Purchasing granite countertops
11 steps to get a beautiful addition for your home
Congratulations, you are on the way to getting the worlds best countertop Natural Granite! Granite worktops are waterproof, stain-resistant, very difficult to scratch, and will maintain their diamond-polished look for decades. Hot pans, spills, and everyday activities in the kitchen pose no problem. Cleaning is as simple as a damp cloth, making hygiene very easy. Your new granite top will provide both beauty and elegance that will be appreciated for a lifetime. Kitchen counters are the hardest worked areas in the house, and your granite top is the most durable, easily maintained product to fulfill all your needs!!!
1) Good drawings/communication: Take a little extra time to review the sketch with your designer or salesperson. It should show the color selected, sizes considered, yes/no for backsplash, height of backsplash, location and type of sink, type and locations of polished edges, appliance locations, and any other detail that you would like to communicate to your fabrication or installation teams. Please make sure it clearly states your address (with cross street), and at least two telephone numbers. After asking questions and modifying the drawing, please add your signature(s) so we know that this important step has not been skipped.
2) Schedule template: You will be able to schedule an appointment for an experienced technician to visit your home approximately 7-14 days later to get precise measurements through a digital template system. To assure that your new custom-built worktop will fit with few or no field modifications, it is necessary that you completely remove the old counter before we arrive for template. Cabinets must be fully installed, attached to walls, plumb, and level. Anything that will touch the new granite top must be on site for the templater to inspect and record dimensions of (Sink, stove, cooktops, dishwasher, faucets, soap dispensers, insta-hots, countertop brackets, end panels, countertop legs, corbels, etc). Granite can only be installed on a secure and level base. Homeowners who can gain access to a laser level before scheduling the template are encouraged to do so before we come out.
3) Review and approve template: During the template, a primary decision maker should be present. A dialogue will take place with questions asked, options presented, and decisions made. Approximate seam locations may be discussed. Seam location will be affected by size of slabs available, weight of proposed piece (granite weighs 20-25 lbs per square foot), location of slab weakening cut-outs, direction of grain or striations, and characteristics of each stone slab. Drop-in sink or cooktops will be fabricated with a 3"-4" strip in front, and another 3"-4" strip in back, showing "four seams." The fabricator will determine quantity and actual seam locations. At the end of this appointment, we will ask you to add your signature to approve the template. Please understand that the next step includes the phrase "carved in stone!"
4) Final pricing: We will compare specifications provided with the ones determined by template. If the project changes scopes, we will contact you or your retailer. Orders may be placed on hold until variations and costing issues are resolved.
5) Inspect slabs: The best time to inspect slabs is 1 week before the template. Warehouse material inspections are done by appointment 9am 3pm during the week and from 9-2 on Saturdays. You will be able to see first hand how much variation can occur from shipment to shipment of the same stone. All natural stones contain pits and fissures. Variations in color, markings, textures, and composition are inherent to the natural product. We encourage every customer to view slabs before fabrication. Customers who allow us to select slabs for them must be aware that finished product will vary from the small sample inspected in the retail showroom. Every piece of granite is unique and that is what makes it so special!
6) Schedule install: If everything was on site for the template, we will call you 7-10 days after template to schedule an installation appointment. Installs usually occur 12-16 days after template. Appointment times are 3 hour windows of when we expect to arrive.
7) Fabricate top: Don't worry; we take care of this. Please be aware that the sink cut out is done in several pieces to avoid damaging the counter, and cannot be made available to you.
8) Install Countertop: We will carry in the pre-cut pieces. Lay them in place, small shim where appropriate, attach granite to cabinets, and bond undermount sink in place if that service was purchased. Homeowner is responsible for installation of plumbing. Please allow 12-24 hours for sink epoxy to cure before putting stress on it. We will need electricity on site to complete installation. We will sweep or shop-vac clean the work area. As with any re-modeling project, dust will float into adjoining rooms.
9) Inspect & accept installation: WE LOVE GRANITE, we hope it shows! We have the best installers in the industry, and ask that you take the time necessary to review our 29-point post installation checklist. It includes an evaluation of the site before we started the install, the quality of the fabricated granite top, the thoroughness of install, and evaluation of the site after install. We have room for your comments, and need the homeowner or purchaser to be present to complete our post installation checklist. If you purchased from a retail client of ours, we will also need your signature on their paperwork.
10) The Golden Rule: We strive to treat all our customers in a professional and courteous manner. If we are going to be late for an appointment, we will call and keep you informed of our progress. While the granite is being transported, it does not have the same level of support as when installed, and does occasionally need to be re-fabricated. We ask for your cooperation if we need to schedule another installation date to fully complete the project. Your project has been priced to include one template appointment and one installation appointment. We require 1 business day notice to cancel or re-schedule a template, and 2-business day notice to cancel or re-schedule an installation. If you need to schedule a 2nd, template or 2nd install to facilitate a change of plans, or missed appointment, our half-day rate for a template is $350, and the half-day rate for install crew is $420.00. Deposits placed to hold slabs are not refundable.
11) Love your counter: You've got the best countertop on the block!!! People are going to stare, so get used to it. Do not schedule business meetings at your home unless you have enough time talk about your kitchen.
Existing tile backsplashes and sad customers: There is no easy way to say it; it just never works. We run into problems with the new countertop not reaching the old backsplash quite frequently. If we attempt to install a 1.25" thick granite backsplash in front of the old tile, we run into clearance issues with the sink and faucets. Sometimes we install your new counter level, but find that the old tile is less than level, leaving ugly variations on the bottom grout line. Please consider tearing down the old tile backsplash and getting a new one.
Appliance garages: We have found it's best that these cabinets that go from the countertop to the wall cabinets be loosely in place for template, and removed (by homeowner) for the granite installation
Granite Maintenance: Clean a couple times a week with soap & water. Avoid all harsh chemicals. Professional quality stone cleaner should be utilized occasionally. Akropolis will apply one application of penetrating stone sealer, and the homeowner should apply follow up sealer once a year. Stones that completely repel water for more than 30 minutes do not need additional sealer.
Purchasing granite countertops
By: Tom Shannon
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