The Value of Concrete Countertops

The Value of Concrete Countertops -
Customization Increases Aesthetic Appeal
and
Real Estate Investment for Homeowners

From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco
Bay Area to sprawling mountain homes in the
Colorado Rockies, discriminating homeowners
are demanding custom designs and finishes in
their kitchens. In particular, they are looking to
express their individuality and distinct design
preferences with the fast-growing design
material of choice — concrete.

In fact, concrete countertops have become
somewhat of a status symbol for kitchens,
rivaling granite and other high-end countertop
surface options. Consumer Reports Magazine
(August 2004) ranked concrete highest for its
“customization” and “exclusivity” among high-
end kitchen countertops.

As a custom product, the amount of time and
craftsmanship required to produce concrete
countertops places them as the most labor-
intensive and priciest among leading
countertop materials. However, concrete
countertops are becoming more accessible for
those on a modest budget. The latest do-it-
yourself (DIY) trend to captivate homeowners
and builders is building your own concrete
countertop. This phenomenon has gained
popularity largely due to Cheng’s best-selling
book Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms,
and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath
(Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng,
there is little monetary investment in making
concrete countertops, yet the creative gains of
working with concrete are plentiful.

THE SHOWSTOPPER

Increasingly, homeowners are moving away
from the monotonous, manufactured look of
traditional countertop surfaces and choosing
concrete for its earthy, timeless appeal. Plus,
the options for personalizing concrete
countertops are endless: one can color, polish,
stamp and stain concrete or imbed personal
objects like stones, seashells and fossils into
the countertop’s surface, adding sentiment and
character. Functional features such as drain
boards, soap dishes, and trivets can also be
incorporated to suit the homeowners’ own
needs and lifestyle.

Concrete is slowly becoming demystified as
characteristically cold and industrial. In contrary,
this age-old material is warm and surprisingly
tactile; people cannot help but touch their
smooth, polished surfaces. Real estate agent
Joy Rasmussen, who has recently sold her
mountain home — a short-term investment
property in Steamboat Springs, CO —
recounts her visitors’ experiences with
concrete: “When I had open houses, visitors
gravitated to the concrete countertops — many
people around here have never seen them”.

Joy’s 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was custom build by her husband, Ken Otterman,
along with KJ Otterman, president of Classic Special Custom Homes. They built pour-
in-place concrete counters for the home’s kitchen and three bathrooms by using
Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete countertops were
polished smooth, then paired with natural slate of varying colors — like charcoal, rust
and gold tones — that forms the backsplashes in the kitchen and baths. As a design
accent, small rectangular slate tiles were added to the rim of the bathroom sinks,
which provided a unique detail to the custom vanities.

When Joy and Ken decided to sell their house, their investment in concrete
countertops proved its value. “We were able to list the house $20,000 over market
value, and had no problems selling it,” comments Joy, while discussing the long list of
upgrades throughout their house, including knotty pine solid doors, natural slate wall
accents and hardwood floors. “The concrete countertops were easily the most unique
and impressive of all the finishes. I believe they were a huge part in adding value to the
home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite countertops —and I really think
homebuyers are getting quite numb with granite.”

“Concrete countertops are a unique offering to homebuyers who see the same
finishes used in house after house they visit,” explains Joy, offering her observation as
a seasoned realtor. “Having concrete countertops almost gives you bragging rights —
you have something different from your neighbors.”

BREAKING THE MOLD

Another advantage of concrete is its adaptability in either modern or traditional
settings, especially when coupled with other materials like varied metals, wood or
stone. “Concrete adds so many [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate,
which is hugely popular here, gives the mountain homes an overall warm, natural
touch,” says Joy.

Joy and Ken have since built a much larger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers expansive
views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is meant to serve as a long-term investment
for the couple. They’ve also expanded their list of custom finishes, including hand-
troweled walls, elegant oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the
top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favorite — concrete kitchen
countertops.

Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty crew poured charcoal-colored
countertops using the pre-cast method in the unfinished basement of the new home.
Before pouring the concrete, they sprinkled an array of semi-precious stones in the
mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Turquoise. After the
surface was ground and lightly polished, the finished result was an impressive blend of
colors, “By far, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most incredible,” says Joy.

The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic stone appearance,
complementing its rugged country surroundings. An integral drain board and trivets
provides function and added interest to the concrete countertop. Natural slate
backsplashes, distinct wall accents, and a butcher block countertop at the kitchen
island all resonate with the traditional warmth and earthiness of the concrete
countertops.

Joy and Ken’s respective backgrounds in real estate and custom homebuilding, and
as investment homebuyers, have helped them realize that concrete countertops can
add tremendous aesthetic and financial value to a home. Concrete’s customization
and “show-stopping” appeal is like no other countertop surface. Cheng is a proponent
of emotional aesthetics and building homes that capture these emotions, as in the
case of Joy and Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: “People really want differentiation,
something personal, something custom – and concrete can do that for them.”