There’s much to be said for online shopping – it’s convenient, quick, and, let’s face it, a click of a button instantly throws up a world of options. What’s not to love about it, right? Well, not quite. Most homeowners shopping for granite countertops for their homes feel that shopping for granite samples online has led them down a rabbit hole of fantastic options, many of which they would never have been able to get from the few stores that exist in their locality. Online, they find, there is more of everything – more colors, more textures, more patterns, more variations, more options of costs, and, of course, the option of having your countertop shipped to just about anywhere in the world. Yet, buying granite slabs online without due diligence is a mistake many homeowners tend to make, which, as it turns out, costs them more than buying locally.
We tell you the ins and outs you need to know when browsing the abundance of online options. Keep these tips in mind to avoid being disappointed.
Finding the Best Granite Option for Your Home
Let’s delve into the dos and don’ts of looking at granite samples online:
Being overwhelmed by the options
Yes, the perk of searching for granite samples online is the variety of options you get, but this can also be a disadvantage. It can get overwhelming and confusing when you see too many variations, and you’re left picking something that might not be the best fit for your home. The more significant issue is natural stone variation. Some will vary more than others, but some, even with the same name, can be unrecognizable due to considerable changes in natural variation.
Look and feel
Touch is one of the most underrated aspects when shopping for granite countertops; how the material feels plays a significant role in its suitability for your home. In terms of looks, too, there’s a big difference in how the slab will display under the store’s lights compared to how it will look at home. This variation gets even more complicated when you buy it online, as you have virtually no reference point. So, keep lighting and texture in mind.
Additionally, you want to see the polish, patterns, and veining for yourself, as the slab you see online might differ from the one shipped to you. Granite has natural flecks, unique swirls, and depths that vary from slab to slab because it is a natural stone. To get more uniformity, you generally need to look for stones from the same quarry and lot, which could get hard to monitor online. Be sure to ask for details and get in writing what you’re buying, along with the warranties and certifications available.
Reputed brands
If you still opt to buy online, you want to buy from a reputed, validated, accredited, and certified company renowned for its quality and certifications.
Educational aspect
When you visit a granite warehouse in person, you glean so much helpful information you cannot get when shopping online. You’ll learn about the different grades of granite, how to pick the most suitable grade, how the various options feel, and the color and variations they come in, which can look very different in a photograph, among other things. You could take printouts of the online options and see if your local stores have or can source this for you.
Measurements
Get not just your accurate space measurements but also the measurement of the slab or tiles you buy, and ensure it’s the right fit to avoid any issues once the seller ships the stone to you.
Handling
Check that your contractor is on-board to handle the slab once delivered. Generally, when you buy it from local stores, they take care of the handling, storing, and installation aspects. These heavy-duty slabs can be dangerous when left lying around, apart from the fact that finding storage space for them can be practically impossible.
Contact Us Today
When your heart sets on granite, we know how disappointing it is to make the investment and then have it go wrong. As functional and aesthetic as it looks, one quality makes even more of a difference – the emotional pull that granite has, whether you want it to use on your countertops or floors. We understand its sway more than anybody, and when it comes to getting you the best slab that feels right, we at GranitePro are the experts who can do the job. Contact us today to see how we do everything, from the heavy lifting (literally) to seeing that the finished piece is just how you want it.