Arabesque Large Format without a Bevel

$10.95 a Square Foot Matte Arabesque available in Gloss finish arabesque as well. And we thought, Free Shipping as well (prices valid for 2016). Each piece is 6.1″ (155mm) in height and 5.1″ (130mm) in width. One sheet covers a square foot 8 pieces. Just as a 3×6″ on a mesh would. There is a spec drawing attached.

We have had the Beveled version of Arabesque large format in stock for over a year and it has been selling well. Then people ask if we have it without the bevel? And how about on a mesh for easier installation? I agree. Good plan. So we did just that and here it is. In Gloss and Matte or flat, but not a shiny finish 🙂

Personally I prefer my iPhone warehouse pic as the product arrives, that is the one in the box it is real. I love warehouse pictures, just open the box and take a picture (job done in 10 seconds), forget all the frills. Keep the cost down for the customer not waste it on models draped over tiles, I mean that is not too likely in someones home, is it? I want it realistic. So what you see is what you get. I do not think customers should have to pay for unrealistic images, as that is where the cost has to go….  onto the product. Eliminate that cost and you can offer better value. Now that I can live with!

Buying online? 3 Helpful Tips to buying Carrara.

The world of buying online is changing.  It started with books, electronics next groceries now Natural Stone and Tile.

The focus here is Carrara. It is tricky. It changes from lot to lot. It is not a static product like a book. So before buying online you may want to check out a few things before diving in. Particularly if you are buying a bathroom and need your mosaic to be a close match to the tile to the trim and so on. Not easy. At The Builder Depot we have over 200 different Carrara products and with stock over a million square feet of Carrara. Our products have been installed in clothing retailers on 5th Avenue to Hotels in the Caribbean and homes. Home from Miami to Seattle from LA to Maine. We come from a good place to offer a few tips to buying Carrara online.

#1. Many will find the product online through a search engine. Google is the top search engine. Companies will show up in Google shopping or advertising text to draw you to their website. These companies value Google as a resource. They must do, as they are using them as a vehicle to reach you. So they should be a Google Trusted Store…  right?  They advertise with Google, put their products on Google, so it would seem logical to be a Google Trusted Store. If possible buy from Google Trusted Stores. Google has already done the homework and investigation and offers guarantees for free. They know who the good guys are. They pretty much are the internet.

#2. You should buy from a company that has access to the Carrara. By that we mean direct access. Not sitting in a cube somewhere or in another country when you call. A US based company that can take pictures before your order ships. You need to know the person you are speaking with on the phone is the person looking at the Carrara. That they can touch it, can take a snap with their iPhone and send it on. Otherwise how do you know what “lot” or particular look you are getting. How can you do a quick background check by yourself? Look at their Instagram account. See pictures of marble in pallets and boxes open in a warehouse? That is a good sign.

#3. Room scenes. If there are no room scenes then why not? It is most likely that no one was thrilled enough to send any in. How can you check? Go to their blog. Check to see if they have a section for “Room Scenes” if they are proud of them it will be upfront. Bloggers are a great resource. Some of the room scenes should come from independent bloggers. There are thousands of DIY blogs today. If the online store you are buying from has not been in a single blog. Then that is quite an accomplishment. They must have gone out of their way to avoid them altogether. Look for room scenes by bloggers who are good photographers and they can also provide DIY tips as well.

Simple tips to buying Carrara online and you can avoid some of the headache reviews and stories we hear everyday from other customers. If they are not Google Trusted. Why? If they cannot send pictures then they have no access to the material and that means you have no idea what lot or look or veining you are getting! If they are not in any DIY blogs, how?

We cover all three but we are not saying you need to buy from thebuilderdepot.com.  We are not trying to sell anyone anything. We simply provide pictures, samples and prices. Then the decision to buy is up to the retailer, builder, contractor, designer, homeowner. We are not salespeople. We simply provide the facts on our products. We treat people as we would treat our family. If we can find a better option elsewhere then that is where we will suggest. For many customers this concept is met with shock and disbelief. But it really is a simple concept. We are acting like your neighbor or family friend. If there is a better option then we need to improve our game, it helps you get what you need and us get better.

As the first Google Trusted E-Commerce supplier of Natural Stone Collections and a product member of the Marble Institute of America we come from a position passionate about the integrity and future of Natural Stone as it moves online.