Recognizing When It’s Best to Call in the Professional’s
When you are facing a large home renovation project, the costs can be overwhelming. There are many steps you can take to save money on your remodel, but it is important to understand the difference between a money-saving opportunity, and a potentially costly mistake. Here are a few helpful things to take into consideration. The Scope of Your Project You must understand the scope of your project before you commit to completing it yourself. If you are looking for a temporary solution to make your home more attractive and are not interested in raising the value of your home, or keeping the renovation long term, it may be appropriate to do-it-yourself. On the other hand, if you are invested in increasing your home value and making it beautiful long-term, you should definitely consider calling in the experts to ensure the project is properly completed and becomes and asset instead of a liability. The Equipment Necessary to Complete Not all jobs are created equally. For a small project it may be appropriate to find work-arounds with some equipment. For a larger job, it is always a good choice to use the best equipment available. Equipment rentals are costly and you cannot guarantee that the equipment you receive has been properly maintained which may make renovations more difficult. When a job requires large equipment or a wide array of equipment – it’s a good idea to call in the experts for help. How You Will Handle a Poor Outcome It is hard to truly grasp what your final results may be when you decide to do it yourself. Sometimes, materials break, equipment quits working, or the job ends up taking too much time and simply goes uncompleted. At Southern Stone, we have a one year warranty on labor and that allows us to replace materials that are damaged or More often than not, hiring a professional to complete your home renovation project will ultimately save you more time, money, and energy. At Southern Stone, we are committed to helping bring your dream kitchen to life at an affordable cost. We are happy to work with reclaimed materials as well as brand new projects. Contact us at (205) 989-5699 to schedule your free in-home countertop estimate today!
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Extending the Life of Your Granite Countertops
One of the most important things to consider when you purchase new countertops is maintenance. New countertops can be a rather large investment depending on the rarity of the stone you choose, so it is natural that you would want to keep your counters looking brand-new for as long as possible. Granite is not immune to damage, however, it is extremely durable and with just a little bit of routine maintenance, it will remain beautiful for years to come! Seal Your Counter Annually Granite is very moisture resistant, but unfortunately it is also porous. To prevent liquids from seeping into your countertops and staining them, you should apply sealer to the surface once every year or two. Normal liquids will not harm a properly sealed granite surface. Clean Your Counter after Each Use After your granite has been sealed, all you really need to be concerned with is your routine maintenance. This means it would be a good idea use a cutting board when cooking, and also wipe away any leftover crumbs or dust that may be abrasive to the surface of your counters. You can also wipe your counters clean after usage, using a mild detergent mixed with water. Do Not Use Acidic Cleaning Products Avoid acidic cleaners and opt for natural products that are granite-safe. Acidic liquids are extremely harmful to granite and can cut through the sealant in no-time, exposing your granite to a higher likelihood of staining. For most people, the reward of having beautiful countertops that raise the value of your home - far outweighs the minimal inconvenience of proper care and maintenance. At Southern Stone, we are always happy to guide you through the basics of countertop care as you begin remodeling your kitchen or bathroom! Contact us at (205) 989-5699 to schedule your free in-home estimate today! Making Installation Day a Breeze
When completing a kitchen or bathroom remodel, it is easy to get overwhelmed by all of the steps you must take to ensure a smooth process. That’s why we compiled an easy checklist to help take the guesswork out of installation day! Here are the top five things you need to consider prior to installation! 1. Plumbing Is there a sink in the area where we are installing your new countertops? If so, you will need to hire a licensed plumber who is able to guarantee their work, to both disconnect your water supply before installation, and reconnect your water supply after installation. Because kitchen sinks are much larger and heavier, you need to allow 24 hours between installation, and reconnecting your water to the kitchen sink. At Southern Stone, we work with licensed plumbers we can refer you to. 2. Faucets At Southern Stone, we have plenty of beautiful sinks for you to choose from, but it is up to you to supply the unique faucet of your choosing. Faucets come in varied shapes and sizes, so our experienced installation team cuts your custom faucet holes on-site and must have the actual faucet in order to ensure accuracy. 3. Flooring Do you have hardwood floors? If so, the abrasive dust from cutting granite can cause scuffs and scratches. It is important to use blankets or tarps to cover your hardwood floors during installation. 4. Large appliances Some modern appliances are made to shine, and our installation team at Southern Stone does their best to preserve the integrity of that finish but unfortunately we cannot control how dust will fall. For this reason, it is extremely important to tape bags, sheets, or tarps over your large appliances (such a refrigerators or freezers) that cannot be moved during installation. 5. Cabinetry To make installation go quickly and smoothly, it is important to clear out your cabinets under your sink area. Also wherever possible, please remove the top drawers beneath your countertops. If you follow these five basic instructions, your installation day should be a breeze and you will be enjoying brand new countertops in no time! Contact us at (205) 989-5699 to schedule your free in-home countertop estimate today! ![]() Why Choose Quartz Countertops? Home design enthusiasts are more excited than ever about quartz countertops. But for the average home-owner, choosing a color-scheme for your renovations can be intimidating all on its own without ever taking into consideration the type of stone you want to use. Here are a few reasons quartz might be the best option for you. 1.Quartz is durable. Quartz is one of the most durable engineered stones available today. It is stronger, and more flexible than granite which makes it less prone to cracking during fabrication and with regular, heavy usage. 2.Quartz is non-porous. Because quartz is non-porous, it never requires any sealing (like natural stones do). This is a huge benefit because it means you don’t have to worry about bacteria and germs lurking in any pits. Plus it’s highly stain-resistant and easily cleaned with normal household cleaning products and chemicals. 3.Quartz appears uniform. With quartz, what you see is what you get. Natural stones have slight variations that can make it difficult to match seams and create a clean uniform look in your kitchen and bathroom. The variation in natural stone makes choosing a slab a tedious and time-consuming task. But the movement in quartz appears exactly the same in our showroom as it will in your home, which takes the guesswork out of choosing your slab. In conclusion, quartz is a great option for any heavily trafficked kitchen or bathroom, it is beautiful, sturdy, and can easily be matched with any home décor! Contact us at (205) 989-5699 to schedule your free in-home countertop estimate today! ![]() Things to Consider when Installing Granite Countertops Whether you are building your dream home from the ground-up, or renovating an existing kitchen and bathroom, it is important to educate yourself along the process to ensure you reach your desired outcome. Here are a few things to consider when choosing and installing your new countertops. 1.How much granite will you need to complete your job? A smaller surface area may present different options regarding which materials you choose, and how much you spend. At Southern Stone, we have a large variety of remnant stones, and half-slabs you can use to complete your job. A larger surface area will usually warrant the use of a full slab (or more), to ensure your countertops perfectly match your home. At Southern Stone, we will send out our experts to do a complimentary in-home estimate to get you off to the right start! 2.Do you anticipate heavy traffic in that area of your home? Movement and colors in granite has an impact on more than just pricing. Do you anticipate heavy traffic in your kitchen or bathroom? Is it likely that sauce or wine spills will not be cleaned immediately? If your answer to either question is ‘yes’, it is possible you could benefit from choosing a darker granite with more movement. The extra movement and pigment not only creates a beautiful and unique appearance, it also helps mask imperfections like grape juice spills that aren’t quickly cleaned up. 3.How are the pits on the granite? When you think you have found the slab you want, it is important to pay special attention to any hairline fractures, or excessive pitting. Observe the number of pits there are in the granite slab and how big each cavity is. A low-quality piece of granite will have more holes and larger holes than high-quality granite. Even the smallest flaws can decrease the durability of your granite significantly. As overwhelming as choosing the right granite for your home may feel, Southern Stone Cabinets & Granite is here to help you every step of the way whether it’s in the showroom, or as we are installing your custom cabinets! Visit our showroom at: 2044 Valleydale Terrace Birmingham, AL 35244 or call us at: 205-989-5699 |
About UsSouthern Stone is where your dream kitchen and bathroom can come to life at an affordable price without compromising the integrity of our work. We offer a beautiful selection of solid wood cabinets, along with quartz, and granite counter tops for your kitchen and bathroom. Archives
April 2017
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