A Guide to How Granite Countertops are Priced
If you’ve ever had the experience of buying a diamond engagement ring, you understand what an ordeal it can be. To a first-time buyer, it can be confusing how two seemingly identical rings can be thousands of dollars apart in price. However, an educated gemologist can share with you the many factors that impact a diamond’s bottom line including, color, cut clarity and carat. Unless you’ve got unlimited funds, most people end up having to prioritize which of these features is most important to them. When buying granite countertops for the first time, you can experience many of the same emotions, as the pricing structure can be equally as perplexing. Here are some basic facts about how granite countertops are priced.
Size Matters: The larger the slab of granite and the fewer the pieces needed to assemble the countertop, the higher the price. This is due to the fact 
that granite occurs naturally within the earth and the larger the piece, the rarer it is. A single piece of granite it oftentimes much more aesthetically pleasing than multiple pieces, as the seams on this material can be difficult to conceal.
Grade: Granite is rated on several pieces of criteria including durability, thickness, color scheme, country of origin and firmness. It’s crucial to comprehend that the grading is determined by the factory and that no universal scale for grading granite exists. Because of this, it’s important to understand why the retailer graded it as they did and determine whether or not you are comfortable with their asking price.
Location: While no country produces better quality granite than their competitors, additional factors can influence the price of the granite. China, well-known for its low labor costs, supplies some of the lowest priced granite available. American granite, found mainly in the southern United States, tends to also be affordable as because domestic shipping rates are cheaper than international ones. Other countries that export large volumes of granite to the United States are Brazil, India, Italy and Spain.
Color: The granite’s pigment plays a role in determining price because some colors are trickier to come by than others. The rarer a color is to locate, 
the higher the price a supplier can command. Black, scarlet and blue are hues that are considered premium because they are not often found in sizable quantities.
Thickness: Manufacturers can save on their costs by cutting granite into thinner sections. This can result in a countertop that’s less durable and desirable. The thicker the granite, the higher the price.
How Intricate the Installation Is: The more seams the countertop has, the pricier the project is. If you’ve got premium edging such as waterfall, chiseled or ogee, you can expect to pay more because of the time involved in producing them. If the countertop is u-shaped, the degree of installation difficulty increases along with the price.
