Which lines in a granite quote can you actually negotiate?
Block, power and labour are hard and will not move. Processing, packing, inland transport, order size and payment terms are soft. Spend your leverage on the five that move, and never save on thickness or packing.
Which costs are hard?
Block, electricity and saw blades, labour, consumables. These four are the bulk of the price and vary little between factories. Pressing them only pushes the cut into execution — one polishing pass fewer, second-grade slabs mixed in, less packing material. First rule of negotiation: do not ask for a discount on hard cost. You will not get a real one, only a fake one.
Which five lines actually move?
Processing fee, which spreads with volume; packing, meaning pallet specification and what is included; inland transport, whether containers can be consolidated or you arrange it yourself; order size, by filling a container; and payment terms, meaning deposit ratio and rhythm. All five tie back to the supplier's working capital and scheduling efficiency. Only what he saves can be passed to you.
How does order size change unit price?
Small orders cost more not because of block, but because of blade changes, machine setting, scheduling and material preparation. The gap between 100 and 500 square metres comes mainly from spreading those four. Filling one 20ft container is usually better value than scattering orders — you save on loading, customs declaration and inland freight as well as unit price.
How much is a payment term worth?
A higher deposit and faster settlement reduce the supplier's working capital tied up, which usually leaves room on price. Asking for credit terms generally pushes the price up, because the cost of money is priced in. Negotiate the two separately: settle price first, then discuss whether credit carries a premium. Bundle them and you will never know where the discount came from.
When is the best moment to negotiate?
Not at first inquiry. The best moment is after the specification is confirmed, the sample is approved, you hold a comparable quote from a second supplier, and the supplier knows the order is close. Then you are negotiating the conditions of a confirmed order, not guessing at a price. Cutting thirty percent on a first inquiry only makes the supplier lower the specification to match you.
Which three things should you never economise on?
Thickness tolerance, packing and inspection. What you save on tolerance is strength; what you save on packing is breakage rate; what you save on inspection is your standing when you file a claim. None of those savings usually covers one rework or one claim.
When does a deal actually count?
When it is written into the proforma invoice or contract, marked as the governing version, with the changes from the previous version listed. Verbal concessions and a chat message saying we can do it cheaper count for nothing when a problem appears. Every agreed point must land on a number: not packing discount, but 1.2 tonnes per pallet, fumigation included, pallet cost already inside the unit price.