Most countertop guides answer the first-date questions: quartz or granite, what it costs, how to pick a color. This one covers the second round — the questions that only come up once quotes start arriving, and the ones people wish they'd asked before install day. We field all of these at the shop, so here are the answers we give.

The money mechanics

Deposits. Countertops are custom-fabricated, so deposits are standard — commonly around half at signing or template, balance at install. Be wary of paying everything up front, and ask what happens to the deposit if your slab becomes unavailable. (Ask us too. You should ask everyone.)

Entry-level quartz is the quiet bargain. Our installed quartz range runs $120-150 per square foot; entry colors sit at the bottom of that band and premium designer patterns at the top. The entry slabs are not lower quality — the patterns are simply plainer, and the fabrication work is identical. If the budget is tight, this is the first place we'd point you.

Remnants. We sell offcuts from earlier jobs at a steep discount. They fit vanities, laundry counters, bar tops, and small islands; ask to walk the remnant rack before assuming your project is too big for one.

The waterfall premium. As mid-2026 market benchmarks: mitered edges add roughly $30-$80 per linear foot; waterfall corners run about $150-$300 each; a full waterfall island typically adds $1,000-$3,000. Beautiful — and it competes directly with upgrading the material itself. We'll price both against each other so you're choosing on purpose.

Two warranties, not one

Engineered quartz comes with a manufacturer warranty (commonly 15 years to lifetime) covering manufacturing defects only. Read the exclusions: heat and impact damage, outdoor use, and usually the labor to remove and reinstall a defective top. Most brands also require an authorized fabricator, or coverage is void.

Granite typically has no manufacturer warranty at all — it's a quarried commodity sold through brokers.

What protects you in both cases is the workmanship warranty from the shop that fabricates and installs: seams, undermount sink attachment, overhang support, caulking. That's the one we stand behind on our installs. Get it in writing — from us or anyone — and ask both questions before signing: what does the brand cover, and what does the shop guarantee?

Physical realities

Overhangs have limits. Standard guidance we follow: about 10-12 inches unsupported for 3cm granite or quartz, roughly 6 inches for 2cm granite, and never more than one-third of the total top depth cantilevered. Seating overhangs of 10-16 inches usually need hidden steel brackets spaced every 18-24 inches. An unsupported overhang is fine until someone leans on it.

Winter is the smart season. Around Chicago, countertop work is indoor work. Shops — ours included — are slammed from fall through the holidays and again in spring listing season; January and February usually mean the shortest fabrication queues of the year.

Old tops. Haul-away is normally an itemized fee — confirm it's in the quote, because stone is not curbside trash. Post-form laminate rarely survives removal; stone occasionally does, if you ask before demo day.

On-site cutting is normal. Cooktop cutouts and edge tweaks happen in your driveway or garage. Ask how the crew contains dust and where the wet-cutting slurry goes — it stains concrete. (Our answer: vacuums on the saws, and the slurry leaves with us.)

After the crew leaves

Hard-water crust around the faucet is limescale, not a stain — a fact of life with Chicagoland water. Use a nonabrasive cleaner, or 50/50 vinegar-water applied for no more than a couple of minutes, then rinse and dry. Never let acid sit on quartz.

Gray pencil marks on quartz are metal transfer from pots, not scratches. A white eraser or a damp melamine sponge, used gently, lifts them.

Sun fade is real but slow. Quartz resin is UV-sensitive; window glass blocks much of it, but years of direct daily sun can yellow pale slabs. Blinds or UV window film prevent it — and this is why standard quartz is not warranted outdoors.

Do not stand on it. Stone is weak in tension; point loads over sink cutouts and overhangs are how tops crack, and no warranty covers it.

The one-page checklist

Before signing: an itemized quote (tear-out, cutouts, edge, plumbing reconnection), the named brand and color, seam locations, slab viewing or layout approval for veined stone, deposit terms, and both warranties in writing. Before install: cabinets emptied, carrying path cleared, plumbing disconnection arranged, sink and faucet on site. After install: give the sink adhesives about 24 hours before heavy use — and buy a step stool.

Sources

Does Quartz Fade in Sunlight? How to Protect Your Countertops — Caesarstone Canada
How to Safely Remove Hard Water Stains From a Quartz Countertop — Caesarstone US
The Ultimate Guide to Countertop Overhangs and Support Brackets — Tops Countertops
Waterfall Countertops: What to Know About This Popular Edge Profile — Caesarstone US
Who Warranties My Granite Or Quartz Countertops? — Crowley's Granite

Countertop Questions Nobody Answers Until You Ask