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A beautiful slab can still turn into a disappointing kitchen if the person cutting and installing it isn't up to the job. Seams that are not done right, a sink cutout that's off, a countertop that's out of level — none of that comes down to the stone. It comes down to the fabricator. We sell slabs at Marbino, and professional fabricators should handle the templating, cutting, and installation — that split is intentional, which means the choice of who does that second half of the job is entirely yours. Here's how to make it well.
A beautiful slab can still turn into a disappointing kitchen if the person cutting and installing it isn't up to the job.
Confirm the License and the Bond, Not Just the Sales Pitch
Arizona requires contractors doing this kind of work to hold a license through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC), and that license number should be easy for a fabricator to give you without hesitation. Look it up yourself on the ROC's website before you sign anything — it takes a few minutes and tells you whether the license is active, what class it covers, and whether there's a complaint history attached to it. Ask about bonding too. A bond is what protects you financially if a job goes wrong and the contractor doesn't make it right; a company that carries one and can produce proof of it without a fuss is telling you something about how they operate.
Read the Reviews, But Read More Than the Star Rating
We recommend Yelp reviews over other sites; it seems like the Yelp algorithm does a really good job at filtering fake reviews. Maybe that is why you see companies with hundreds of reviews on a site and only 20-50 reviews on Yelp for the same company. Skip past the overall score and read a spread of them — the four- and three-star reviews often tell you more than the five-star ones. Look for patterns: complaints about missed timelines, seam placement, or communication that show up more than once are worth taking seriously. Just as telling is how the business responds to a bad review.
Ask to See Real Work, Not Just a Photo Gallery
Photos on a website can be curated, stock, or years old. Ask for a few addresses of recent installs, or ask to see a job currently in progress. A fabricator who's proud of their work generally has no problem with this. If you're working with a designer on a project in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, they may already have a short list of fabricators they trust.
Understand How Templating Actually Works
Before anything is cut, a good fabricator measures your space in person — usually after cabinets are installed, using a physical or laser template that captures the exact dimensions, including any out-of-square walls. Ask how they handle cutouts for sinks, cooktops, and outlets, and whether that template appointment happens before or after your slab is chosen. If a company is willing to quote a firm price before ever measuring your space, that's a flag, not a convenience.
Get the Full Scope in Writing
Before you commit, the estimate should spell out edge profile, backsplash details, sink and cooktop cutouts, removal and disposal of your old countertop — not just a total price. Ask about the payment schedule too.
Ask What Happens If Something Breaks
Slabs can crack during fabrication, transport, or installation — it happens even to careful crews. What matters is what the fabricator does next: do they have a replacement process, who absorbs the cost, and how does that affect your timeline? A fabricator who answers this clearly, before you have to ask twice, is one who's dealt with it honestly before.
One Company, Start to Finish — Or Two?
It's worth asking upfront whether the same company that fabricates your slab also installs it, or whether that's handed off to a separate company. There's nothing wrong with the second setup, but it adds an extra step — if the fit isn't right on install day, you can end up with the fabricator and the installer each pointing at the other. A company that does both under one roof usually means fewer scheduling gaps between cutting and install, and one clear party responsible if something doesn't go as planned.
Where to Start Looking
If you're doing a project anywhere from Chandler to Surprise and want a fabricator who checks these boxes, stop by our Phoenix showroom, and we will gladly provide you with a list of fabricators that can handle granite, quartz, marble, and quartzite countertops, start to finish under one roof.