I think for that height bar the standard overhang is 12". But do you have enough room behind the chairs if you go to 12"? Funny how the chairs in the pictures are not the right height for the bar top. Is that a model home?

$700 sounds like alot for 4". I'd hate to hear what they want to charge for 12".

My stone and counter/cabinet guy said 9" and it worked out well. I'll take a picture of that angle.

Ignore the ugly old bar stools. I'm still looking.

I think standard is 15" actually, particularly if you plan to sit there often and/or eat meals there. I had 12" in our last kitchen, it was fine, I have 15" now in my new kitchen, even better.

How tall you are makes a difference too from what I've read.
By the way . . .I LOVE your barstools! Where did you get them?

Yes, you want the overhang to provide space for your legs, or you'll always be eating sideways and leaning forwards. Four inches (and even eight) is insufficient to say the least.

I think the model home picture looks like its a place for people to sit sideways and chat with someone on the couch - kind of like a bar in a restaurant. Its called a "keeping room", so its not really meant as an eating area. It does not look like a place to actually eat a meal.

I guess the desired overhang depends on the space. Do you want it as a place to rest your drink. If you want it as a place to serve your family meals, you might need to forgo the couch and have a larger overhang.

There's apparently a rule about how big an overhang can be, safely, if it's granite and you don't want corbels underneath for support.

I'm linking to a long and really useful post about getting granite or other natural stone.... the bit about the rule for support from underneath is all the way at the end of the post.

Here is a link that might be useful: Getting Granite

I think the standard is 12" as well, however we had limited space because of our sliding glass doors so we went with 8", which I have to say is more than enough to sit at. You definitely need more than 4" if you plan to use it as a sit down counter, but I can't believe they would charge you so much more. I guess the cost would be the difference in the cost of granite. We are planning to add bar stools so I'll be able to eat/entertain at the penisula. Here are pictures of our counter.

oh I have to agree with numbersjunkie ... those stools are too low. I guess who ever staged didn't think it through.

4 inches doesn't sound nearly enough to be comfortable. Have you tried sitting at the counter at the model?

Our overhang is 12" from the back panel of the cabinets (I think 15" would be even better); it is 18" overall depth of the raised part. It's comfortable for adults as well as kids to sit and eat.

$700 sounds high to me too. Let's say that counter is 7' long, by 4" wide (1/3 foot) for the overhang, so the overhang is only about 2 1/3 square feet, right? So they're charging about $300/square foot for the extra stone? (OK maybe there's an extra charge for supports, but it shouldn't be that much.) I'd ask him what they charge per square foot of granite to get an estimate of what the extra stone should cost.

{{!gwi}}

Mine starts at about 8 1/2" and curves to the middle at about 15 1/2" and back to 8 1/2". I know proper supports are really important with the granite.

I believe if the granite is 3 cm thick overhang can't be more than 10" without support. That's what we were told.

4"??????? That makes absolutely no sense! Sorry, but even a child couldn't sit at a counter with only a 4" overhang!

Here's what the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) recommends at a minimum: 9: Seating Clearance

Recommended:

Kitchen seating areas should incorporate at least the following clearances:

1. 30" high tables/counters [Table-height]: Allow a 24" wide x 18" deep knee space for each seated diner and at least 18" of clear knee space

2. 36" high counters [counter-height]: Allow a 24" wide x 15" deep knee space for each seated diner and at least 15" of clear knee space.

3. 42" high counters [bar-height]: Allow a 24" wide x 12" deep knee space for each seated diner and 12" of clear knee space.

Access Standard

Recommended:

Kitchen seating areas should be 28" Â 34" high x 30" Â 36" wide x 19" deep to better accommodate people of various sizes or those using a mobility aid.

Recommended minimum size for a knee space at a table or counter is 36" wide x 27" high x 19" deep.

Another thing...in the first set of kitchen pictures, it looks like the DW is across from the range...that means you can easily back into the open DW door while working at the range... I would switch the DW to the other side of the sink. In the second set, the DW is b/w the range & sink...again an issue! It also looks like a blind corner cabinet in that corner...not ideal. Of the two, I would prefer the first kitchen with the DW switched and maybe even the refrigerator moved as well. Sorry! I can't help myself! When I see what appears to me to be a poorly designed kitchen I have to say something! Will your builder let you make changes?

Here is a link that might be useful: NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards

I found some good info on overhang support on this site in the resource area...

Here is a link that might be useful: Federal Brace -

The builder probably bought the granite and had the bartops pre-fabricated. That would explain the crazy upcharge for making the overhang bigger.

Looking at the pictures, I almost had to laugh: there really is no overhang to speak of and yet they put those stools there (which aren't even the right height).

I wouldn't pay their upcharge. Move in to the place as they build it, and then shop for a piece of granite that matches. Or, to make you home stand out from the crowd, do something dramatic on the eating bar - copper, or a contrastic granite, or butcherblock?