DIYbanter - granite

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm renovating a house in New Orleans and my wife is determined to
have granite counter tops in her new kitchen. I'm am not opposed to the
idea but I am looking for any kind of good advice I can get on choosing
and installing . Any insights?

Most the suppliers hear sell the granite and then give you handful of
installer's cards and you pick one. We found one Co. that did it all. They
even have you go to their shop and layout the templates with the
fabricators. So that might a question to ask, Do I get to layout the
templates? Can I see your fabrication shop?( some guys cut this in their
garages skill saw and diamond blade) Ask about tear out of old counter tops,
Back splash's. Putting plywood down on cabinets. Some guys want it so
perfectly level and flat it might be better to let them do it. On our I did
the tear myself and put the plywood down . One thing I did do that's not the
norm, we went with full back splash's so I tore all the tile and sheetrock
out and put 1/2" ply on the studs. I heard when they do the tear most the
rock gets destroyed anyway, the plywood gives a better gluing area. You also
need to think about the sink under mount are $$$ but look great. allot are
deeper so you might have to adjust your plumbing ( trap adaptor height ) If
you put in a commercial cook top hood height have to change ( hear 30" min
from counter to BOTTOM edge of hood) Only other thing nothing looks like
granite