[et_pb_section][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” custom_padding=”0|” padding_mobile=”on” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_post_title admin_label=”Post Title” title=”on” meta=”on” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” featured_placement=”below” parallax_effect=”on” parallax_method=”on” text_orientation=”left” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” title_all_caps=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”0||0|” custom_padding=”0||0|” /][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”0|||” custom_padding=”0|||”] [shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”21407147″] Installing marble countertops is not usually considered a do-it-yourself project as it requires special tools and a certain amount of expertise to get it done right. Once you have made the decision to install natural stone in your kitchen or bathroom, the next step is deciding which fabricator to use. You will want an experienced company and an experienced installer and finding the right one shouldn’t be all that difficult.

Asking for Referrals

You can start by asking friends and family members who may already have marble countertops installed in their home and pick their brain about who they used. Be sure to ask not just about the finished project but also how their work proceeded during the job. Getting the job done on time and within budget are two of the primary things to know, but how the contractors cleaned up at the end of every work day and were they easy to work with or were they demanding are also things to ask about.

Other Sources

Another source of quality workmanship can be your neighborhood real estate agents. They work with a lot of contractors and should be able to steer you in the right direction. Or contact your local building supply house, especially if they sell or promote the use of natural stone products. They should have a pretty good idea of which companies keep coming back for more material or to replace things they broke.

Things to Keep an Eye on

Once you have made the decision on a contractor, you want to make sure that everything you agreed upon is included in the contract. Remember, if something isn’t written in the contract there’s a good chance it isn’t going to be done and you will have no recourse to make it happen. This is the time to also try to pin down an estimated completion date. Understand that in any remodeling project things can go wrong pushing that date back, but you should at the very least have an estimated completion date.

If possible, do not pay for the entire project up front. It’s OK to pay a portion before the job begins and then establish benchmarks at which you will pay a certain amount as the job moves forward, but by all means the final payment should be contingent on the job being completed to your absolute satisfaction.

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