21

Jul

What Should I Look For When Installing Granite?

Granite countertops come with plenty of perks. They are durable, beautiful to look at, and easy to maintain. While this is the case, you shouldn’t install the countertops haphazardly—you should consider several tips.

Wondering what should I look for when installing granite? Well, there are plenty of things you should do, with the common ones being:

Granite slab

When you are new to granite, you might feel that all granite slabs are the same, but this isn’t the case. Granite slabs run a gamut of qualities ranging from cheap, low-quality slabs to high-end, premium quality slabs.

When you are in the stores shopping for countertops, you should be cautious of the quality of slabs you buy.

One thing that will inform you about the quality of the countertops is the price that the countertops are going at. If the countertops are cheap, they are most likely low quality, and you should be cautious buying them.

The other thing you should look out for is the presence of cracks on the countertop slab.

Since granite is natural, it’s common for it to have small fissures that are often harmless. These fissures resemble small cracks, and you have nothing to worry about when you come across them.

Besides fissures, it’s also common to find some countertops with large cracks, and you should be worried when you see them. Although, countertops with large cracks tend to sell at lower prices, don’t be tempted to buy them, thinking that you will fix them later on as you can’t.

These countertops with large cracks are low quality and weak, so you should stay away from them.

To get the most from the granite countertops, buy high-quality units that will last for a long time and look good for long.

Cabinets

The other thing you should pay attention to when installing granite is the cabinets that you will place the countertops on. If installing the cabinets for the first time, ensure that you put up strong cabinets that can withstand the weight of the countertops.

If you had installed other countertop materials such as wood, consult a professional to help you determine whether the kitchen cabinets are strong enough to carry the weight of granite. If they aren’t, highly consider reinforcing them before installing granite.

The last thing you want is the cabinets breaking and having to build new ones. As you can guess, this can be expensive, especially if the countertop slabs break.

Besides ensuring that the cabinets are strong, they also should be level and properly secured to the wall. This way, you are sure that they can’t come off, and your countertop will be level.

Lighting

The lighting in your kitchen heavily determines the granite color you should install. If your kitchen doesn’t have a lot of natural light coming in, install gold or white granite countertops. On the other hand, if your kitchen has plenty of natural light, install dark-colored countertops such as mahogany, black, and deep blue.

To have a feel of how your countertops will look after installation, bring your granite slab to your home before you commit to buying more slabs. How does the slab look? Do you like it? You should continue buying more but if you don’t like it, let a professional help you choose the right one.

Granite installer

Unless you have the skill, you should let an experienced contractor install the countertops. In the same way, you can’t let any mechanic service your car, you shouldn’t let any person posing as a contractor do the installation.

The contractor you hire should be highly experienced. This means that he should have handled similar projects in the past.

The last thing you want is a professional coming to train on your site and end up damaging your expensive countertops.

The easiest way to tell how experienced the contractor is by asking them during the interview stages. If the contractor has never handled several projects similar to yours, don’t hire them.

The granite installers Potomac you hire should also have a beautiful personality. This is especially important if you have a large kitchen that requires you to do the installation over a couple of weeks or even months. You don’t want to be stuck with a boring contractor with a horrible personality, do you?

12

Jul

How Do You Get The Best Deal On Granite Countertops?

As much as everyone wants to install granite countertops in their homes, there is the issue of money.

Good quality granite counters don’t come cheap, so most homeowners look for ways to cut the costs.

How do you get the best deal on granite countertops? If you are asking this question, you should know that there are plenty of ways you can do it. Some of these ways include:

Take your time

One of the major mistakes homeowners make when they are looking for countertops is being in a hurry. After they have decided on the countertops they want for their homes, they rush to the nearest store and make the purchase. This is wrong.

To secure a great countertop deal, you need to take your time. This calls for you to start the countertop-hunting process early enough. Experts recommend you start the process at least three months before you install the countertops.

This way you can visit various stores and compare their prices.

When you aren’t in a hurry, you will confidently bargain the price without worrying about the seller rejecting your offer.

Buy wholesale

Another way to get a great countertop deal is to buy the countertop slabs wholesale. As you can guess, this calls for you to avoid the retail stores and go straight to wholesale.

Like other products in the market, countertops sell at lower prices in the wholesale stores, so if you have one in your area, buy from there.

Even when you have several wholesale stores in your area, don’t buy from the first store you bump into. Visit different stores and see what they have in stock. You should obviously buy from a store giving you the best deal.

Buy from small local stores.

You might have the impression that the larger stores will have the largest countertop options and give the best deals, but there is nothing from the truth than this.

As a matter of fact, these stores are the worst, and you should avoid them like the plague.

For one, these stores have few countertop options, so you are limited on the number of countertops you can buy from them. Second, the prices in these stores are set in stone—you can’t negotiate.

The small local stores, on the other hand, are a completely different case altogether. Since highly motivated countertop enthusiasts run them, they tend to house plenty of countertop materials, so you have a wide range of materials to choose from.

Since you have a one-on-one conversation with the owners, you can negotiate on the prices, so you walk out with an excellent deal. These small stores often install the countertops free or at a small fee which sees you saving a lot of money.

Go for regular granite colors.

Did you know the color of the slab you choose has a significant impact on the overall price? So to avoid spending an arm and leg on your countertops, go for regular colors such as black, white, and gray. As a rule of thumb, avoid rare colors such as red as you will pay a premium for it.

The same thing applies to veining, and patterns—choose common patterns to get a good deal.

Go the prefab way

A prefabricated stone has already been cut and polished, and it goes for half the price of a custom granite counter.

While prefabricated stones will save you a good chunk of money, you should note that they aren’t good for all situations.

They work best for simple counters requiring few cuts, such as when your cabinets are standard, and you don’t need to make any customization.

Use granite remnants

Are you looking to cover just a small area, such as the backsplash behind the stove? Don’t waste money on full granite slabs. Instead, visit the granite stores and buy granite remnants. These are small granite chunks that have been leftover from previous projects.

Since these pieces are too small to outfit an entire kitchen, most countertop stores sell them at huge bargains.

If you want to give a small area in your kitchen or bathroom a high-end look at a budget, visit these stores and make a purchase. You should work with your granite installers Rockville and expertly install the remnants in a fashionable style.

15

Jun

How to Change Countertops without Replacing

Are you wondering how to change countertops without replacing them? There are plenty of ways on how to do it. Here are some of them:

Install some tile

If you don’t have money to buy granite countertops, you should go the tile way. Here you need to buy the tile countertops then lay them on already existing countertops such as laminate.

Before you place the countertops on the new surfaces, put a waterproofing membrane on the existing countertops and an edging trim around your sink. Once you are done, start tiling the surfaces.

While this project seems easy, it’s not, especially if you have never done it before so if this is your first time, consider hiring a professional to help with the installation.

Install a concrete countertop

Concrete countertops are affordable, and you can plaster concrete on any surface. You only need to ensure that the surface can carry the concrete weight.

Begin with sanding the surfaces, then apply a feather finish product according to the instructions given on the bottle.

You should then apply an even layer of concrete on the surface and let it dry. Once it has dried, sand it with 120 grit sandpaper, then apply two more concrete layers.

Most homeowners opt for the standard look but if this isn’t what you are looking for, customize the surfaces as per your needs.

Slap on a coat of paint

The beauty of painting countertops is you can easily do it by yourself even if you have never done it before. You can use any paint to transform your surfaces but for the best experience, use high-quality enamel paint.

Begin preparing the surfaces by roughing them up with a power sander to provide a suitable surface for the paint to adhere to. Once the surfaces are prime for the paint, apply your desired paint with a brush or sponge roller.

Would you love to add texture to the counters? Use a sponge dipped in contrasting paint colors.

Your imagination is your limit when transforming your countertops with paint, so you should be as creative as possible to get an interesting look.

After applying the final coats, apply a couple of polyurethane coats to protect the painted surface and add a glossy shine.

Cover the surfaces with polyurethane

When properly installed, polyurethane adds a deep, glossy shine to the countertop surfaces, and the beauty is you can use several variations of the product to refurbish your countertops.

If you have never done it before, hire a professional to help you place the polyurethane on the countertops.

If you don’t have money to hire a professional to help with the installation, there are plenty of videos online you can use to learn.

Install granite overlays

From their name, you place granite overlays directly on your existing surfaces, and if you don’t have a large kitchen, you can do the installation in one day.

To install the overlays, remove the sink then cover the counter and backsplash surfaces with overlays. All you have to do is to attach the ¼-inch pieces using adhesive to your surfaces.

Although you can easily install the overlays on your surfaces, you should always hire a professional to help with fabricating the pieces to your desired size.

Apply a concrete skin coat

If you like the concrete look, but don’t want to remove your existing counters and install concrete counters from scratch, apply a concrete skim coat on the surfaces with a specially designed product for patching or skim coating floors.

You should note that while the skim coat might make the countertops look tough, they aren’t, and they don’t last as long as full concrete counters.

Cover the countertops with contact paper

Contact papers make a lot of sense if you are renting a property, but you want to transform the look of the surfaces. Since you can’t transform the surfaces permanently, contact papers make an excellent option.

Begin with finding contact papers resembling your dream countertops. These can be quartz countertops Rockville or any other surfaces. You should then clean the surfaces and, after drying, position your paper in such a way that there are as few seams as possible.

Using a credit card or a similar product, flatten down the paper and trim the excess. Go over the surfaces with a sealant and overlap any seams by at least an inch.

28

May

How Can You Tell Quality Of Granite?

If you have been shopping for granite countertops, you must have realized that they don’t come cheap. This calls for you to be cautious when purchasing, so you buy high-quality granite surfaces that will look good for long and last for a long time.

Wondering how can you tell quality of granite? There are plenty of ways you can go about it. To help you out, here are some of these ways:

Check the price

This is a dead giveaway. Like any other product, low-quality granite will sell at a much lower price. Hence, if you pop into a countertop store and you find the countertops selling at a lower price than the standard  market prices, chances are the countertops are poor quality, and you should look elsewhere.

Check the color and pattern.

Another way to tell the quality of the stone is to check the color and patterns. As you are inspecting the stone, you should note that granite is natural, so like any other natural product, you should expect diversity, so if you come across a slab with the same color and pattern, it’s most likely not natural granite, and you should avoid buying it.

As mentioned, granite is a natural product, so you should expect every granite slab to be unique. This means that the color, texture, and veins on the countertop surface shouldn’t be the same in all sections of the slab.

Tap the countertop

Did you know you can tell the quality of the slab by simply tapping on it? When you are in the countertop store, simply give the countertop a tap and listen to the sound. A natural, good-quality granite should give a ringing sound when tapped, while a cheap, manufactured granite, won’t give the ringing sound.

The poor quality granite won’t make the unique sound because it’s made from resins and quartz crystals that are non-porous, and due to this, the sound produced will be muted or dull.

Do the water test

It might sound like you have to go to the laboratory and test, but this isn’t the case. All you have to do is to pour water on a granite slab and see how it behaves.

If the granite slab is natural and of good quality, it should absorb water, but the water should run off the slab if low quality.

This is because manufactured granite is made from epoxy resins that are nonporous, so they won’t absorb water after pouring it there.

Natural granite, on the other hand, will absorb water. The easiest way to tell that the stone is absorbing water is by looking at the stone. Does the stone darken as the water stays on the surface?

Inspect the granite seams

If you have already installed the countertops, you want to confirm whether you installed the right pieces and take a look at the seams.

If the countertop is poor quality or artificial, it won’t have any change in the pattern along the seams, but with real, good-quality granite, you will have a noticeable change in pattern.

Although most experienced contractors do a good job at minimizing the pattern change as they are lining up the seams, you should still see the seam changes on a closer look.

Check the polish quality.

In the same way, you would judge the quality of a car by the quality of paint, you should judge the quality of granite by the quality of the polish.

As you can expect, the higher the granite quality, the better the polish quality.

The best way to tell the quality of the polish is to gently brush a coin on the polished granite surface. If the surface easily scrapes, the polish and the granite countertop are low quality, but it’s high quality if the polish is resistant to the impact.

Measure the granite thickness

The final thing you should pay attention to the thickness of the slab. According to granite installers Potomac, you should avoid thin granite as it will not only be unpleasant to look at but also brittle upon installation as it can easily break even from the slightest impact.

14

May

4 Disadvantages of Granite Countertops

Although granite counters are one of the most popular countertop materials in the market, they aren’t perfect. Like other materials, they come with their fair share of negatives that you should be aware of if installing them for the first time. To help you out, here are 4 disadvantages of granite countertops and how to go around them:

They are prone to heat damage.

Although the countertops are tough and heat resistant, they aren’t heatproof. While you might get away with placing hot pots and pans on them a few times, repeatedly doing so increases the chances of leaving an ugly scar on the countertops, and you are forced to replace them.

It’s true the countertops are prone to heat damage, but you can prevent it from coming about. One way to do so is to never place hot pots or pans directly on them. When cooking, always have a trivet or hot pad in the kitchen.

If you don’t have the protective devices in place, don’t remove the hot pot from the stove. Let it cool and only place it on the countertops when it has completely cooled.

They are highly susceptible to staining.

Granite is porous in nature. This means that when a liquid or any substance spills on the countertops, it quickly moves to the stone’s inner layers and stains it.

While this is the case, it doesn’t mean that you should avoid installing the countertops simply because they will stain. You can prevent the staining from occurring in the first place.

One way to do it is to seal the countertops. At the time of installation, ask the contractors to seal the surfaces. You also should seal them at least once a year to maintain the protective barrier.

The purpose of sealing the countertops is to reduce the surface’s porosity, so the liquids don’t absorb too quickly.

Although the liquids won’t absorb quickly when you seal granite countertops, it doesn’t mean that you should start spilling the liquids haphazardly on the countertops. Remember, even if the countertops are sealed, the liquids can still seep through and stain the surfaces, so keep any liquids off the countertops.

When a spill happens, move fast and remove it before it soaks into the deeper layers.

The granite surfaces tend to harbor bacteria.

The granite pores that allow water to seep through also harbor bacteria. If you haven’t sealed the countertops, wiping a cleaning towel across the unsealed surface pushes the food, liquid and bacteria in the pores where they grow and develop, and they can be harmful to your health.

For example, if you cut meat or vegetables directly on the countertops, the bacteria will get into your food leading to food poisoning upon eating the food.

One way to reduce the bacteria population is to seal the countertops. You also should disinfect the surfaces at least once a week.

Granite countertops are heavy.

Even when you are in the stores, on picking the countertops, you will notice that they are heavy. While the heavy nature of the countertops might mean the countertops are tough and indestructible, it brings about an installation challenge.

If you had not thought it through when building the cabinets, placing the heavy granite slabs on the weak cabinets will bring about a plethora of problems, including binding, cracking or even the ultimate breaking of the cabinets.

The weighty nature of the slabs also means that the granite contractor you hire can’t do the work by himself or with his assistant—he has to hire many people to help with the installation, which increases the installation cost.

To counter this, hire the right contractor from the word go. The experienced contractor will help you install the right cabinets that will carry the countertop’s weight.

Installing the countertops isn’t cheap, but you don’t have to redo it when you hire an experienced contractor that knows what they are doing.

If you are looking to install granite on your surfaces, don’t be in a hurry to settle on the first granite installer you come across. Take your time and interview several granite countertop installers Rockville, then settle on the most qualified.

Remember, installing the countertops is expensive, and you don’t want someone that will install the countertops, then you will have to redo them.

30

Apr

What Color Granite Is Cheapest?

Granite countertops don’t come cheap, and one of the factors that affect the price of the countertops is the countertop’s color. Common colors such as white and black are cheaper compared to rare colors such as green and red. This means that if you are looking to save money, you should go for common countertop colors.

Are you wondering what color granite is cheapest? Tan and black granite are the cheapest, so if you are strapped for money, these are the ones to go for. While this is the case, there are plenty of other cheaper alternatives, including white granite, that you can buy if tan or black isn’t your color. These cheaper alternatives include:

Dallas white

Although it’s known as Dallas, this isn’t where it’s mined. The countertop is quarried in Aguia Branca, Brazil. The countertop is characterized by low water absorption and low porosity, making it an excellent choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

The countertop has a white background and dark crystals scattered throughout, giving your home an interesting appeal.

Although, most slabs have crystals, it’s not uncommon to find some slabs with brown or golden cream veins that make the countertop resemble an abstract art painting.

Due to the tight grain structure of the countertop, you don’t have to install a face resin on the countertops. The lack of resin means that you can place a hot pot on the countertop without worrying about damaging the countertops.

Although, the countertops are tough to take the heat, you should note that continued exposure to heat increases the chances of damaging them. To protect the countertops from damage, use a trivet or a hot pad every time you place a hot object on the countertops.

To get the most from the countertop, ensure that it’s installed by a professional. The Dallas white color pairs excellently with white cabinetry, but if you don’t want your entire bathroom or kitchen to be white, pair it with dark wood cabinetry such as dark walnut.

Azul Platino

Azul Platino has been around for hundreds of years, and it features an off-white background with small bluish-gray specks. It’s also common for the slabs to have black spots or even black or white veining.

Most of the Azul Platino slabs are large, making them ideal choices for kitchen islands and other areas where you need to install large-sized slabs.

Uba Tuba

It’s named after the place it’s mined. Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. Besides being affordable, the countertop is also beautiful, and when you properly install and take good care of it, it will last for a long time. The countertop features a dark green background with brown, green, and gold flecks scattered across the granite slab.

In some cases, the slab has small veins that can be white, gold, or turquoise.

When you install the countertops, pair them with dark cabinetry to bring out exciting features. You can also pair them with white cabinetry for an elegant contemporary look.

New Caledonia

This is another countertop quarried in Brazil. Although it’s natural, it’s unique in that it has a uniform look such that two slabs look almost similar.

The natural stone countertop features a white background with gray or brown speckles that run uniformly throughout the slab giving it an interesting look. The heavy grain pattern makes it easy to hide the stains, so you don’t have to worry when liquids and foods spill on the countertops.

Since the countertop has a uniform look, it perfectly fits both traditional and contemporary kitchens and bathrooms. To bring out the brown and bedrock minerals, pair them with dark wood-stained cabinetry. On the other hand, if you want to bring out the charcoal flecking, pair it with light cabinetry.

Valle Nevado

It’s one of the most popular, affordable countertop granite colors, and it’s loved for its ability to coordinate with many design styles. The countertop features a tight grain structure that minimizes the need to apply a resin to it.

Due to its versatility, you can effectively pair it with both black or white cabinetry. When you pair it with white cabinetry, you bring out the tiny back crystals. On the other hand, when you pair it with black cabinetry, you bring out the pale gray tone of the countertop.

The key to getting the most from it is to work with experienced granite installers Rockville that know what they are doing.

30

Mar

How Do I Get The Best Deal On Granite Countertops?

Although granite counters are beautiful and significantly improve the house’s look, they don’t come cheap. Fortunately, you can do several things to get the countertops at a good price. Are you wondering how do I get the best deal on granite countertops? There are plenty of ways, with the most common ones being:

Shop around and compare prices

What do most homeowners do when they are looking to buy granite counters? They visit the first granite shop and make the purchase. In most cases, they do this because they are in a hurry to get things done and move on to the next thing. This is wrong as they often end up spending too much money than they should have.

To save money and get the best deal, take your time and visit different granite stores and see what they offer. Of course, you should only consider buying from a store stocking high-quality stones at a low cost.

You can’t have ample time if you start your research late, so to ensure you have as much time as you need, start scouting for countertops at least 3 months before you embark on your project.

Buy wholesale

When you buy anything wholesale, you save a lot of money, and you should do the same when you are buying granite counters. The cool thing is most granite stores will sell you the countertops at wholesale prices when you are buying many slabs. There are even some stores that will sell you one slab at a wholesale price—you only need to look.

Be flexible with granite color.

One of the prime factors affecting the price of countertops is the color of the slab, where the rare colors cost more than the easier-to-find colors. As you can guess, this means that if you are looking for a specific rare color, you end up paying a premium for your countertops.

To save money and get a perfect deal, you should be flexible in your color choice. The beauty is since granite is natural, it comes in plenty of colors to choose from. If you are in the granite store and find that your desired granite color is expensive than your budget, choose a cheaper color that is close to your color of choice.

Order from a local supplier

While you can buy the granite slabs from anywhere in the world, it’s good you buy them from your local supplier. The reason for this is because the slabs will be cheaper to transport from the local supplier to your home.

Granite slabs are heavy, and if you ship them from a long-distance, they can cost you an arm and a leg, and you don’t want this, do you?

Granite sellers ship their products in bulk, so they don’t spend as much money as you would if you shipped just a few slabs for your kitchen.

To save even more money on transport, ask the seller if they can transport the slabs for you, for free.

Go for granite remnants.

If you are looking for small granite slabs for certain kitchen elements, such as the backsplash behind the stove, don’t spend a lot of money on whole granite slabs. Instead, get granite remnants.

These are small granite chunks that are leftover from previous projects.

Since they are leftover and often too small to fit an entire kitchen, they are cheaper than entire slabs.

When you are in the granite store, ask for the remnants, and you will get them at a low price, which sees you saving a lot of money.

Go with a standard eased edge.

The type of edge you install on your countertops has a significant impact on the overall cost of granite surfaces, so be cautious of the edge you settle on. As a rule of thumb, choose the standard eased edge as it’s much cheaper than the tiered or bevel edge.

Install the countertops by yourself

If you are a dab hand at DIY projects, save money by bypassing granite installers Rockville and installing the countertops by yourself. Of course, ensure that you follow the right procedure when it comes to their installation.

17

Mar

How to Tell the Difference between Marble and Granite

On first look, marble and granite countertops look similar. Both are natural and porous, which can be confusing to many new homeowners. But are the two similar? Absolutely not.

While the two materials are similar in some aspects, they have their differences. If this is the first time buying the countertops, you need to be cautious, so you don’t buy the wrong one. To help you out, here is a guide on how to tell the difference between marble and granite:

Origin

Both marble and granite are natural, meaning they are both acquired through mining and excavation, but they have a few differences.

After being buried for millions of years, granite is a kind of igneous rock. It’s a byproduct of molten magma that has been seasoned down and solidified for decades. Granite forms after going through periodic heating and cooling, and this makes it hard and durable.

Marble goes through the same formation process as granite, but marble doesn’t involve magma heat. A marble is a combination of sedimentary rocks and other natural elements. It results after years of natural meshing of rock and soil. After being exposed to heat and pressure, you have the natural design of the stone.

During its making, plenty of minerals are involved, so marble tends to come in a wide range of colors. This means as a buyer, you have plenty of designs and colors to choose from.

Cost

Cost is often a deal-breaker when you are buying countertops, with marble being more expensive than granite. You should note that the price of the countertops isn’t only the buying cost. You also need to factor in the cost of installation. You can’t install the countertops by yourself, so you will need to hire a professional to help you out.

The installation technicians have different rates depending on their experience level, insurances, and location. It’s up to you to research and find a contractor that will provide you with great service at the least cost.

When you are operating on a tight budget, avoid hiring uptown companies as they will charge you a premium fee for nothing. You should note that the high fees charged by these companies aren’t a reflection of the services they provide, but rather than the fee they have to charge to stay afloat.

Simultaneously, avoid extremely cheap companies as they are most likely inexperienced and will do a shoddy job. Others will damage your countertops, which can lead to an expensive loss.

As mentioned, you need to do your research and find a company that provides you the sweet balance between cost and experience.

Porosity

As mentioned in the introduction, both marble and granite are porous, meaning that water penetrates the inner layers, putting the countertops at staining risk. While this is the case, marble is more porous, so you need to seal it more often to prevent it from staining.

Despite the high porosity, marble is still compact and sturdy, so it makes a great choice when you are looking to install durable and elegant kitchen countertops.

The marble’s high porosity makes it an ideal candidate for installation in hotter climates due to its ability to repel heat.

Although granite is less porous, you should note that it’s still porous, so you should protect it from oils, wine, condiments, and other materials that can stain the surface.

Aesthetics

For the untrained eye, both marble and granite look the same, but they have several distinct physical attributes that you can pick when you are cautious.

For example, granite has a veiny look that resembles specks on the surface and differs in color, where the different slabs have a variety of hues. Marble, too, has a veiny pattern, but the veins are larger and run through the slab with fairly consistent colors.

Durability and maintenance

For the countertops to last for a long time, you need to ensure they are properly installed by experienced granite installers Rockville or other professionals. Since marble is more porous, it’s more susceptible to stains and spills, so you will need to clean it up and seal it more often.

Granite is less porous, but you will still need to seal it at least once a year to improve its ability to resist stains and spills.

13

Jan

How Do You Save Money On Granite Countertops?

Since granite is a luxurious material, many homeowners imagine having to spend astronomical amounts on it. What if I told you it doesn’t have to be this way? Operating on a budget and wondering how do you save money on granite countertops? Here are tips on how to go about it:

Buy a prefabricated stone.

A prefabricated stone is one that has already been cut before arriving at the store. Since the supplier doesn’t have to cut the stone, they often sell it at a lower price, which sees you saving money.

Prefabricated stones also prevent unwanted delays as the supplier picks the stone from the store and delivers it to your home without working on them.

While the prefabricated stone saves you money, you should note that it might not fit your kitchen perfectly as it doesn’t have custom cuttings.

Before you go for this stone, ask your contractor whether it’s a wise thing to do. You don’t want to save money on a stone you won’t use or install it, and it gives your kitchen an ugly look, do you?

Take your time

What do most homeowners do when they are looking to install countertops in their homes? They rush to the nearest store and pick the slab that is pleasing to their eyes. You shouldn’t do this if you are looking to save money.

As a savvy shopper, take your time. Ask yourself, where can I find granite countertops? The materials are sold in big box stores, from granite fabricators and companies specializing in prefabricated granite counters, and bathroom design studios.

You should then hit these stores and see what they have to offer. As you are shopping, keep in mind that most big box stores don’t stock many countertop options and tend to be expensive, so it’s wise to avoid them.

Get estimates from different suppliers and compare them. The estimates should include the cost of the countertop, the cost of delivering it to your property, and the installation cost.

Carefully review the estimates and buy from a contractor that makes the most sense.

It’s also wise to shop in the company of an experienced contractor who will guide you on buying a countertop material that is right for your home and gives you the best results.

Settle for a simple color

If you have been shopping for the countertops for a while, you must have realized that certain countertops are more expensive than others solely due to their colors.

Some colors are rare than others, and the rare ones tend to be more expensive. And since you are looking to save money, avoid countertops with the rare color.

You might argue that your kitchen will look better with the rare color, but you should know you are better off changing the design elements in your kitchen to fit the color of a more affordable countertop rather than going for the expensive stone.

For example, you can paint or stain your cabinets to match the less expensive color, and you save money you would have spent on the rare color.

Keep an eye on the hidden costs.

When installing countertops, the price of the countertops is just one of the costs. There are plenty of other costs that come with it, such as the cost of installation, seaming, transportation, edging, backsplash finish, and many others.

To save money, buy from smaller stores with plenty of countertop options and often install the countertops at a lower price.

Streamline the project by choosing the standard eased edge instead of fancier edges such as the bevel edge. You also save money by choosing another finish for the backsplash.

Use granite tiles instead of slabs.

If looking to redo the entire kitchen or bathroom, use granite tiles instead of slabs. Although, you won’t get the same look as with the slab, tiles are cheaper to buy and install. Tiles are also thinner, which means less raw materials to deal with and easier transportation.

The light and thin nature of the tiles means you can also install them directly over your existing counters.  Due to this, granite contractor Rockville has to undertake little to no demolition work.

07

Dec

How Much Do Granite Countertops Cost?

If you are asking how much do granite countertops cost, you must be looking to renovate your bathroom or kitchen and not sure how much to budget for it. As much as we would like to give you a definite answer to this question, the unfortunate thing is the price of the slabs varies depending on plenty of factors that include:

Source of the stone

Ask most homeowners where to buy the granite counters, and the first thing that comes to their minds is the big box stores. While the stores are large and popular, they often don’t have plenty of countertop slab options to choose from. The stores also tend to be more expensive, with most of them charging up to 40% more than specialist stores.

These big-box stores also often outsource the fabrication and installation work making the installation process too expensive.

To save money and get many countertop options to choose from, buy your countertops from the countertop specialists. These professionals have staff, skills, and the necessary equipment, making them a one stop shop.

When you visit these stores, you get top quality unique slabs at a lower cost, and you have expert contractors ready to install the countertops for you expertly.

Thickness

Most of the granite slabs vary between 2 cm and 3 cm. As you can guess, the thicker slabs are more expensive than, the thinner ones. This means you can buy many thinner countertops than thicker ones.

Unfortunately, the thinner slabs require a lot of support and easily break especially when you place them over a large area.

Rarelity of the colors

Although most homeowners install white countertops, granite slabs come in all shades of colors where the rare and exotic colors such as red, blue, and black tend to be more expensive than the standard hues.

Cut

Most people associate granite with long slabs of stone, but these are just the most desirable cut for the kitchen countertops. Manufacturers cut granite in many ways, including tiles, modules, and many others.

Slabs are the most popular, followed by modules, then tiles, where the only advantage granite slabs have over modules is that slabs look better as they require fewer seams hence presenting a smoother, sleeker look.

The modules and tiles might seem less durable than slabs, but this isn’t the case. Remember, they are made from granite.

If operating on a tight budget, go for tiles that also work excellently for backsplashes.

Granite quality grades

Granite comes in different grades defined by pits, veins, colors, soft material content, marks, thickness, and the quarry. While there are many grades, we can summarize them into three primary levels:

Level 1: The low level or entry-level granite is also known as the commercial-grade or the “builder’s grade,” often from china.

Level 2: This is the mid-grade level that is more unique than level 1, and it’s often from Brazil and India.

Level 3: Also known as the high-level grade, it’s the finest quality and comes from India and Brazil.

Obviously, level 3 is the most expensive as it focuses on the quality of the stone.

Demand and supply

Like any other product in the market, the granite countertops’ price is affected by the demand and supply forces. If you buy the slabs when they are in high demand, you will pay more for them than when another person would buy when the demand is lower.

Finishes

Most countertop specialists give the countertops a glossy or polished finish, and in rare cases, they will give it a matte finish. These are the most popular granite finishes, and when you buy them, you won’t pay extra for them.

Unfortunately, if you choose another finish, such as hammered or leathered, you will have to pay an extra fee as the finish is out of the ordinary.

Can you save on your countertops?

The good news is you can save on your countertops. One way is to be more flexible on the countertop’s color, size, grade, and texture. You also should be cautious of the store you buy from.

To avoid costly mistakes, hire expert granite installers Rockville to handle the installations. The professionals will help you with the installations and guide you into buying the right slabs for your home.