The cabinets under must be strong enough to bear the weight ( seems obvious! ) and level and stable so that the sealant beds to the granite continuously. Use shims under, not screws above. Point supports can raise stresses in the slab, which eventually may crack it. Local to me here in France, the cost of a granite top translates to;
Cutting pre-polished leaf to length & width.
Polishing cut edges = additional $/metre
Forming radii on edge[s] option = + $/metre
Cutting holes for faucets, hobs, sinks = + $/ metre.
Some points for DIYers.
a] Make sure of your sizes before getting a top cut. It isn't cheap, keep a drawing and give the cutter a copy in case of dispute.
b] Design of kitchen layout can save a lot of money; you can minimise cutouts and non- square edges by choosing non-penetrating hardware. My good wife objected to paying good money to park stuff like toasters, kettle, letter-rack etc. on, so her granite is in her working area. Parking areas are in contrasting wood [ or melamine is possible].
c] Having paid good money, remember it is a natural material and may stain if not cleaned immediately after use. Avoid abrasives like the plague- they scratch, and particularly beware of those green-pad things- often they are charged with particles of silicon carbide!
d] All granites ain't the same! Beware of getting much softer stone like marble.
e] Watch the crafty supplier- A beautiful leaf of best Brazilian Turquoise is often parked right by the showroom door to seduce the wife's eye, so she don't want mundane pink or gray!
Alan
