Granite countertops are very popular in recent years due to their beauty, durability and increased cost effectiveness of the material after China entered the global stone market. However, granite could also add significant expense to a kitchen remodeling project. Still, the granite slab tends to be more expensive than the same size countertop fabricated in Formica or tile, but the labor for granite countertop installation is by far a big factor in added expense. Unless you can install a granite countertop yourself, you need to hire a professional granite contractor to do the installation for you. That can be costly. Installing granite countertops Unlike many other home improvement projects, you shouldn't attempt to install granite countertops yourself, unless you've already worked as a professional granite installer. For one thing, many of the fine details of granite installation are done at the job site, such as cutting the sink hole, faucet hole, and any dispensers you plan to add. Plus if you were to break the granite, you'd be out of luck. Generally speaking, the large contractors usually have direct employees who perform the installation to their company's standards. Smaller companies might contract out the installation job without telling you until you have a problem. While installing a granite counter top in general is not a do-it-yourself job, there are some measures you can take to reduce the amount of labor a granite countertop installer must do to complete the job. Cost saving measures on granite countertop installation Here are few simple guidelines that could help reduce the costs for having professionals install your granite countertops. 1. Remove the old countertops, sink and the range tops by yourself. The demolition job is a task you could easily accomplish. Clean up the area. Make sure it is free of any unnecessary materials. Have all new fixtures at hand, like sinks and plumbing, so the installer can complete the job quickly. 2. A representative from installation company usually will visit your site prior to the scheduled installation to take measurements and get an overview of what's being done. He takes precise measurements of your cabinets and devise working templates for the installation, location of the sink, plumbing, backslash etc. In some cases this is the time you will be asked what kind of edge finish you prefer, such as straight, ogee, beveled or bull nose. Make sure to have everything verified and confirmed during this initial trip to minimize potential confusions and delays during the installation. By the time installation day rolls around, you will have picked out your granite pattern, your slab, and other options. Depending on complexity, installation will take most of a day. The final step your granite countertop installers should do is applying an initial seal coat. 3. If you are to purchase the countertop materials from a supplier other than the installer, ask for customized fabrication so shapes, dimensions, edge profiles and necessary cutouts are all made ready for the final installation. Source: amlinkmarble.com