Soapstone Werks

We just had the pleasure of remodeling our kitchen with the help of Greg, Wendy and their family — yes, this is a family business… and the passion for what they do really shows.
My wife was on the fence about soapstone for our countertops — not a lot of people use it, but I had done my research and realized that it is actually one of the best materials for the kitchen — it’s durable, non-​porous, and yes, it requires a little maintenance, but that seemed a small price to pay.
After finding Greg and Wendy courtesy of the internet, I made contact initially over email and got the process started on a rough quote for the fabrication and installation based on our surface measurements. The quote came back surprisingly reasonable, so we scheduled an appointment to go down to their shop to check out the types of stone they had.
Let me just say that Escondido is about 2.5 hours from us… but it was well worth the trip. Not only did we get to hand-​select the type of stone we wanted, but Wendy was so incredibly thorough about discussing all aspects of the project: what to expect as far as process and timeline, maintenance of the stone, installation considerations, additional support inside our existing cabinetry (which was staying), and I could go on…
Despite the distance, Greg ended up making a pre-​demolition trip up to us just to check out the support within the current cabinet structure, and to devise how to retrofit the sink area (they built us a custom farmhouse sink from soapstone, which far outweighed the previous stainless-​steel pre-​fabricated sink)…no complaints, just wanted to be completely thorough.
The demolition day went quite smoothly, and apart from a couple nicks to the existing cabinets (which they fixed meticulously and immediately without us even having to «notice») they were able to get our old counters and back-​splash off while completely preserving everything underneath.
Fabrication went smoothly, as did installation. Greg and his sons really take pride in what they do… we were given a thorough walk-​through of how to treat the stone surfaces and what to expect as the counters age.
The last thing I will say: I rarely give a five-​star review on here as I believe they should be reserved for the best of the best… that is what you’re getting when you hire Soapstone Werks to fabricate and install for your project. I honestly can’t find a single thing they could have done better in any phase of the project, and they are an absolute pleasure to work with.
If you’re considering soapstone for your next project… it is more than worth calling these guys up — even if you decide on a different material, they will happily provide you all the info you need in order to make an informed decision. For my part, I’m looking forward to our next project — which will be a master bath… :-)

We recently did a kitchen remodel and had Greg and Wendy install soap stone counter tops along with a custom farm sink. They were wonderful to work with, did a fantastic job ahead of time schedule and on budget. would recommend them to anyone and would certainly use them again.

If you are sill debating to use soapstone or not, this review is not for you. If, on the other hand, you have come to the decision that you want to have a soapstone counter top, I hope that this review will make it easy to make the choice.
I was watching HGTV a few months ago, it was Home Hunters Renovations I think, but I could be wrong, because I was watching it out the corner of my eye. The woman who was showing her newly remodeled kitchen, as the camera was focused on her black counter tops, said that the honed granite was not her first choice, because she really wanted to use soapstone, but she was not able to find a source for it where she lived. That is when I realized how truly lucky I was to have found not only a source for the material, but the absolute best fabricator and installer anywhere, and his shop was less than 4 miles from where I lived.
This is a small, but very busy, family business, who have been working with soapstone and other materials for years. Soapstone, however, is their specialty. They were extremely friendly and helpful, and the process of getting the order placed was fast. Greg, the owner, came to my house, and he was knowledgeable in all areas of construction, in general, and he gave me several pointers that were very useful. In short time, He is such a professional at what he does, i had no question as to my confidence in him. Almost immediately, I had become friends with him and his wife, and months later, we are still good friends. Wendy is in charge of the finances. She sort of runs the business. It is Greg’s job getting the job done perfectly, and she makes sure that the business stays afloat which emanates him to do his job. It is a beautiful example of teamwork.
The work was done in a timely fashion. From the time of putting in the order until installation was about 2 weeks, and the day of installation couldn’t have gone smoother. It took an entire day because Greg is a perfectionist.
I am in love with the new Soapstone Countertops. They have a timeless quality about them, yet they are sleek and modern. Everyone who sees them comments on their beauty. They are the show stopper in my kitchen.
It is unusual to find a company that takes this kind of pride in what they do. Their work and their customer service is outstanding. If you live in San Diego County, consider yourself very lucky that Soapstone Works is here to provide you with an extraordinarily beautiful counter top choice done in such a professional manner.

Our experience with Soapstone Werks was great from beginning to end! Wendy and Greg were very helpful (and patient) and answered all out our questions about soapstone and quartz. They helped us pick out slabs and then spent a lot of time laying out the templates with us so that we could get the exact look we wanted. Greg does excellent work fabricating and installing, and we couldn’t be happier.

We live in Orange County and chose to go to Escondido for our soapstone, and we’re happy we did! Soapstone Werks has a great family-​run shop with a nice selection of stone to choose from. Wendy & Greg were extremely accommodating and answered all of my questions. When the stone was installed in my kitchen, it changed the look of the entire (tract) house, giving it character and a feeling of permanence. We love the soapstone and feel it’s the ideal material for a kitchen.

Love my soapstone that Soapstone Werks installed. Greg and Wendy so great to work with beginning to end. Wendy helped me pick out my slabs and gave me lots of design advice. Greg so good at what he does as far as templating, installing and more advice on my particular needs. They installed kitchen counters, window seats, and bathroom vanity. They quickly answered all my emails and phone calls. This is a family run business along with their sons and it shows they really care about their customers. Looking forward to installing my next bathroom vanity in the near future

When we were looking at houses to buy we saw a few… more than 50… and most of those had granite counters (unless they had never been updated since they were built.) And after seeing those same counters over and over we got sick of the look.
I was all about marble until I found soapstone, it holds the chill like marble will if you want to roll out pies and pastry, but it is not porus. This is the same stuff you had if you took Chemistry in school that took the brunt of acids and bases and it was still the same.
We did a quick google search and found Soapstone Werks. I had also found a Soapstone dealer in Colorado or something on the web, and he said that Soapstone Werks was doing his moms countertop (I think up in the OC area) and that they were the best in the business.
They are up in Escondido fairly close to the 15. Call and make sure you know the directions and they are there, they can get busy.
Anyways, we went and looked at the pieces (they also have marble), talked to Wendy she explained all about soapstone so we were very informed buyers. After looking at all the beautiful stone, we decided on an Anasazi slab. I love the huge veins of white that run through it. Plus the particular one we chose seems to have this very abstract dragon (though maybe only I see it!)
We put down a deposit for a counter, back splash and a sink. My husband splurged and got the draining rack grooves carved into the right side near the sink. Greg came down and made a template of our counters, and next we got to decide what part of the stone would be what (with some limitations of course.) They laid out the template on the stone and we could move it around. They were fun to work with.
Then a few weeks later Greg and his team managed to scale our steep stairs and tight corners and get that heavy stone into our kitchen. They did have to cut it in half as we have the worst house to move large things into. But the counters were in, the sink was in and you really have to look for the seams. It is beautiful. Its sturdy, has a green black to it that is amazing. You can leave it unwaxed or wax it.
I absolutely love it. I never want to move because of this beautiful counter and sink. Silly huh? But great for our new home.
So I agree, Greg and Wendy and their team are the best in the Soapstone business. And lucky for us they are right in our area!

We built a huge island and had them do a soapstone countertop and 36″ sink. They were very good about finding the perfect stone for us. They did what they said they were going to do, when they said they were going to do it — so unlike other companies they did not slow down our project. We are very happy!

A Dream to Work With
We just had our countertops installed today and it looks simply stunning. What made our experience even better was the professionalism, warmth, and expertise which the staff at Soapstone Werks provided.
We’re in the process of remodeling our kitchen and have had our share of delays with other contractors but Wendy and Greg were truly outstanding. Wendy was incredibly prompt with returning our calls, answering our questions, and working with our budget. She even emailed us a guideline so we would know what to expect throughout the entire process.
It’s evident that Greg is a true craftsman as our countertop fits immaculately and the finishes are perfection. He is extremely knowledgable not just about soapstone but with what we should expect from our other contractors as well. He patiently answered every single one of my numerous questions and kept the dust to a minimum.
Our experience couldn’t have been better. Wendy and Greg are not only true professionals but genuinely warm and kind people. I would wholeheartedly recommend them to my closest friends.