Our Process
Our team are passionate about installing the perfect stone surfaces for your space. Whether you have selected classic natural stone, a beautiful and practical quartz or a contemporary ceramic or recycled glass option we ensure that the finished installation is completed to perfection. Not only do we fabricate gorgeous surfaces for kitchens, our team love to add practicality and drama to commercial spaces too. Our meticulously sourced stone slabs are perfectly suited to hotels, restaurants and reception areas. From initial consultation to completed installation our team ensure that the best level of service and end product are provided and the steps below explain how we achieve this.
1.
Choose your stone
There are many different stone choices available and each has unique properties that mean they may be are more or less suitable for you. A member of our showroom team would be happy to talk through the options with you – on the phone, by email or in person at our showroom – to ensure that the surface you select best meets your needs.
All clients are welcome to borrow samples to look at in the comfort of their own home.
If you are browsing our website and are not able to find what you are looking for please do call or email us and we will do our best to source the ideal stone for you.
We recommend viewing certain natural stones prior to purchase as natural stone can vary significantly in terms of colour and pattern from slab to slab. Client’s choosing natural stone surfaces are welcome to visit one of our wholesale suppliers to select the slabs for their kitchen.
The profile of your work surface is the finishing touch that elevates your kitchen from functional to fabulous. We offer a selection of different stone options but beyond the material itself, the profile you choose can add a unique design element.
Our signature profile edge is the double chamfer which is a chic and classic stone surface edge. This profile works beautifully with all natural stone surfaces, as well as engineered options like quartz and ceramic and is included in all of our quotations.
There are a range of other profile edge options (individually priced) available that our team are happy to talk through with you.
If you are looking for a more traditional kitchen design then the ogee and dupont edges offer a feeling of luxury whereas the shark nose profile edge provides a much more contemporary feel.
3.
Quotation
We can provide very accurate quotations based on kitchen CAD plans or simple dimensions. If you are looking to replace your existing work surfaces we can arrange for a member of our friendly team to visit your home to measure the surfaces and then provide you with a quotation.
Usually our quotations include templating and installation of your surfaces but we do also offer a ‘supply only’ service if preferred.
Each stone option that we offer is differently priced but the cost is never indicative of quality as we only provide the finest stone options available. If you are looking at natural stone then the price will be dictated by the relative rarity and availability of the stone. The cost of engineered stone surfaces however is determined by the brand and complexity of the pattern.
Once a quotation has been accepted we request that a 50% deposit payment is made to secure the order and the templating appointment.
4.
Templating
One of our skilled templaters will visit you to make physical templates of your surfaces once your new kitchen cabinets have been installed (or you have placed an order to change your existing surfaces).
A decision maker must be present for the templating appointment as our templater will discuss the finer details with you prior to the templates being made. These details include overhang for the surfaces and how exposed corners will be finished (whether you prefer a square look or a soft radiused corner for example) as well as other finishing details.
All of our surfaces are completely bespoke and are made to fit perfectly in your space and meet your design specifications.
Once the templates have been made they are then taken back to our Oxford workshop where the stone slabs are cut and fabricated by combining the very latest technology with the traditional skills of stonemasonry.
5.
Installation
Our extremely talented workshop team complete the fabrication and installation of each set of surfaces with skill and care and one of our friendly and efficient installation teams will then visit your home to complete the installation of your surfaces. The fitting teams are tidy, conscientious and respectful of the fact that they are working in your home. All of our fitters strive for 100% customer satisfaction and as such they will go the extra mile to ensure that this is achieved.
The majority of our installations will be completed in between three and six hours but we recommend allowing the whole day and ensuring that the following trades are booked for the next day (this ensures that all of the adhesives and silicones used are completely dry).
Once the installation has been completed our team will ask you to look over the surfaces to ensure you are happy. No payments are required to be made to the fitters so you are free to inspect the surfaces and our craftsmanship after the fitters have left.
6.
Aftercare
Whilst the material selection and installation are crucial, we feel that the final touch to a perfect work surface experience comes with proper aftercare.
Each type of stone surface has a specific set of care instructions and these will be provided by email after installation and it is important that these instructions are understood and followed. No stone surface is indestructible but they are a hard wearing and beautiful investment that will last for many, many years if proper care is taken with them.
Our team understands that it is a privilege to provide stone surface installations and we want to ensure that our clients are happy with their stone not just on the day of installation but for 5, 10, 20 years to come. We therefore encourage our clients to contact us at any time if they have any questions about their stone installation or if they require any assistance or information about their surfaces. Our showroom team are more than happy to help!