CounterEdge

Counteredge did a very nice job templating and installing countertops in kitchen and bathrooms. The guys running the show are very nice people, too. They unfortunately are not terribly good at record-keeping/communicating, both internally and with clients. Queries get lost or aren't responded to, and information doesn't flow between parties at Counteredge the way it should. This caused some glitches in our process, and even some alarming moments. If they could just pull up their socks when it comes to (e.g.) writing things down when talking to a client, making sure they reply to emails, centralizing all the communication (via computer or whatever system)-- the phone communication, the emails, etc.--and making sure everyone has all the info they need, things will go more smoothly. I guess my other comment is something that applies to almost everyone who sells countertop materials these days, but: if it were my profession to sell stone to people, and part of my job were to inform them about the properties of that stone, I would at least watch a few youtube videos or brush up on the Cliff's notes about the geologic properties of the stones I were selling. How are marble/granite/soapstone/quartzite/limestone formed, and what kinds of chemical reactions/durability does each kind of stone tend to have? What's the best way to seal or clean or polish each of these, and why? Professionals should know the basic science of e.g. how heatproof a given stone is, how it reacts to lemon juice, how to remove a stain... they're selling these things to people who will use them on their kitchen counters, fireplaces, etc.. The Counteredge guys I spoke to, and truth be told professionals at other vendors/fabricators as well, were really vague on the products they sell and seemed to base their impressions almost entirely on anecdata (if that)...I did my own research in the end. The final installations look very good. The people working at Counteredge have good intentions. The process was frustrating at times.

Overall, it has been a disaster. This company was selected by the kitchen cabinet designer I worked with after she obtained competing quotes. I had decided against granite because of a previous bad experience and chose black Silestone instead. It is supposedly highly durable and resistant to stains and scratches. When the installation was done, the techs improperly drilled the faucet hole for one of the bathroom countertops, though they had the faucet in their hands. The drain stopper could not be used because they did not leave enough room against the backsplash. I ended up having to get a different stopper that is cheaper and not exactly in keeping with my expensive faucet. They also left excess silicone around the rim of the sink. In the second bathroom, they did not properly seal the granite countertop (and when they did do it on one of their later visits, they told me I needed to reseal the counter once a week.) Also, after the kitchen counter was installed, I noticed that it had not been templated correctly. There was a gap between counter top and the back of my new slide-in stove. Worse, there were stains beneath the surface of the milestone and it scratched when I opened a opened a glass jar on. Also after the techs left, I found a pile of stone remnants left on my driveway. After three visits by different personnel, CounterEdge and Silestone acknowledged that the stone itself was defective.It took weeks to sort out who was going to pay for the replacement stone, re-installation, and plumbing costs. I was assured that this was simply one defective piece, that I did not need to choose another color or another manufacturer, and that the new slab would be properly inspected before they came to reinstall it. Two days before the reinstallation appointment, I got a call from the kitchen designer (who remained involved throughout)

these folks were easy to deal with and did a great job. Scott, the sales associate i worked with, was responsive and professional. The pricing on installation and materials was very fair and the quality of workmanship excellent. all in all, a very good all around experience.

I called for an estimate for Granite countertops and Scott responded. He sent a very detailed estimate via email giving several options of different granites. When I spoke to him he was very open and said he could set up an appointment with his suppliers and also quote on any stone we liked which I appreciated. However in the end we decided not to proceed.

I had a positive experience with CounterEdge that I want to share with others who may be considering using them. Several months after purchasing a Groupon, I submitted a mark-up with measurements of my kitchen and ½ bath countertops to CounterEdge with a request for a quote. My fiancé had thought about installing granite for the past 2 years, so we’d already visited the big box stores and a several kitchen & bath showrooms to gain an idea of pricing for the type of granite we wanted. Since we had 2 types of granite in mind, I requested that the quote be given for each granite type, assuming there would be a difference in cost. Next day I received a reply with a quote from Jon Mancini. Having done our homework with respect to pricing, we felt the quote was reasonable, so I emailed Jon and informed him of our desire to proceed. He responded with the names and addresses of a couple of showrooms where I could view and select a granite slab for the project. Within a week of visiting one of the showrooms (CBS Exotic Stones in Winchester, MA) and selecting a slab, Jon arranged for the granite to be delivered to CounterEdge. Up until this point, my dealings with Jon and CounterEdge were entirely by email, but Jon suggested I come into CounterEdge to see the slab another time before it went to fabrication. When I arrived, Jon greeted me and gave me a brief tour of the facility, which is clean and well organized. Jon wasn’t aware that I had already purchased a new sink for the kitchen, so he showed me am 18 gauge stainless steel D-bowl sink he’d set aside for me, which he indicated would be included at no charge. Although I didn’t need the sink, I was impressed that Jon was going to include this sink at no charge. A few days after my visit to CounterEdge, Jose C, the templater, arrived at my home to take measurements. I wasn’t home, but my fiancé informed me that Jose was very professional and made some helpful suggestions as to placement of the faucet and attachments, addition of a side splash on a wall that we had not originally planned for (to be provided at no additional charge), and the need for a wood support across a large void in the ½ bath vanity to support the granite that will be installed. Ten days later, 3 installers arrived and quickly got to work installing the granite. The installers were hard working, meticulous, friendly and courteous, and did a thorough clean-up before they left. They worked very well together and it was obvious to me that they had a lot of experience installing granite. The seams are virtually undetectable. Everyone I dealt with at CounterEdge was helpful, friendly and personable. At no time did I feel as if my project was unimportant to them. They took the time to fully answer all of my questions. As far as customer service and quality of work is concerned, CounterEdge went above and beyond and exceeded my every expectation. I am extremely pleased with CounterEdge and will not hesitate to use them again and recommend them to others.