we shopped for quartz for our new kitchen and didn't find anything I liked until we went into a kitchen design store. For my taste Cambria had the best selection. I do believe the fabrication process can make or brake the end result. The contractor used a fabricator that did a outstanding job. Good luck with picking what YOU like.

I have to make a decision very soon on kitchen cabinets and countertops. I was told by a kitchen planner at the local lumberyard, that butcher block was rarely used in our area in midcoast Maine. He said there's no warranty once the wood is fabricated. I like the look of Pental's Avenza. Has anyone used Pental in Maine?

Pental uses the same manufacturing process as Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone, etc. Breton licenses their technology to all of these. Pentalquartz is actually Vicostone that has been renamed by Pental, a granite distributor out of Seattle that wanted to get into the quartz business too. It's made in Vietnam.

Here is a list of companies licensed by Breton.

http://www.breton.it/engineeredstone/en/product/Plants_for_manufacturing_compound_stone/WEB_LINKS_TO_THE_MAIN_BRETON_COMPOUND_STONE_MANUFACTURERS

Wow. You clearly are an expert. Are there problems with quartz made out of the country? I remember there were issues with laminate made in China. After reading the above comments, I am not the only one who likes the look of marble but doesn't want the maintenance. Does anyone know of a quartz that really resembles marble? Granite seems too formal and quartzite is too fragile. I need countertops that will be light in color and go with grey cabinets.

I looked at your link with the companies. I didn't see Pental. Did I miss it?

Sbsantare Theres a current thread debating this

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3614653/quartz-closest-to-carrera-marble?n=106

Pentalquartz is Vicostone renamed, as I explained above.

Sbsantare- Fat Andy's in Yarmouth, and Atlantic Hardwoods in Portland can both do butcherblock for you. In case you dont wsnt to give up the idea of butchblock you may want to call them and be more informed first. Just because your lumberyard doesn't do a lot doesn't mean it's not done.

As producer of quartz stone, i would like to share my ideas with you.

Except the brands who add sealer or microban, all quartz manufacturers use the 93/7 formula (93% quartz chips / 7% resin). What mainly related to the quality and price is material quality, technical, production devices and ads.

It's right there is quality difference via Breton and Chinese devices, but it's also the difference on the pricing. Just like you can not get LV but pay Bear.

Actually, i am preparing to decorate my new house for marriage soon, including kitchen counter top. Put myself in the shoes of customer, i will choose slab material /supplier from the following items,

1. Color

(which to be match the color of cabinet, flooring tile, whole design style. As to supplier, who can provide me more choices )

2. Practicality

( Quartz slab material has its own advantage, it's the reason replacing the market of granite and marble, so i will not require it contains microban or other material for selling point. That's ok for basic type at a good price)

3. Price

( One hundred producers or fabricators will quote 100 prices. Because the costs is various for producers production, management, ads; and if you buy it from fabricators, costs will be a little higher.

Because i am manufacturer, and i have familiar / trusted fabricator, so i do prefer to buy slab material from ourselves directly, anyway i had followed the whole production flow from material preparation to quality inspection, even check quality piece by piece before entry warehouse. Then find fabricator for fabrication and installation. It will be less costs to me.)

4. Quality

( every salesman will tell you their quality is good, but you can ask them how to identify the quality, or ask them for quality test report. )

5. Lifetime

( Clear how many years it could keep in good condition. I do not trust anything it lasts 5 or 10 years without any damage or stains.

Just notice your children's skin, while they were infant , what's the condition of their skin? While they were 2 years old, 5 years old, what's the condition ? Skin is alive that could absorb good nutrition, and secrete bad substance. Quartz stone with live elements just with absorbing function, while the damage substance to a limited level, it will happen discoloration，transformation etc. )

6. Warranty

( More and more producers / fabricators provide 10 year warranty follow brands. If you buy slab material from your fabricator, any defects happened while it put in using, ask for solution from fabricator.

There are three purchasing ways

A. Fabricators buy slab materials from producer, but do not have agreement about fabrication, or as distributor

B. Fabricators sign distribution agreement with producer, and follow fabrication instructs from producer

C. Fabricators buy slab materials from wholesalers or importers.

For A & C cases, end users should claim fabricator for any defects. Normally, fabricator would have a carefully communication with producer on quality standard. Producer produce it as per fabricator's requirements.

For B case, end users still claim fabricator, after that, fabricator will claim producer to check the problem.

It means we just to confirm the person who we contacted , find him/ her for any problems .

Brands have its advantages, non-brands also have its advantages. The most important is to find the right person, right things, and right price.

David Scott, Can you please tell me the price of a slab of a Level 1 quartz vs Level 3 quartz. Specifically if you know Polarstone Olympia which I've been told is Level 3. Please tell me the price of the slab but not in square feet. TIA

Karen Levy:

I'm not sure you want to buy slabs from David Scott, as he's marking them up 50% or so. And he's not going to be selling Cambria for long, they frown on retailing slabs quite a bit.

Fabricators pay about $800.00 or so for a slab of estone although I don't know how that information does you much good unless you've got a shop and tools you're not telling us about.

Polarstone is Chinese with a different technology than everything on David's list, which is all Breton manufactured. MCI has some Breton, some Chinese, depending on color. Polarstone should be cheaper.

Has anyone used Glacier White quartz from MSI? Am thinking about using it in my bathroom.

I had Corian white countertops for 20 years. Chips and scratches did happen but I never had any work done to repair. It was a great countertop. For the past 10 years I had Silestone. No marks, chips or scratches, no cracks or damage of any kind. Looks as good as day 1. Easy to clean. I have mived and am now looking at Hanstone for my remodel. I am hoping to be as successful with this product.

If you plan to be in your home for 10 or more years, don't focus on price, but get something you love, something you will not tire of, and look at it as a $5,000 slab over 10 years, is $500 a year. Then enjoy!

for what it's worth, I've had Caesarstone london grey for approx 3-4 years now and love love love it. It was not the cheapest of the quartz choices BUT it was the color I loved the most. It had the more natural looking pattern to it, unlike some of the other quartz products with their decidedly manmade backgrounds.

@mudword. I'm also interested to get the Cambria Praa Sand slab material only. May I know in which vendor you get the price quote for $25/sqft for the slab material?

Linda:

You may get a slab of Cambria from a fabricator for $25.00 psf, but only after he at least dresses an edge for you. Cambria's not going to like their fabricators reselling raw sheets.

You don't get material from the fabricator. Go to the Cambria website and look for a location/supplier link.

This question is for naturalstonefab, or anyone else who has experience with Belenco. We really like the Silver Jewel quartz slab from Belenco. From what I've been reading, Belenco is a young company, but uses Breton technology. Is this still the case? Has anyone had a good or bad experience with it? Thank you!

Can anyone please let me know about what I Should be paying per sq ft for LG Viatera Rococo quartz 3cm. I got 2 quotes one for $85 and other $80. that was just for material and fabrication. no cutouts or removel of old laminate countertops.

I'm paying about $80, and that includes removal of existing laminate counters, and sink. My quartz is LG Viatera Alpha.

thanks Chess, what state are you in, i felt my quotes were to high. maybe i can talk them down, i did see a place in austin selling slaps of Rococo fo r 1500.

James Serrato, I am in VA.

yeah should be no way i am being priced higher is San Antonio Texas then Virginia. that is just crazy Thanks again Chess

Good luck!!

I would have your fabricator price out a few lines for you in a similar color you found that you like. It wouldn't cost you anything and then your answer is done for you. It all comes down to color, layout of kitchen and movement of slab.

Does anyone heard of a quartz brand named Vadara distributer out of California? How it holds vs zodiac. They sell the same color under 2 different names. Zodiac names it versilia grigio but Vadara called it statuiro venoto.

Please, help, any help is much appreciated. Thanks

hanamank:

The knockoffs are always in wait to see what sells for the big boys to rip them off. It's part of countertop life. You're buying a clone at a discount probably.

@josephcorlett - many thanks for all of your helpful words on the forum! Have you or any other fabricators who might be reading this been seeing a higher rate of failure in the "knockoffs" -- properly ratio'd for the number of sales of course. In other words, the big names - Caesarstone, Silestone, Cambria, etc -- seem to have plenty of complaints, which I would expect because their product dominates the market and their sales numbers are higher.

I have researched how Breton technology is important and why, and I have read how the Breton machines have been reproduced. But I am still unclear if the "knocked off" quartz is, in fact, a lesser quality product when the quartz/resin ratio is the same?? It seems that the only ones who can really give qualified feedback are the consumer who has purchased and those who sell or repair.

I have always been a consumer who is willing to pay for quality product - but I'm really wondering if the original biggies are *still* superior? Thoughts?

I am not trying to open any type of political discussion or debate. I am just a gal who needs to tell her contractor ASAP which quartz she wants to buy for her new countertops ;)

I have no evidence that the knockoffs (non-Breton) are of any less quality. The ones I've seen at the trade shows are spectacular.

I have no evidence that the knockoffs (non-Breton) are of any less quality. The ones I've seen at the trade shows are spectacular.

Thank you !

Anytime you hear an obscure brand name for engineered stone, it's probably Chinese. And there is nothing wrong with that, despite what you'll hear here.

I don't know where or how Vadara is manufactured, but saw some slabs today and it was one of the best veined I have seen. Had a look of depth to it. Didn't get pricing yet, if anyone knows please post what you've seen or been quoted. The company was started recently by ex-CEO of Caesarstone.

Saw lots of veined slabs that looked like a poorly printed on low-rez picture across lots of brands. One surprise was seeing a "house brand" aka china direct, but it was pretty great, maybe it was the lighting. They want $83 sq/ft installed which seems high to me for non-name brand.

I was quoted $109 / sq ft for 60 sq feet of Vadara (2 slabs). I looked at the Dupont Corian site (new name for Zodiaq?), and a few styles do look exactly like Vadara. I have no idea how the two companies are related. Is the Vadara price crazy? Anyone know how much those slabs are?

That price is pretty high. I paid around $80/sf for LG Viatera, a year ago.

The cost per square foot wholesale has the same relationship to you as knowing what the meat wholesaler charges the restaurant for the filet that you want for dinner. The important thing is how well the chef prepares that filet. All you really want to judge is that final bill, and what it covers. If the steamed broccoli is a side, or included with the meal is irrelevant if one restaurant is known for serving shoe leather.

Any prices in this thread are going to be completely irrelevant starting right about now. Expect a minimum 15% price increase, due to the tariffs. Some will have more than a 15% increase, as the labor of stone fabrication has stayed fairly stagnant now for over 10 years, and this is the time to rectify the labor market.

It won’t be just quartz that is affected either. Most stone is imported. Most tile is too.

Almost everything construction related is already high due to the hurricane rebuilds starting last year, and we now have another massive rebuild staring us in the face as well.

Since this thread is about comparing costs, here are the quotes I received for Vadara veined quartz in a major market. Approximately 63 sq feet: 7.5k, 7k, 6k, 6k, 6k, 5.7k - so from $119 to $90 a sq foot, 1 large island, one sink cut. Ended up going with another veined quartz from a newer China company JW Quartz that a local company stocked as their house brand. Found out the brand after confirming the order. Also looked at the latest China tariff list, and quartz is on there.

The Chinese tariffs, which were requested by Cambria, will have little or no impact on overall pricing in the market since there are many alternate suppliers from other countries who will gladly fill the gap. (Admittedly, for a fabricator with a substantial existing business based on a Chinese brand, the change will be painful.) It is interesting that a company that touts itself as a "premium" brand would request tariffs on product from some of their cheapest competitors. Kind of like BMW or Lexus asking for tariffs on a Yugo. Not many Yugo buyers would go to a Beemer or Lexus if the Yugo was suddenly more expensive

I am confused about the different thickness of the quartz being offered. Is the 2cm ok? It's not an expensive house and I'd like to spend less if it won't come back to bite me.

I am a fabricator. 2CM, 2CM laminate (where the edges are built up to look like 4CM), or 3CM, are regional preferences. 2CM is fine if that is typical in your region of the country. In the upper midwest, where 3CM is prevalent, a 2CM top would look tend to look cheap by comparison.

oldryder, thanks for explaining the regional thing. In this particular house, anything other than formica will be an upgrade. So, if I understand you correctly, the only functional difference is appearance? The 2cm is fine for strength and longevity?

Yes, 2CM is fine particularly if you are considering quartz. 2CM quartz has no need for a sub-top over cabinetry and the durability of the surface is the same for 2CM and 3CM of the same material. There are some natural stone colors that are more prone to cracking and those should get more attention to supporting structure.

I have a 3cm quartz counter, right on top of my cabinets. No “sub top”. No issues whatsoever.

Chess-yeah that’s me: that’s what is normal from what my research is telling me. I want to do quartz as inexpensively as I can, so I’m wanting to use 2 cm if it’s strong enough

I’m considering using MetroQuartz for kitchen countertops. I have a quote for Level 1. However I really like one that is Level 4. Anyone know approximately how much more the Level 4 is? Thanks