The short answer
Choose your flooring stone before plastering starts, ideally while the structure is going up. Floor levels, door heights, skirting and staircase sizes depend on the stone's thickness, and good lots take time to find. Deciding at the last minute means choosing under pressure from what is in stock, after the budget is already spent.
Key takeaways
- Decide the main flooring stone while the structure is going up, before plastering.
- Levels, door heights and skirting depend on the stone's thickness.
- Late decisions mean choosing under pressure from what is in stock.
Advice for you
Tell us who you are and we will show you what matters most in this guide.
I am building or renovating my home
Fix the flooring budget early and protect it. It is one of the few finishes you cannot change later without breaking the floor.
Book a visit to see full slabsI am an architect or interior designer
Issue the stone schedule with the plastering drawings, with levels based on 18 mm slabs, so the site does not improvise later.
Request samples for a clientI am a contractor or builder
Ask the client to tag slabs before you book masons. Plan delivery so slabs arrive when the bed is ready, not weeks early on an open site.
Work out quantitiesI live outside Bengaluru
If you are building away from Bengaluru, start the selection earlier still: allow time for a video selection and transit.
Choose slabs on a video callWhy choose flooring early?
- Levels: the floor finish decides the height of the screed, door frames, thresholds and the first stair riser.
- Budget: flooring is one of the largest finishing costs. Fixing it early protects it from overruns elsewhere.
- Lots: a large, consistent lot from one block is not always in stock on the day you need it.
- Time: good slabs need to be chosen, tagged and delivered before the mason is booked.
- Design: your architect can plan borders, inlays and vein direction only once the stone is known.
A simple timeline
| Stage | What to decide |
|---|---|
| Structure going up | Main flooring stone, kitchen counter stone, staircase stone |
| Before plastering | Floor levels, door heights and skirting, using 18 mm slabs |
| Before electrical and plumbing | Bathroom stone and wall cladding, so fixtures sit right |
| Before flooring starts | Choose and tag slabs; agree quantity and wastage |
| During laying | Lay slabs dry in order; check the bed and joints |
| After laying | Protect the floor until other trades finish; then polish and seal |
What goes wrong when flooring is decided late?
The most common problems we see come from late decisions: a stone chosen from a phone photo because there was no time to visit, a quantity that falls short and cannot be matched from the same lot, or a polished stone in a bathroom because the honed one was not ready. Late decisions also push families towards whatever is in stock, not what suits the room.
Which stones need the most lead time?
Bold Italian whites such as Statuario and Calacatta vary the most from block to block, so finding enough matching slabs takes longer. Calmer stones such as Botticino Classico and Crema Marfil are easier to match. Granite such as Absolute Black and natural stone such as Kota Blue are usually the quickest to plan. Coloured stones for borders, such as Nero Marquina, are small quantities but worth choosing early, because they decide the pattern.
What to do this week if you are building
- Mark each room on your plan with the stone you want and its finish.
- Work out a first quantity with the stone quantity calculator.
- Visit with your architect or contractor and see full slabs.
- Ask for the slabs to be tagged once you choose, and agree the delivery date with your mason's schedule.
Read how much stone you need to plan quantities and wastage before you order.
