Today, many love the look of marble countertops in their home. The surface has a timeless look that just cannot be duplicated with faux materials. However, marble and granite and such materials are very heavy and very difficult to work with and typically are more expensive than any other options as well. This means that they're for homeowners who only want the best for their home! This expense involved in working with granite or marble - or stone, quartz, and other such materials - means that you should never have the job done in any way other than what you expect. A professional countertop installer is an absolute must for this type of job. But before you hire a professional, consider the following questions:
- Is he or she licensed and insured, and meets all other requirements for working in the Virginia area?
- Is the company bonded so you know your purchase price is protected?
- Is the company or individual listed with the Better Business Bureau?
- Are they certified?
- Does this person hold any additional certifications needed to work with stone countertops?
- How much experience have they had? How many jobs like this have they done in the past?
- Do they have references you can check including photographs of their work?
- Have they fully discussed their prices and rates and what these include?
- What type of timeframe would be involved with this job?
Once you've chosen your contractor, the questions don't stop there! Also consider:
- The hours of the day they expect to work and have access to your kitchen.
- The items you'll need to move out of the kitchen before they can get started.
- How they handle delays in the job.
- The number of people on their crew that you can expect in and out of your house.
- Where and how the materials are stored in your home if they're not installed right away.
- Their cleanup policy for after the job is done.
Before you pay your contractor at the end of the job, you'll probably be asked to inspect the work to be sure it's done to your specifications. A good contractor will insist! Be sure to look for:
- Invisible seams on the slabs.
- Materials that are free of blemishes and defects; it should be the right style and color as agreed upon.
- The cleanup being done as agreed upon as well.
- All of their tools and materials have been retrieved.
- The job is done to your expectations!
