There is a greater degree of excellence, and quality within the company of T & T Granite Quartz in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
“I saw this sign one time that said, ‘Service. Because if they don’t get it here, they’ll get it somewhere.’ That hit me hard and really stuck with me,” says Tim Ockenga, owner and operator. “I made sure it was the backbone of the company.”
Before T & T first started, Tim, a tile setter, noticed that there was room for exponential improvement within the fabrication and quality installation of hard surface tops in Sioux Falls.
Since this radical shift in the elite construction industry, they now maintain over 700 indoor slabs within a climate-controlled yard. Despite the product changing, the superior customer service has not.
“My philosophy is about being a direct and active role model in the company,” Tim says. “I oversee the work from start to finish as it comes in and out of our shop. It is my passion to see a project all the way through. We are bringing dreams to life.”
Walking in the showroom, you will be welcomed by a design center created for walk-ins, contractors, or designers.
“We encourage you to bring your tile or cabinet samples to fully take in the experience. We have an amazing sales team that will help you narrow down the various selections. We have an array of in-stock options, which gives clients a great variety of natural stones, marble, quartz, or even large-format porcelain.”
T & T then schedules a template for your stone countertop. This consists of a trained expert using a laser measuring device that results in pinpoint accuracy.
“This is a vital step,” Tim explains. “This is how we ensure measurements are faultless to avoid re-fabrication, to create a seamless transition for our clients. Our business is to strive for perfection. The template process is a very active role and works alongside the homeowner, contractor, or designer on-site. We do our job thoroughly to ensure every meticulous detail is thought of.”
“We like to get things moving quickly. We know how bottlenecked the construction industry can get. That’s why we try our best to refrain from holding up the process.”
After templating, the design heads to fabrication, where the countertop material will be cut, shaped, and finished.
“We chose a company out of Italy for our five-axis bridge saw to get those precise miters as well as straight cuts,” Tim notes. “Then it heads to the tooling machine for intricate curves, shaping, drilling, and polishing.”
“We run a thorough maintenance routine on our tooling machines and equipment three times a week,” adds Tim. “Our edge work is second to none in the industry. The standard edge we use is a very slight bevel, which is difficult to complete; therefore, keeping up with our materials is extremely important.”
The last and very crucial stage in the shop is the project setup.
“We set up your project exactly how it will be in your house. We assemble every part. Our stone specialist has been in the industry for 23 years, and he checks all the edge work to ensure there is no roughness on the bottom and everything is clean and precise before approving it to be installed.”
Tim says one of the reasons they expanded their facility is so T & T limits the chances of falling behind on any project.
“People shouldn’t have to wait 4 to 6 weeks to get countertops,” says Tim. “Countertops are one of the last things put into finished houses or remodels. Say it took them three months to get cabinets. They don’t want to wait another six weeks for countertops.”
Through their expansion, Tim says they’ve been able to get that process down to 2-3 weeks.
“At the end of the day, it’s about the customer. How do we do everything we can to ensure they have a good and smooth process with T & T?”
For Tim, that also meant having a very skilled set of installers on his team.
“Our installers are very precise and easy to work with.”
Tim says he hopes customers feel ‘complete’ after working with T & T Granite Quartz.
“Nothing is better than when someone is just in awe of the work, whether it’s our kitchen countertops, custom fireplace, or innovative full-panel showers. Being in the hard surface industry for 27 years, I have been through all the trials and errors to make sure my company is centered on honesty, precision, and passion for the variety of stone we get to work with is what I think truly sets us apart from the rest.”
