Frequently Asked Questions

No. It is recommended that you do not attach the dishwasher directly to the stone countertop. Drilling into the bottom of the stone can cause stress cracks and discolorations in the surface of the stone. Also, the vibrations and movement of the dishwasher can possibly crack the stone. You should raise the feet of the dishwasher or use the side-mount brackets to attach the dishwasher to the adjacent cabinets.

The backsplash is ¾” thick, unless otherwise requested. A regular backsplash is 4” high. A “full-height” backsplash runs all the way from your countertop to the bottom of your upper cabinets, usually 18”. Some backsplashes are “full-height” in the area behind the stove also. It’s all in the customer’s preferences.

Turnaround time (from time of template to installation) is usually between 1½ to 2 weeks.

The stone comes from various foreign countries such as Brazil, India, Italy, Spain, Africa, USA, Canada, Greece and China. Interestingly, stones such as Deer Isle granite and Norumbega are found in Maine.

We treat your countertops upon installation and leave you with a care kit consisting of a sealer, cleaner, stain remover and polisher. You should seal your countertops every 8 – 12 months depending on how much they’re being used.

All stone is porous to a certain point and will absorb stains over some amount of time. Some stones are more porous than others, so it is important for you to use a sealer to prevent stains from wine, oils, or other materials from soaking into the stone.

For an everyday cleaner, soap and water is fine. You want to stay away from products that can be abrasive such as S.O.S. pads, Ajax, Soft Scrub, even acidic products such as ammonia, Windex, or 409. Abrasive cleaners will wear away at the polishing of the stone, dulling its appearance. The basic rule of thumb is not to use anything on the countertops that you wouldn’t use on your hands to clean them.

No. We are not licensed plumbers and therefore we cannot assume any liability for making plumbing connections. Your personal plumber would have to disconnect and then re-connect your plumbing for you.

The granite is usually 1¼” thick, but can come ¾”. Marble will usually come ¾” thick.

Yes, if you have granite or manufactured stone countertops. However, your knives will actually dull faster if cutting directly on the stone. For any other stone countertop surface, no you should not cut on it as the stone is not as hard and will scratch.

With our basic stock line of cabinetry, you can easily purchase a small kitchen for under $5000. As the size of your kitchen and the quality of your cabinetry increase, so does the price. In the larger, more elaborate kitchens, with high-end quality and custom cabinetry one can easily exceed $50,000.

If you're concerned about bacterial contamination of your kitchen countertop, it looks like stainless steel and granite are the way to go. That's what a recent study by the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based organization that develops educational materials and research for the retail food industry, shows.

The study measured the bacteria-resistance capacity of six common countertop materials. Each surface was contaminated with E. coli (nearly 2 billion of the microorganisms), washed and rinsed with soap and water and then sanitized with a vinegar-and-water solution. The results are shown in the table below.

Surface Microorganisms Eliminated by Cleaning
Stainless Steel ------- 85,113,804
Granite --------------- 79,432,823
Plastic Laminate ------ 498,884
Tile ------------------ 293,765
Concrete -------------- 32,810
Wood ------------------ 2,080

No, We are here to assist you with that. We ask that you bring along actual measurements of the space or your blueprint, appliance specs, and any pictures that you have collected of items that interest you or a “look” or “style” you like. Photographs of your existing kitchen may also be very helpful in a remodel situation.

We adhere to all of our manufacturers’ warranties per any particular item. We also warranty all products manufactured in our shop for one year.

That depends on the size and details involved in your kitchen design. Your time frame is often another factor. Normally, we will meet with you for the first time and gather all information required; dimensions, appliance specs, budget, product likes & dislikes, and your wants and needs. From this point, we will put together a design and a rough estimate for you. Generally this will take approximately two weeks. The next step would be a commitment from you that you want to continue working us. We will then continue the design process until the design perfectly suits your vision for your new kitchen (usually this will be an additional 2 to 4 weeks).

Once we decide to proceed with a specific design, how long will it take until we receive our cabinets for installation?

That depends on the specific brand of cabinetry chosen. We will work with you and your time frame to ensure your cabinetry is at the job site when it is needed. Our different cabinet lines vary from 3 - 4 weeks, to 12 - 14 weeks.

Yes, we have a Certified Kitchen Designer, Audrey Raymond, who has had the training to complete kitchen electrical plans. She will work with you, assuring that your kitchen plan contains all components necessary for a proper electrical plan.

We have literature for all of our cabinetry lines as well as hardware, sinks, faucets and other miscellaneous items. These will be available to you after first working with one of the designers we have available. We generally gather as much information from you as possible so that we are sure to give you the proper brochures that fit your interest & budget.

An inset door sets inside the frame and is flush with the front of the cabinetry. An overlay, or full overlay, door sets on top of the frame. Full overlay doors cover all except about 1/8” of the front frame.

Yes, you may borrow samples from us. We ask that you only keep them for a few days, as others may need to see/borrow them as well. We have a sign-out system and request an address and phone number in order to call you should another customer need

Maybe. This all depends on the size and layout of your kitchen. We will do everything we can to limit the number of seams in your countertops. The granite slabs are only available in certain sizes, affecting the layout and seaming of your kitchen. Our installers are trained to match the color of the stone with a colored epoxy, making the seam virtually hidden in the stone.