Long Meadow Farms, Grand Mission and Winston Terrace have Richmond addresses in Fort Bend County. The kitchens on that list range from a 1940s bungalow in Winston Terrace to a new build in Long Meadow Farms or Grand Mission, where the builder cabinets may still be in their first years.
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.
Choosing your granite
Choose granite in person. A sample is a start, and the slab is the answer. Check both ends of the slab and the area where the sink will go, and ask which level it is, since the level changes the price, not the strength. For an island, ask about slab size: one piece needs a slab long enough, and otherwise we plan the seam with you. Once you pick, we plan the cuts on that exact slab.
Where granite fits
Granite works in the kitchen, on a vanity, around a fireplace and outside. Full sun and rain do not fade it, which makes it a steady choice for an outdoor kitchen, where quartz cannot go. Kitchens use 3 cm stone. Vanities can drop to 2 cm, or use a laminated edge to look thicker. An island overhang deeper than 10 inches on 3 cm granite needs support brackets.
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.
From estimate to install
You will see our crew three times. First comes the free estimate, with samples and a written price that lists the granite, the edges, the cutouts, tear-out and the sink install. You pick your granite slab at any stone yard and send us a photo of its tag, and the slab is confirmed at template. Second is the template, once the cabinets are set and level. The digital template catches walls that are out of square. Between the visits, our shop cuts the granite and its sink and cooktop openings. Third is the install: old tops out, granite in, seams filled with tinted epoxy and the sink set, with the faucet holes drilled on site at install.
Where we work and how to start
The crew that sets granite in Richmond also works in Pecan Grove, Rosenberg and Greatwood, and it cuts quartz and quartzite as well.
Ready to price granite for a house in Richmond? Send the estimate form with a few photos, or call, and we will set a time to visit.