We are using the pieces left from our slab for outdoor tabletops. we had them cut into rectangles (fairly small since the pieces are pretty heavy).

I used a remnant, but only for a small counter in a bathroom (something like 2x2). I was in the market for soapstone tile and the soapstone distributor here -- which sells tile and slabs -- told me that a fabricator she knew of had a big bone yard. I went and looked at the various pieces he had (some fairly large, like 3x6 or 3x8, but none that matched that would have been enough for even a small kitchen-- they had some lovely marble pieces too, which I tried to think of something to do with!). I picked one and paid only for the fabrication (the space was small enough and simple enough that they didn't need to come measure). The cost was less than the tiles and tilesetting would have been.

I haven't actually bought any stone yet, but I know when I visited the local granite yard that also fabricates they had a lot of remnants on site to look at.

We also passed a granite yard on vacation in NH that sells all their remnants for $25/sf. They had the larger ones standing up in the front yard so you can look easily. I did see some that were tagged as sold, but since they weren't open I couldn't ask about anything. And yes, I did make my DH stop for a random yard we passed. He actually had fun seeing all the stones.

sw,
Would you mind giving out the bone yard/fabricator information? I would appreciate it.

You can't do a whole kitchen in remnants unless it's a very common and sedate granite like Uba Tuba or Absolute Black and the kitchen has a bunch of chopped up separate counters. You're just not going to take remnants from two different slabs of even very calm granites and put a seam in the middle of them and have it look very good. Now you can put a remnant in the middle of a butcher block or laminate counter, but it has to look purposeful to work. Or you can use a remnant for a small island. But remnants are exactly that: small pieces.

I used a small remnant for the top of a cabinet in the hallway of my previous house. I found it at a prefab place. The remnant was free and the fabrication was around $65.

My experience looking at boneyards a couple of years ago was that the material was free as someone else had paid for it previously; you only needed to pay for fabrication.

I spent about an hour in the boneyard of a large fabricator last week looking at remnants of quartz - Caesarstone and Silestone - for a vanity that's about 6 feet by 2 feet. I found a couple pieces that would work. I couldn't get anyone to tell me the prices of the remnants. When I finally got the quote for fabrication, it included the full cost of the quartz, no discount at all. I was pretty disappointed to have wasted all that time.

Thanks for all the great insight! Current possible kitchen would be tiny with no seams and four sections of countertop, most likely none bigger than 4 feet long. I am interested in a soapstone with little movement. Still seems unlikely that I could make it work with remnants, but hey, why not ask, right?

And if not for the kitchen, maybe for a bathroom remodel (more likely granite there).

Thanks again!

Granite Grannies here in Maryland has a constant sale of their remnants.

They were going to put my bathroom together with remnants, but I ended up needing so much it became a slab.

I believe they only charge for fabrication, too. They let me pay ahead for my marble, something like a layaway.

I love them! :)

I believe some states forbid reselling of remnants that are left over from projects where the vendor charged for the entire piece. The vendor can charge for fabrication, of course. In others, regular per-square-foot charges apply for remnants. Don't want to hijack, but I only need two pieces that are 14" by 14" to replace a cracked insert on an old console.

We found a remnant for our kitchen facelift a few years ago. I think we only needed less than 30sqft. The granite itself was 'free', they just charged for fabrication and installation. I believe it ended up being $900. I found the company on angieslist. The rep only had a few different pieces but we weren't too picky as long as it went with white cabinets. We just did the facelift in preparation to sell realizing we wouldn't make back what we put into it but that it would just help sell faster. It worked!

We had three pieces altogether and no seams. One big L shape and then two small ~12" across from the sink on either side of the range.

CRL - I have two chunks of a remnant that will (eventually) on either side of my range.

That stoneyard advertises on Craigslist.

I was going to call nearby yards and ask if they sell remnants, but I found what I needed at the first one.

The process was easy: a salesman and I walked through the place where they store the stacks of leftovers until I found one I liked. Then he measured it to make sure it was big enough and checked for big flaws that would prevent cutting the sizes I needed.

I got a discount on the price of the granite, but only about 30%, and the fabrication was "free" because I wanted just the standard edge.