CountertopSmart

CountertopSmart operates an online platform through which homeowners and trade professionals browse, select, and purchase custom countertops and stone remnants. Buyers can filter catalogs by stone species (quartz, granite, marble, quartzite, porcelain, limestone, soapstone, travertine, sintered, semi-precious), color, brand, room type, and aesthetic, with per-square-foot prices displayed on listings. A photo-based tool lets users visualize different countertop styles in their own space and receive a local quote, and the site directs shoppers to showroom viewings and design inspiration galleries of installed projects.

A core part of the business is a remnant marketplace. Because stone is sold in full slabs (typically 50–60 square feet) regardless of project size, fabricators accumulate unused partial slabs in their yards. CountertopSmart inventories and lists these remnants from local, vetted fabricators, allowing buyers to search by color, species, or dimensions, schedule an in-person inspection at the seller's location, and then either purchase stone only or request installation from the seller. The company publishes standardized installation rates for participating sellers, including $35 per square foot for fabrication and installation and fixed prices for sink cutouts (free drop-in, $50 vessel, $125 vanity undermount, $175 kitchen undermount, $250 farmhouse). Policies cover material 'securing' ahead of final on-site measurement, a 15% restocking fee on cancelled secured materials, refunds of overpayment after final measurement, and replacement or full refund for remnants found to be in less-than-mint condition.

Founding story

Zach House owned and operated an Austin kitchen and bath showroom specializing in sustainable countertops, cabinetry and tile beginning in 2010. Over eight years he repeatedly encountered the industry requirement that stone be purchased in full-slab quantities regardless of project size, leaving unused remnants that fabricators accumulate in yards that function as construction sites rather than showrooms. Concluding that the leftover material could be aggregated and made searchable online city by city, he founded CountertopSmart as a digital remnant marketplace and moved into it full time.

Business model

CountertopSmart runs a two-sided marketplace connecting consumers and trade buyers with local countertop fabricators that list surplus remnant stone and full-slab styles. Sellers are vetted fabricators who provide inventory to the platform and quote buyers directly for cutting and installation at guaranteed, published rates; the company also inventories sellers' remnant yards, which gave fabricators an inventory system they previously lacked. Use of the marketplace was described as free to users at launch, with the company generating revenue for participating small businesses and stating that some customer segments would be monetized later.

Transactional marketplace built around countertop and remnant sales with standardized fabrication and installation rates ($35/sq.ft. plus fixed sink-cut fees) charged through partner fabricators; secured materials are subject to a 15% restocking fee if cancelled.

Traction

The website states the service has been chosen by more than 50,000 homeowners and lists catalog breadth of 667 quartz, 253 granite, 111 quartzite, and 95 marble styles, with published project case studies in Austin showing customer savings of 17% to 48% versus typical cost. At the time of the 2018 CodeLaunch pitch, the company reported 1,300 searchable remnants, more than 180 user accounts, and $24,000 in gross revenue.

Latest developments

In March 2024 the company announced $1.75M in seed funding led by Nextfront Ventures with participation from additional and existing investors, earmarked for further development of its platform, expansion of service offerings, and scaling of operations. The current site markets an AI visualization feature that generates an instant local quote from a photo and reports more than 50,000 homeowners served, with project case studies dated through 2025 and 2026.