At first, there is a fine line in the customer’s mind between a fabricator and a big box store. I mean, after all, they sell the same product, right?
Bullnose edges give a softer look to a countertop.
Not exactly.
A big box store mass sells a product that finds itself in hundreds of thousands of homes across the country. A fabricator helps a customer buy a slab which is perfectly suited to the light, size, and dimensions of their kitchen and does so at a competitive price.
So, why would a customer go with a big box option?
Well, because it’s easy, and because the media has taught us that it’s okay to be impatient and expect things at a moment’s notice. Although to continue the food comparison, there is a five-star falafel house that enjoys a booming business because everything is made from scratch. The fast food place across the street also enjoys a booming business. In that place, you can get a frozen burger heated in under 30 seconds: how special is that? On a scale of one to five, it's a two, if you ask the patrons.
Why would a customer go with a small in-house fabricator?
As an example, two neighbors both got custom-fabricated countertops at the same time. Both owned units in the same townhouse complex. But the layout, lighting, size, and dimensions of each kitchen were different.
The first unit was long, narrow, and leaned heavily toward uniformity. The neighbor in this unit opted to purchase a matching slab for the bathroom vanity, as it was directly off of the kitchen.
The second unit had a bigger kitchen, with a more open layout, had different lighting, and was less uniform.
Details make all the difference
They both chose light colored, polished counters. Wise, because in a smaller kitchen, a light color makes a kitchen look bigger and airy. But because of the lighting, the placement of the kitchens and windows, and even the color of the cabinets, the slab which was purchased for one would have looked completely different in the other.
The owner of the more uniform kitchen chose a straight profile, which added to the elegant uniformity of the unit. The other owner chose a half bullnose profile, and beautifully rounded corners to complement the more casual, open layout of the kitchen.
A straight profile suggests structure and uniformity.
Another thing a fabricator will tell you which some people find surprising is that the same countertop will look different depending on where the viewer is standing at the time, the time of day, and which lights are on. One of the neighbors said that when she was standing in her living room, the slab looked much darker than when she was standing in the kitchen. The reason? She had just had her kitchen cabinets painted a creamy yellow. The reflection of the cabinets bounced off the stone. These details, as trivial as they seem, are what make the difference between buying from a big box store and buying from a custom fabricator. Because if a homeowner is going to spend the money to purchase something as amazing as a granite countertop, they should get exactly what they want, and be able to enjoy it for years to come. By the time a customer has finished having a fabricator install a countertop, they're well aware of the differences between a big box store product and a countertop which is fabricated for their home.
If you have a home, business or rental property in the Metro Phoenix area and are considering upgrading with granite countertops or other stonework features, call us here at JDM Countertops at 602-461-7559
