Ask them (or better yet, their references) what they do if the seams need to be repaired. Sometimes there is settling and a seam will chip away or crack. Have them put in writing their response. Best case: they repair the seam within a week of being notified by you. I've been trying to get my granite fabricator to fix a cracked seam for 2 months now, it's not fun. I also agree about visiting the shop to confirm the layout. Even though they say they'll match the veining, make sure it's matched in a way that you like.

dcward89: Corian wants inside radii as large as possible with a 1/2" being the minimum. I've put 1 1/2" on hundreds of jobs without complaint or failure. Make sure the bottom front and back of the built-up edge is sanded smooth to prevent stress risers. You can have your edge built up at the sink if you like that look. It is a bit time consuming and tricky, so expect to pay extra. Just tell your fabricator you want a price on building up your sink edge. If you're going stainless steel, I strongly suggest you look at Karrans Edge series sinks. I've got one and my wife and I love it. No lip to hide crud and it looks great. There is no rule as to how high coved splash can be. I've done a "tile cove" where the Corian stops right after the cove; about 1/2" high. The edge is eased a bit and the tile man sets his tile a grout line thickness above the "tile cove." You get all the sanitation and easy cleaning of Corian cove, but the silicone joint is now on the vertical wall instead of being in the deck/wall junction where all the crud is. I prefer 1" 18 gauge square tube steel to support any countertop. It's best to have it welded into a frame, but that will cost extra too. You aren't allowed to have full underlayment under solid surface; it retains heat. There are many acceptable ways to properly support a cantilevered top; the strongest and least conspicuous cost more. Read over the linked fab manual and insist that your fabricator follow it to the letter. It's as much for his protection as yours. I followed it for over twenty years, had 2 warranty calls, both ruled customer abuse by DuPont, but we fixed 'em anyway and I got paid. Here is a link that might be useful: Corian Fab Manual

here's my .02 cents- Calacutta/Calacotta (you say po-TATE-Oh, I say po-TOT-oh, actually I say "spud") is a MARBLE - with the majority of the stone being CALCIUM... Calcium reacts with ANY form of ACID - lemon,lime,tomatoe/tomatto,grapefruit, and anything else that has acid in it... Are you using this in a kitchen application? if so, I would STRONGLY (in the most professional sense of the word) ADVISE YOU to consider having a "textured" surface - aka: honed, leathered, antiqued..etc I did a podcast at Natural Stone 101.com (actually two on the same subject) that talks about the issue of acid etching of polished marble, textured surfaces, and sealing the stone to help retard the potential of staining... hope that helps y kevin

Hi All! Thanks for the great comments! Brooke - LOL! - Don't you just love it when they get that first burst of defiance? I think that makes you a SWMBO (She who must be obeyed)! Your boys are adorable! My son won't pose for anything lately without making a face -must be an 8 year old (I'm almost 9, Mom!)thing! Or, it's the fact that he is sick of remodeling :-)! And your puppy! One of my best friends named her son Genki - japanese for samurai warrior? I did order samples of a couple pulls, but not sure how they'll look. DH doesn't like cup pulls and not sure about cupboard latches either. Here's the link to the simple pulls I ordered - 2 diff. sizes in old silver finish: http://www.knobs4less.com/Liberty-Kitchen-Cabinet-Hardware/libp10210osc.html Truthfully, I'm not in love with them, but they don't have the drawbacks and foo-fooey details most others do. I also really like the imperfect quality of the finish, look aged. However, I think I'd like to have solid brass with some sort of nickel/silver finish - and, for the price, I'm thinking these are not brass. I did like the look of the marine ice box latch on the other thread.... hmmmm..... I think our problem is we think we can find something different if we keep looking. Truthfully, I found some very expensive ones I really liked, but we need so many, I can't justify the cost to myself. Same problem with lighting! I can't seem to find pendants I like! DH wants something simple. But I sure love your Dining chandelier! I think we just need to get out there and look more, there are certainly options. Problem is, we could go so many different directions. Oh, you will love this! My friend who is the fabricator, sent me an e-mail last week after the slabs arrived at their shop: "I'm going to steal your slabs from the shop and run away....... x K" - she loves the Calacatta too! cpang74 & rhome410 - Thanks - don't hold your breath on Monday, it might take me a few days to get the pics up! pbrisjar - Thanks to you too, I've often read your postings and followed your progress as well! Cute puppies there, for sure! Only 4 more days..... Thanks again all, you have been great support during this fun project!