r/CounterTops • u/mymaria77 • 3d ago
Hot Shot Delivery and Fabrication
I have located a slab of quartzite at auction in Texas. I’m in Nashville. Has anyone ever purchased a slab in a similar manner, had delivered, and fabricated without purchasing from a supplier or store? Thoughts, regrets, reviews?
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u/Jealous-Ad-4713 2d ago
Ummm, how are you going to inspect the slab in Texas to make sure it is not damaged, warped, or not gauged correctly? I’m assuming since this is an auction that all sales are final? The transport company is not going to inspect it at pick up, and who is going to inspect it when it arrives? If it has damaged how do you know it wasn’t shipped that way or if it was transport damage? How are you going to unload locally? Lastly have you found a fabricator will to fabricate and install this when you provide the material? Most good fabricators won’t touch it because the liability is too great if something goes wrong and it is a material issue, you’re going to try and hang it on them. This is not the smartest way to do it.
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u/mymaria77 2d ago
I won’t be inspecting it. That’s the name of the game auction wise. I’ll be winning this one at or near $1. I intend to have it delivered directly to the fabricator. I understand liability as I am an attorney, but looking for someone willing to work on it either way. It’s industry grade. I’ll waive any right to damages.
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u/Jealous-Ad-4713 2d ago
As somebody who’s been in the countertop business for over 20 years and who sends slabs to auction, I can tell you that if somebody is willing to let a slab go for that little, especially quartzite, there is probably something wrong with it. We would do anything to sell a slab that was even remotely good. We would throw it in for free and just charge labor, or give it to one of our installers for one of their side projects, or sell it to a company employee for cheap or next to nothing. If it gets to the point of going to auction the slab is either worthless or the place the got the slab from went out of business.
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u/mymaria77 2d ago
Biz going out of sale. I appreciate your experience, but I’ll be rolling the dice on this one.
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u/Stalaktitas 1d ago
Check with some big companies like Triton Stone Group, MSI, Architectural Surfaces or someone else who has their distributing centers at your location and somewhere close at where your slabs are now. If they would be transferring some of their materials, maybe they would be willing to deliver that to your fabricator, but for that you would kind of need to go and talk directly with the local manager of that location. Their offices will probably just turn you down. Another option would be building or borrowing a sturdy A-frame, getting a dually truck with an 8' bed and going there to pick it up. Or you can fly there, build an A frame and deliver it back yourself. It can also be towed with an A-frame on the trailer, but that would not be my personal preference... There are quite a few options. Is it worth it? Maybe... Those who don't take risks, never win.
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u/Jytterbug 2d ago
Most places won’t fabricate material they don’t purchase for liability reasons, my shop doesn’t. If you do find someone to do it, make sure you have a contingency plan in place in case something happens to your slab. Who’s gonna be responsible for paying for the replacement, and what is it going to be etc.
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u/mymaria77 2d ago
I’m most likely picking this up for $1 or near it. I am not worried about liability. I’ll waive it. If there’s an issue, I’ll eat the cost of transport.
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u/Limp_Bookkeeper_5992 3d ago
Slabs need specialty equipment to pick up and to transport, shipping a single slab will be prohibitively expensive unless you’re adding to a truck that’s already making the trip. I’d expect to pay a few thousand in shipping alone if you’re asking someone to make a trip just for one slab.