When it comes to selecting a stone fabricator to make and install your countertops, shower surrounds, walls, backsplashes, or stairways, it’s sometimes hard to tell who is the best choice.
Here are some questions to ask, and why you should ask them:
Are you Natural Stone Institute Accredited?
- Why? Only NSI-Accredited stone fabricators have been audited by a third party to make sure that their customer service is top notch, they have a safe and high-quality manufacturing facility, they use solid business practices, are in a strong financial position.
- How long will it take for my project to be completed?
- Why? Typically, in a strong economy, the best fabricators are booked out 6 – 8 weeks. If a fabricator isn’t that busy, there may be a reason.
- How big is your onsite slab inventory?
- Why? Some fabricators have you look at swatches of material and order the slabs. In the case of natural stone, what you see in a swatch might not be what you get in a slab. If it’s onsite, you know what you will be buying.
- How automated is your shop?
- Why? The best fabricators have highly automated shops for consistency, accuracy, and safety. The measuring, installation and finishing touches are performed by their skilled craftspeople.
- How many square feet of stone do you fabricate and install each year?
- Why? If the fabricator fabricates and installs, they have complete responsibility for your project. If they fabricate and install more than 50,000 square feet of stone every year, they are probably one of the most experienced in the area.