Granite & Quartz Kitchens

Key Information

Edge Details: We offer a variety of edge details to customise your worktops. While our standard quote includes a simple bevelled or rounded edge, explore our information sheet for more elaborate options to add a unique touch. Please note, some edge styles may impact the final cost.

Opening for Sink Bowls: Surface-mounted sinks require large cut-outs in the stone. If the sink is very deep, there might not be enough stone support remaining, creating a serious weak point. Our stonemasons will assess the situation and take steps to reinforce the thin areas or add joins around the sink cut-out for strength and safety.

Belfast/Butler Style Sink: Depending on the width of the sink opening, joins either side close to the opening may be required, the stonemason will use his discretion and skill to determine the best option. The exposed edges around the sink opening will be flat polished with a small bevel or round to the top edge, according to the front edge style. Where DuPont or Ogee edge styles are used on the front edge, these are not an option around any sink opening.

Recessed Drainer Area: The surface in the sink area is machined out to a depth of approximately 3-4mm. This area can be either one sided, slightly sloping in the case of a Butler/Belfast sink, or half side or surrounding the sink area when an under-mounted sink is specified. Please note the recessed area will be level when the area surrounds a sink and it cannot be sloped in the manner of a half side recess. There are further options available, such as double sided and surround, but please be aware, the larger the recessed area, the higher the quoted cost. If a recessed draining area is required it is important to be made aware that the recessed area may appear to be a different colour/texture shade to the un-recessed original surrounding surface. Tap Holes etc. Normally 25 or 35mm, please high-light on any plan whether there is one or two allocated to each sink. It helps to have the selected taps on site at the time templates are arranged. Hob cut-out. The same information as applicable to surface mounted sink cut-outs is used for quotation purposes.

For templating purposes, the hob must be on site with details of where it will be installed and preferably not connected. During the last few years, surface mounted hobs have been designed for installation flush with the surface of the worktop. Designers need to be aware, the cutting out of the stone for this type of hob costs considerably more than a stand cut-out. For this reason, please make clear on any plan to quote on if this design is an option. To enable accurate cutting out of the hob area into the stone we will require the client to allow for the hob to be brought back to the manufacturing base where it will be safely stored. The completed cut-out for the hob area will not be polished below the surface. When the hob is in position there will be a clearance tolerance so that any heat expansion can occur without cracking the glass hob surface. Please note we are not qualified to carry out any Electrical or Gas connections or disconnections on any Hobs or free-standing cookers!

Undermount Sinks: This needs to be made clear on any plan provided for the purpose of providing a quote, to save confusion between top and under-mount. There is a cost difference involved due to the extra polishing works around an exposed opening, which are quite significant. There is a cost for each individual opening, so please high-light whether there is to be a one and a half bowl within a single opening or two separate openings. (Please ensure that when two sinks are to be installed side by side, that there is at least a 65mm gap). Please note we do not supply or fit the sinks or any associated plumbing work. Any sinks, especially the Belfast/Butler styles will require fitment prior to the templating stage. Under-mounted sinks must be fitted to a substantial sub-base, which should be 3mm lower than the flush surface of the kitchen units. The sink/s should be free to move slightly, side to side and back and forth and not rigidly fixed. At the time of fitting of the stone tops we seal the gap between the underside of the granite and the top edge surface of the sink with Silicone mastic.

Drainer Grooves: Five straight grooves, 400mm long are quoted. These will be 12-14mm wide with a slight slope towards the sink. Other styles are offered such as flared or “dog-legged”, there will be an extra charge should these styles be required.

Range Cookers (aga etc): We allow to flat polish the edge of the stone where it meets this style of cooker. Such cookers must be fully installed prior to the templates being taken. There will be a manufacturers clearance required between any installed stone work surface an d the sides and back of the cooker, usually 5mm.

Upstands: These can be fitted on any work surface and provide a very modern design feature. They are normally 20mm thick and a height between 40mm and 100mm. We always cut the upstands from the same slabs as the work surface to ensure the material matches as far as is practicable. There is no guarantee offered as to the maximum length of any individual piece of upstand due to the strength of the long and narrow lengths of stone. This can vary a great deal, depending on the particular material selected. On average 900-2000mm long should be considered as an approximation. Where upstands meet, in a corner for instance, there will be a “butt-joint”, it is very difficult to achieve a clean mitred join on natural stone. A frequently overlooked but very important consideration is the fact, upstands do not bend, which can become very apparent on older properties, especially those that have a number of timber frame beams. To overcome this issue, there either has to be a degree of filling of the gaps between the wall or the use of shorter lengths of upstands.

Back-Panels: These are quoted on a square metre basis. Any curves to the top edge are an extra over cost if not mentioned on any plan to quote from.

Window Sills: Adding a matching window sill finishes the design off very attractively. It is advantageous to know if these are required as it is more cost efficient to produce these at the same time as the surfaces. We prefer to keep the thickness of the stone selected for the sill to be the same as that chosen for the worktop.

Extra Shaping: Any steps back and forth (break-fronts) in a leading polished edge add to any quote, therefore should to be shown on the drawing. Likewise any Radius’s or proposed larger curves need to be mentioned at the time of quotation.