June, yes of course the middle of america isn't going to have the same things that LA has. I don't consider 'the middle of america' most of the states. In any big, major city that have good sized stone yards, you'll more than likely find pre-fabs. Someone living in the boonies of Wyoming, prob isn't going to have the selection of someone in San Francisco. That goes without saying. But I'm pretty sure someone in DesMoines will have access to pre-fabs.
I just put the info out there. The people asking can take it from there. If I prefaced each of my comments with , "tell me where you live first...." it would take forever to get comments answered.
Ruby Jayne
Granite is granite, whether it comes in a large slab, or it's pre-cut in individual countertops. That's all pre-fab is. The stone is 'pre-fabricated' into ready to install countertops. These are done in bulk, usually in China, and are shipped to a distributer. Because they are done in bulk, prefabs are as much as 45% cheaper than buying/fabricating the same granite found in a slab.
With the prefab you will buy a 8' or 9' piece, and the installer/ fabricator you hire will pick them up, transport them to your house and measure for the sink/ stove cut out. (normally they will cut the holes in the granite in your yard or driveway.) Then they bring them inside and install. Sometimes they will be put over a plywood base, sometimes not. It depends on your cabinets.
check out MSI surfaces for instance. They are a larger countertop supplier and they carry over 50 diff kinds of prefabs. They also have the name listed next to the color/granite, so you can see what it looks like. (just keep in mind that many stone yards change the names, so a certain type of granite may be called 2-3 diff names)
https://www.msisurfaces.com/prefabricated-countertops/granite/
The granite names I listed are all well known types of granite, not expensive, and in the lighter color categories. if you google any of those granite names, click on images, you'll see pictures.
Chipping. It's a rock. Does rock chip? sometimes. if you hit it at the right angle with an iron skillet, it may chip. If you drop a plate or glass from the cab onto the surface, your plate or glass will shatter, the granite will smile at it.
you can place a hot pan on granite. You can cut on it. (but you'll ruin your knives). you can spill wine on it. you can wash it with just about anything, and it won't hurt it. That's granite.
what does your kitchen look like? can you post a pic so I can see your cabinets?
where do you live? (what major city is nearby?)
here's a few I mentioned earlier. This is White Ice (aka Dallas White)
this is Alaska White (or Delicatus White) in a prefab
prefab River White (aka Kashmir White, and something else!)
Prefab Black River (Maybe Black Horse granite??)
this was a prefab (very inexpensive. a 9' prefab of this probably costs $400 on the west coast. it's a very cheap granite maybe Bala White or China White granite) where the hole for the under mount sink was cut on site. if you have a drop in sink, it's even easier for them to do.
make sure you have the sink ready to go, as well as your faucet and plumbing lines, (if you're replacing those)
Q