We template and install granite across Katy, including Grand Lakes, Seven Meadows, Firethorne and Grayson Lakes.
Greater Katy grew with master-planned communities from the 1990s through the 2010s. A 1990s house there may still have its builder cabinets under a laminate or tile counter, and new stone goes onto those same boxes when they are sound and level.
What granite is and how it performs
Granite is natural igneous stone, quarried in slabs mostly in Brazil and India, with some from Norway, Italy and the United States. It handles normal pan heat, and a trivet still protects the sealer. It resists scratching well, and a knife dulls on it before it marks. What granite asks for is a penetrating sealer. We apply it at install, and lighter stones want it again about once a year, dense dark ones less often. Small natural fissures are part of the stone, not cracks.
Colors and looks
Granite runs from near black to near white, through grays, browns, golds, greens and blues. Some slabs are evenly speckled, others carry long veins, and some shift color from one end to the other. No two slabs match, so you choose the actual slab we cut, and we lay the template out on it so the strongest movement lands where you look most. Dark polished granite shows water spots and dust more than a mid-tone stone, and a light stone hides crumbs.
Granite next to quartz and quartzite
Next to quartz, granite wins on heat and variety and asks for a little more upkeep. Both resist scratching well. Next to quartzite, granite costs less and reads speckled or flowing rather than marble-like, and quartzite is harder still. For an outdoor kitchen, granite beats quartz outright, because sunlight yellows quartz resin. We bring all three to the estimate so you can compare them side by side.
Sinks and cutouts in granite
Undermount sinks suit granite well, because the polished cut edge becomes part of the look. Drop-in, farmhouse and vessel sinks work too. The sink and cooktop openings are cut in our shop from the template. A cutout narrows the stone around it, so we plan the seams and the support around each opening.
Caring for granite
Clean granite with warm water and a pH-neutral soap. Vinegar and bleach wear on the sealer, so skip them, and wipe oil and wine before they sit. To check the sealer, put a few drops of water on the stone: if it darkens, it is time to reseal. Hard tap water leaves spots on dark polished granite, and a dry cloth after the dishes keeps them away. Chipped edges, dull spots and tired sealer are all repair work we do.
What moves the price
Granite prices span a wide range because slabs do. Yards sell granite by level, and the level reflects rarity and yield, not strength, so a lower level is just as tough. After the slab come the square footage, the thickness, the edge profile and the number of cutouts. A full bullnose or a mitered edge costs more than an eased edge. Tear-out and the sink install are their own lines, and your estimate lists each one, so you can see where the money goes.
How a granite job runs
A granite job starts with a free estimate at the house, where we check the cabinets, look at the sink and the cooktop and bring samples. You pick your granite slab at any stone yard and send us a photo of its tag, and the slab is confirmed at template. Once the cabinets are set and level, our templater records the room with a digital template, and someone should be home to settle the seams and the overhangs. In our shop, we cut the granite to that template, polish the edges and cut the sink and cooktop openings. On install day, the crew removes the old tops and hauls them away, sets the granite, fills the seams and sets the sink, with the faucet holes drilled on site at install.
Where we work and how to start
Beyond Katy, our granite work reaches Cinco Ranch, Brookshire and Fulshear, and if granite is not the fit, we cut quartz and quartzite too.
Ready to price granite for a house in Katy? Send the estimate form with a few photos, or call, and we will set a time to visit.