Cultured Marble and Standard Features at Coral Breeze

Cultured marble is a man-made countertop. It is mostly crushed marble mixed with resin, then covered with a smooth, sealed coat. At Coral Breeze, Lennar lists cultured marble countertops in the bathrooms of the Solea twin homes. This guide explains what cultured marble is, how to care for it, what else comes standard at Coral Breeze, what we know about the warranty, and how buying with Lennar works.

What Is Cultured Marble?

ARSTAR, a company that makes cultured marble, says it is "an engineered surface made from approximately 75% crushed marble dust and polyester resin, cast in a mold and sealed with a 100% non-porous gel coat."

In plain words:

It starts as marble dust and resin.
It is poured into a mold, like a cake pan.
A hard, shiny gel coat seals the top.

ARSTAR also says cultured marble is "not a natural stone." So it is not the same as a slab of real marble.

Where Coral Breeze Uses Cultured Marble

Lennar's features list for the Sonora and Marin includes:

"Cultured marble countertops with integrated sinks and designer faucet in owner's suite bathroom"
"Cultured marble countertops with integrated sink and designer faucet" in the secondary baths

An integrated sink is a sink built into the countertop piece instead of dropped in as a separate bowl. Look closely at it in the model, and run your hand along the edge where the sink meets the counter.

How to Care for Cultured Marble

The gel coat is the part you want to protect. Two makers give clear advice:

ARSTAR says the gel coat "requires no sealing and no specialty cleaners. Clean daily with mild soap and a soft cloth."
ARSTAR also says to clean "with a soft cloth, microfiber towel, or non-abrasive sponge".
Southern Cultured Marble warns: "DO NOT clean this product with any abrasive material or cleanser."

So skip the scouring powder and steel wool. A soft cloth and mild soap do the job. ARSTAR also says to never use tile cleaners on gel coat, because "they often contain harsh acids not meant for gel coat". That matters at Coral Breeze, because the same bathrooms also have ceramic tile. Read what kind of tile the Coral Breeze bathrooms use before you buy cleaners.

The Kitchen Uses a Different Surface

The kitchen counters are not cultured marble. Lennar lists "Solid surface countertops with 6" backsplash" in the kitchen.

LX Hausys, a maker of solid surface, says it is made by "combining acrylic, polyester, or a combination of the two with mineral particles (typically alumina trihydrate), bonding resins and various pigments." It also calls solid surface "a non-porous surface material". Our plain guide to solid surface countertops compares it with granite and quartz.

Everything Else That Comes Standard at Coral Breeze

Lennar sells Coral Breeze with its Everything's Included approach. Here is what Lennar's list shows for the Solea plans, grouped by room.

Kitchen

Stainless steel appliances: a 30-inch smooth surface electric range, a built-in microwave and a multi-cycle dishwasher
Cabinets with 36-inch uppers and brushed nickel hardware
A stainless steel sink with a decorative faucet and sprayer
Recessed LED downlighting
A pantry closet with ventilated shelves

Bathrooms

Cultured marble counters with integrated sinks
12-by-12-inch ceramic tile on bath floors and shower walls
6-by-6-inch ceramic tile on shower floors
A pedestal sink in the first-floor powder bath, per plan
A bathtub in secondary baths, per plan

Inside the home

Central air conditioning and heating
Colonial style baseboards and door casings
Stain resistant carpet with padding
Pre-wiring for ceiling fans in the family room and bedrooms, per plan
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout

Outside the home

"Quality CBS construction"
Impact resistant glass windows
A 6-foot wood shadowbox privacy fence in the rear yard
Brick pavers on the driveway, walkway, entry and rear patio
Dimensional roof shingles

CBS means the walls are built with concrete block. To learn how block homes are built, read how a concrete block house is built. And to learn about the backyard fence, see our guide to the Coral Breeze shadow box fence.

Smart home

Honeywell Home T6 Pro smart thermostat
Ring Video Doorbell Pro
Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt

Lennar adds a note to its list: "Please see your New Home Consultant and/or home purchase agreement for actual features to be included in the home." Ask for the list for your exact home.

Coral Breeze Standard Features Infographic.png

What About the Warranty?

Here is what we found, and what we did not.

Lennar's Coral Breeze page for the Elara, in the Brisa Collection, lists a "1-2-10 year Homeowners Warranty featuring 1 year overall limited coverage, 2 year systems protection and a 10 year limited structural warranty".

The Solea features list we read for the Sonora and Marin does not show a warranty line. So we will not say it is the same. Ask the sales team for the warranty papers for the Solea home you choose, and read them before you sign. Our explainer on what a 1-2-10 builder warranty means can help you read them.

How Buying a Coral Breeze Home Works

Lennar's Coral Breeze page describes three parts of the process:

Getting a loan. Lennar says you can "get pre-qualified with Lennar Mortgage." You can also use your own lender.
Selling your current home. Lennar says, "We've partnered with Opendoor to make it easy to sell your home."
Closing. Lennar says it gives you "the information and guidance you need to navigate the title insurance, escrow and closing process."

Most buyers also put down a deposit when they sign. Our guide to how an earnest money deposit works on a new home explains what that money does.

Want to compare the rooms these features go into? See the Sonora and Marin floor plans side by side.

Checking the Features at Your Walk-Through

Before closing, you will walk the home with Lennar. Bring the features list and check each item. For the bathrooms and kitchen, look at these:

Countertops. Look for chips, cracks or dull spots in the cultured marble and solid surface.
Sinks. Run the water. Check that the integrated sinks drain well.
Tile. Look for cracked tiles and missing grout.
Appliances. Turn on the range, the microwave and the dishwasher.
Smart devices. Ask how to set up the thermostat, the doorbell and the smart lock.

Write down anything that looks wrong, and ask how it will be fixed.

One more cultured marble tip

Southern Cultured Marble, another maker, sets a hot-water limit for its products. It says, "NEVER ALLOW THE WATER TEMPERATURE TO EXCEED 140 DEGREES AT ANY TIME." That is that maker's own rule, not Lennar's, but it is a good habit. Ask the sales team what water heater setting they suggest for your home.

Price

Lennar's starting prices put the Solea twin homes in the high $400,000s. Prices change, so call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers.

Common Questions

What is cultured marble made of?

ARSTAR, a cultured marble maker, says it is about 75% crushed marble dust and polyester resin, cast in a mold and sealed with a non-porous gel coat.

Is cultured marble real marble?

No. ARSTAR says it is a cast composite and not a natural stone.

How do I clean cultured marble?

Use mild soap and a soft cloth or a non-abrasive sponge. Makers warn against abrasive cleaners, steel wool and harsh tile cleaners.

Where is cultured marble used at Coral Breeze?

Lennar lists cultured marble countertops with integrated sinks in the owner's bath and the secondary baths of the Solea plans.

What countertops are in the Coral Breeze kitchen?

Lennar lists solid surface countertops with a 6-inch backsplash in the kitchen.

What warranty comes with a Solea home?

The Solea features list we read does not show the warranty. The Brisa Collection's Elara page lists a 1-2-10 year warranty. Ask the sales team for the Solea warranty in writing.

See the Features in Person

Pictures only go so far. Call 561-704-0091 or schedule a walk-through of the included features. You can also look at the Coral Breeze homes online.