Granite has a reputation as the “affordable natural stone” countertop option. That reputation is partly true, but it does not tell the whole story. A basic, widely available granite slab can start around $55 per square foot installed, while rare exotic slabs with dramatic...

You’ve chosen your slab. You’ve debated the edge profile, fallen for a particular run of veining, and signed off on the material. But between that decision and the day your new countertops are set in place, one quiet, precise step does more to determine...

Quartz now holds 51% of the US countertop market — the highest share of any single material — and in Chicago, installed prices range from $60 to $150 per square foot. That is a wide range. And if you have already gotten two or...