If you’re a city contractor in Hartford, Connecticut you better charge full price for countertops you install or you might have to pay with your freedom. Recently, Hartford city contractor Carlos Costa was brought in to court to take the stand regarding bribery charges leveled against Mayor Eddie A. Perez. The topic at hand was Costa offering free and discounted services to several council members and the Mayor himself.
Under-the-table deals with countertops involved.
It’s been a couple of weeks since we heard a genuine anecdote about home remodeling installation failure and it just seems like the right time to serve up another.
Not long ago, a family friend of mine who lives in rural Southern New Jersey decided enough was enough. She had a teal, cracking wooden mantle surrounding her fireplace. Matters were made worse by the thick, wall-to-wall light pink carpet adorning the room in question. It was ugly – at best it was outdated. I visited her just after she had come to the decision to tear up the carpet and expose the wood below. I endorsed the decision because, and let’s be honest here, a decades old thick, stained, pink carpet that really never should have been laid down in the first place had run its course years ago. She then told me that instead of painting over the teal wooden molding she would do one better. She was going to have contractors come in and re-do the fireplace front with marble. Additionally, she requested that they widen the front and re-do the interior of the cauldron. She seemed to be happy with the choice, but knowing her finicky nature I had a pretty good idea of just what was going to happen.
Out with the old, in with the new.
When someone installs a deluxe home fixture they probably don’t think it can slowly act as a promoter of cancer, but they should know before continuing that all Granite Transformations granite is 100% radon free.
That being said, back in 2008 the New York Times threw just about everyone who owned, was about to own, or was thinking of installing granite in their homes into a widespread tizzy. On July 24, 2008 the New York Times ran an article by columnist Kate Murphy titled “What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?”. In it, an anecdotal tale of a routine radiation inspection in a home in Teaneck, New Jersey laid the framework for ongoing finger pointing directed firmly at countertops. In that Teaneck home, it was found that radiation levels were so high, ten times higher in the granite-infused kitchen than anywhere else in the home, that it was tantamount to smoking cigarettes, in terms of detriment to health.
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When you’re purchasing granite for your home, whether it be for your countertops, fireplace, floors, or anywhere else you can find a place for it; do you really know the granite you’re using? Where did it come from? How does it compare to other varieties of granite? Basically, is this the granite for me? Well, I think I can shed a bit of light on what you’re buying. Many people choose to install granite as a solid slab, which requires full replacement and construction. Others, like those who come to Granite Transformations for their granite fixtures, select engineered granite that not only doesn’t require a full demolition, but has technical advantages over the standard, mid-range granite.
I bet your granite couldn't withstand a chop from this man.
Here at Granite Transformations we pride ourselves in offering a full menu of home remodeling options that can remake almost any room in your home. With that being said, we think this blog is a great place to talk about the history of our flagship product, granite, and why exactly people love installing this material in the most prized rooms in their home.
The Red Pyramid in Egypt; a colossal granite structure.
Juxtaposed before and after work from Granite Transformations.
A harrowing, time-devouring experience? No. A quick, kitchen coddling exercise in rapid turnaround with beautiful results? Yes! Granite overlay installation is the quick way to give your countertops a fresh new look without all of the demolition, hassle, or home disruption. In only a couple of days from deciding that granite overlays are for you, a beautiful new kitchen can be utilized to its full potential. Allow me to walk you through the process…
Photo by aunto CC BY 2.0
Are you in the midst of a kitchen remodeling? Are you possibly rethinking your current kitchen design? There are likely many considerations you are keeping in mind – price, style, and quality to name a few. But there’s one more thing we want to remind you of before sending you out into the land of Kitchen Remodeling Design – Don’t forget to go green!
Below we have compiled a great list of tips to help you go green in your kitchen. Some of them will require a little bit of upfront investment, but you will surely see a return as the years go by.
Granite Countertop
If you are considering new countertops, granite is an excellent option that will bring a special touch of beauty and elegance to your home. However, you will likely have concerns regarding how difficult the installation will be and the extent to which it may interrupt your daily life. Choosing an overlay countertop is a great way to lessen the headache of installation and be rewarded with stunning results. Trend Stone is a custom-fitted overlay engineered from the world’s highest quality granite, stone, and quartz. It adheres directly to your existing countertops so the hassle of demolition is avoided.
The process is very simple and installation is finished in the space of one day. After all measurements are double-checked for accuracy, a custom Trend Stone overlay will be produced to suit your countertop. It is then cut, and brought to your home where it is applied to the existing countertop with a powerful adhesive. The surface is remarkably strong, even stronger than traditional granite. And just like that, your countertops are completely transformed and ready to be enjoyed by you and your family. With the help of the professionals at Granite Transformations, the installation of your countertops will be quick, easy, and entirely painless!
Choosing the right color is a crucial step in granite countertop installation. While having a granite countertop installed will inevitably add beauty to your home, the perfect color will help tie the room together. A good rule of thumb is to go with a color that contrasts well with the colors of the room in which the countertop is being installed.
