This is what homeowners do when they are looking to buy granite countertops and other countertop materials: they find a local stone yard, pick a slab they like, get the price, and buy.

While this might seem like a highly convenient way of buying the countertops, it’s wrong, and you end up spending a lot of money than you should. Are you looking to save money when having a kitchen remodel project? Here are some of the tips to consider when buying the countertops:

Shop around

You will find kitchen countertops in big box stores, countertop fabricators, kitchen and bathroom design studios, and in other companies specializing in countertop materials.

For you to get the best price, don’t buy from the first company you come across. Take time to visit different companies and see what they have to offer. If you have friends and family that recently installed countertops, ask them where they got them from.

Visit different stores until you find a store selling high-quality countertops at the least price.

Buy the countertops in wholesale

As you are doing your research, keep a close eye on the companies that allow you to buy the countertops in wholesale. Just like any other item, when you buy in wholesale, you end up saving a lot of money.

For you to get a wholesale offer, you have to buy the countertops in bulk, so this option will work in your favor if you have a large kitchen.

Don’t waste the countertop material

To maintain a uniform countertop, countertop experts recommend you buy the entire slab in one piece. When you do this, it’s not uncommon to be left with more material than you need. The cool thing is that you don’t have to throw away the remaining material.

You can use the leftover stone in many ways, such as using it to cover a backsplash, use it as a durable finish for the sides of an island, or as a flooring transition between the kitchen and dining room.

Scour the boneyard

If you have a small kitchen and color consistency isn’t an essential factor for you, you don’t have to buy premium countertop materials from a countertop store. You can visit the local boneyard and get the countertops at a fraction of the cost.

Boneyards are areas in stone yards where homeowners return the stone slab leftovers once they can’t use them anymore.

Buy a more common color

Granite countertops and other stone countertop materials have tremendously lowered their costs, mainly due to improvement in manufacturing technology. While this is the case, you should note that countertops of a rare color are still expensive.

Luckily, the countertops come in many more affordable colors. To save money, avoid the rare colors. You might argue that the unique color will add more value to your overall house, but this isn’t the case.

Unless you have extra money and you want the look, there is no point in spending a lot of money on a rare color.

Go for a prefabricated material

A prefabricated stone is one that is already cut and polished. This stone is perfect for simple counters requiring few cuts. Highly consider going for prefabricated materials if your countertop cabinets are standard.

The materials come with three finished edges and a polished surface. While they are as good as the new ones, they cost half as much, which saves you a lot of money.

Buy from a local supplier

When you buy from a distant supplier, you have to handle the shipping costs, which can be high, especially if you are getting them from a different state. To save money, buy the countertops from a local supplier.

This way, you won’t pay much for shipping. When you place a large order, the supplier delivers the countertops at no cost.

DIY wherever possible

If you are a handy person, there are plenty of ways you can save money on your kitchen remodeling project. If you have the skills, instead of hiring granite countertop installers Rockville, do the work yourself.

Countertop installation isn’t an easy feat, so if it’s beyond your skill level, do the easy tasks such as sealing the countertops after the installer has installed them.