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Frequently asked questions
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- How much will an average natural stone countertop cost? (Links to a .pdf file)
- How often does my granite need to be sealed?
- Why won't you give me a quick estimate based on square feet like the bigbox store does?
- What do contractors need to know about preparing for stone countertops? (Links to a .pdf file)
- What does my plumber need to know?
- How long does it take to get my stonework installed once the templates are made?
- Will the sample I got from the showroom be an exact match to the stone?
- Is granite the only natural stone I should consider for residential applications?
- Is 3cm stone always more expensive than 2cm stone?
- Do I need to hire a contractor if I only want to replace countertops?
- Do I want an under-mounted or a top-mounted sink?
- Are natural stone countertops a 'green' choice?
- How does engineered stone compare with natural?
- How can I tell which fabricator is the right one for me?
- I want to get stone countertops. Where do I begin?
Not nearly as often as the rumor mill may have told you! A professional grade penetrating sealer will last for 3 to 5 years, perhaps longer depending on your granite. The consumer products you find at the big box store cost less, but you may have to reseal every year or even more often.
The best natural stone sealers on the market right now are sold at some of the Seattle slab showrooms or online at stonetechpro.com. Applied according to the instructions, your granite countertops will be protected from stains for years.
- There can be an awful lot of add-ons between that square-foot number and the countertop you think you're pricing! The bigbox contracts with a production fabricator who will install your stonework, then they take a mark-up of their own. Can you trust that the guy behind the counter has the knowledge (and the motivation) to let you know exactly what your dream countertops are going to cost before the final bill arrives?
- Unless you've ordered custom stonework many times before, you're unlikely to know the options available to you and the questions to ask. And even then...
- By definition, all custom countertops are unique--and in more ways than their size! True, you'll have to tell us a little bit about your project to get a price, but your estimate is going to include everything to make it a quality product and the exact design you had in mind. All those little details you'd have had no idea existed until you saw them as a line item on the bigbox's final bill!
- For example: How many holes (for faucets, grommets, etc.) are included in the cost per square foot and how much if you need more? How much extra to finish the opening for an undermounted sink? (Their per-foot estimate often includes one topmounted sink). Can you get a 5" backsplash instead of 4" (to cover up the mess you'll make taking out the old one)? How much for that? How much extra to match up the veins in your slabs at the seams and up the backsplash? How much extra to seal your countertop with a professional grade sealer that will keep it beautiful for years instead of the stuff they sell? You get the point.
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Plumbers should use only silicone-based sealant against stone. Plumber's putty is oil-based and may stain or leave rings around fixtures.
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We install undermounted sinks at the same time as the countertops. They are epoxied firmly to the underside of the stone and should be allowed to set for 24 hours before attaching plumbing. This helps to insure the sink doesn't separate from the stone while tightening the plumbing.
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Drop-in sinks often have clamps that do not reach the thickness of the stone. Sometimes purchasing longer screws for the clamps will allow their use, but the clamps are really not necessary. Attaching the sink to the stone with silicone-based sealant should be sufficient.
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Countertops and fabricated sinks can be a thick as 1-1/4". Custom flanges and fittings may be required for proper installation of drains, disposers and faucets.
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When estimating, we normally tell clients to plan for one to three weeks between the day we template and the day of installation, but we can often be more specific when we know more about the project.
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Preparation is the key to efficiency! Along with the invoice for the deposit, we'll send a page of installation guidelines so you know what to expect and how to prepare.
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We try to schedule our shop time respectfully and can often turn a job around in about 5 working days--sometimes even less if preparation has been exceptional and our stars line up! Extremely complex details, incomplete site prep and of course unplanned circumstances--this is construction after all!--can make a job take longer.
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We work with the project manager, homeowner and/or contractor before and during production to make sure this part goes as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Will the sample I got from the showroom be an exact match to the stone?
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While it's likely to be representative of the slabs that showroom has in stock, the sample is unlikely to be an exact match. Slab stone comes to the wholesaler in 'blocks' that have been sliced up like a loaf of bread. The blocks of a given type of stone often from different parts of the mountain, sometimes from different parts of the world and slices at one end of the block are often different from those at the other end. You'll even find that the same type stone at two different showrooms can look vastly different from one another. As a stone importer once told me, "We're not talking about Ford F-150s here. Slabs of stone aren't stamped out or extruded, they're a product of nature, they're cut of a mountain. Every slab is not going to look just like the one that came off the line just before it."
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Not at all! As a major port, Seattle has a huge & growing variety of beautiful stone available and local tastes are expanding along with the supply. Marble, soapstone, travertine, sandstone, slate, Pietra di Cardosa and onyx are some of the other popular stones offered by local wholesalers for interior use. Some types are excellent alternatives for kitchen countertops, others work better as tabletops, less frequently-used countertops and as vertical surfaces. (Click Here to learn more about the pros and cons of various stones for countertop applications.)
- In our area, most stones for interior use are available as 2cm (about
3/4") thick slabs, sometimes called 'dimensional' stone. This
thinner stone has to be supported by a substrate, often 3/4" plywood, to add
strength when using it as a countertop. Then we laminate a strip of stone
below the edges to cover the substrate. Most stones
are also available as 3cm (about 1-1/4") slabs, called 'structural' stone.
Countertops from these thicker slabs are applied directly to the tops of the
cabinets, no substrate is required.
While thicker slabs always cost more per square foot, they might end up being the more economical choice because less labor is required both in the stone fabrication and installation of the substrate. We're always willing to help you weigh the factors for the most cost-effective solution. For more about stone thickness and countertops, read our page on Specifying Custom Stone Countertops.
Do I need to hire a contractor if I only want to replace my kitchen countertops?
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Probably--and be sure he's licensed! Check here to find out.
Why? Mostly because there's no such thing as 'only replacing countertops', in fact NOTHING in remodeling is ever as simple as you think it's going to be! In the very easiest of projects you have to remove and reinstall backsplashes, plumbing and appliances and you'll need to make at least minor repairs to your drywall and cabinets. But the hardest parts are coordinating all the activities and dealing with the surprises that tend to ruin your day--and usually your schedule!
If you or a friend have the tools and knowledge to coordinate the project, do the work and have all the right pieces on site at the right times, then doing the work yourself might be a workable plan. Otherwise, don't avoid hiring a contractor to save money--more often than not it's a false economy.
We can provide the names of some good, affordable and dependable licensed contractors for small jobs if you need them.
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We're always here to answer your questions and will send a copy of our Installation Guidelines early in the process to help you determine whether you have the tools and expertise to do it yourself, or if it might be wiser to pay a professional instead. Click here for a .pdf file about cabinet prep and countertop installation.
A major advantage of stone countertops is that the opening around the sink can be finished to match the surface, allowing the sink to be mounted beneath the counter.
- Easier to maintain: An undermount sink is not only attractive, but they're much easier to use and maintain because water can be brushed directly into the sink and easily wiped from behind the faucets.
- Choosing the sink: Sinks are designed to be used one way or the other & sometimes either way, choose a sink designed to match your installation.
- Under mounted sinks are permanently installed: We install your under-mounted sinks with epoxy that's as hard as the stone itself, harder in some cases. While the sink probably COULD be replaced, it would be a very messy procedure that could mean replacing some or all of the countertop as well! We recommend that you select your sink with as much care as you select your slabs.
- Extra cost: It takes time to finish the edges inside the
hole for an under-mounted sink. The cost will run $150 to $200.
Blanco has a good guide to selecting your sink posted on their website
Are natural stone countertops a 'green' choice?
No alternative you an find is more respectful to the environment!
Natural Stone is:
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100% Recyclable: Natural stone remains a 100% recyclable resource throughout its life cycle: quarrying, processing, end-use and returning to nature. Even unused stone waste from quarrying is often used directly for filling in where stone has been extracted.
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Earth-friendly: No energy is needed to manufacture natural stone. Energy is consumed for quarrying and processing, but the amount is small compared with manufactured alternatives. Some stones such as soapstone are quarried very close to the earth’s surface, reducing the impact even further.
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Long life cycle: Whereas many building materials become unsightly in the course of years, natural stone retains a natural patina, enhancing it’s beauty. Many natural stones are like good wine: They only attain their full elegance with advancing years. Natural stone can be cleaned & maintained easily. Even centuries-old floor coverings of natural stone can be ground down and restored to their original condition.
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Environmentally compatible: Natural stone contains no pollutants . It is not combustible and releases no substances that are hazardous to health in case of fire. And natural stone requires no auxiliary chemical substances such as protective coatings or impregnating agents before it can be used as a building material.
How does engineered stone countertops compare with natural stone?
We're often asked if we see much of the engineered stones and we can honestly say we do--when we're replacing it with natural stone! Do our customers ask us to install it? Very rarely, and when they do we have to send them to the big box stores for a quote because we don't work in it.
Today's engineered stones are a blend of crushed quartz (stone) held together by epoxy (plastic). They are a modern-day substitute for corian, popular in the 1970's. They're widely marketed as an environmentally-responsible solution, a claim that mystifies us given the fumes that result when you cut the stuff!
Their cost normally equals or exceeds the cost for natural stone, yet realtors admit it often detracts from the resale value of a home because buyers see it as an indication of inferior quality. Natural stone has the opposite effect on resale value.
Click here for a more technical (and less biased!) comparison by an expert.
More natural stone has been consumed for interior use in the past 5 years than was used for the same purpose in the 50 years before 2000! Industry has grown quickly, certification standards for fabricators that are intended to help protect consumers are still in the discussion phase so we remain a completely unregulated industry.
Increasing demand + low barriers to entry into the market = lots of fabricators to choose from!
Of course you want to hire a someone you can trust, but how can you tell? Review their websites, talk with the owners or managers, find out what do their former clients & suppliers think about them. Ask where you can see and touch some examples of their work. A general contractor they've worked with in the past will be particularly good and candid resource.
Craftsmanship: Does he know what he's doing? Seams and edges are where talented fabricators get to show off their craftsmanship! Seams in most natural stones can be almost invisible (1/64") and should be undetectable to the touch, edges should be smooth and even in appearance. You'll live with these countertops for many years, are rough edges and gaping seams going to drive you crazy every time you touch them?
Quality of construction: Embedded reinforcing rods, superior quality epoxies & sealers and proper installation techniques are as important as the stone you choose but they're often not included and you won't know whether you got them or not unless there's a problem sometime down the road when fixing them is very expensive. Hire a fabricator you can trust to install your stone right the first time.
Level of service: The world
continues to wait for the construction project that proceeded exactly as
planned! As finish subcontractors, your countertop fabricator comes in
at the end of the project when everybody's eager to be finished! He has
to be especially flexible and understanding. What is their reputation for
meeting scheduling requirements? Do they answer your phone calls and/or
e-mails?
Is your fabricator's team available to help
you with the choices you'll have to make? How do you feel about working
with them?
Price: Did their quote clearly describe the project, the process, what is included and what is not? Are you comfortable with the value you're getting for your money?
Production shops tend to be less 'user friendly' for small projects. They're frequently focused on volume more than craftsmanship, with their business set up to serve large commercial and multi-unit residential projects. Big box stores contract with production shops because they're able to handle the volume the store will generate.
A custom shop is almost always a better choice for homeowners, residential contractors or small commercial projects where a reputation for customer service and quality products are important. Though a few are large custom firms with the equipment and personnel to do volumes of work, most custom shops are boutique-type small businesses with a fabrication shop and a few employees.
Nuance Stoneworks, Inc. Seattle, WA 206-669-8547 chris at NuanceStoneworks.com