General Questions
Do I need an appointment?
Our office will be open during normal business hours (9 am-5 pm Monday-Friday, 10 am-4 pm Saturday) appointments are unnecessary, however if you would like to visit on Sundays or during non business hours please call us ahead to schedule an appointment.
Where do you operate?
Everest Granite operates within the greater Virginia, Maryland and the District of Washington area. Our warehouse, showroom and office are located conveniently in Chantilly, VA.
Do I have to buy a whole slab?
No, you will not be charged for the price of full slabs. Our experienced professionals will determine exactly how much material is needed for your countertops. You wil pay for the material that is required to fabricate your tops.
Can I take my child to your warehouse?
For their safety children under the age of 16 cannot enter our warehouse areas. There are potentially danger areas with heavy equipment transporting heavy slabs of stones.
What is the appropriate thickness for a kitchen countertop?
Kitchen countertops should be an inch and quarter thick for structural reasons. Bathroom vanity tops can be thinner.
What is the maximum overhang size and can granite cantilever?
Granite can be cantilevered up to 14″ with a large enough piece and enough support on the fixed end. You should never cantilever unsupported granite where it has potential to endure excessive stress such as someone sitting on the counter. You must always have support underneath the stone for these s situations. Other types of stone are not as strong as granite and can’t be cantilevered as much.
Will the seams show?
Granite is a natural material that is mined from the quarry in blocks of usually no more than 10 ft long, so you will most likely end up with seams. Also, seams will reduce your costs. The visibility of the seams will depend on the color and pattern of the granite. A dark color will be less apparent than a light color. A dramatic patter with lots of color will show more seams than a uniform pattern. Most people find that the beauty of the stones far outweighs the concern of seams.
Will the color I choose look exactly like the picture on your website?
Granite is a natural substance and no two samples will be exactly alike. Most of times our customers select a sample and then select the exact block of granite that will be used to fabricate their surfaces.
Can I order kitchen countertops for pick-up?
We do not recommend the average homeowner to try to install large pieces of stone without proper equipment and technique. Also, we don’t offer any warranty on up orders, and once the stone is lifted from the cart, it becomes the responsibility and property of the customer. However, smaller orders like vanity tops are generally small enough to fit in a regular car or van and are simpler to install.
Are some edge profiles better than others?
Most edge profiles have similar general characteristics and it is often up to the preference of the customers to choose an edge profile. However, there are different, which can have an efficient on daily usage. For example, smoother edges will be more resistant to chipping and can be more durable. Parents with small children also may consider the rounded bottom edge of a full bullnose edge to be safer.
What is the standard overhang for kitchen and bathroom countertops?
The standard overhang for kitchen countertops is 1.5″ on the front and 1″ along the sides. Bathrooms have everhangs at either 1″ or 1.5″ even around. These sizes are not mandatory and you can definitely choose the size of your overhang to your liking.
Granite and Marble Questions
What is the difference between Marble and Granite?
Granite and marble are both stones quarried from the earth from the earth but they are very different from each other. Granite is formed deep within the earth’s mantle at extremely high temperatures, making it a very hard, resistant stone made of crystallized minerals, Marble on the other hand is much softer than granite and starts out as sediments, animal skeletons, shells, which after millions of years solidifies into stone. Marble’s main component is calcium, which can be affected by acids like lemon and vinegar where as granite generally doesn’t react with acid.
Can I use marble for my kitchen countertop?
We do not recommend using marble for kitchen countertops due to the fact that it is easy to scratch and sensitive to acidic materials. Typical uses of marble are for bathroom vanity tops, Jacuzzi tops and fireplaces. Granite on the other hand, is much more stronger and is not susceptible to household chemicals, knives and pans under normal usage.
Can granite surfaces be damaged?
Granite is a very hard material and under typical household usage, it is very difficult to damage the surface of your granite. Unless you are willing away at it with a sledgehammer, you can be sure that your granite countertop will last a very long time.
Is it true that granite won't chip or crack?
The fabrication process of the granite is the most stressful on the stone and if it doesn’t break at that point, it will never under normal circumstances in your home. In the unlikely event that a chip occurs on your countertop, keep the chipped pieces so that we can use them to fix the countertop. No one will be able to tell it was ever chipped when we fix it.
Is granite expensive?
Granite is a porous material and it can absorb liquids, which can lead to staining. In order to prevent this, we will have sealed your granite for you when we first install it. We recommend that you reseal your granite every six to ensure that it keeps impervious to any kind of liquids. Using the same sealer every time is also recommended.
How much does granite weigh?
One square foot of granite with a thickness of 1 1/2″ thickness usually weighs 46-18 lbs.
Order Process Questiions
Can you level my cabinets?
Everest Granite will not engage in any carpentry work. All cabinets and surfaces must be installed and leveled prior to granite installation.
Do you make and install sink supports?
Sink supports should be made and installed by a carpenter or contractor.
Can I buy a granite slab somewhere else and have you fabricate it?
Although we do not recommend it, we can fabricate slabs from outside sources. However, since we have no information on the soundness of the stone, we will take no responsibility for any problems that arise during the fabrication process.
Do I need the faucet at the tie of the templates?
Even though the holes from the faucet are drilled after the installation, we ask that the homeowner have the faucets available during templating to make sure that there is enough room for the faucet and sink in the base cabinet. For example, a faucet with a tilting handle would require more space in the back, especially if there will be backsplash installed it just gives us a better template so that we can install everything perfectly.
Can you help me with the color selection?
We are more than happy to help you select the stone color for your project. We have worked with many homeowners just like you and our past experiences can provide aprofessional opinion to help make you project turn out just the way you imagined!
