Counter Top Trends & Four Questions to Ask Your Contractor

Our talk with Armando Trevino of Stone Crafters! 


The most common question about countertops is “What are my options?” For the environment and maximizing home resale value, granite, and quartz are the most popular options. So, what’s the difference?

Granite ranges in types and price from entry-level to exotic. The difference is in the look. An entry-level granite is more uniform in design. An exotic granite has more variation and may have more intense or distinct colors. Good quality granite has an epoxy resin that is vacuum sealed onto the stone, meaning that there is an actual coating on granite that makes it impenetrable to stains.

Quarts is a non-porous material that consists of 89% granite and 11% resin. The beauty of quarts is that you can get colors that mimic marble in white and greys that are simply not available in granite. You can get quarts with veins (the kind the looks like marble) for about the same cost as exotic granite Beyond the material, you will need to choose details such as the type of edge on the countertop.

It’s important to do your homework before hiring a contractor. Check state license board as well as social media sites to start. Here are 4 questions we asked when shopping around for a company to help with your kitchen:

1. How long have you been in the business? What about your employees?

Stone Crafters is celebrating 21 years of experience in this business. And some of the employees on my team have bee working with stone countertops for over 30 years. Countertops are never a one-person job. Ask about the team.

2. What level of detail do you provide?

Some contractors only provide one part of the total project. Ideally, you want a contractor who is responsible for all of the details before, during and after installation.

“There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to make a job right – my job is to make you happy. Isn’t that the way it should be?”

For example, I tell people, “I come with the job.” When someone signs a contract, I help them source all of the materials that they need — the stone and backsplash. We’ll talk about the faucets, stove top, or other related appliances. It saves time to have everything ready to go before the start date. That is the key — making sure that everything is lined up and that you aren’t waiting for anything.

3. What is the schedule for the work? 

The time it takes to install new countertops varies widely by the contractor. For us, the average kitchen remodel is one week from start to finish. Monday is a busy day – demolition to rip out existing tile, take down the bare cabinet, remove old tile, take it to the dump and dispose of it. Then, we make templates using modern technology to recreate your exact kitchen. Tuesday through Thursday is when we create your kitchen in the shop. we don’t need to be in your home. Friday – our team takes care of the installation the job is complete. Be sure and ask about the schedule so that your kitchen isn’t torn up any longer than it has to be.

4. Why are you the best for the job? 

It’s always interesting to hear what people have to say about their work, and it helps you understand if this is a person you want to do business with. It’s important to me to help people make decisions that they won’t regret later, and I make sure that they are happy. I also help my clients save money by passing along savings on material in the form of various discounts that I receive from my vendors. There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to make a job right — my job is to make you happy. Isn’t that the way it should be?