The beauty, hardness and utility of granite makes it a highly desirable material for countertops in house design. As well as its natural strength, granite is a beautiful stone that adds color and warmth into a room. Although price to add granite countertops to remodel or any new kitchen can be very high, they remain the premiere choice in many new and remodeled homes.


Discount granite may be found not including setup. The premium price is not in the rock itself, but rather in the expense associated with setup and transportation.


The rock industry remains unregulated, which can allow it to be perplexing. Every thing that handles the granite, from the quarry to the supplier and fabricator, can establish their particular pricing predicated on the demand in the local market. Dealers who provide service that is full, so that the homeowner doesn't have to do the shopping or preparation, will add a markup of up to 50%.


Granite suppliers will normally have three or four groups (or "grades") of granite to select from. The first tier will include the superior products which sell for the best cost. Stones are grouped based on several criteria such as the country of origin, colour, veins or patterns, depth of the slab, quantity of soft minerals in the rock, and current fashion styles. Some granite colors demonstrate ""movement"", or a distinctive pattern within the color. The mix of colour and movement likewise affect the final cost of granite countertops.


Granite from lower grades gets precisely the same attractiveness and utility as the slabs in the upper groups. Furthermore, rocks in a lesser tier may be tougher than rocks in a first tier, so that it pays to get out as well as look around. A lesser tier may also be referred to as "commercial level." Normally the commercial levels have a significant number of "stone" that have been filled in. The presence of softer minerals may need additional cupboard supports or penetrating sealant, which adds to the final cost of granite countertops.


More affordable, thinner cut stone might be somewhat less than two centimeters instead of a recommended three, in which case it would be laminated by the installer to plywood backing for additional firmness. Discount granite suppliers will normally cope with a stone that is cut that is thinner; many suppliers now carry rocks which are deliberately cut laminated and thin in the quarry. It's now not unusual for rock that originates in India or Asia to be cut thin and fabricated before transport. Prefabrication does create a lesser price merchandise with less waste being shipped to the supplier. Furthermore, the manufacture is performed in countries with substantially lower wages, saving on the job costs in the last destination.


The cost of granite countertops is significantly changed by the number of cuts and seams which will have to be made in the rock slabs. When the installer or fabricator makes their preliminary measurements discuss how the cuts will soon be made. Another thing to question are the hidden costs of stuff that is wasted. The homeowner pays the expense of wasted substance.


Buying granite countertops doesn't have to be frustrating. Focus on finding a reputable supplier and installer who will willingly answer all your questions. The oversize sheets are very fragile and must be just cut. An expensive blunder could be created by failure to properly set a granite countertop for a do-it-yourself homeowner.