Help, How do we deal with Granite & Fabricators?

13 years ago

Do we find the fabricator that we want, then go to various yards looking for the slabs we want? If so, do we have fabricator then go to approve our picks?

Or...

Do we go to a yard, and if we find the slabs that we want do use their fabricators?

We went to a yard for a peek yesterday, and I don't think they simply sell slabs, if we want what they've got we must use them to do the work. Is that typical?

Thanks for your help.

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Comments (13)

weissman
13 years ago
Things vary by region and even within a region. I got my granite from a one-stop-shop - they have a large granite yard and do fabrication and installation. In other places, granite yards don't sell directly to the public - you buy through a fabricator. It sounds like the place you went to was a one-stop-shop - check out some other granite yards and see how they operate.
jterrilynn
13 years ago
You will get some better advice from others IÂm sure but here it goesÂ
While I was looking for a fabricator I looked at stones. The way its set up in my area of Florida is that the stone yards will just give you a round abouts price or a list price on the stone, they seem to want to go through a fabricator on the "real" pricing end. However, although you know the list price isnÂt the real price it gives you a gauge on your price bracket. Some stone yards will give out the names of fabricators and some will not (but will do it on the sly). We used to have more one stop shopping with the stone yard and fabrication all in one spot but those are rare now. If you have a place to do one stop shopping you just need to see the work and check the references of the installer/fabricator.
I found looking for a fabricator and stone shopping a lot like buying a used car. I was told by fabricators that I should go through them to get better pricing because they will pass the discount on "not" with most. In the end, I found the fabricator after finding my stone and gave the fabricator a detailed drawing and measurements. After receiving the contract and total I rewrote the contract to include details and gave myself a fair discount. I then faxed it to installer with my signature and asked for his. Next I gave him a down payment. My stones should be in his shop today, canÂt wait until those babies are installed.
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I hope you will take my comments as they are meant (to be helpful) and not as overly critical. I wish I could just say "way to go", but that wouldn't be truthful or helpful. So, anyway, here is what I see... There are two things that would worry me significantly about the planting method. First is that the type of soil you used isn't real soil (mostly, it's peat moss and composted bark) and won't hold up over the long run. After a few years (maybe 5???), the ingredients of the Miracle-Gro will be broken down and "eaten" by the native soil. This will leave your shrub depending only on the native soil and with part or most of it's root system above ground. It may still be able to survive, but certainly no better than it would have been able to if it had just been planted a little high in the native soil. The Miracle-Gro soil will also be poor in nutrients after a short time (probably just a few months). Maybe the shrub can grow enough roots down into the native soil to compensate, but this will be hurdle it will have to overcome. Another problem with using this type of medium is that there will be a sharp interface between the planting medium and the native soil, which (even with the surface preparation) will likely discourage some root development down into the native soil. The moisture-control part of the Miracle-Gro may contribute even more to discouragement of root development into the native soil. The second major problem is the size of the mound/berm. If I was using any type of soil other than the native soil, I'd provide a berm large enough to hold either a significant part of the expected size of the mature root system, or, large enough to hold at least a few years of root growth and tapered very gradually off so that roots have every opportunity to grow down into native soil. The example here would encourage a poorly formed root system (almost like pot-bound roots) and eventually girdling roots. It would be highly likely to lead to eventual mechanical failure in the case of a larger growing tree. A third possible problem (which would only worry me if I found it to be a problem) is poor drainage of the planting medium because of the combination of moisture-control, mulch covering, and poorly draining soil underlying the Miracle-Gro. Whether the berm would stay too wet depends on too many things for me to really accurately predict, but I would keep an eye out for this problem. I would recommend that you get some good quality topsoil and mix that with your native soil to form a shallow but broad berm to plant in. I think that would lead to much better root establishment, better drainage, and a long-lived plant.
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athomesewing
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the replies. The yard we visited didn't have anything that I was ready to put in the kitchen. I wonder if finding the granite is the hardest part?
berryfarm
13 years ago
Are you also getting new cabinets? Our cabinet guy gave us the names of 2 fabricators he uses. The one who priced out the job the least is the one we chose. They get stone at their factory and also bring in stone from a warehouse. This warehouse did not quote a price, the fabricators did.

About 4 years ago while living in another house, we were just buying new counters and there was a business that was a countertop only business. We used the slab warehouse they sent us to. The warehouse was huge and did not fabricate--only sold to fabricators.
boxerpups
13 years ago
Yes, Finding the granite is the hard part but don't let this
slow you down from finding a good fabricator. You
want someone who is the best in your area to insatll
your counters.

Check out the stone checklist,
And then find out who is in your area on GW. Maybe
they can recommend where they went to get their granite,
marble or soapstone.

Here are some other posts on GW that can help you.

Help granite installation problems
http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg070847023442.html?3

Looking for granite what do we need to know?
( A previous post on GW that might be helpfu)
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0709272811831.html

Crack in my granite 3 months after installation (GW post)
http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0617374119591.html?18

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardenweb Granite Checklist
athomesewing
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you so much for the links, what a wealth of information!

We had a great time yesterday, visiting a BIG warehouse FULL of granite, Pental in Seattle. I saw some incredible pieces. Now I know finding granite will doable, I'll have to really focus on finding an installer. That part of our project is out aways.
pugrolls
13 years ago
athomesewing, I'm in Seattle going through this process right now. There are a ton of stone warehouses in that same Georgetown area near Pental -- at least 6. Be sure to check all of them out (and take notes of the stones you like!) Then gets bids from different fabricators for the stones you like; I am finding that prices differ quite a bit from one fabricator to another.
athomesewing
Original Author
13 years ago
Pugrolls, thank you. We did notice that there are A LOT of places in the neighborhood. We didn't have time yesterday to check them all out. It is exciting that there are so many. Do you have a fabricator suggestion? We thought we'd start getting acquainted with the various places early on in hopes of eliminated stress when the time comes.

A gal here, "tatter", used Venetian Stone Works in Woodinville to fabricate her gorgeous soapstone countertops and was pleased. We'll be paying a visit to them before long.

Tatter said, "I went with Venetian Stoneworks out of Woodinville. I chose them because they have state-of-the-art equipment for templating and cutting stone (laser templating so every odd angle and corner would be EXACT, and a computer-guided water-jet cutting machine that cut the stone to the exact dimensions of the template)."

Here is a link that might be useful: tatter's GORGEOUS soap stone
pugrolls
13 years ago
athome, we haven't decided which company to go with yet; I'm still trying to get a feel for everything. Seattle Granite has been super responsive (I love working with Jarren), but they seem a little pricey to me. I've gotten much lower bids from others, but I take it as a bad sign that they're not super responsive when they're still trying to sell me something -- makes me think they'll be even less responsive once I've actually given them money, you know?

Anyway, as frustrating as it can be, I also think it's kind of fun looking at all (AALLLLLLL) the options. Good luck!
newcastlemom
13 years ago
For installers, my brother is a GC and he uses a small family company in Enumclaw. He says they do a fine job. The company name is Richardson and Latham. I'm the GC on my kitchen project but I intend to add R&L to my bid list. I plan to get a bid from Pinnacle, too - out of Auburn- because that's who my designer recommends. Based on Tatter and Athomesewing's comments I'll try Venetian Stone. I'll ask my cabinet maker for a recommendation, too. That will be 4. Thanks to everyone for such helpful info. Pugrolls, I think you're a few weeks ahead of our project timeline. Could you tell us who you end up using?
athomesewing
Original Author
13 years ago
Newcastlemom please also check back in and let us know what you learn about other possible fabricators as well as those you mentioned.

Pugrolls, keep us updated.
newcastlemom
13 years ago
Sure thing but it's going to be a few weeks yet.
athomesewing
Original Author
13 years ago
You guys are both ahead of me, so I'll treasure any info you get, and any I find I'll pass along. Hubby and I will be paying a visit to Venitian Stoneworks which is in our neck of the woods and we'll let you know what we think.

Help, How do we deal with Granite & Fabricators?

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