Resources · Buying Guide
Last updated October 2026Freight, inspection, testing, sourcing, design, packing, installation and restoration: who does what, how they charge and how to pick a good one.
Forwarders book containers, clear customs, arrange haulage and insurance, and manage the paperwork from quarry to site.
Best to buy: Feb–May
An independent inspector checks sizes, finish, colour and packing at the factory, before you pay the balance.
Density, absorption, strength, frost, slip and anchor tests for specifications, CE marking and disputes.
Agents shortlist suppliers, select slabs in person, negotiate, follow production and consolidate shipments.
Stone consultants turn architecture into buildable stone: specs, slab layouts, numbered shop drawings and anchor calculations.
Export crates, slab bundles, interleaves and lashing that stop breakage, with labels that match your drawings.
Specialist installers for floors, walls, countertops, façades and paving: substrate, adhesives, joints and protection.
Deep cleaning, repairs, honing, re-polishing, sealing and heritage conservation for floors, walls and façades.
The order journey
The services that take an import order from drawings to a finished, maintained installation.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors under open licences. Photo credits
