10 Questions to Ask Your Local Fabricator Before Remodeling Your Countertops
Thorough product & market research is crucial before remodeling anything in your home, especially countertops. Before making the decision to replace your kitchen countertops, make sure you’re well informed with the correct knowledge & information to make the right decision. For a painless & easy countertop remodel process, be sure to ask your local fabricator these 10 questions:
1. Is There A Product Or Labor Warranty Available?
Every countertop fabricator should warranty their products & workmanship to cover defects or unforeseen errors during installation. A product/labor warranty should clearly state its’ warranty type, warranty period, what is & isn’t covered, instructions on how to make a warranty claim & and who it is issued to. At IVO, we offer a 15 year limited custom countertop warranty to all our customers for an added measure of project security!
2. Can I Choose My Slab Layout?
A countertop fabricator should allow you a slab layout approval of your product before fabricating begins. Normally any products with veining are lined up as evenly as possible with seam placement in mind. We typically will never begin fabrication until the layout is approved.
3. Do You Offer Product Installation?
Always ask if your fabricator offers installation of their products. Most fabricators offer their countertops with installation, but also can offer them retail. Purchasing countertops retail voids any available product/labor warranty available and tax is included. Make sure to ask what options are available to you before purchasing your countertops.
4. What Quartz Options Are Available?
Fabricators can offer a number of different quartz countertop options priced at varying ranges. Most quartz products come in a high quality formula ratio of quartz, pigment & resin, but some have been known to fall short. Ask about the quality/grade before purchasing any brand of quartz.
5. Can You Explain Your Pricing Structure?
When looking to remodel your countertops, you might want to pay attention to your fabricators pricing structure. Most of the time, fabricators price materials per square foot & with installation costs included. Additional costs may apply for cutouts, sinks, faucets etc. Retail pricing will exclude installation costs, but will account for sales tax.
6. What Are Your Lead Times?
A countertop fabrication process itself typically takes a few days, totaling 2+ weeks for the entire project from start to finish. You always want to double check with your local fabricators schedule because lead times can vary. Your project should be coordinated with your availability in mind.
7. Are You A Retailer or Fabricator?
It’s important to know the difference between a Kitchen & Bath retailer vs. a Kitchen & Bath fabricator. As a fabricator, IVO Cabinets & Surfaces can cut & install all of the countertop products we sell. With a Retailer, your countertops are cut off site, having to outsource these services with a third party fabricator.
8. Do You Offer Measuring Services?
A Fabricator should offer in-home measuring services for countertop fabrication. Laser templating ensures precision on the layout. Check out our blog on laser templating.
9. Which Countertop Materials Are Most Durable?
Always try to be informed about which materials better suit each area in your home. Countertop materials range in densities from soft marble & soapstone to dense quartzite & Dekton. For Example: Marble wouldn’t be suited for a high traffic area like a kitchen without proper & constant maintenance. Watch our Youtube Series Coffee & Cabinets for informative videos on Countertop densities, materials etc.
10. Accreditations or Certifications?
A fabricator should have certifications & accreditations to run CNC routers & alpha cam products. At IVO, we are alpha cam, Saber & Titan CNC certified to fabricate quality countertops for our community. We are NKBA & ANSI accredited for our cabinet design & in-house cabinet production.
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