Revolution at the Slab Yard: The First Supplier to Unveil Pricing
- Robin Johnson
- Nov 25, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 26
Today I'm pulling back the curtain on something that I know a lot of you have been curious about — visiting a stone yard and picking the perfect slab for your kitchen. If you’ve ever remodeled, you know how magical it is to walk into a warehouse filled with these enormous, jaw-dropping slabs.
Recently I had an exciting conversation with Clark Hunter of Encore Stone Studios where we talked about how countertops go from quarries around the world into to your kitchen and what makes them different from most stone suppliers. We covered sourcing, trends, quality and how to pick the perfect slab for your kitchen.
Encore Stone Background
Clark explained that when Encore Stone started about 20 years ago, they were importing material and selling mostly to fabricators who work with homeowners to template and install finished countertops. If you've ever visited a wholesale stone yard, you probably know the traditional method is to use dollar signs or stars to give you an idea of pricing and then you have to wait for the stone yard to relate your selections to a fabricator to get actual pricing including labor. It's time consuming and when pricing comes back on the high side, you're back to square one.
About six years ago, Encore Stone made an extraordinary industry shift and changed their business model to cater to designers, high-end builders, and homeowners as well as fabricators by sharing the pricing of slabs up front to everyone.
As a designer of over twenty years, it was really refereshing to walk into Encore Stone's warehouse and actually know what things cost on the spot.
New Transparent Business Model
Clark commented that, "At Encore Stone, we show our customers exact prices per slab, and they can choose any fabricator they want. It's all about transparency — homeowners know what the material costs, designers can plan accurately, and there are no surprises."
They have six locations from Texas to South Carolina, all accessible to the public. They even ship internationally — Canada, Australia, the Caribbean — you name it. Not saying the shipping won't be expensive but it is an option!
Around the Globe
Each slab has a story and the quarrying process is fascinating. Most of Encore's marble comes from Italy while granites and quartzites tend to come from Brazil, India, Turkey and Spain. Interestingly enough, they also source slabs domestically from locations like Vermont and Colorado. In fact, they stock Calcutta Lincoln which is the same marble from Colorado that was used in the Lincoln Monument and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Natural Stone vs. Manmade Materials
We also talked about natural stone vs manmade materials and why someone may choose one over the other. Natural stone comes from the earth with minimal enhancement — it’s authentic and unique and no two pieces are exactly alike.
Quartzite is natural stone that is growing in popularity because it's durable and visually stunning. (Not to be confused with quartz which can mimic it but doesn’t have the full depth.)
Manmade material like quartz is made from recycled materials and tries to imitate the look of natural stone. Each has pros and cons when it comes to durability, heat resistance, cleaning, etc. and it comes down to budget and personal preference.
Pricing Insights & Trends
According to Clark, granites and some marbles (shocker!) can start as low as $1,000 per slab. Quartzites often start around $3,500 and can go up to $10,000 or more for exotic slabs. Italian marbles can be even higher, sometimes $15,000–$25,000 per slab.
As for what’s trending right now? Clark says in the SC territory, Taj Mahal quartzite and Calacatta Viole marble with subtle purple veining is popular. He also mentioned a trend of translucent stones like Cristallo quartzite and Onyx slabs which are in demand because they are perfect for backlighting, which is incredible if you've ever seen it.
You can literally put LED lights behind them and they glow. It’s a stunning effect for islands or bars. Some stones even have veins that light up while surrounding areas remain opaque — very dramatic. See below:
Tips for Homeowners
Clark says, “ Do your research online for inspiration, but trust the experts at places like Encore Stone to guide you. Natural stone is underrated and more durable than many think. Use the internet for ideas, but let the stone yards guide you in person.”
I think that's great advice. It’s really about combining inspiration with expert guidance to make informed decisions. If you’re shopping for new countertops, you can check out Encore Stone with the links below.
Website: encorestonestudio.com
Social Media: @EncoreStoneStudio
Clark’s Direct Social: @Clark_EncoreStoneStudio
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