Often people do not really know what they want when they come in to buy countertops.  They are buying because they like the look of granite or marble or because it is the “in” product to have.  It is important for us to educate our customer. 

We need to explain that granite and marble are natural products and as such has natural veins, patterns, fissures, blotches, etc…  this does not make the material less desirable, it simply makes each slab unique and often adds to the natural beauty of the stone.

There are many questions asked by customers.  Here are some answers to the most common questions asked.

• Is there an additional charge for removing my old countertops?
• Yes.  The amount is determined by several factors, including: type of existing countertop, size of job, is there existing backsplash, etc.  You have to have this done by your own contractor.

• How soon can my countertop be installed after I make my final decision on material and edge profile?
• Once the paperwork is finalized and a signature and deposit have been given, we try to template within two business days.  Our template person will call you to set up a time to come out and measure your job.  Upon completion of the template, an installation date is set.  We typically allow ten working days. 

• Can you re-connect my electrical and sink connections?
• We are not licensed electricians or plumbers.  Therefore, we cannot make electrical or plumbing re-connections.  When we leave your home, the sink is fully installed on (or under) the countertop, but a plumber or the homeowner will have to re-connect faucets and drain lines the next day after all the adhesives and caulks have fully cured.

• Will my granite countertop have visible seams?
• Most granite installations will require at least one or more seams.  During layout and design, we will try to minimize the number of seams required, however since we charge by the square foot, rather than for an entire slab, we reserve the right to optimize our cuts for the best slab yield and safer handling when we feel that it will not detract from the overall appearance of the installed product.  If you wish to avoid seams, always talk with your sales person.  Just understand that there will most likely be an additional charge as we will often waste more of the slab and have additional risks to our employees and your house. (Doorways, hallways, trim, cabinets, etc.)

• Can you install my tile backsplash?
• We carry a complete line of tile backsplash materials and have the skilled tradesmen available to install it.  If you are interested in looking at our backsplash materials, please ask your sales person for details.

• How much does granite cost?
• The cost of granite varies greatly based on the thickness of the stone, color, availability and how fragile or difficult the material is to manufacture.  Contact us for a free estimate on your choice.

• How must I treat my granite?
• Even though it is very hard, granite can be broken or chipped because of the weaknesses along grain boundaries.  Similarly some minerals in natural stone can be attacked by acidic liquids – lemon juice, coke etc.  Some more so than others.  A sealer should be used to protect the granite from liquids and exercising caution when working around the granite is normally sufficient to avoid chips.  Don’t use the countertop as a sawhorse or workbench.  We offer a unique sealer that does a superb job and outlasts most other sealers on the market today.  Please ask your sales person for details if you are interested.

• How do you choose a natural stone?
• The key issue is one of personal taste.  There is a vast array of colors and visual textures available, including stone with “movement” – large scale variations in color and pattern.  (Note that stones with lots of veins are quite dramatic but usually much more fragile and subject to breakage and thus the cost is typically higher).  Remember that stone is a natural product and not as uniform as man-made products.  Within any slab there are likely to be color shifts and changes in granularity.  These aren’t defects; they are part of the unique character and beauty of every piece of natural stone.
• And what about marble? – Marble can be a great choice for bathrooms and vanities but we discourage their use in a kitchen where they can be more easily scratched and attacked by acidic liquids.
• So what qualifies as defects or bad parts of a slab? –
  Cracks and filled areas are obvious faults unless the stone is one where that is normal and present on every slab quarried. 
• But what about color variations and veins? – Well, it all depends on you, the customer and what you like.  One customer may regard a vein as a defect while another may regard it as the highlight feature of the slab.  One way to tell if the stone you are interested in is more fragile than most, is to look at the back.  Fragile stones will often come from the factory with a fiberglass reinforcement applied to the back.  This is not a problem in and of itself, but you need to be aware that such a stone is more prone to cracking during transportation and installation and may be more likely to need repair.
  Then there is granite thickness.  For many years, fabricators have used two centimeter (2cm) granite and then glue-laminate the edge to give it a thicker appearance.  This granite also usually requires special cabinet reinforcement to support the granite – typically a layer of plywood.  Also the laminated edge will contain a visible seam.  Even a “perfect” seam is visible because the seam cuts a straight line through the grains in the stone and the human eye can pick up these linear features.  More fabricators are turning to 3cm granite (about 1 ¼ inch thick) this provides a more uniform appearance, is very heavy and much stronger than 2cm, so it does not require any plywood support.
  Almost all kitchens will require some seams.  The last thing you want is a seam where you didn’t expect one.  We will be able to give you an idea of where seams may need to go when we template your cabinets.  We do everything we can to reasonably minimize the number of seams.  Very specific requests on cutting the slab to emphasize features or create very large pieces, which require more labor to fabricate and install, will come at an extra cost.
• The Timeline-
  How long will all this take and in what sequence?
  Here is the “normal” sequence of events:
• Call to set up an appointment or stop in to talk with a salesperson – have a sketch of your kitchen available.
• Walk the slab yard and determine which granites you would like to use.
• Finalize choices (granite sinks, faucet, cook-top, edges, etc), sign work order and leave a deposit.
• A tentative template date will be given – expect a call from our template person for details.
• Templates are made (it is helpful if you can clear off your existing countertops)
• The granite is cut to size, edged and polished.
• Installation will be scheduled, and you will be notified.
• For under-mount sinks, the plumber should connect the faucets and drains no earlier than the following day.
• We will call you to ensure you are happy with the final product.
• Other stuff to know and consider
• Dishwashers:
  Most dishwashers are screwed to the bottom of old wood/laminate or tile-on-wood countertops.  It’s difficult to put screws into granite, so some other attachment method is needed.  There are a couple of solutions:
• To attach a piece of wood to the bottom of the granite and to the cabinets on either side of the dishwasher and drive the same (maybe shorter) screws into it.  With this solution you will be able to see the piece of wood, so it will need to be painted/stained to match the rest of your cabinets.
• A More elegant solution is to use a “side-mount kit” which allows the dishwasher to be attached to the cabinets on either side of the opening.  Check with your dishwasher manufacturer to see if these are available.  In either case the dishwasher may have to be raised or lowered on its adjustable legs, to fit the opening.

• Bar-Tops
  A lot of homes have bar top areas which rest upon 4” stud walls.  Old bar countertops are usually supported on plywood, which is screwed into the wall.  With granite, you don’t really want the plywood left in place, because you will be able to see the rough edge of the plywood.  Granite also weighs many times more than wood, solid surface or tile, so it’s important that it is supported properly.  Most of the time, customers use substantial, structural brackets or corbels of metal or wood.  These work well, but you can see them easily and they will hit your knees if you are sitting at the bar on a stool, so place them accordingly.
  Most bathroom vanity cabinets are only 21 inches deep, compared to kitchen cabinets which are 24 inches deep.  This means that there is only limited room for vanity sinks and you need to make sure the sink you choose will fit into a standard 21 inch cabinet.  Also, some faucets will be very cramped.  It’s a very good idea to have these selections done as early as possible and discuss with us to prevent delays and surprises as your countertops are built.  Also, there is rapidly growing trend towards “vessel” sinks or bowls which sit elevated above the countertop.  These also need to be selected early and all the faucets and fittings chosen before fabrication begin.  The central drain hole needed for a vessel sink will depend on the sink and the drain pipe-work.  Your fabricator may have to charge extra if additional field cutting and finishing is needed because you delayed your choices.  There will most certainly be extra costs if your fabricator has to return to the job because you didn’t provide sufficient information and the drain hole is the wrong size for the pipe fittings.
• Cook-Tops
  Almost all cook-tops have very specific and non-standard cutout dimensions.  There will be additional costs if we have to return to the job-site to cut or change the size of the opening, so have the cook-top available at the time of installation.
• Faucets
  There are some new fancy faucets on the market which require more room to operate.  If you have a backsplash immediately behind your sink, you need to check that your faucet will operate properly without banging your knuckles or hitting the backsplash.

We at Hard Rock Granite thank you for the opportunity to do business with you, and would like to assure you of our commitment to quality and customer service.  We stock a wide variety of materials on site to avoid delays and allow better customer selection.  We have a highly skilled and hard working workforce, use CNC machines that are top-of-the-line, and will continue to invest in technology to make our company the best in NWA.