Granite Countertop FAQ

Granite countertops in San Antonio generally run about $45–$85+ per square foot installed. A typical San Antonio kitchen with roughly 40–55 square feet of counter lands in the $2,000–$4,500 range, and a single bathroom vanity is usually a few hundred dollars.

Four things move that number. The slab itself is the biggest factor — common granites sit at the bottom of the range, while exotic quartzites and rare movement-heavy slabs sit at the top. Square footage matters because a big job spreads the fixed cost of templating and delivery across more stone. Edge profile adds labor: an eased or beveled edge is standard, while an ogee or a mitered waterfall takes more shop time. And cutouts — undermount sinks, cooktops, faucet holes — each add fabrication work.

Granite Guru fabricates in our own shop at 311 E Nakoma Dr in San Antonio rather than sending your slab out to a third party. That removes a middleman markup and it is why we can hold the 48–72 hour turnaround. We quote the whole job in writing — stone, fabrication, edge, cutouts, and installation — so there is no surprise line item on install day.

For an exact number on your kitchen, call (726) 259-2111 or send your rough dimensions through our contact page. Estimates are free.

Granite is natural stone quarried from the earth; quartz is engineered stone made from roughly 90% crushed quartz bound with resin and pigment. That one difference drives everything else about how they look, wear, and get maintained.

Appearance. Every granite slab is unique — the veining, the movement, the flecks of mica and feldspar are geology, not design. That is the appeal for a lot of homeowners, and it is also why you should see the actual slab before you buy it. Quartz is manufactured, so it is consistent from one end of a slab to the other and consistent between slabs. If you want a perfectly uniform white counter across a large kitchen with an island, quartz gets you there more reliably.

Porosity and sealing. Granite is porous and should be sealed periodically, typically every 1–2 years. Quartz is non-porous and never needs sealing.

Heat. Granite handles heat better. Quartz has resin in it, and resin can scorch or discolor under a hot pan straight off the burner. Use trivets on either one, but granite is the more forgiving surface next to a cooktop.

UV and outdoor use. Granite is fine outdoors. Quartz can yellow in direct sunlight, so for a covered patio or outdoor kitchen in the South Texas sun, granite is the safer specification.

Cost. The ranges overlap heavily. Mid-grade granite and mid-grade quartz are often within a few dollars per square foot of each other. Exotic granites and premium quartz lines both climb from there.

Granite Guru fabricates and installs both, plus marble and quartzite, and you can see slabs in person at our San Antonio showroom before you commit.

Neither is universally better — it depends on how you cook and how you want the kitchen to look. Here is the honest breakdown we give customers in our showroom.

Choose granite if you cook hot and often and want a surface that shrugs off a pan set down in a hurry; you want a one-of-a-kind slab with real movement; the counter runs outdoors or gets strong direct sun; or you like the idea of natural stone and do not mind resealing it every year or two.

Choose quartz if you want a uniform, predictable color across a large kitchen; you want zero maintenance beyond soap and water; you are drawn to a marble look but do not want marble's staining and etching; or you have a busy household with red wine, citrus, and coffee in play, since quartz is non-porous and will not absorb a spill you missed.

In practice, most San Antonio kitchens we fabricate go one of two ways: a durable granite for households that cook heavily, or a white or veined quartz for kitchens where the look is the priority. Both will outlast the cabinets underneath them if they are fabricated and installed correctly.

The fastest way to decide is to stand next to full slabs instead of looking at 4-inch samples — the movement in a slab reads completely differently at full size. Our shop and showroom at 311 E Nakoma Dr is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturdays by appointment. Call (726) 259-2111.

Granite Guru completes most countertop projects in 48–72 hours from template to installed. The installation day itself usually takes 2–5 hours for a standard kitchen.

The full process runs like this. Day 0 — quote and slab selection: you pick your stone and we price the job in writing. Day 1 — templating: we come to your home or jobsite and take exact digital measurements of your cabinets, walls, sink, and cooktop. Walls are never perfectly square, which is why templating happens on site and not off a drawing. Days 1–2 — fabrication: your slab is cut, the edge profile is shaped, sink and cooktop cutouts are made, and everything is polished in our San Antonio shop. Day 2 or 3 — installation: we set the tops, seam them, secure them, and seal natural stone before we leave.

Two things extend the timeline: a slab that has to be special-ordered rather than pulled from local inventory, and complex work like mitered waterfall edges or large multi-piece islands that need extra shop time. Cabinets also have to be fully installed and level before templating — that is the single most common cause of delay on new construction.

Because we fabricate in our own shop instead of outsourcing, we control the schedule end to end. If you have a hard deadline — a closing date, a listing photo shoot, a rental turnover — tell us up front at (726) 259-2111 and we will tell you honestly whether we can hit it.

Yes. Granite countertops are considered a premium kitchen upgrade and can increase a home's resale value. Many homebuyers actively look for homes with granite or quartz countertops already installed.

Yes. Granite is formed under heat and pressure and handles hot cookware better than almost any other countertop material. A pan straight off a burner will not scorch, melt, or discolor granite the way it can damage laminate, solid surface, butcher block, or quartz.

That said, we still tell every customer to use a trivet, for one specific reason: thermal shock. Setting a 450°F cast-iron skillet onto a cold stone surface creates a sharp temperature difference in one small area. It is uncommon, but it is the one realistic way to crack a properly installed granite top — usually near a sink or cooktop cutout, where the stone is already narrower.

Sealer is also a consideration. Repeated direct heat in the same spot can degrade the sealer faster than normal, which means that area starts absorbing spills sooner than the rest of the counter.

By comparison, quartz contains resin and is the more heat-sensitive of the two — direct hot cookware can leave a permanent scorch mark. If you cook hot and often, granite or quartzite is the more forgiving surface next to your range.

Yes — granite is porous and should be sealed, typically once every 1–2 years. Granite Guru seals every natural stone top before we leave your installation, so your countertop starts sealed on day one.

How to tell when it needs resealing: put a few drops of water on the counter near the sink and wait 15 minutes. If the water still beads, the seal is fine. If the stone darkens where the water sat, it is absorbing and it is time to reseal. That darkening is not damage — it fades as the water evaporates — it is just the test.

How to do it: clean the surface, let it dry completely, wipe on a penetrating stone sealer, let it sit the number of minutes the bottle says, then buff off everything that did not soak in. It takes about 20 minutes for a whole kitchen and a bottle costs roughly $20 at any hardware store. Denser granites can go several years between sealings; lighter, more porous stones may want it annually.

What shortens a seal: acidic and abrasive cleaners. Skip vinegar, lemon, bleach, and anything labeled “scouring.” Warm water and a mild dish soap is genuinely all a granite counter needs day to day.

Quartz is non-porous and never needs sealing at all — if maintenance is your deciding factor, that is worth weighing when you pick a material.

Quartz countertops are heat resistant but not as heat resistant as granite. Extremely hot cookware can damage quartz surfaces, so it is recommended to use trivets or hot pads.

3 centimeters (about 1¼ inches) is the standard for kitchen countertops and the thickness we recommend for nearly every job. The alternative, 2 cm (about ¾ inch), exists mainly for bathroom vanities and budget-driven work.

Why 3 cm. It is strong enough to span a dishwasher opening and a standard sink cutout without a plywood substrate underneath, so the finished edge is solid stone rather than stone laminated to wood. It resists cracking during transport and installation. And it gives you a substantial 1¼-inch edge profile without any built-up edge trickery.

When 2 cm makes sense. Small bathroom vanities, backsplash pieces, and jobs where a specific slab is only produced in 2 cm. Done right it needs plywood support and often a laminated edge to look thicker.

Overhangs. A 3 cm top will cantilever about 10 inches unsupported. Past that — a bar top or an island seating overhang — you need steel or corbel support underneath. We flag this at templating rather than after the fact.

Granite Guru fabricates in 3 cm as the default for kitchens. If a slab you love is only available in 2 cm, we will tell you what it takes to build it properly instead of quietly installing something under-supported.

Currently, quartz and granite are the most popular countertop materials for kitchens. Quartz is popular for its low maintenance, while granite remains a favorite for its natural beauty and durability.

Granite countertops can last 50 years or more with proper care. Because granite is one of the hardest natural stones available, it is extremely durable and resistant to wear.

No. Granite countertops are relatively easy to maintain. Regular cleaning with mild soap and water and occasional sealing will keep them looking beautiful for many years.

Some of the most popular granite colors include white granite, black granite, gray granite, and exotic quartzites like Taj Mahal and Cristallo. Lighter colors have become especially popular in modern kitchens.

Granite is extremely strong and cracking is rare. However, improper installation or excessive pressure can cause damage. Professional fabrication and installation help prevent these issues.

Laminate is usually the cheapest countertop material, but granite and quartz provide much better durability and long-term value for homeowners.

Granite and quartzite are both natural stones, but quartzite is typically harder and more heat resistant. Quartzite also often features lighter colors and marble-like patterns.

While granite is very hard, it is still recommended to use cutting boards to protect both the countertop surface and your knives.

Most countertops can be fabricated within 24-48 hours after templating, depending on the complexity of the project and material availability.

Granite Guru fabricates all standard edge profiles in our San Antonio shop. The most common choices, from simplest to most decorative:

Eased edge — a square edge with the sharp corners softened. Clean, modern, and the most common choice in new construction. Usually included in the base price.

Beveled edge — a 45-degree angled cut across the top corner. Slightly more formal than eased, still very simple to keep clean.

Bullnose — fully rounded. Soft, traditional, and a common pick in households with small children since there is no hard corner.

Half bullnose (demi-bullnose) — rounded on the top half, flat on the bottom. A middle ground that reads softer than eased without going fully round.

Ogee — an S-curve. The most ornate of the traditional profiles, common in formal kitchens and on island perimeters.

Mitered / waterfall — two pieces joined at 45 degrees so the stone appears thicker, or runs down the side of an island to the floor. The most labor-intensive option and priced accordingly.

Edge profile affects both price and cleaning. More detail means more shop time, and deeply carved profiles collect a little more crumb and grime along the recess. A practical approach many of our customers take: an eased or beveled edge on the working perimeter, a more decorative profile on the island where people actually look. Call (726) 259-2111 and we will price the options side by side.

Granite is stain resistant when properly sealed. Spills should still be wiped up promptly, but a properly sealed granite countertop is very resistant to staining.

No. Granite Guru is a fabrication and installation company — we do not take repair work of any kind. We do not fill chips, patch cracks, re-polish existing tops, or fix someone else's seams.

What we do is cut and install new countertops from full slabs: kitchens, islands, bathroom vanities, bar tops, fireplace surrounds, and commercial work, in granite, quartz, marble, and quartzite.

If your existing countertop is damaged and you want it replaced, that is squarely our work — call (726) 259-2111. If you are looking to have a countertop repaired in place, you will want a stone restoration specialist instead, and we would rather tell you that up front than waste your time.

Ask these five questions before you sign anything, and you will avoid nearly every bad countertop experience.

1. Do you fabricate in your own shop, or do you outsource? A lot of San Antonio countertop sellers are brokers — they take your order and hand the slab to a third-party shop. That adds a markup and it means nobody owns the schedule. Granite Guru cuts, shapes, and polishes every job in our own shop at 311 E Nakoma Dr.

2. Can I see the actual slab before you cut it? Granite varies enormously from slab to slab within the same name. Anyone who will only show you a 4-inch sample is asking you to buy blind.

3. Where will the seams be? A good fabricator will tell you the seam locations before templating and explain why. Seams are unavoidable on large kitchens; hidden ones are a craftsmanship decision.

4. Is the quote all-in? It should name the stone, the square footage, the edge profile, every cutout, tear-out if applicable, and installation. Quotes that price only the stone are how a $3,000 job becomes $4,500.

5. Are the reviews real and recent? Read them yourself rather than trusting a badge on a website. Granite Guru holds a 5.0 rating across Google, Yelp, and Angi — every one of those reviews is public and you can read them unedited.

You are welcome to bring those questions to us in person. Our San Antonio shop and showroom is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturdays by appointment.

Yes. Granite Guru's showroom and fabrication shop is at 311 E Nakoma Dr, San Antonio, TX 78216 — both in the same building, which means you can see finished edge profiles, compare materials, and watch the equipment that will actually cut your countertop.

Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Saturdays by appointment. Closed Sunday.

Walk-ins are welcome during business hours, but a quick call to (726) 259-2111 before you come is worth it — if you tell us what you are shopping for, we can have the relevant materials pulled and ready instead of you waiting while we dig.

Bring a cabinet door or drawer front if you have one, and a photo of your kitchen. Matching stone to your actual cabinet color and lighting beats matching it to a memory every time.

Granite Guru templates, fabricates, and installs throughout the greater San Antonio metro and anywhere within roughly 50 miles of San Antonio.

That includes San Antonio proper along with Stone Oak, Alamo Heights, Shavano Park, Helotes, Leon Valley, Windcrest, Live Oak, Selma, Converse, Kirby, Universal City, Schertz, Cibolo, Boerne, New Braunfels, Seguin, and Pleasanton.

We come to you for measuring and templating and again for installation — you do not need to transport anything. The only trip to our shop is optional, if you want to see slabs in person before choosing.

If you are outside that radius or not sure, call (726) 259-2111. If we cannot reach you we will say so rather than string you along.

Six steps, start to finish, typically inside a week.

1. Contact us. Call (726) 259-2111 or send your details through the contact page. Rough dimensions and a photo of the space are enough to start.

2. Estimate. We give you a written price covering stone, fabrication, edge profile, cutouts, and installation. Free, no obligation.

3. Pick your slab. Come see materials in person at our San Antonio showroom, or we can walk you through options remotely if you already know what you want.

4. Templating. We come to your home or jobsite and take exact digital measurements. Cabinets need to be installed and level before this step.

5. Fabrication. Your slab is cut, edged, cut out for sinks and cooktops, and polished in our shop — usually 24–48 hours.

6. Installation. We set, seam, secure, and seal. A standard kitchen is a 2–5 hour install and you can use the counters the same day.

Total: about 48–72 hours from template to installed for most projects.

Yes. Granite Guru fabricates any stone countertop surface — kitchens and islands, bathroom vanities, bar and beverage tops, laundry room counters, fireplace surrounds, window sills, shower thresholds, and commercial work.

Kitchens are the bulk of what we do, but bathroom vanities are a fast, high-impact project: a single vanity is typically a few hundred dollars in stone and installs in under two hours. Many customers add vanities onto a kitchen job while the crew is already on site, which saves a separate trip charge.

On the commercial side we handle offices, restaurants, retail build-outs, and multi-unit residential. Because we fabricate in our own San Antonio shop we can take repeat-unit work — twelve identical vanity tops for an apartment renovation, for instance — without outsourcing.

One limit worth stating plainly: we do fabrication and installation only. We do not do countertop repair work of any kind.

Quartz countertops in San Antonio typically run about $55–$100+ per square foot installed, which puts a standard kitchen roughly in the $2,500–$5,000 range.

Quartz pricing is tiered by the manufacturer rather than by geology. Entry-tier quartz in solid colors and light speckle patterns sits at the bottom of the range. Mid-tier moves into subtle veining. The top tier is the heavily veined marble-look material — the dramatic white-and-gray slabs that have driven quartz demand for the last several years — and it carries a real premium.

As with granite, edge profile and cutouts add labor, and a large island with a mitered waterfall edge is a meaningfully bigger fabrication job than a straight run of perimeter counter.

Compared with granite, quartz averages slightly higher at the low end and the two overlap heavily in the middle. If budget is the deciding factor, mid-grade granite usually wins on price per square foot. If uniformity and zero maintenance matter more, quartz earns its premium.

Granite Guru fabricates and installs both. Call (726) 259-2111 for a written quote on your actual kitchen.

Usually yes — most countertop replacements go right onto the existing cabinet boxes, as long as those cabinets are structurally sound and level.

Three things we check at templating. Are the cabinets level? Stone does not flex. A cabinet run that is out of level has to be shimmed before the top goes on, or you get uneven seams and stress points. Are they solid? Particleboard boxes that have taken water damage under a sink may need reinforcement before they carry 3 cm granite, which is meaningfully heavier than laminate. Is there support where it is needed? Overhangs past about 10 inches need corbels or steel underneath.

Replacing tops on existing cabinets is one of the highest-return updates you can make to a San Antonio kitchen — it changes the entire look of the room for a fraction of a full remodel, and the cabinets never come out.

We will tell you honestly at templating if we see a cabinet issue that needs addressing first, rather than installing over a problem.