"I don't know if that guy was just stupid, or thought I was stupid..."

Oh, oh I know! Call on me musicteacher!

He's an idiot. Think about it, when you are talking with someone less knowledgeable than you about music, do you give him information that is just wrong (of course Mozart is still alive; I saw him yesterday in the grocery)? No. At least I hope not.

But before throwing in the towel and giving up on soapstone, have you considered talking with the guy at #1 to see if he can source a different type of soapstone that would not be so soft?

As for the idiot, is he a salesperson, or the owners otherwise unemployable son-in-law? Is there anyone else you can speak with there?

Don't give in. There has to be a way you can get what you want. Take the night off and cogitate on it tomorrow!

EAM44, did you mean talking with #2 about a different soapstone?

#1 would make me run away.

musicteacher:

See if #1 will fabricate and install for no money down, payment if full upon satisfactory completion only. If you don't like his work, tell him to come get his stone.

Yep, indeed debrak. I got the number wrong.

I had the same experience. I don't understand how people can know less than nothing (less than because the information they do have is wrong) about a product they carry! I found a beautiful soapstone at a mostly granite and quartzite fabricator, and he proceeded to tell me that you must seal it because it is very porous, that no one oils soapstone, and that the pietra cardosa he had behind it was also soapstone! In my head I just kept screaming WRONG! I would never go with someone who knew that little about a stone they were going to work on. I agree about asking guy #2 if he can get any other varieties. Are there any places near you that deal exclusively with soapstone? Would you be willing/able to order from a company that would ship you slabs of what you wanted (like m tex or dorado) and then guy #2 could do the fabrication?

I guess you get what you pay for. Neither of these places regularly carry soapstone - that is probably why they are willing to sell it so cheap. #2 ordered if for clients who changed their minds (probably because it was too soft) and I don't know about #1. Since they can't give me a straight answer about who is going to cut it I can't trust them. He said they were going to seal it!!!! So now I have already ordered this really cool Victorian look faucet and am probably going to have to get low level quartz.

I had a very similar experience with someone I spoke to at the fabricator our GC recommended. This guy clearly didn't know anything but would make stuff up that I knew was 100% wrong. I do'nt get why people even talk when they know nothing about what they're speaking of. I had asked if there was anything I needed to do differently/special with a quartzite sample we looked at. He said "no, it's pretty much just like quartz - nothing to worry about." ???? I told the GC that the guy was not very knowledgeable, and he had the owner (not who I'd been speaking with) call me to answer any questions and to deal with us from that point on. It got better. so, maybe you can check if there is someone else you can speak to?

I know the "best" person can't be available all the time, but hopefully companies wil begin to realize that putting someone on the floor (or on the phone) that knows NOTHING about their products does more harm than good!

Hi musicteacher, where are you located? Here's what I've learned to do from a GC...go to the source. contact dorado and m. Teix (nj) soapstone headquarters. I pick up from my research (I just got Ss), they are the two largest Ss sources in US. Let them know where you are located and ask if they have any local relationships with fabricators. I don't know about dorado but m Teix has relationship/partnerships with other stone places in country. It may involve a drive to see, but countertops is a b-I-g part of the equation, it would be ashamed to go into it so apprehensive with your current choices.

I got my ss from m Teix in the middle of their warehouse move. They did not give me a price but deferred to the local Ss vendor/fabricator. M Teix did arrange shipment to local place. It was all transparent. Good setup. HTH

Yeah #1 is an idiot - you are not! Do LOTS of research and arm yourself with knowledge.

ALSO another thing I wish I knew from the start about "softness and scratchability" of the soapstone. Many fabricators try to put a high polish on their soapstone just like their granite - of COURSE you'll be able to scratch w/ your fingernail! 150-200 grit is about where you get that nice soft matte finish without as much scratching.

If you really want soapstone, you can always live with plywood countertops until you find the deal and the stone that's right for you. As OP said, it's a big part of the cost and you should be absolutely sure about your decision! Good luck!

From my research (depending where you are) you're looking at $90-$130/sf installed. You do get what you pay for, and I've also noticed several fabricators have what I call "zipcodeitis" wherein they mark up your price because they know where you live or they figure you've got $$ coming out of your ears if you're looking at soapstone.