Most homeowners want their houses to look great, not just on the outside but on the inside as well. The general appearance of a kitchen, its design, and most importantly the quality of materials used in manufacturing its furniture says a lot about the owners of the house.
This is why it’s absolutely necessary to choose the highest quality materials from a reliable dealership/supplier when planning a kitchen remodeling project. You’ll find some very insightful tips in this article on how to go about choosing the right granite countertop supplier for you so you can get the best value for your money.
What makes a reliable countertop supplier?
There are several reasons why you should only get your granite countertops from reliable granite fabricators one of the reasons being that you’re assured of authentic products that aren’t just pleasing to look at but will go on to last for decades if handled and cared for properly.
A good fabricator understands the importance of using only quality and standard materials for the production of their countertops. Finding a reliable company means you can rest easy knowing you’ve made the right purchase and you won’t have to worry about updating your countertops for a while.
As a dealer, you can also rest assured that your customers will trust your products and business and also spread the word. Choice Cabinet is the company you can trust for that level of competence.
How to Choose the Right Granite Countertop Company
Granite countertop suppliers are almost everywhere. However, this isn’t entirely a good thing since you still have to be extremely careful when deciding on which one to patronize.
As you probably already know, there’s a huge variety of granite colors and they all come in different grades, shapes, and patterns. However, what most people don’t realize is that granite countertops aren’t always of the same quality.
Now that you’re aware of this fact it’s also important for you to know that the fabricators of the countertops and their suppliers should play a key role in your decision. This brings us to the question of how to find the best supplier since they are not very easy to come by with the countless options out there.
The following are a few important things to take along with you to help you weed out the good from the bad and to ensure that you get the best quality products.
1. Study Reviews
It’s important that you find a company with a spotless online reputation even if it’s a big box store. The best way to go about this is by reading online reviews from their previous customers to get a clear picture of the kind of products they offer
If a majority of the comments are positive then this is a good indication their products might be worth buying. To be sure about the quality of their slabs you can also check the better business bureau to see if there are positive reviews or whether any serious complaints have been made against them.
2. Find out what their processes are?
Only patronize a granite countertop supplier that buys from well-known and reputable granite fabricators that utilize quality materials for making their products. It’s essential that they use state-of-the-art technology for their manufacturing processes and they must also follow strict processing standards which are of utmost importance for guaranteeing quality granite countertops.
3. Find out about their granite selection
Aside from their elegant look and durability one of the reasons why granite kitchen countertops are so popular and more preferred to quartzite and quartz countertops lies in the fact that these natural stone products come in a wide array of elegant textures, colors, and patterns.
It’s very rare to find a pure white granite color slab since these natural stone materials usually have a splash of other colors mixed up in the same slab. A great way to know if you’ve found the best granite countertop supplier is if they have a ton of options and a wide color scheme for you to choose from.
They’ll most likely have exquisite granite countertops including black Pearl, new Venetian gold, and other exotic options. Stay away from suppliers who get their products from shady unspecified sources since such products tend to only have the appearance of valuable countertops but are actually substandard.
4. Find a supplier who deals in whole granite slabs
Inquire from the supplier whether they deal in whole slabs or pre-fabricated countertops. One of the advantages of pre-fabricated countertops is that they are one of the more affordable varieties of granite countertops, making them the perfect choice for customers hoping to save some cash on their purchase.
When buying pre-fabricated countertops there’s a chance that you’ll get exactly what you want, however, this isn’t always the case since they can at times be fashioned out of substandard materials.
Rather than taking such a risk due to their affordability, choose a dealer who buys whole granite slabs and produces the countertops on-site instead of selling pre-fabricated ones. This way you are more likely to choose the right granite countertop for your kitchen.
5. Choose a manufacturer with trusted contractors
The best granite fabricators will most likely associate with quality contractors and granite installers. Take some time to look through their website or ask around to find out about their designers and see if they can refer you to a good granite installer.
Do you want to become one of Choice Cabinet’s dealers? Fill this simple form and we will help set you up in no time.
6. Schedule a personal visit to their showroom
Nothing beats having a first-hand experience which is why we highly recommend paying personal visits to various granite fabricators. It’s ok to have samples sent over to your house but it’s much better to visit the manufacturer yourself since at times the samples sent to you might be from one of the pieces they used to have years ago
Aside from their durability, the beauty of these natural stone kitchen items rests in the fact that each granite countertop comes in its unique pattern which is exactly why it’s essential that you go see the showroom floor in person to tell which manufacturer offers superior quality products and the granite kitchen countertop that is best suited for you.
7. Aside from having good granite countertops, check if they have insurance
A good granite fabricator is most likely to have insurance that’ll cover any form of accidents that might occur during the installation of newly purchased countertops. The insurance should also cover business liability and other state requirements.
If you’re able to find a local fabricator who has met this particular condition, there is a high chance that they’ll be very good at their job and won’t use substandard materials.
8. Ask around from people you know
If there’s anyone you know who happens to have good granite countertops in their kitchen, go right ahead and ask where they got them from.
If they’re able to provide you with the contact information and residential address of their supplier go ahead and contact them and ask about their level of experience, find out if they’re a licensed enterprise and whether or not they are insured.
If they check all these boxes then they’re probably the right fit for you and you can then pick a day to drop by at their showroom to look through their inventory.
9. Ask for a project quote
A good supplier will help you start up your remodeling project with a quote. This is just as important as any of the other guidelines. If the supplier in question can provide you with a quote without delay it shows that they’re serious about their job and worth your consideration.
Ensure that they provide you with a quote for every single thing, from the materials to the edge treatments, templates, and installation. The company’s representative must be able to give you a complete and thorough overview of all there is to expect. Each of these should be included in the project quote.
You should also ask questions about the right installation process and if they have a recommended list of contractors before choosing them for your project. You can find our trusted dealers close to your location by simply filling this out.
10. Ask To See Their Equipment
All their equipment must be up to date. Anything less will certainly affect the quality of their countertops. The cuts on each of their countertops must be clean and precise, don’t settle for anything less than this.
11. Trust Your Gut
If you’ve read and understood all of the above tips all that’s left for you is to listen to your instincts before making a purchase. If something just doesn’t sit right with you then it’s probably a sign that you’re not in the right place.
Are granite counters expensive?
The average price for acquiring granite counters is usually around $3,300 or $4,500. Generally, the size of the slab is a huge determinant of the overall price, in other words, the bigger the slab, the higher the cost. Several other things including the pattern, the weight of the slab, and the precision of the cuts are also usually taken into account.
One of the best ways to save money when buying granite countertops is to opt for granite tile rather than solid slabs. The beauty of prefab granite countertops is that they offer the best price compared to solid slabs because they’re produced with smaller pieces of stones and they can also be installed on top of existing countertops.
How much does a granite slab cost per square foot?
Just like every other home renovation project, the cost per square foot of a granite countertop is one of the major things you should have an idea of. There are instances where you’ll find a contractor who’ll give you a quote on the price per square foot. In most cases, the quoted price is usually around $40 to $100 per square foot.
With this information in mind, all that’s left is the cost of installing granite countertops which is usually around $45 to $90 per hour. The size of your kitchen will also determine how much you’ll need to spend on the granite countertops.
This simply means that you should expect to spend a lot more for the countertops if your kitchen is considerably large, on the other hand, it’ll cost a lot less to purchase granite countertops for relatively smaller kitchens.
Final words
If you’re in search of new granite countertops to remodel your kitchen with, endeavor to only patronize the company with the highest potential, which is, the one that can meet most if not all of the above conditions. This way you’ll get the best quality products at the best value.
Are you looking for stylish, gorgeous, durable, but affordable kitchen countertops? Do you want to become a dealer and make good profit from selling the best countertops, send Choice Cabinet a message today and let us set you up on your journey.
