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Getting Started in Countertops

The things you need to know before jumping into the market

Doug Bannister demonstrates on countertop

Doug Bannister, The Stamp Store, demonstrates on a countertop during a training class. Getting trained should be the first step when starting in the countertop business.

Embedding glass pieces in countertops is one of the most popular looks. It's important to talk to the manufacturer of your mix to make sure it will work with glass or other embedded items.

Buddy Rhodes combines molded furniture, like this cone table, and matching countertops in many residential applications.

One of the biggest benefits of concrete countertops is their unlimited adaptability. For this project, The Countertop Concrete Institute embedded coins into the countertop to provide the client with a unique finish.

Attention to detail is extremely important with concrete countertops. Here Jeff Girard of The Concrete Countertop Institute demonstrates the proper edging of a sink.

"Countertops require more time and more work than most contractors are used to." Buddy Rhodes

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Surviving the Market

By Jonathan Sweet
Editor

"Fifty sq. ft. is an average job," he says. "That's a $5,000 average job, and many are smaller. The square foot cost lures a lot of people to the business, but they have to realize the jobs are a lot smaller than a patio or floor."

With the extra time and effort that goes into countertops, it may not be as lucrative as many people expect.

"It can be a rude awakening for many people when they realize the difference," Girard says. "You need to do a large amount of work in a very short amount of time to generate the volume you would with other types of decorative concrete."

It's important to take time before jumping into the market, Bannister says.

"You have to slow down and plan everything very thoroughly," he says. "Make sure you have the right tools, the right information and the right guys to do the work."

Have a skeptical eye

With the rapid explosion in the market, it's no surprise that there have been some subpar products entering the market. So it's important to check out the companies you are doing business with to make sure the products they produce are right for what you want to do.