FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
This isn't one of those jobs that you think of when you're in college and no one grows up saying, one day I want to run a granite & marble manufacturing company. Well, at least most people don't. I have a degree in business administration and while I experienced the corporate world as most of us have, the cubicle life simply wasnât for me. I enjoy the management business aspect but I'm also a very sociable and outgoing person. I needed the ability to get out and interact with people, I tried sales for a bit but I wanted something that focused more on the customer, not on meeting a sales quote. I pretty much stumbled into this business and it fit. I get to be out and about most days driving from one site to the next and it's very rewarding to see the appreciation on a client's face after a job well done.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
The best piece of advice I can think of is the same I would give to anyone looking to hire any contractor or subcontractor. Get bids from multiple sources, it might be a bit of a hassle but getting three bids from different contractors will help you get the best rate. Also, ask a lot of questions. If a bid seems too good to be true, then you want to make sure they're using a quality stone. There are lower grade stones that can be purchased and while they do save you money the end result is commonly disappointing. A few hundred dollars can be the difference between a stone with faded color or that will chip or break.
- What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
That's an interesting question. I would have to say that I wish they knew the great majority of the cost goes to purchase the stones, not to pay for the fabrication. When the customer chooses a stone priced at over $3,000 a slab they can get a pretty hefty proposal and have the tendency to think that's our fee when the major reason for the high bid is the cost of the stone. This is why we offer all of our customer's the option of purchasing the stone themselves directly from the factory and we only charge them for the labor. We still accompany them to the factory floor, help them select the stones, inspect them for damage and negotiate on their behalf with our vendors in order to get them the best possible prize. But this way they're able to see first hand where their money is going as they pay and get the receipt directly from the factory.