Countertop Buying Guide: What to Know
Buying stone is not like buying an appliance. Here is the whole process, in order, with the decisions that actually change the outcome.
The Order to Do It In
Set the thickness and the edge
These narrow the field before you fall in love with anything. Most kitchens are 3cm; vanities are often 2cm. A mitred edge changes both budget and slab count.
Choose the material by how the room is used
Heat, acid and traffic decide this, not colour. An outdoor kitchen rules out engineered quartz entirely. A busy family kitchen argues against polished marble. Narrow to two or three materials before looking at slabs.
Measure roughly and work back to slab count
Bring approximate dimensions. We work back to how many slabs the job needs, allowing for cut-outs, seams and matching. Most kitchens land between two and three.
Select your actual slabs in person
Natural stone varies piece to piece. A sample chip tells you almost nothing about how a full slab will look. Walk the gallery and pick the pieces you are buying.
Tag and hold them
Once you have chosen, we tag those specific slabs under your name and hold them while the job is finalised. Standard holds run 14 days.
Get your fabricator to template
Templating happens after cabinets are installed and level. The fabricator produces an exact pattern — this is the point where seam placement and veining direction get decided.
Inspect at loading
Whether you collect or your fabricator does, material is inspected as it goes on the A-frame. Once slabs leave the yard, claims for visible damage cannot be accepted.
What to ask a fabricator
- Where will the seams fall, and can I see that on the template?
- Will the veining be matched across the seam?
- Is the edge included in the quote, or priced separately?
- Who is responsible if a slab breaks during fabrication?
- What is the lead time from template to install?
Where the budget actually goes
The slab is usually less than half the finished cost. Fabrication, edge work, cut-outs, delivery and installation make up the rest. A cheaper stone with an elaborate edge can easily cost more installed than a better stone with a simple one.
The mistake we see most
Buying one slab at a time as the job progresses. Stone is finite — the block your first slab came from sells out, and the replacement never quite matches. Buy the whole job at once, or reserve the lot up front.
Bring us your dimensions and we will tell you honestly what the job needs.