Duracite Custom Countertops

Duracite Custom Countertops (Duracite) operates a network of nine locations providing customers across Northern California and Nevada with the highest quality custom countertops. Duracite professionals take pride in establishing lasting relationships with both suppliers and clients, leveraging 38 years of experience and the most advanced equipment and software to ensure every order exceeds client expectations. Above all, Duracite aims to continue using education to raise the bar in the custom countertop industry. Management is sure to inform both employees and dealers about the latest products and services to ensure a satisfied customer base.

“We pride ourselves on being a good fit for companies who want a partner with both regional and local focus,” says Fadi Halabi, president of Duracite. “Because of our extensive facilities, we’re able to be respondent to our clients’ demands, whether it’s an issue with lead times or supplying multiple locations with product.”

Duracite operates its headquarters and fabrication shop in Fairfield, Calif., just northeast of the San Francisco Bay Area. Duracite’s eight additional locations extend as far northeast as Reno, Nev., as far south as San Luis Obispo, Calif., and as far west as Santa Clara, Calif. This extensive reach provides Duracite the ability to supply contractors working on both sides of the California-Nevada border.

Duracite provides the gamut of surfacing services to both commercial and residential clients, including design, manufacture and full-service installation. “We’re also one of only two companies in the state of California to be accredited through the Marble Institute of America [MIA], which requires us to undergo audits to ensure our processes meet the Institute’s quality and craftsmanship standards,” adds Halabi. Duracite pursued the accreditation program through its membership with the Artisans Group, the only hard-surface industry organization in North America that requires every member to pursue accreditation by the MIA.

The accreditation process is especially rigorous, and applicants must submit complete documentation of business and employment practices and written recommendations, in addition to passing a written exam. Accreditation hinges upon a company’s skill, customer service approach, financial strength and safety record. Every accredited member must also pledge to uphold the association’s stringent quality and ethical code of conduct.

Unparalleled Expertise

The certification underscores the abilities Duracite employees bring to every project, guaranteeing clients that a knowledgeable, experienced professional will be able to deliver a customer’s design to last a lifetime. “The accreditation program allows us to offer the only lifetime warranty in the industry that covers manufacturing, installation and staining of the countertop,” adds Halabi. The guarantee takes on significant weight in light of the fact that Duracite offers a selection of both natural and engineered stone products. Even though the MIA accreditation only applies to natural stone products, Duracite applies the same long-term consideration for the performance of engineered stone products as well.

Duracite also holds National Housing Quality certification through the National Association of Home Builders, which assures customers of the company’s ability to provide transparent documentation and high-quality assurance for greater peace of mind.

Setting the Pace

Duracite represents engineered stone products from brands such as Corian, Silestone, Ceasarstone, Zodiaq and Cambria, as well as natural stone products from Artisan Granite and wood surfaces from Heritage Wood. The company was quick to augment its product selection with eco-friendly products as well. Duracite offers recycled glass surfaces from Geos and composite countertops from PaperStone made of 100-percent post-consumer recycled paper.

With an ever-changing product lineup, Duracite works to ensure its dealers are kept up to speed with the latest products and trends through Duracite University. Duracite University offers dealers a tour and demonstration of the Duracite plant, as well as product training sessions, trend updates and a refresher on efficient order management procedures.

New construction accounted for roughly half of all Duracite’s volume prior to the economic downturn, according to Halabi, but the company was able to weather the storm because of the team’s ongoing diversification efforts. Today, new construction accounts for only a fraction of Duracite’s total volume, with the team handling a mix of commercial, institutional and renovation projects. The company also represents sinks from manufacturers like Corian and Eclipse, as well as sinks and plumbing fixtures from Kohler, allowing Duracite to provide complete remodeling and renovation services.

“The difference is that we can promise clients a complete remodel in only one day,” asserts Halabi. With the help of strategic partners like Home Depot and Costco, Duracite can work with clients to design the perfect kitchen or bathroom.

Through its membership with Artisans Group, Duracite can provide clients with an accurate depiction of exactly what their countertop will look like when installed by using a specially designed software program that works from a photograph of the exact stone slab being used. The templates are then arranged so that customers can make the most of a stone’s natural variations. Duracite employees will then manufacture the countertops, remove and responsibly dispose of the old countertops and appliances, which are then replaced with new products, including the installation of new sink plumbing.

In the next few years, Halabi expects the Duracite team to continue expanding the one-day remodeling services, while also maintaining relationships with both residential and commercial contracting clients. As new construction shows signs of improvement, the team will position Duracite Custom Countertops for further growth by staying on top of the latest products and by always upholding the highest standards of quality and client-oriented service.