Hmm. Read through the contract 3 times and not one word price changes pursuant to anything. Guess I'll have to see how it shakes out and deal with something if it arises. I was just wanting to educate myself a bit in advance. Thanks, jakuvall. Oops. Just found an email written by me that I had forgotten about. Guess I covered my bases last month after all? I put my questions in quotes and his answers are directly below each question. > Hi (KD name), > > Thanks for the quote. I do have a few questions: > > 1. "In which group is the Formica Luna Sand solid surface top?" Group C color, price would be $2922.92 plus tax for perimeter countertops > 2. "Does your estimate include installation of the plant on style splash?" Installation of all solid surface materials is included > 3. "I understand the full height up charge is the additional amount for the material only; or is that additional amount including installation?" T price includes installation > > 4."Where would a counter/splash of the same specs fall cost-wise in Wilsonart Antique White color? I am now also considering that as an option." It would be a group B color, the lowest price that I quoted you before ( $2516.28 + 209.43 for the full height splash) > > 5. "Is all of this 1/2" or is some of it 1/4" as we discussed?" It is all 1/2" as formica does not make a 1/4" panel in your color > > 6. "When I decide, how does payment proceed?" We request 1/2 down and balance upon installation completion > > 7. "What is the time frame for delivery of the slabs after ordering?" They would template and it would be about 2 weeks after that when the tops would be ready for installation > > "I think that's what I need to know at this point in time. > > > Looking forward to your reply, >(me)" > > This post was edited by deedles on Sat, Mar 1, 14 at 9:40

"Quartz and man made stones are now more expensive because of demand." Not always... Some exotic granite slabs can cost more than quartz. Granite prices vary because you have cheap china slabs to mid grade to exotic.. But popular/overused low to mid grade granite is typically cheaper than quartz. I agree that Quartz is popular right now and demand is driving prices up. When I was searching years back, I saw a blue granite slab with big swirls in it - 7k a slab...

We had high end quartzite quoted at $138/sq ft installed. This one was considered exotic or 5-star, Level 5. (Slab yards use their own method of scaling the stones' costs.) Other stones that were considered 4-star, Level 4, were quoted at $108/sq ft installed. The cheapest stone was $80-something for 3-star, Level 3. We went to a slab yard in Charlotte, NC, that had amazing man-made counter materials that did a great job of replicating marble. Those slabs were 5-star or higher - seems crazy that man-made material is more expensive than stone hauled from all over the world. It was explained to us that demand/supply has a big impact on stone. What may seem an exotic quartzite may be fairly reasonable because of supply/demand. These prices get you the part of the slab/slabs needed for your job. Any stone not used on your job becomes the fabricator's remnants. If we go to the fabricator's slab remnant yard and choose from there, all remnants are considered Level I. I don't have a price for Level I. Stone pricing is not transparent. We found it difficult to balance what we like versus our budget. (We are doing a custom build so there is no allowance - what we choose is what we pay for.) The slab yards don't give the consumer the price, only the fabricator quotes prices, and only for "installed per square foot". So all you know at the slab yard is a relative price. The slab yard emails the fabricator with your choices, he then quotes the installed price. From the plans, the fabricator determines how many square feet of stone is needed for your project. We shopped for stone very early in the process. I was told most people choose stone after the cabinets go in. The fabricator thought we were a bit odd in wanting to choose so early. This information may not be what you need/want,...welcome to the world of stone pricing! Good luck with your search! (I tried your email link but the email didn't open with your address - just the kind of "share this" email link)

In my area, $79 a sq foot is on the very lowest side of what I see in Atlanta (that requires going outside the city a bit - nowhere inside the metro area has prices that low, I don't think anyway). Perhaps b/c you are getting such a small amount and it is coming from a remnant? I agree with other poster's comments though - pick one or the other; don't mix. It will look like you didn't have enough money to put the quartzite everywhere. If you want to mix and match something, have the cabinets in the island be a different color, or wood and the perimeter white or cream (not sure what you are going for so just throwing out ideas).