot offers dozens of options, compared with many local stone fabricators, which offer several hundred options with more colors and patterns to choose from. 

You should also be aware that with Home Depot's countertops, you may not get exactly what you're expecting. With natural stone, veining and color variations can differ depending on the slab. In many cases, the small samples displayed in-store don't accurately represent the actual product getting installed. Unless you can see the whole slab, you may find yourself unpleasantly surprised to discover you've spent thousands of dollars on countertops that look very different than you expected.

Quality is another area where Home Depot's countertops may not measure up. It requires expert precision to fabricate and install countertops — from measuring, cutting, and polishing the material to ensuring the countertops are installed perfectly level with tight seams and adequate support. Home Depot outsources all of this to third parties, which makes it hard for consumers to know the quality of the work they're getting. It also adds another layer to the process, which can result in confusion, a lack of accountability, and delays.

While new countertops are undoubtedly one of the kitchen upgrades that are worth the price, they are expensive, so finding a good deal is a high priority for many homeowners. While big-box stores like Home Depot can have good deals, they aren't always the cheapest option. In many cases, local shops provide better bargains since you are buying directly from them, eliminating the subcontractors that Home Depot uses. Additionally, local businesses frequently have a wide selection of remnants — leftover stone from other projects — that they are keen to sell at a substantial discount. The bottom line: To avoid the potential risks of purchasing countertops from Home Depot, you may want to consider working with a reputable, local fabricator who can offer a wider selection of materials, allow you to view the slab before installation, deliver higher-quality craftsmanship, and possibly provide more competitive pricing.