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My Staron distributor just returned from the builders show in Orlando. He said the most unique thing about this show was the number of builders complaining about granite. Most were tired of the complaints they were receiving, because of staining, cracking ect. He tried to get several to go on record… they just smiled and kept looking at the Staron Quartz and SS.
Do you think as the granite gets cheaper, the quality is going down and that is the reason for the increase in complaints.??
Yes, it is. They need to compete with those shops doing it for $27 /sq ft or less down here at some places. So they do it as quickly as possible and do it in volume with dulling tools. You should see some of the junk fabricating and installs of granite I see.
I lost a lot of my builders a few years ago to the granite companies. Some are coming back already because of granite warranty issues. If a builder gives a warranty on a house and the granite has a problem yet no warranty you are going to get into a bind with some homeowners.
The more granite I see, the more I like solid surface
I am hearing the same things from my builder customers here. Of course, they haven’t changed their buying habits. They just try another fabricator…and then another. Pricing pressure has an effect on quality and we know the builders are looking to save every nickel and dime.
KC,
There is more than grumbling here. We have two granite kitchens to tearout and replace with Wilsonart Earthstone. They said they have had their fill of granite and will never have it again. I will post some pictures of this house as soon as we finish it. It is a $1 million + house.
Mory
KC,
Yes. That and the fact that more and more people who actually, you know, use their kitchens, and heavily, are finding out the real deal. Your initial point may be more important for the future than mine. Stone is getting commoditized now, just as solid surface was in the 90’s. We all bitched about it then, the stone pros are bitching about it now.
Sounds par for the course, really.
Tom
We have a couple high volume builders in Omaha. I am talking about 1000 homes a year. They have eliminated granite all together. Their options are quartz and solid surface, and of course laminate. The solid surface integrated sink is kicking quartz’s butt.
Mory
Kelsey, you betcha as it gets cheaper the quality goes down. Every dude in his garage in Florida is fabricating stone. It is unbelievable. These guys will be weeded out, they always are. I see guys that won’t spend 5-8 bucks on the proper fasteners to hold a sink in. A $3.00 tube of silicone is cheaper.
But, granite is not going away.
Dave, I see some of the higher end granite shops that just K bond chunks of granite to hold the sinks in too. I show them sink clips and they think it is just a waste of time. Good luck if they ever have to take those sinks out.
I see the same thing Norm. I’ve also seen a local hacker solid Surface shop piece together no less than 10 pieces of Corian scrap to make a 10 ft. top. From differant lots.
Had one of their installers show up, needed silicone, helped him take it out to the truck. He had a top in the back and was proud to tell me that at his shop, no scrap goes to waste. It’s just all seemed together…regardless of the fact that some of the scrap has been in the shop for over a year.
You should have seen this top, you could tell it was from differant lots. Blatant. I asked him if he thought the homeowner would notice. No, he said. They have very poor lighting. And, they got a deal !
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