Featuring quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford

Life-style changes over the past decade have been a result of various influences, reflecting our design choices in the desire to maximise home comfort and increase property value. This is particularly evident in the kitchen space, which has commonly become the most prominent feature in the interior design scheme.

With the kitchen increasingly becoming a multi-use zone, careful consideration should be given when choosing the work surfaces which will not only need to be future-proof, but also have visual appeal reflecting the home personality. Affordable Granite is a family-owned stone fabrication and supply company which has been installing high quality quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford and the surrounding counties since 2003.

Quartz certainly ticks all the boxes on a wish-list for durability, easy maintenance, versatility and aesthetic beauty. Contrary to natural stones such as granite and marble, the quartz slabs for your kitchen countertops won’t have been extracted from the quarry. This is an engineered stone which has been produced by high-tech machinery and is a combination of coarsely or finely ground quartz crystals combined with a smaller percentage of other minerals, polymer binding resins and coloured pigments. As quartz replicates the colour and patterns of naturally formed stones, the difference in appearance may only be possible with an expert eye.

 

 

The modern kitchen serves many purposes and is frequently a sub-division in an open-plan multi-functional living space. Island and peninsula units have become the perfect element in the interior design scheme for food preparation, dining and social gatherings. Quartz kitchen worktops are non-porous and resistant to stains, scratches or chipping and due to the polymer resin content they don’t require sealing to protect the surface. The wide variety of shades and veining are consistent throughout the stone and the selection can be made from the quartz slabs held in stock at the Affordable Granite workshops in Charlwood,Surrey.

 

 

All templating of the base cabinetry, fabrication and the final installation will be carried out by the in-house team of skilled craftsmen, with stringent quality control checks at every step of the project.  Call us today on 01293 863992

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Moving on up with quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford

If you are starting with a blank canvas in a new-build property or have purchased a home where the kitchen just doesn’t live up to your expectations, fitting quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford can make a world of difference, elevating your home to a new level. Quartz work surfaces not only aesthetically enhancing, they are also a wise investment with their resilience to constant use and multiple functions. You might have admired kitchens with granite countertops, but the natural imperfections such as fissures and the shade inconsistency running through the slabs may have been a deterrent. Quartz is able to replicate the visual appearance of marble and granite and to the untrained eye the difference may not be apparent. Based in Charlwood, Surrey Affordable Granite are leading fabricators and installers of high-quality stone kitchen worktops in Guildford and the South East of England since 2003.

 

 

Unlike granite which has been extracted in blocks from the formation site, quartz is a man-made engineered stone that has been manufactured with the use of high-tech machinery. The combination of a high percentage of ground quartz crystals with other minerals, re-cycled particles of elements which may be shards of glass and metal fragments, produce a reflective luminosity. The inclusion of a polymer binding resin and coloured pigments result in a hard-wearing and visually appealing stone. The sealing process during manufacture provides an easy to maintain, durable and superior non-porous surface for hygienic food preparation which unlike granite requires no sealant application.

 

 

Quartz is available in an eclectic range of shades and patterns, giving the freedom

to create a kitchen space which expresses your personal style in-keeping with the chosen interior design scheme, adding luxury without over-stretching the allocated budget. Quartz slabs held in stock at the Affordable Granite workshops can be viewed by appointment, where professional and impartial advice will be available to assist with your choice. This is a stone with timeless appeal which complements any design concept, from cool and contemporary to bold and dramatic with hot pops of colour. Quality control at every step of the fabrication through to the final installation will be carried out by the Affordable Granite in-house team to ensure your new quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford will give satisfaction for many years to come.

 

Call Affordable Granite today on 01293 863992 to see how we can help you.

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Five steps to the perfect quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford

You've made the decision to install your new quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford and now the journey begins. Affordable Granite suggest you consider the following five basic steps, ensuring the project runs smoothly from the start through to the final completion.

1.  Decide on a budget

Choosing quartz for your kitchen work surfaces ion Guildford will be a long-term investment, but nevertheless you may well have a limited budget. The option of selecting a stock material should still give a wide colour range, providing a cost-effective worktop without sacrificing quality. If you have an open budget, the choice available in the bespoke or premium collections of quartz can be vast.

2.  Make a plan

Determine the function of the space, the compatibility within the home lifestyle and the interior design scheme. Draw up a plan of the layout with dimensions and sketches of where the base units are positioned, indicating the areas where cut-outs will be required to allow for the sinks, hobs, taps or kitchen accessories. Will you require any splashbacks or upstands and does the kitchen have an under-mounted sink? Do you want the window sills to match the worktops? Giving as much detail as possible will result in a more accurate initial estimate. Confirm that the prices are transparent in the final quotation, with no hidden extras, such as polishing or templating.   

3.  Ensure you choose a reputable supplier

Entrusting the installation of your quartz kitchen worktops to experienced and reputable tradesmen is imperative. The manufacture and finishing of the stone should have undergone diligent quality control and be supported by skilled craftsmanship throughout the entire project. Genuine customer testimonials or recommendations are a good indication of the level of service.

4.  Select your quartz

Personally previewing the range of quartz is advisable whenever possible to check the quality and also to ensure you choose the perfect slab to create the desired aesthetics within the kitchen zone, or focal harmony with an open plan living space.  Providing the quartz is from the same batch, the colour and pattern should be consistent throughout the slabs.

5.  Templating and installation

Templating is essential prior to fabrication of the worktops to ensure a perfect fit during installation. This will take place within your home where precise measurements and mock-ups are made of your quartz kitchen worktops, ready for the final cutting and polishing of the surfaces, followed by the final installation.  

The dedicated and highly experienced in-house Affordable Granite team go beyond the basics to deliver a professional service which is second to none, keeping customers fully informed at ever step.   Call us today on 01293 863992 to speak with a member of our team.

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Inside information on quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford

If you are installing a new kitchen or up-scaling an existing one, why should you choose quartz for your kitchen worktops in Guildford? There can be distinct advantages in quartz over marble or granite and these depend on various factors, including the home lifestyle and aesthetics. When considering the visual appeal of the kitchen work surfaces, quartz has uniformity in pattern and shading and will be consistent with the sample stone chosen in the Affordable Granite workshops. Admittedly it won't have the uniqueness of granite or marble, but many prefer a worktop which isn't subject to the pitting and fissures or variance in shading found in natural stone.

Quartz slabs are mad-made and this engineered product is a composite of finely or coarsely ground quartz crystals, combined with particles of other minerals and polymer resins. When pigments are injected into the compound, the colour palette is impressive, giving a wider scope to complement any interior design scheme, especially in an open-plan kitchen/living space. You will find a range of quartz which imitates the veining and pattern flow of granite, without any of the imperfections that have occurred in the formation of a natural stone.

In a multi-use, high traffic zone which calls for easy maintenance and hygienic food preparation, quartz comes up trumps. Unlike marble and granite, quartz kitchen worktops are non-porous, with no requirement for sealing and have greater resistance to stains and spillages created by chaotic cooks or unpredictable eating habits of any younger members in the home. The non-porosity of quartz also restricts the growth of bacteria and mould; essential for ensuring a safe and healthy environment in the kitchen.

Quartz is extremely hard wearing and this durability provides a kitchen countertop which will withstand constant use and retain its visual appeal for many years to come. This makes quartz a wise investment, not only for the benefit of present day living but also to increase buyer appeal in the future. Affordable Granite has all the expertise, with time-served highly skilled fabricators, templaters and a dedicated installation team as reassurance that your quartz kitchen worktops in Guildford will have the care and close attention throughout the entire project.

Call us on 01293 863992 to discuss your requirements with a member of our team.

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