Granite, Marble, Soapstone Countertops - Buyers Guide

How to Buy Granite Countertops

We believe in delivering the highest quality granite and quartz countertop products with excellent customer service. Please contact us to schedule a meeting to discuss the possibilities of your upcoming granite project, especially if you are in the Dallas or Fort Worth metroplex.

This article is intended to help the customer understand the myriad of issues when buying granite and natural stone surfacing. It is not exhaustive but you may find it exhausting reading because there are so many questions, choices and options. At Heritage Stonecraft we are committed to customer education and the philosophy of "no surprises."

Granite countertops are becoming more and more popular as the price has been driven down by ample supply and increased availability. While there are lots of imitations, nothing can equal the beauty and luxury of granite, marble and natural stone, so it's not surprising that customers want to know more about the product.

The stone industry has been around for thousands of years attaining greatness with the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans but it is still a bit of a mystery to the average consumer. It should come as no surprise that the Mediterranean countries, and in particular Italy, have been in the forefront of stone quarrying and manufacturing. That is all changing today with the dramatic growth in stone activity in Brazil, India and China. Finished stone products are now produced in just about every country in the world.

So you've decided that granite countertops are on your list of must-haves and you know there are lots of things you don't know. And you know that there are things you don't even know you don't know…… This article should go some way to helping you learn more about granite, find a supplier, ask them the tough questions, compare estimates and make final decisions.

Recognise that the most important decision you will make is the choice of fabricator - the company you are going to trust with a major chunk of your money. They range from state-of-the-art, professional fabricators with a history of quality like Heritage Stonecraft all the way down to smaller shops that outsource various aspects of their templating, fabrication or installation (and hence lose control of the quality sequence), or employ illegals, or operate out of their pickup truck. This is going to be a significany expense so check out your potential fabricator on Angies List and other sources, and visit their facility to understand the entire process.

This article and its subchapters may be freely duplicated or copied provided it is done so in whole and it contains the following complete reference and acknowledgement.

Any other paper or electronic duplication or other use is strictly forbidden.

Copyright © 2011
Terry J. Obeney
President, Heritage Stonecraft LLC