Warm soappy water! Cleaning products takes away your granite sealer.

We use and reccommend TS&G Disinfectant & Cleaner. It is made by MIRACLE Sealants Company and you can use it safely on Tile, Stone, & Grout. It kills Molds & Mildew, Disinfects, Bacterial, Fungicidal, Cleanses, Deoderizes, & Eliminates Oders.

They start at 250/260 lbs and go up from there. I haven't run into any over 500lbs, but I'm sure they're out there.

We are going to need more information to better understand the situation.

Like everyone else has mentioned you have to do your due diligence in securing a high quality contractor. However, you the client may want to switch the context of the question. If you are implying that your residence address has an assumed effect on the face value of your estimate, then I would have to make the assumption that your address dictates a certain level of implied “quality” if you will. So if your tastes and  design are at an architectural standard  that requires high end craftsmanship and the price point will reflect such expertise. When doing a project in your home you always want to pay for the knowledge and not just the brawn. If you were remodeling a kitchen in a small rental apt in a college town community your price point again would reflect the simplicity of the job. Hope this helps…

If you have made the decision to hire a contractor to complete any home improvement project I would recommend they meet the following minimum qualification(s)

1. Make sure they are licensed in the field they work in
2. Make sure they have insurance $1M minimum
3. Make sure you can work with their demeanor...If you have a Type A personality dont hire a laid back non chalant contractor 
4. Make sure the estimates and/or proposals are written and cover the scope of work in detail
5. Hire the right person for the right task...dont ask a carpentar to replace your electrical panel.
6. Never pay 100% of contract price, agree upon a payment schedule i.e. 33% down at signing, 33% at project start and remaining balance to be paid upon substansial completion.

Who is the contractor and what did thet do?

What do you mean by bogus?  Is he not a real contractor, or did you have a bad experience with him?

If the company is a Guildmember, you should be able to submit a review in the bottom right-hand corner of their profile page. For companies that are not Guildmembers, we don't presently accept reviews.

Complemenary paint with countertops scribed to the wall is a clean look.  If you use eggeshell paint, it is durable too.

When interviewing contractors, check online reviews and call references to make sure the company has a track record for being on budget.  After vetting the contractor, with detailed plans and specifications you don't have to worry about change orders unless you make changes.  I usually suggetst to homeowners to have a 5% - 10% contingencydepending on the size of the project, not for change orders, but for addtions or upgrades they may want.

Glen offered a very accurate and thorough answer to the question. The only thing I would add to it is the importance of receiving a detailed construction contract from your contractor. This should list (as Glen mentioned) model numbers, etc. What you should stay away from are "allowances". They are the number one driver for change orders. Allowances are often used in a contract when either the homeowner hasn't made a decision on a finish or fixture or the contractor is unsure how to bid a specific portion of the project. Inevitably there will be confusion as to what the allowance truly allowed for and what the final product/ decision did to the original price.

Best bet is to wait and start your project after you've made all the selections- and then figure that inspiration will strike you when you least expect it and you'll be adding that 10% at some point.

Have fun!