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There are few design elements that spark heated debate and divide homeowners as much as granite and quartz. Don’t believe me? Tune into any show on HGTV and you’ll likely hear the prospective buyer/renter wax poetic about their preferred counter top material and shun the other vehemently. But is one really better than the other or is it merely a matter of aesthetics?

To help break down the granite vs. quartz quandary,we thought up five categories to help show the differences between both. By the end of this article,you can decide which one you prefer. Before we get into all of that though,exactly what is granite and quartz?

Granite is a very hard stone and 100 percent natural. It’s mined from quarries all around the world,cut down to a manageable size,then afterwards polished to a fine finish.

Quartz is slightly different because it is not 100 percent natural. Instead,countertops are produced using 95 percent ground natural quartz and 5 percent polymer resins.

Now that you know the basics,let’s see how they compare against one another.

1: Appearance
Granite

Granite comes in various colors and patterns due to the way it’s formed (cooling and strengthening of molten materials). Whether you’re looking for a subtle complement to your kitchen or a standout slab with unique mineral inclusions,there is an almost unlimited selection to select from and no two granite countertops are the same.

Quartz

Among the main reasons quartz has exploded in popularity is because of appearance. Quartz has the look of stone while also allowing property owners to customize the design. While granite offers many options in regards to appearance,you may have to search for the right piece that matches your color scheme. With quartz,the selection process is a lot easier.

2: Price
Granite

According to HomeAdviser.com,the average cost to purchase granite and have it installed can cost between $2,000 and $4,000. You can save money by purchasing the material from a wholesaler and doing a portion of the preliminary work yourself but the actual fabrication and installation of the countertops should be left to a professional.

Quartz

Depending upon the quality of quartz and style of edging,HomeAdvisor.com places the average cost to install quartz countertops between $1,500 and $5,500. You can do some of the preliminary work to save money,but because engineered quartz is heavier than other stone surfaces,a professional installer needs to make sure the space is structurally sound.

3: Environmentally-Friendly
Granite

The only way granite ends up in your kitchen is if it’s quarried which uses a lot of energy. If you select a high-end slab from Italy,for example,there will be considerable transportation involved. Try using indigenous stone when possible or visit salvage shops for pieces that can be cut to fit your needs.

Quartz

Since quartz is engineered,it can be more environmentally-friendly than granite if you use regionally manufactured stone and local fabricators. This cuts down on the distance the material needs to be transported.

4: Maintenance
Granite

Granite countertops should be cleaned daily with soap and water or a mild household cleaner. Some oils and acids can stain so do your homework first to avoid stains. To ensure the longevity of your investment,consider having your countertops resealed once a year.

Quartz

Like granite,you’ll wish to clean any spills on quartz countertops with soap and water or a household cleaner,but that’s about it in terms of maintenance. The solid surface means that there is no need to have your countertops resealed.

5: Durability
Granite

Granite is a durable material that’s resistant to heat and many other kitchen elements. Due to its porous nature though,there can be some staining if spilled liquids are left sitting and damage can be done if your counter receives a high impact blow.
Quartz

Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus,more durable. In point of fact,quartz is nearly indestructible,and because it isn’t porous like granite,it’s easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria-free. Be careful with cooking pans though: Quartz can be damaged by excessive heat,so use heating pads at all times.
If you ‘d like to explore the differences yourself,contact Peakstone Granite at (336) 324-2875 or visit them at http://PeakStoneGraniteMarble.com

Florida has a lot of progressive taxation and the state offers some great Florida tax relief opportunities to help those on lower incomes. The most common Florida tax-relief option is a refund relief program that allows an individual or corporation that was employed in Florida and has income from work to claim an amount of refund or benefit from a tax reduction. This is called an earned income tax credit (EITC). The Florida corporate tax rate also offers EITC refunds to corporations and unincorporated partnerships that have not claimed the corporate income tax credit within the past two years. Both these credits are calculated by adding the corporate rate to the individual rate and then dividing by the number of corporate units (one for each employee) to get the Florida corporate tax rate for the year in question.tax relief service

There are also many ways to receive Florida tax relief,one of which is real estate transactions that take place in Florida. One of these is turning the house into a residential property. If the former owner did not occupy the property,they can acquire it through a mortgage and deed exchange. They can also purchase the property outright and hold it as a rental unit for part of the year. During the year when the property owner does not occupy the unit,they can lease it from the bank and pay Florida the mortgage payment plus all interest and other relevant payments. This allows the former owners to live in Florida,while paying property taxes to support themselves and their families.

tax relief

Another way to receive Florida tax relief is to raise funds for a local or national charity. For example,organizations like the YMCA Florida help people to be healthy and to get exercise. These groups rely on the volunteers and paid memberships of the community to survive. In order to help these organizations obtain the funding they need,people can file a form with the county auditor’s office that requests a levy against a property to generate revenue for the charity. The auditor will forward this document to the state government for approval and then the property can be levied.

Tax Relief Assistance in Orlando

Most online credit card and loan services offer their customers an Autopay feature. There are lots of people that use Autopay but there are many that don’t want to have anything to do with Autopay. It’s not for everyone but it does have its benefits.

What is Autopay

Autopay allows customers the option to automatically pay their bill on a certain date each month every month. For example a Citizens Bank customer can pay their car payment via- and have their payment scheduled for electronic debit from their checking account on the 15th of each month.

There is nothing else the customer has to do except make sure they have their loan payment amount in their bank account from drafting.

Won’t Forget To Pay

There are times in any given month that you get busy and forget due dates. If you forget to pay your mortgage payment then you will be hit with a late fee. The autopay features eliminates the prospect of this happening.

Each month like clockwork your monthly payment will be paid on that scheduled due date.

Credit Score Improvement

The positive effects of making on-time payments is your credit score will eventually go up. You won’t have to worry about your credit score at some point if you’re paying your bills on time and reducing debt. The Autopay feature helps a lot with this. Your payments will always be on time.

No More Paper Balance Statements

When you select to pay your bill automatically then you can shut off receiving paper statements in the mail to keep you updated. You can simply login to your account and view all of your information online. There’s a lot of costs that go into you receiving your bill each month so this can be eliminated immediately through the Autopay feature.