10 questions to ask before hiring a countertop fabricator in Columbia, SC

I've been fabricating countertops in Cayce long enough to know what separates a good job from a headache. Most of it comes down to what gets asked before the contract gets signed, not after. Here are the ten questions I'd want answered if I were the one hiring.

1. Who actually templates and cuts my slab?

Some companies sell you the countertop, then subcontract the templating and fabrication to a third shop you never meet. Ask if the crew that measures your kitchen is the same crew that cuts the stone. When it's one shop start to finish, mistakes get caught earlier and nobody can point fingers at somebody else.

2. Can I see the actual slab before it's cut?

Granite and marble are natural, so no two slabs look alike, even within the same name. A fabricator who lets you walk the yard and pick your exact slab, and mark where the seams and edges fall, is giving you control over how your kitchen will actually look. If a company only shows you a sample chip and asks you to trust it, that's a real gap.

3. How do you handle seams, and where will mine be?

Most countertops longer than about 8 to 9 feet need a seam somewhere, since that's close to the practical limit of a slab. Ask exactly where the seam will land and why. A fabricator who's thought this through will put it in a low-visibility spot, like the sink or stove, not down the middle of your prep area.

4. What's included in the quote, and what isn't?

Get specifics on the edge profile, the sink cutout, backsplash, and removal of your old countertops. I've seen quotes that look cheap until you find out haul-away and plumbing disconnect are extra. Ask for it itemized so you're comparing apples to apples against other bids.

5. Do you seal the stone at install, or is that on me?

Natural stone, granite, quartzite, marble, is porous and needs sealing. A lot of shops install and leave sealing entirely to the homeowner. We seal every job at install with a top-shelf sealer, applied by installers we train to do it right. Ask directly: is sealing part of the install, or a separate step you'll need to handle yourself the same week?

6. How long from templating to install?

In the Midlands, a normal turnaround runs about 1 to 3 weeks from template to install, depending on the stone and the shop's schedule. If someone promises next-day installation on a natural stone job, ask how. Slabs need to be cut, the edge profiled, and sink cutouts finished before it ever leaves the shop.

7. What happens if there's a crack or a bad cut?

Fabrication mistakes happen even in good shops, stone is a natural material and it can surprise you. What matters is what the fabricator does next. Ask if they keep extra slab material on hand for a redo, and what their timeline looks like if a piece has to be recut. A shop with its own fabrication space can usually turn a mistake around faster than one waiting on a supplier three states away.

8. Are you insured, and will you put the warranty in writing?

Ask for proof of liability insurance, especially if the crew is in your home for a full day with heavy equipment. And get the warranty on paper: what's covered (workmanship, seams, sealing) and for how long. A verbal promise doesn't help you two years later if a seam starts to separate.

9. Who do I call after installation if something comes up?

A hairline seam issue, a question about resealing, a spot that won't come clean, these things come up months or years later. Ask who answers that call. If it's the same local shop that cut your stone, you'll get a faster, more useful answer than if you're routed through a call center for a company with no local address.

10. Can I see finished work nearby, not just photos?

Photos get curated. Ask for addresses of jobs in Cayce, Lexington, or Columbia you could drive by, or names of local customers willing to talk. A shop that's been doing real work in the Midlands for years won't hesitate to point you to it.

The short version

A fabricator who answers these ten questions without dodging is telling you they've done this enough times to know what matters. If you're weighing bids right now, bring this list with you. And if you want to see slabs and ask these questions in person, we're at 2015 Charleston Hwy in Cayce. Come walk the yard.