Welcome to the Operations section of our site. It is our aim to help you understand our products and processes, thereby ensuring a successful project from start to finish.
If you have worked with us before we hope that this is a reminder of when to send in the relevant information and what to expect at each stage, or if you are new to working with us we hope that this section will ensure that we all get off to a successful start.
Understanding our Materials
Natural Materials(Granite, Marble and Limestone)
Natural materials are generally quarried directly from the mountainside and as a result the colour of materials can change over the course of excavating a quarry, and can even vary over a single block or slab. As a general rule, the more movement of colour there is within the slab, the more likely it is to be filled or reinforced to ensure its suitability for manufacture. The variation of colour and the brecciation within the slabs is an inherent part of the nature and beauty of these materials and it is not considered to be a fault.
If you are concerned about the colouring of the material we are happy to send out samples from the slabs that we intend to use before manufacture commences. Please note, however, that the sample can often only be taken from the corner of a slab, and that colours can vary considerably across the slab. Samples are only indicative of the colour of the entire slab and it should be noted that colours can and do vary.
All our natural materials are sealed. However, it should be noted that all natural materials are porous and can be stained if not carefully maintained. Please refer to our Care Guidelines.
We would strongly recommend that Limestone and Marble are NOT used in areas of heavy wear and tear due to the porosity of these materials.
Within our material library we try to indicate what level of pitting is evident in the materials. This is only an indication and the material may be more or less pitted depending on the batch that is quarried and received at any given time. If you are worried about the level of pitting in a particular material then we can send through samples of the current batch.
Please request a sample from a current batch and/or a photograph of the slab to show the veining if this would be of help to you with any particular project.
Estimating
We are happy to provide you with price lists from which you can price your own jobs, but we value the opportunity to estimate for you. By allowing us to estimate we can ensure that we are letting you know in advance if there is anything unusual about the job, or if there are any details which we may have difficulty manufacturing. This, in turn, can help you to speak with your customers as early as possible to discuss potential solutions.
Where we believe there may be problems with manufacturing a particular piece either in terms of the aesthetic appeal, likelihood of breakage or health and safety aspects we will inform you as early as possible. If you still decide to go ahead with the item we reserve the right to charge you for any necessary costs or remakes where the problem is a direct cause of this information being ignored.
We reserve the right to decline an order if we feel that due to health and safety reasons the manufacture of a particular worktop may cause significant risk of injury to one of our employees.
We aim to get all estimates back to you within 24 hours. Please come back to us with any points which you are unsure of, or for any pricing queries.
For estimating we require a layout of the kitchen with the areas that require worktops clearly marked(please see img.02). Hob and sink cut-outs must be indicated (sink polished or unpolished), edge profile, and material type and thickness. Potential joint positions will be indicated by ourselves but will be subject to our survey at templating stage.
Large Island Tops: We are happy to produce large island tops for you but we recommend tops no more than 2m2. Anything above this size we will quote for but will depend on site access, manufacturing capability, and installation safety. This can only be assessed at the templating stage.
Cut-outs: we ask that the front and back rail is at least 75mm depending on the material used.
Order Placement
If the quotation is acceptable we would encourage you to place your order with us as soon as possible, in order to avoid any potential delays with materials or manufacturing.
It is necessary to send through an official order.
Please allow a minimum of 2 weeks between placing your order and the required template date. The longest possible time you are able to give us between these dates is always appreciated, in order for us to control our stocking effectively and avoid disappointment especially where unusual or less popular materials are required.
We will send you an order acknowledgement back at this point, clarifying any missing details. Please send this back with the relevant information in order to avoid disappointment with your templating date. Please let us know if you do not receive an order acknowledgement as we may not have received your order.
Information required to ensure the smooth processing of your order.
1. The job reference – preferably the name of the customer, or the site and our quotation number.
2. The type of material, thickness and whether you require upstands. If you don’t let us know the material at this stage we cannot guarantee that it will be in stock when you require it.
3. The type of edge detail / sink/hob cut-outs required.
4. The required templating and installation dates. It is necessary for us to have an approximate date at this stage even if you do not have the exact information.
5. The address of the installation.
6. Your contact for the job.
Templating
Please give us a minimum of 2 weeks between placing your order and the required templating date.
Where templating is cancelled at short notice, it is not always possible to rearrange immediately, although we will always do our utmost to meet your needs. Therefore, if you can ensure that the site is ready for templating, with all the require information in place before we arrive, this will help to prevent delays.
Please ensure that the end user and/or a representative of your company is on site when the templating takes place, as this is essential for clarification of the details and can help to avoid disappointment with the installation. If this is not possible we may be able to carry out the template but please note that this will affect the lead time of the job if more time is required to clarify details.
Any change of details to the original order that are agreed on site must be signed for.
We are willing to work to detailed drawings or dimensions, however, we are unable to accept responsibility for the fit of the job where the job has been made exactly to the dimensions or drawings provided.
The information we require in order for us to do an accurate template is as follows:
1 Material colour and thickness
2 If upstands are required
3 If and where radius corners are required
4 Style and length of drainer grooves
5 Edge details
6 Where site joints are required ( to be agreed on site)
7 We require the sink/hob to be on site, with template where possible,
and position highlighted
8 The position and number of tap holes
The following must be in place for accurate templating – where these instructions are not followed it may be necessary to abort the fit. Please note there will be a charge for aborted fits where these are caused through no fault of our own.
1 All base units must be level and fixed in final position.
2 Wall finishes must be complete and should not change between the template and the installation of the work surface.
3 Wall battens should be securely fixed where required.
When the templates arrive back at our factory, we will confirm the details back to you in the form of a drawing with all the details on, therefore you will be made aware of any changes to the original before manufacturing begins. Any changes in details from the original order will be highlighted in the form of a revised quotation. We will ask you to confirm that the change in details and the reprice are acceptable by signing an order confirmation.
Please refer to our templating guidelines for more information.
Once the templates are received, if we feel that the design of the worktops could cause potential breakage in manufacture, transit or installation of the worktops, we will draw your attention to these risks. We can proceed with manufacture on receipt of your signature but we reserve the right to charge for any material breakages in either manufacture, transportation or installation.
Please note that changes in material at the templating stage may
lead to delays in manufacture as we cannot guarantee that we
will have the new material in stock.
Production
Our production department is able to handle most of our customers requirements, however, please be aware of any on site reasons that may restrict the size/makeup of your design.
We strongly recommend that individual pieces of granite with cutouts do not exceed 2.5m in length and please bear in mind that it will be necessaryfor us to allow extra labour to fit large island tops or non ground floor sites.
We work to industry tolerances which are +/- 2mm on all dimensions.
Please be aware that with the more difficult materials, breakages may occur in manufacture, which will increase production time and cost if we have advised against this manufacturing detail at the estimating stage.
Installation
We will arrange for either an am or pm installation depending on the availability of fitters: if there are any delays to the time we quote we will let you know by telephone as soon as possible.
On all sites we will require adequate lighting for installation and access for a vehicle close to the entrance of the building.
We have a policy of coring and scoring hob cut-outs in order to minimise the risk of breakage during transit and installation, and therefore will need power on site to complete these cuts, and/or make any required adjustments.
Whilst our fitters will do their best to minimise inconvenience, this can create a certain amount of dust on site, therefore, please let us know if this is likely to cause a problem prior to the job being installed and we can discuss alternative solutions
All units must be securely fixed back in order for the granite to be safely and accurately installed. If units have to be fixed back, then this must be done by the kitchen fitter.
Our worktop fitters will wait on site for 1 hour, and if no-one is able to start the necessary work within this time, the fit will be aborted with full fitting charges incurred.
We will have no option other than to forward this charge to the kitchen company, so please make sure that all necessary work is completed in advance. This must be prior to the templating stage as any changes in the unit positioning may change dimensions substantially.
We ask that there is either a representative of the kitchen studio or your final customer present at the installation so that the worktops can be inspected and the necessary paperwork signed to confirm that you are happy with the installation. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of
the work then please advise us at this stage. We ask for a signature to confirm that you are happy with the granite worktops as we cannot be held responsible for any damage that occurs after the installation of the worktop.
Care & Maintenance
Is your new worksurface bulletproof? Put simply - NO !
But with the proper care and maintenance, your worksurface can, and will, last a lifetime.
Follow these basic guidelines to keep the appearance of your
worksurface in perfect condition and avoid any damaging effects.
ROUTINE CLEANING
It is highly recommended that you remain vigilant when it comes to cleaning up spillages of common household items such as tea, coffee, wine, vinegar, fruit juice, cooking sauces etc.
It is far easier to clean up these spills when they happen, before they become dried in and stubborn.
To clean, use a damp cloth, and if necessary, a small amount of non-bleach, non-abrasive liquid cleanser. For more stubborn items use a household vinegar cleanser with a non-abrasive cleaning pad.
Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with paper or cloth towels.
REMOVAL OF DRIED -IN SPILLS
Some items harden as they dry and become more difficult to remove from your worksurface.
To tackle these kind of spillages, firstly remove any excess with a blunt plastic scraper, then clean the surface with a damp cloth and if necessary,a small amount of non-bleach, non-abrasive liquid cleanser.
Rinse thoroughly and dry with paper or cloth towels.
AVOIDING OILS, CHEMICALS, DYES AND SOLVENTS
Oils, chemicals, dyes and solvents can permanently damage your worksurface.
If you do spill any of these types of product on your worksurface, blot up IMMEDIATELY and rinse with plenty of clean water, repeating if necessary. Dry with paper or cloth towels.
Please note that oils and dyes capable of staining can be found in common food items. For example Chinese or Indian takeaways. Therefore, please do not allow spillages from these types of product to remain on worksurfaces for any prolonged amount of time.
HEAT
Whilst your worksurface will withstand moderate degrees of heat we recommend the use of pan stands where possible.
If you have any further questions regarding your new worksurface, contact your supplier, or write to us at the address on the rear of this brochure.
Glossary of Terms
aborted fit a fitting not completed due to improper conditions on site
block first stage of material when quarried, approximate size 2.5-3.0m x 2.0m x 2.0m
brecciation the formation of rock composed of angular fragments embedded in a fine grained matrix
coring the drilling of holes in materials
engineered stone man made material consisting of quartz, polymer resin and colour dyes.
filled natural surface imperfections are smoothed out with a resin filling to create a totally smooth surface
natural stone limestone, marble or granite
pitting natural surface indentations found in material slabs
porous the ability to allow the passage of liquid through small pores/holes
reinforced the use of fibreglass backing or steel rods to strengthen materials
sample a small piece taken from the corner of a slab to indicate the material’s colour
scoring a routed cut for unpolished hob/sink cut-outs
sealing the application of a specialist product to provide extra protection for materials
slab slices cut from blocks in either 20 or 30mm thicknesses
variation term used to describe the amount of change in visual appearance of materials across a slab or between slabs from different times of quarrying
