Granite, Marble, Soapstone Countertops - Buyers Guide
Final Considerations
Now You Are Ready to Make Your Final Choice
There are some other factors you might want to consider: Visit the fabrication facility you are thinking of employing and look at its condition. I can't stress this enough. How will you know who you are dealing with and who is cutting up your expensive materials unless you take the time to inspect their facilities. Are they messy, dirty, unorganized, or just plain unprofessional. What kind of equipment and tools are they using? Quality cuts and finished edges require top quality tools and machinery. Do they care about the health and safety of their employees and therefore customers? Do they require their employees to wear protective eyewear and breathing equipment? Do they do all of their work “wet” to minimize dust and produce a mirror finish? And then there is the environment – do they re-circulate water used in fabrication or do they discharge waste water into the street or municipal sewer.
Stewardship
Heritage Stonecraft takes stewardship of it employees, the community and the environment very seriously. We screen all employees to ensure they are legally able to work in the US and check criminal backgrounds. All major machinery is less than 5 years old, state of the art, and made in the USA. All cutting and polishing of stone is done under a water stream to virtually eliminate dust and hazards for employees. All employees must comply with our safety and risk management program and are protected by a workers compensation insurance policy. Our employees are offered a heavily subsidized medical benefit program. All water in our facility is 100% recycled and no processing fluids enter the storm or sewer system. Our templates are digital/laser based, reducing waste produced by wooden or plastic templates. We have cutting-edge electrical power control technology to regulate/reduce power consumption during peak loads and purchase only electric power generated from renewable sources.
Finally natural stone provides one of the lowest life-of-product environmental impacts, because it is a) natural; b) long lived; and c) recyclable. All potential customers are welcomed to tour our facility.
If you keep all these things in mind, you will end up with a beautiful kitchen or bathroom countertop, one that will last as long as your home, and feel good about your choice.
I hope you found this article informative. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for improvements, please write to me at the e-mail address below. Happy hunting.
This article may be freely duplicated or copied provided it is done so in whole and it contains the following complete reference and acknowledgement. Any other paper or electronic duplication or other use is strictly forbidden.
Copyright © 2011
Terry J. Obeney
President, Heritage Stonecraft LLC
www.heritagestonecraft.com
e-mail sales@heritagestonecraft.com
FAX 972-496-3877