Building new home, should we get Granite countertops, wood or plank flooring, ect.?
There’s a new composite granite product (granite and some kind of bonding material) that is only 1/2 inch thick (it has a seamless lip so it looks like the standard thickness) that is much less expensive than granite slabs. This would free up money for other items. I’d choose real wood floors, with extra coats of polyurethane if they’ll be subject to extreme wear, over laminate ones: every laminate (I think that’s what one answerer meant by “clip floor”) floor I’ve ever seen curves up slightly where the pieces join. Real wood floors are more highly valued if you ever sell. Extra poly is extra protection for the wood (if the builder won’t do it, do it yourselves with a paint-roller-on-an-extension-pole before you move in using crystal clear latex poly available from Lowes/Home Depot. They’re easy to clean and maintain with today’s products — certainly easier than carpet. If you choose tile, seal it before you move in, including the grout, which the builder won’t do. Tile floors are col
