Why Stone Search exists

Stone Search started when my wife and I fell in love with a quartzite that we'd found in a premium showroom. Shocked by the quoted price, I called and visited most of Melbourne's natural stone suppliers. With enough legwork I was able to identify a similar-looking quartzite, which we liked even more and at a fraction of the price. Not a knock-off, nor identical, but an honest match imported by a reputable supplier with their own inspectors on the ground in the country of origin. No premium paid for the glossy showroom and marketing.

Most people never find this out. The polished showroom, whether it's in the CBD, Cremorne or Moorabbin, is built into the price of every slab it sells. The suppliers without one don't advertise, which makes it difficult to compare like with like, so homeowners pay the first price they're shown. This is often tens of thousands more than it needs to be.

Stone Search closes that gap. You send us images, quantities and prices you've been given for the stone you love. We search Melbourne for the same stone or an honest match, you inspect and approve the actual slab, and we help negotiate the price. You deal directly with the supplier, and we take no referral fees from anyone, so the advice stays independent.

Who I am

I'm Andrew Mote. I started out at the ACCC, Australia's consumer watchdog, and working out who's really getting a fair deal has been the thread ever since: negotiating and running commercial deals in strategy and product roles at Medibank, Telstra and Transurban, and as a lawyer. Today, I'm also chief executive of an energy ratings and sustainable design consultancy that works with architects, builders and developers every day.

That mix matters here for three reasons. I know how the building industry actually works, from the architect's drawings to the day the slabs arrive on site. Reading commercial agreements has been part of every job I've had, so you don't sign something you'll regret. And negotiating is the job I've done my whole career, normally for large companies and now for someone's kitchen.

The honest part

Two slabs of natural stone are never identical. That's the point of natural stone. We match the material, the colour family and the finish, not the exact vein, and you always approve the real slab in person before anything is purchased. We only ever compare like with like: same stone type, same finish. The saving we quote is on the slab, before fabrication. If the match comes from a different country of origin, we tell you.

The fee, plainly

You pay only if we beat your existing quote. The fee is 25% of the savings or $1,000 including GST, whichever is greater. If we can't do better than the price you already have, you pay nothing and you've lost nothing.

Already been quoted?

That quote is our starting line. Send it through and we'll tell you honestly whether we think we can beat it.