I don't watch Extreme Homes, and haven't seen chipboard used as flooring, but I have seen Corian used in high dollar homes by my parents. They have it in two of their current homes (both kitchens, 1 house baths - the other house has marble bathroom counters) and wouldn't use granite (did use granite a summer home, and hated it). People either like Corian or they hate it - but with all the new choices, it should probably be looked at by more. It's not cheap, and many will get granite or marble for less.

It's been embraced by the modernist/minimalist residential architects and designers for a long time. I've seen at least one residential loft sheathed almost entirely in Corian in terms of the interior rooms inserted into the raw loft space.

I think there is a stronger bias against it among the GW population than there is elsewhere.

I've seen things like MDF and other engineered products used for flooring and case goods before. I think it's an interesting idea but these really end up dictating a raw, organic or deconstructionist style to the project.