I think the issue is that there isn't always a slab to look at. When we were looking at Caesarstone, LG and other quartz brands there were only 3 or so varieties in full slab to view and they weren't ones we were interested in. You just have to go by the sample and Google. :) Did you call the Caesarstone store and ask if you can schedule an appointment to view slabs?

Hi Lisa, thanks for your input. I did call them Initially and they directed me to the website with the list of fabricators to visit. I can't understand why they wouldn't have at least a small fabricated counter top to view especially for their newer colors. Maybe they do.. but apparently I need to pay $185 for someone to escort me. :;) My philosophy is, If people experience the product in person, (not a small sample) they can visualize how beautiful it would be in their own home they would most likely pull the trigger and spend the money! And I of course do not know Ceasarstone's business philosophy, so I' m just speaking from my experience as a consumer and I am not a professional of course.

It isn't at all difficult for someone who goes about the process in the correct way. You have to pick your fabricator or designer first and develop your relationship with him first. They are the key to getting a good result in your kitchen.

Most fabricators order slabs as their customers pay for them. They don't have millions tied up in material just sitting around to be paid by someone at some future time when the urge to remodel happens.

And most wholesalers don't allow customers in off of the street to view products. You can't buy it. You aren't the customer. The fabricator is the customer. If you want to buy, you will need an in from someone in the trade. A designer or fabricator. They are the ones allowed in the wholesalers. The wholesalers aren't going to escort you around and answer your questions. And no where ne is going to allow someone into a industrial storage zone with heavy equipment and dangerous heavy materials unescorted. Escorting you around is what your fabricator gets paid to do.

It is not unreasonable to weed out tire kickers with a retainer. It is done all the time. If you are serious about choosing a new counter top, then develop a relationship with a designer who can help you choose wisely. Or the fabricator who will end up cutting it for you. They will need to be licensed by Ceasarstone. It keeps that high standard of excellence that they demand. Control over who can purchase and fabricate a product keeps customer satisfaction with the results high. That is a model adopted by most of the Quartz manufacturers who focus on quality.

The rest of the questionable manufacturers don't care. They will sell to anyone with a dollar, and as long as folks don't expect any kind of actual usable warranty or service from the interaction, then they can treat it like buying Chinese sourced tilipia at the grocery store. For those that care about quality, service, and warranty support, the integrated design to sale model will have to be paid for. You are not buying a commodity. You are buying a whole package that just happens to include a material.

Caesarstone is a man made product. Unlike a granite or marble from the earth, what you see in a sample is what you GET. No kitchen and bath showroom can begin to keep up with the continual remodeling needed to showcase every new iteration of quartz.

Quartz Images online are very accurate. A LARGE sample in hand is very accurate. A designer, a good one, is knowledgeable, and also soothing with regards to an appropriate and beautiful selection for you.

No fabricator I know stocks a single scrap of quartz. None I know will let you in the dusty, noisy, and hard hat required stone stock space without an intro, and an appointment. Large vehicles and grippers are required to pull out and view these slabs accurately. Preferably, you are accompanied by your qualified advisor/designer. .....in any scenario. None of these folks are your "design" team. They are technicians.

It is not at all ''difficult'' to buy any name quartz. But, they won't be available at your local flea market. Go window shopping somewhere else. There isn't anything to see at a stone fabricator that you would find interesting unless wading through dirt and water is cool to you. They don't stock jack. Or display jack. They will cut what your designer sells you. And your designer will have samples for you to check colors. Whole slab pics are online at the manufacturer.

"Unlike a granite or marble from the earth, what you see in a sample is what you GET."

Not according to the manufacturers:

"HanStone Quartz is composed of pure, natural quartz; as a result, variance in color, shade and pattern is an inherent trait expected of this product. Please refer to this sample only as a general indication of a particular color's design pattern, aesthetics, and hue. This sample is not guaranteed to be an equal replica of HanStone quartz slabs and may vary from the actual, installed HanStone surface.

This color exhibits a random veining pattern that may or may not be captured in its entirety within the sample. Please use the QR code to see a full view of this color."

That's the warning HanStone puts on the back of the sample that they send in your press kit. If you're really fussy, you need to view your actual slabs before they're ever touched by a blade. No whining on here. You were warned in writing.

Fine, I WILL re define "what you get" since I am forgetting the obvious. ANY AND ALL SLABS OF ANY MATERIAL.......ordered for you or chosen on site, require your magnifying glass stamp of approval prior to a template and cut, and have your right to refusal if they do not pass your visual requirement.

I meant this explanation as the REASON the material is not stocked, in that man made quartz has far less possibility for huge variation.....than something from the earth and that is in no possible way "controlled" in its appearance...... by man. Better ,Joe? : )

I disagree about variation. I didn't like any of the quartz when I looked at the small samples. Then I saw some large samples and really liked one. Then I saw slabs and didn't like it, the pattern was MUCH more pronounced than I could see from even the very large sample. Then I went to a home show, stumbled across a slab of the same stuff where the pattern was much tamer. My contractor told me that they will send me photos of slabs so thatI can try to find ones looking like the last one I saw that I liked. To get in the place to see the slabs, I called, they asked me what contractor I was working with and then we scheduled an appt. They were great and very helpful. They did explain that they asked me about my contractor because they have spent a lot of time helping people who come thru to look at slabs but have no intention of buying from them, are basically just using them to see the slabs since they are the only place in the area that keeps slabs on hand.

I have never heard of such b----t to be charged to go look at a product but there has to be ceasarstone suppliers in your area ( not fabricators) that you can visit . I don’t know about the US but in Canada most stone showroms now stock quartz too since it is the up and coming choice for people and you can certainly go to those showrooms and look all you like . IMO if this is what yo get from ceasarstone go check out other quartzes like Cambria , maybe go to a cabinet store that might have a kitchen set up with the quartz look you want. I agree for the average person to be able to imagine a huge counter from a tiny sample is very hard

Thank you all for taking the time to help me, as a consumer, understand this process better. Lesson learned for me, reading back over my initial post I realized in my frustrations, I made some sarcastic remarks., which does not help in getting my questions answered. My apologies.

As a consumer this is would make the most sense to me: The Ceasarstone store have an area for the public to view the stone fabricated and a salesperson there to answer material questions. No need for fancy cabinets or faucets, I mainly want to see the stone fabricated. . Then give me a list of fabricators they trust with their product. I pick three, have them come to my house, answer questions, take measurements, discuss stone cut, and give me a bid. This is where I would decide on which fabricator to use, based on knowledge,experience, answering questions, professionalism, positive energy and price. . I understand from reading, it is the fabrication of the product that is most important. I also understand others need a designer, and that's entirely different.

Small/Medium samples do help me match stone color to my cabinets with the lighting in my kitchen. But its a piece of beautiful fabricated stone that is going to help make my final decision and buy.

Patricia C. thank you for agreeing that paying someone to escort you is ridiculous. I understand this could be helpful if someone is needing a designer to help them pick out the color of stone. I will check out some places in my area. I am open to other quartz companies, but have not seen a pattern that catches my eye like the stat nuvo and maximus. I'll keep looking. Sue M. I feel the same way, immediately was able to throw out my third option when I saw it fabricated.. it makes a huge difference to see a larger piece fabricated.

Again, thank you all for your input. I truly appreciate each of you taking the time to respond.

I disagree. I've been to about 5 different showrooms here in Dallas to view slabs with no problem. I've been to Cambria, Vicostone, Dalatile, Verona Marble, and MSI. All have been very accommodating and have offered me samples after viewing the slabs. I'm currently trying to find Zodiaq and LG Viateta. They have all looked so different from the samples and I highly recommend looking at a slab. I would just walk in. That's what I've been doing.

I understand your dilemma. Shopping for Caesarstone now for the second project ,this is what I have learned. Some stone suppliers carry Caesarstone slabs and welcome customers to view the selection. The stone yards usually ask for the name of the fabricator you are working with, but do not require an introduction. The fabricator gave me a list of stone yards that they work with. Unfortunately for me, there are no stone yards in my area that stock Caesarstone.

The appearance of quartz is not as variable as granite, but some of the colors like those with veining vary more than others. This link takes you to the How to Buy section of the Caesarstone USA website for Dallas. Here you can search for dealers by area. Under the dealers is a list of the colors they have used in displays in their showroom. Several in the Dallas area show displays of Statuary Nuvo or Statuary Maximus.

Further, I have found that fabricators often have remnants of quartz left over from jobs that they are very willing to show you. For me these pieces are a good size to see how the pattern plays out and I compared it to a sample of the quartz I have.

Another idea to discuss with the fabricator, since he purchases the quartz for your job, is to ask if his supplier, which in my case is Caesarstone and not a stone yard, to send photos of the slabs for you to select. Photos don't offer a true color, but you could see the veining. Maybe you will get lucky and a stone yard in your area stocks slabs.

Hi Mertex - We are so sorry to hear that you're having trouble viewing Caesarstone! We do not charge for viewing Caesarstone and that is not a Caesarstone-sanctioned cost. It's unfortunate that your fabricator asked you to pay.

We welcome you to visit our distribution center (as always, free of charge) just please make sure to call ahead of time and give a heads up so that the team can make sure the environment is safe for you and the employees to view slabs. Nicki and Julie are both very nice and happy to help!

9500 N Royal Ln, Irving TX 75063, (972) 242-8322

Please feel free to contact us directly should you have any additional questions!

@Caesarstone - where can I find somewhere to view slabs in/near Madison, WI?

Thank you @Ceasarstone! I had called the local Ceasarstone distribution center a few months back and was told I could not visit the distribution center, and that I needed to find a fabricator first, or go to a kitchen design center to view samples. I am glad to know that it is possible to view a full slab. This would be helpful.

I, unfortunately, am having a dilemma with my recently installed Ceasarstone. The installed slab was disappointingly different from the sample. My fabricator blew me off and claims it is within the accepted 5 percent variance. After calls directly to Ceasarstone with photos they are stating my sample was mislabeled with a color that is no longer manufactured. They will replace slab but I will have to pay for fabrication and install. Since the sample is no longer in production I am not sure what to choose. Our cabinets and walls were painted to match counter sample. Floors were ordered based on sample. I was lead to believe that as a man made product there would be no variance to the sample.
I saved for a year and a half to go above our budget to pay for Ceasarstone as I wanted the quality and reputation of this product.
I knew I would have a lifetime of pride. Instead, I will have a lifetime of disappointment.
Wish I had had opportunity to view slab.
I can not afford to repay for fabrication

Caesarstone:

You guys are complete idiots. If you'd like to know how to run a multinational corporation successfully, call me. I'm available on a consulting basis. Obviously you desperately need my services.

I know this is a very old post but just to reply to the OP, I am ready to SCREAM it has been so hard to work with Ceasarstone
in Dallas. The Ceasarstone website directs me to make an appointment at their Dallas showroom..it says nothing about having your fabricator do it. I was told by Ceasarstone rep that “all the slabs are the same”…no, they aren’t and I have 5 different photos of Black Tempal to prove it. They may be the same if they are from the same batch, but I have been sent photos that I would have FLIPPED if The Stone Collection sold it to my fabricator as Grade A. Ceasarstone referred me to The Stone Collection in Dallas who proceeded to tell me they don’t allow anyone to choose their slab…until I show them the 5 different slabs that look different. It has been an AWFUL experience all the way around. I wish I never started this process with them because my whole design was around this Rugged Concrete and Black Tempal. Why did Ceasarstone Houston even quote my fabricator if he had to buy from The Stone Collection at a 35% markup. I feel trapped.