Visit our booth at the 2011 Taste of Business hosted by the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce. Register to win a $25 gift card from Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano! The event will feature many Noblesville businesses, including many local restaurants offering samples of their food. Details are below….hope to see you there!
What: 2011 Taste of Business
When: March 29th 4:30-6:30
Where: 4-H Fairgrounds
Cost: $5-Open to Public
Granite Countertops
- High Variation
- Seamsing is required
- Must be sealed
- Succeptable to staining and etching.
- Extremely durable, scratch resistant, and impervious to water and heat.
Quartz Countertops (Engineered Stone)
- Man-Made non-porous material, made from a mixture of 93% quartz and 7% resin binders and pigments.
- Sealing is not necessary.
- Mold & Mildew Resistant Extremely hygienic
- It has a similar appearance of natural stone, but with a consistent pattern and color.
- Seams are visible as is the case with natural stone.
- It is durable but not indestructible. It is resistant to stains. It can be damaged by high heat and prolonged exposure to heat. Strong chemicals will damage the surface.
Solid surface
- Solid surface is a 100% acrylic man made material which is colored by resins.
- It has a uniform and consistent appearance.
- Seams are invisible
- Non-porous
- Easy to scratch but scratches can be sanded by certified technician.
- Virtually maintenance free
Wood Countertops
- Construction methods are face grain, edge grain, or end grain construction. End grain is the strongest.
- Wood is subject to changes in moisture and temperature.
- Properly sealed and maintained wood tops are durable, but it is important to follow care and maintenance instructions for your specific type of finish.
- Do not expose to heat or extreme cold or moisture.
- Will dent and scratch
Concrete Countertops
- Concrete slabs normally come in solid gray or sand shades, but can be stained any color.
- Can be made to look like wood, marble, or granite.
- If properly sealed, they are resistant to water and stains.
- It is not heat resistant. Hot cookware can permanently damage the seal.
- Avoid using abrasive soaps or cleaners because they can cause scratches or mild damage.
- Concrete countertops are prone to cracking
Stainless Steel Countertops
- Manufacturers fabricate countertops from sheets of stainless steel adhered to a substrate (plywood or MDF)
- Stainless is highly resistant to damage from water, heat, and many corrosive materials.
- It can receive dents and scratches
- Stainless steel countertops are the most hygienic material available.
- Fingerprints and smudges stand out on the shiny surface. Matte, satin, brushed, and etched finishes help hide fingerprints as well as the inevitable dings and scratches.
The process of finding the right contractor to work with is the single most important thing you can do when planning for your remodeling project. This can apply for simple things such as replacing a kitchen faucet or a renovation your entire main floor. Most people spend the majority of their time looking at granite countertops or the latest technology with appliances, while very little time is dedicated towards researching their contractor. While having fabulous products are great for the end result, they won’t make or break your remodeling experience. Here are some things to look for when looking for a contractor to manage your project.
References
This is probably the easiest and most important task to accomplish. Qualifying a contractor can usually be accomplished by asking for a list of past clients that would be willing to speak with you about their experience. It is important to speak with the customers that have had similar work done that you are about to complete. If you’re building a deck, it’s important to see other decks the contractor has completed. Likewise, if you’re doing a kitchen remodel it is important to see other kitchen remodels the contractor has finished.
You may also check with local vendors for reliability and quality questions. The vendors are usually involved with contractors on a regular basis and can provide an educated reference for many contractors in the area.
Finally, be sure to check organizations such as Angie’s List, BAGI (Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis), or NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) to get further information before committing to a particular contractor.
Licenses/Qualifications
In residential projects, the State of Indiana only requires a plumber to have a license to do work on your home. Some counties have adopted their own bylaws so be sure your contractor is licensed to do the work in your area if necessary. This inquiry is usually made at the planning department in your city or town.
While a contractor may not have to be licensed, there are many qualification or certification designations they may have. These don’t guarantee your project will go perfectly, but they do help to know that your contractor has completed education and tests to gain their certification.
It is also important to find out if it is necessary to pull a building permit for your renovation. A building permit will bring about inspections which will be more difficult for the contractor but better for you. The building permit and inspections will give you some assurance that your contractor is doing the work in accordance with local codes.
Communication
Communication is essential between the homeowner and contractor in allowing your project to be successful and completed on time. It’s important to ask a prospective contractor how he likes to communicate. Is it by cell phone? Email? Does he have an office with a secretary or will you be communicating directly with him all of the time. Is he easily accessible and does he return your phone calls in a reasonable time period? Most of these questions can be answered by speaking with past customers.
These factors are simple things to consider when choosing your contractor. Make sure to feel comfortable with your contractor and the person you will be meeting with throughout the course of your project. If you are unsure about hiring them, we would strongly suggest you consider looking for someone else. If you don’t have a good feeling going into the project, you probably won’t have a good feeling when the project is completed.
Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions for help we may be able to give you when researching your contractor or vendor you are planning to use for your project.
You may notice that there is a now a blog on our website! We plan to keep it regularly updated with product reviews, new services, tips & advice, design discussions and our current projects. We invite you to check out the blog and free to leave a comment on any of our posts.