Granite Worktops - Truth, Lies and misinformation

Paulrm71

Hi stonemason,

I am looking to have installed blue Volga granite, are there any pointers or things to be wary of with this type of granite? I am based in Surrey and have been quoted £3500 plus vat for 3500mm x 600mm, and an island 2500mm x 1500mm. The price includes all cut outs,oblique edge cut and round corners to the ends of worktop and island. The supplier is based in Horley. Does it sound a reasonable quote? I have seen the full slabs and they look stunning in certain lights.

Looking to install in late September so have time to shop around.

Many thanks,
Paul

Stonemason1985

Paulrm71 wrote: »

Hi stonemason,

I am looking to have installed blue Volga granite, are there any pointers or things to be wary of with this type of granite? I am based in Surrey and have been quoted £3500 plus vat for 3500mm x 600mm, and an island 2500mm x 1500mm. The price includes all cut outs,oblique edge cut and round corners to the ends of worktop and island. The supplier is based in Horley. Does it sound a reasonable quote? I have seen the full slabs and they look stunning in certain lights.

Looking to install in late September so have time to shop around.

Many thanks,
Paul

Hi Paul,

Volga Blue is amazing. Simply stunning you are right. However as a dark granite it will be like any dark granites a pain to keep clean. Just use soapy hit water tho and a squeegee. Works a treat. It may show marks but nothing too hard to maintain and keep on top of if you're up for it.

It is a fairly fragile material as far as granite goes and you will be limited in length pieces with cut outs in.

It can -due to the high crystalline content- suffer pitting on the surface. It is an open grain granite. Which means it needs to be resin treated- a simple process where a clear liquid resin is poured over the material before the face-polishing process. This is done to achieve a smooth, mirror like finish which is obviously the expected standard. After the polish it will need two minimum coats of a good quality impregnating sealant. As a porous material with an open grain it may even take a third and fourth which is no harm at all. Be sure this is done to your worktops before they are fitted. If you have a sample of your material just look down it into natural light and check the surface. Ensure it is perfectly smooth.

There may be some small crystals that pop at a later date and you will be able to feel them with your nail for instance. However it is just the nature of the type of granite you have chosen is completely normal and to be expected. It should be repaired by the company free of charge.

Looking at the quote it's a good price. It is an expensive stone. The size of the pieces, linear polishing and it is a special edge detail too so your quote is there or thereabouts.

mandm65

Thanks cyclonebri1 and SM1985 for eradicating my fear its always helpful to know you are going nuts in your assessment!


Right SM1985 unsure if I understood correctly about wider units, unless you meant deeper units? I can get 600,800,1000mm wide units so don’t understand how that can help? I thought the depth is standard but assuming I am dissecting your message right, there is an option to get deeper units than standard 600mm?
Anyway will reduce the width of the island to 900mm, as for the length we have following fitted in the island, 600mm(sink)+800+600(dishwasher)+600=2600, so that leave 200mm on either side for end panels and bit of overhang.

Stonemason1985

mandm65 wrote: »

Thanks cyclonebri1 and SM1985 for eradicating my fear its always helpful to know you are going nuts in your assessment!


Right SM1985 unsure if I understood correctly about wider units, unless you meant deeper units? I can get 600,800,1000mm wide units so don’t understand how that can help? I thought the depth is standard but assuming I am dissecting your message right, there is an option to get deeper units than standard 600mm?
Anyway will reduce the width of the island to 900mm, as for the length we have following fitted in the island, 600mm(sink)+800+600(dishwasher)+600=2600, so that leave 200mm on either side for end panels and bit of overhang.

Yes mandm. I meant deeper units. A unit specificly built or designed to be an island top. Generally 850mm deep maybe more. Is it no pretty obvious how that would help? Just giving the granite more of a surface area to be sat on will make the entire thing safer and more stable.

Like this it's just an example the first I found on images.
http://www.furnitureuk.co.uk/media.php?file=335314&name=image.jpg

ejmolly

Hi
Does anyone know if the quartz worktops sold in john lewis are sold anywhere else?

I liked the look of the honey quartz that was in the glasgow store. I haven't had a quote yet.

Thanks

Smileyjacko

Any thoughts on the above as it's the look We like but want any tips on what to ask or to look for please regards quality.
The supplier is Stone Circle & visited their (deserted) showroom on a Saturday & the whole place is massive & they've been there ages I believe. Local fitter who is son's friend's dad & lives 500 metres away so don't know his work but he's local enough for me to haunt if he doesn't do a good job!! (It is his profession I hasten to add!).
It's taken me 4 months to finally order kitchen from Benchmarx & appliances from various sources so just need some reassurance before another £3500 goes on granite worktop (hence been awake since 4.30am thinking about this as hubby off to earn the money to finance such a luxury!)

tlambert1766

Anyone had dealings with kitchen worktops direct or granite wizards.
They are coming up as fairly good value re granite quotes - would like to know if they are any good?

Stonemason1985

Smileyjacko wrote: »

Any thoughts on the above as it's the look We like but want any tips on what to ask or to look for please regards quality.
The supplier is Stone Circle & visited their (deserted) showroom on a Saturday & the whole place is massive & they've been there ages I believe. Local fitter who is son's friend's dad & lives 500 metres away so don't know his work but he's local enough for me to haunt if he doesn't do a good job!! (It is his profession I hasten to add!).
It's taken me 4 months to finally order kitchen from Benchmarx & appliances from various sources so just need some reassurance before another £3500 goes on granite worktop (hence been awake since 4.30am thinking about this as hubby off to earn the money to finance such a luxury!)

Hi Jacko,

First thing I have to say to you is The company you mentioned are our companies biggest rival in the market. I am not going to comment on anything regarding there work. We have some guys at work that used to work there and vice versa. Put it this way they know what there doing they are a very established firm and everything is done the right way, you have no worries.

Regarding the material you asked about. It is a durable and strong granite. It will have no defects in and doesn't vent or scratch easy. It is ideal for use as a kitchen worktop and for this reason is very popular. I can only speak from experience but the steel grey we have rarely changes and is of premium quality 99.9% of the time. And I believe the aforementioned company source it in the same place. It very occasionally will have the odd pit on the surface which can be easily avoided during cutting.

Hope this helps to put your mind at rest.

rrtt

30mm granite worktops in new kitchen of old farmhouse I've been renovating, and I'm absolutely delighted with the look, fitting and customer service.

So if anyone else in the Harrogate area is looking, like I was without success until another type of retailer in a business park a few miles away pointed me in the direction of AKTIV DESIGN, Follifoot (same road as Pannal Golf Club and the Business Park is almost opposite the riding stables), I think you'll end up like me, a happy customer if you use this company.

They have a large workshop shed which must be at least 60' by 30', every last foot outside having stacks and stacks of slabs, huge range of granite, marble and quartz. Jo who manages the showroom took me round, and when I wanted samples to take back to see in the house itself, she got one of the workers to cut chunks off for me!

I went for the Steel Grey which was actually the cheapest they do but the best for me in looks and match (it's actually more black than grey, but variable enough to match whatever state of washed/unwashed my greyish black kitchen floor tiles are in). £3K for one 900mm plain run, one approx 700mm sink run incl dble butlers sink & large recessed drainage area, one island of approx 900 x 1200mm, and two narrower depth tops either side of the range, approx 500mm each. All measurements approx as I'm not there/don't have the paperwork to hand at the mo. Jo also sourced the taps of my choice for me, at less than the online price I'd seen.

Templated (2 hrs) and installed (1.5 hours) without fuss by fitters with professional attitude, short-ish lead in time (no more than a couple of weeks or so)

I'm not a relative, friend, employee or in any way associated with the company, just in case anyone thinks this all is a bit too glowing!

suisidevw

Just used Cardiff Granite to install White Storm Silestone. They came, measured up, took a 30% deposit to order in the slab, fitted the tops, upstands, splashback and provided a sill FOC and I'm EXTREMELY happy. Highly recommend and MUCH cheaper than many other companies.