Granite Countertops Remodeling Products Hot Springs National Park AR

With all the countertop options available these days, you might think that granite has receded into the background in all but high-end kitchens. But many different market influences have placed granite within easier reach of the average homeowner, and consumers who never thought they could afford a granite countertop are taking advantage.

For one thing, there are more granite suppliers. Many overseas producers have set up distributorships in the United States to import their products directly. "Because granite is becoming so much more widely known, a lot of people have moved into this industry," says Donae Cangelosi, president of granite supplier and fabricator Cangelosi Co.

Most of the raw granite slabs sold in the United States are imported from abroad, most notably from China, India, Italy, and Brazil. "Granites from overseas are less expensive, and mostly it's due to the costs of quarrying and working the slabs in those countries," says Canital Granite's vice president, Murray Leighton.

Many homeowners are beginning to see that they can buy some granites for only a slightly higher price than that of solid surfacing or engineered quartz. Granite has been held up as the ultimate in luxury for counter-tops, so homeowners are more apt to take the plunge when they see how comparable the prices can be, according to Joe Henry, national sales account manager for Granite Mountain Stone Design. "Now [the cost] is close enough to other materials – either the same or only

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