When it comes to a kitchen and bathroom renovation or a simple upgrade, new countertop plays a significant role in the project budget. Choosing the right company to do the job is key to first give you guidance through the renovation process, second, to help save headache and money in the long run. Why save money in the long run if I could save right now by choosing the cheapest bid – you must ask, and I’ll explain why.
The natural stone and quartz fabrication industry, it’s experiencing a huge increase in competition, which it’s just the way that any given industry should react when the economy is growing and opportunities are wide open for those willing to take risks and be their own bosses. Anyway, so far so good. Some common results of competition increase and economic growth it’s create new job opportunities and offer consumers more qualified buying options, which affects the entire community in a positive way, right? Unfortunately, this is not what happens in our industry. The most awful part is that consumers are endorsing “companies” that are destroying the American dream of many entrepreneurs that has dedicated their passion and energy to create new job opportunities for millions of people around the US.
Let me be more specific here. Have you ever noticed that quite often when searching online for a granite, marble, soapstone or quartzite countertop fabricator many sites do not show an actual physical address? Or have you ever noticed the huge difference in price for the same color of Silestone, Cambria or Caesarstone material in the same geographical area? Have you ever wondered why a fabricator sells Ubatuba granite at $40 and others sell the same Ubatuba at $25 per square foot? The impression is that some companies want to make big bucks in every project and others are shooting for the small yet steady profits and big volume, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t the reality either.
The reality is that nowadays two guys that have a pick-up truck, a tool box and a minimum experience in a countertop installation (I’m not including fabrication at all) are putting a three page website together and making them look like an established business; while the truth is that they do not have a showroom nor a fabrication shop. They are using somebody else to fabricate your countertops or doing in their own garage without the necessary tools nor the machines to protect the environment.
Therefore, the quality control standards are set very low. When a problem arrives down the road like a broken seam or a falling sink that was installed incorrectly, guess what?! They’re no longer in business to assist you. We have heard situations like that quite often from many frustrated homeowners that had sacrificed their peace of mind by saving a couple hundred bucks on their countertops; but now, in the long run, they are paying extra because of the lack of information during its decision making process to pick the right company.
I have all the respect for the two guys Operation Company. As a matter of fact Granite Works history has started just like that. The difference was that my brother and I had never set for the short run, for results that won’t last; furthermore, we’ve always been respectful of people and the trust they have put in our work, even when we did not have a physical address ourselves. Playing the low price game means poor quality control. We’ve learned that in business you cannot have low prices and outstanding services in the same sentence. It’s like having an oil change service at Jiffy Lube and expecting a Mercedes Benz customer service experience. Impossible to imagine, right?
I’m not saying that our company is perfect and all others are terrible. We have our own battles in a daily basis, and it’s not easy to survive in an industry where pricing has become a powerful and unfair weapon in the wrong hands. The simple fact that some “companies” don’t really care if they will be in business three or five years from now is devastating some serious business. So, how to protect yourself? Protect your investment by hiring established companies that need your business to keep growing, to keep on doing the right thing. If you are ready to upgrade your countertops or are planning to start a major home renovation project, do your homework. Here are some tips to help you pick a company that had past, have a present and will have a future.
- Make an online research and pick companies that have an actual showroom or physical address, so you know where to find them if you need in the future.
- Check for online reviews – 93% of consumers check companies’ reviews before making their decision and 88% of them DO trust online reviews as much as they’d trust a personal recommendation.
- Go visit the company showroom and get to know the staff. Visit their social media sites. Even if the price is good, but you didn’t like the company personnel attitude, chances are that you won’t be doing business with them.
- Responsiveness are a must. Every company has access to technology and been in touch is as easy as a click of a button even to just say that “we will get back to you shortly”. If you contact a company and don’t hear back in a day, run away from them.
These are only 4 simple steps that can make a huge difference during your renovation project. And remember: don’t play the dirt cheap game, it’s very expensive!
Best of luck out there!
