What changes the price of a custom stone table?

Start with one comparable specification.

Give every supplier the same drawing or dimensional brief. Include the selected material direction, finish, edge, base, quantity and destination. Ask each quotation to identify assumptions and exclusions. A lower total may describe a different slab, a thinner construction, a different base or a shorter delivery scope.

Separate an early budget allowance from a firm quotation. If the slab has not been chosen, ask how a change in material or cutting layout could change the price. Keep a date, currency and validity period with each version.

Read the quote as a set of decisions.

Material cost depends on the actual slab and the amount of usable surface the design needs. A small finished top can still require a larger slab where the pattern or cut layout matters. Ask whether the quotation includes the whole slab, a cut piece or an allowance.

Fabrication, edge work, cut-outs, joints, finish and the supporting assembly should be identifiable. Confirm whether packing is included once or priced separately. Ask which checks and approval images are part of the scope.

Take the comparison all the way to the room.

Transport to a terminal, delivery to a kerb and installation in a room are different services. Identify unloading, local handling, assembly and site preparation. Taxes and destination charges should remain marked as unknown until the responsible party confirms them.

Use one comparison sheet rather than adding unlike totals. If an amount is a percentage, state the base it applies to. Keep internal contingency separate from the supplier price and show which costs are still provisional.

Your checklist

Questions before the next step