Adding granite to your bathroom or kitchen remodel is an exceptional decision to increase the value and appeal of your living spaces. You may notice, however, that the price quotes for different pieces of natural granite can vary considerably. They may seem similar to the untrained eye, but there are a lot of factors that contribute to the price per square foot. Once you understand why there are variations, you can feel confident making a quality selection for your home that is also affordable.

• • Grading – The grade that is given to granite is determined by the durability, hardness, and overall quality of the piece. You might also find that some of the larger slabs happen to be graded higher than a smaller piece.

 

• • Country of Origin – One of the most obvious reasons that the country the slab comes from contributes to the cost is shipping. In addition, the expense of doing business in some countries is going to reflect in the price of the piece. For example, a piece that comes from Italy is going to cost less than one that comes from China, even though they may be of the exact same quality.

 

• • Rarity – The less available a certain color or pattern is, the more it is going to cost to obtain. A common type that is easily found in several places in the country is not going to be as expensive as one only found in a certain area.

 

• • Hardness – A slab of a hard granite carries a higher price because of the time and labor it takes to mine and fabricate the stone. It’s a great quality to look for in a countertop surface, but you are going to pay more as a result.

 

• • Fragile – Homeowners do not shy away from the more delicate stones when they want genuine luxury. There is a high risk of accidental breakage in the production and transportation of the finished product. Some of the expense can be attributed to careful handling necessary when bringing a fragile granite to market.

 

If two different companies provide a different price on very similar pieces of granite, consider that their inventory is not the same. One may include installation, edging, sealing, and other work into the square foot estimate. Or they may base their products using different standards that would make one piece price at low-quality when it is sold as mid-level at another.

At Flemington Granite, we encourage you to visit our showroom to get a no-obligation quote on different slabs of granite that we carry. You will see for yourself that our products make a great addition to any home remodel project.