Granite kitchen tiles or marble countertops? Separately, the stones connote elegance; together they dictate an opulence lifestyle. Hiring someone to install granite countertops may prove to be expensive. One may ask why, well, said stone is created and shaped by Nature herself. One cannot just go to an assembly line hoping to get a thousand granite or marble tiles without dishing a wad of cash. These stones are quarried, shaped and polished. This process does not happen in a snap---ergo, not cheap.

One may opt to start home improvement by adding granite bathroom tiles, a few elegant fixtures and appropriate lighting. Though it should be remembered that one need not do an entire house remodeling if same cannot be done---it maybe due to the lack of time or lack of funds. You may start with the bathroom or kitchen, even the bedroom; whatever matches your current status and capacity. There is nothing worst than having a remodeling task which is half way done, be halted due to financial reasons. Another aspect that needs to be raised is the act of selecting the ideal remodeling contractor. One of the most common mistakes made by an inexperience contractor is overestimating. Let’s say the kitchen layout approximately needs a hundred marble tiles, however, the contractor recommended that 150 tiles be bought for the project. Having 50 excess tiles, what’ll you do with these? Be careful when choosing a contractor; make certain that you hire an expert who has been in the business for at least 4 or 5 years. Note that they won’t last long in the industry had they not been providing quality service.

Going back to quotations and estimates, look for companies who offer this particular service for free. You can get a list of establishments that offer the same through the use of the internet. Try to get 2 or 3 individuals who’ll do the estimate. Please, do not rely solely on the rates. Proper documentations, including licenses, must be shown. Handing over your precious abode to a non-professional is dangerous, inconceivable even. Try to schedule an appointment with your prospective contractors. Discuss the project and ask for estimates from labor to material costs and everything in between. Keep in mind that not everything you wanted may be appropriate. An example would be insisting that marble tops be installed instead of granite kitchen countertops. Do you know that marble is relatively soft when compared to the latter? Your marble countertops will surely receive a beating from hot pans and heavy containers. Your desired counter may be done but its luster may deteriorate sooner rather than later.

After the marble or granite tile installation, it is but proper that one knows how to take care of said stones. First would be the use of sealer. This would be very helpful to prevent liquid from seeping in and permanently staining your countertop. This doesn’t mean that you can just leave a spilt fruit juice on the counter. Wipe it off immediately with a cloth then finish the same by applying a neutral solution (commercial stone cleaner will do) to preclude the further seepage and formation of microorganisms. Keep in mind that acid based liquid will react against the stone causing it to corrode and lose its shine. Strong detergents will producer the same effect. Remember, ammonia + bleach=dangerous combination.

One last tip, if your problem clearly exceeds your capacity, call an expert. Don’t attempt to concoct your own solution to remedy the stain. You might end up damaging the stone.