Sell Remnants
Quick Definition
Selling remnants means turning the leftover slab pieces from your countertop fabrication jobs into revenue instead of letting them pile up, deteriorate, and eventually get written off. With proper tracking and a sales channel, remnants from granite, quartz, marble, and quartzite can serve bathroom vanities, bar tops, fireplace surrounds, and small commercial projects.
TL;DR
- The average fabrication shop generates 15-25 remnants per month from standard cutting operations
- Most shops write off 60-80% of remnants within 6-12 months, losing $500-$4,000/month
- SlabWise tracks remnants with photos, dimensions, and pricing - just like full slabs
- The nesting algorithm checks remnants first before allocating new slabs to jobs
- Remnant listings can be published to your Customer Portal or website for direct buyer access
- Typical remnant recovery rate with active selling: 40-60% of remnant inventory moves within 90 days
- Available at $199/month (Standard) with 14-day free trial
The Remnant Problem Nobody Talks About
Every fabrication shop has a remnant graveyard. It might be a corner of the yard, a separate A-frame rack, or an entire section of the warehouse. It's full of perfectly good stone pieces that are too small for typical kitchen jobs but too valuable to throw away.
Except that's exactly what happens. They sit there. They get dirty. They get chipped in handling. Eventually, someone makes the call to haul them to the dump or sell them at scrap value.
Here's the typical lifecycle of an unmanaged remnant:
- Week 1 - Cut from a full slab. Set aside "for a small job later."
- Month 1 - Still sitting on the rack. Nobody remembers the exact dimensions.
- Month 3 - Gets pushed to the back to make room for new full slabs.
- Month 6 - Nobody can find it without physically digging through the rack.
- Month 12 - Written off as waste or sold for pennies to a local stone recycler.
The financial loss compounds because you've already paid for the material. That remnant's cost was absorbed into the original job's slab price, but the usable stone is still sitting right there.
What Remnants Are Actually Worth
| Remnant Size | Material | Approximate Retail Value | Typical Sale Price (40-60% of retail) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-15 sqft | Granite | $300-$600 | $120-$360 |
| 10-15 sqft | Quartz | $400-$900 | $160-$540 |
| 10-15 sqft | Marble | $500-$1,200 | $200-$720 |
| 15-25 sqft | Granite | $450-$1,000 | $180-$600 |
| 15-25 sqft | Quartz | $600-$1,500 | $240-$900 |
| 15-25 sqft | Marble | $750-$2,000 | $300-$1,200 |
A mid-size shop producing 20 remnants per month, selling half of them at 50% of retail, recovers $1,500-$5,000 per month. That's pure margin recovery - the slab cost was already covered by the original job.
How SlabWise Turns Remnants into Revenue
Step 1: Automatic Remnant Creation
When your fabrication team finishes cutting a job, SlabWise prompts them to record the remnant. This takes about 60 seconds:
- Measure the remaining piece (length, width, thickness)
- Snap a photo
- Confirm the material type (auto-populated from the parent slab)
The remnant now exists in your inventory with its own profile, photo, dimensions, material data, and a calculated cost basis (proportional share of the original slab cost).
Step 2: Nesting Priority
Here's where the real value kicks in. When SlabWise's Slab Nesting algorithm processes upcoming jobs, it checks remnant inventory first. If a bathroom vanity or bar top can be cut from an existing remnant instead of a fresh slab, the system flags it.
This means remnants get consumed naturally as part of your production workflow - no manual effort to "remember" what remnants you have available.
Step 3: Remnant Listings
For remnants that don't match upcoming jobs, SlabWise lets you create public listings:
- Customer Portal listings - Visible to logged-in customers and contractors
- Website embed - A gallery widget you can add to your existing website
- Direct link sharing - Send a filtered gallery link to a specific customer
Each listing shows the photo, dimensions, material, color name, and your asking price. Interested buyers can inquire or reserve directly through the system.
Step 4: Remnant Aging Alerts
Set a threshold - say, 90 days. If a remnant hasn't been allocated to a job or sold after 90 days, the system alerts you. At that point, you can:
- Drop the price for a clearance push
- Offer it to your contractor network at a deeper discount
- Donate it (some shops donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStore programs for a tax deduction)
- Write it off with accurate cost tracking
Who Buys Remnants?
The market for remnants is larger than most shop owners realize. Here's who's buying and what they're looking for:
Homeowners with Small Projects
- Bathroom vanities (single and double)
- Laundry room counters
- Fireplace surrounds and hearths
- Small wet bars and coffee stations
- Desk tops and window sills
These buyers are often price-sensitive and thrilled to find quality stone at a discount. They're typically willing to work with whatever colors and patterns you have available.
Contractors and Handymen
- Builder-grade bathroom vanities (spec homes)
- Small commercial projects (reception desks, sample stations)
- Rental property upgrades
- Outdoor kitchen side counters
Contractors buy remnants because the margins are better on a discounted piece than a full slab for small jobs.
DIY Enthusiasts
- Small accent projects
- Cheese boards and serving trays (yes, people buy stone remnants for this)
- Garden stepping stones (outdoor granite)
- Craft and hobbyist projects
This audience is smaller but willing to buy very small remnants that would otherwise be waste.
Pricing Strategy for Remnants
There's no universal formula, but here's what works for most shops:
Tier 1: Fresh Remnants (0-30 days old)
Price at 50-60% of retail per-sqft pricing for the material. These are fresh, in good condition, and desirable.
Tier 2: Aging Remnants (30-90 days old)
Price at 30-50% of retail. Drop the price to move them before they take up space too long.
Tier 3: Clearance (90+ days)
Price at 20-30% of retail or offer "make an offer" pricing. At this point, any revenue is better than a write-off.
Pricing Example: Cambria Quartz Remnant
- Full slab retail: $85/sqft installed
- Material cost to you: $32/sqft
- Remnant size: 18 sqft
- Tier 1 price: $45/sqft = $810 (your margin: $234)
- Tier 2 price: $35/sqft = $630 (your margin: $54)
- Tier 3 price: $22/sqft = $396 (you recover cost)
- Write-off: $0 (you eat $576 in material cost)
Even at clearance pricing, you're recovering your material cost. That's the baseline case for tracking and selling remnants.
Setting Up a Remnant Sales Program
Week 1: Inventory Existing Remnants
Walk through your remnant storage. Photograph, measure, and log every usable piece. Be honest - if a remnant is chipped, stained, or too small to be useful (under 5 sqft for most applications), it's not worth tracking.
For most shops, this initial inventory takes 2-3 hours.
Week 2: Set Pricing and Create Listings
Apply your tiered pricing. Create listings for remnants that aren't allocated to upcoming jobs. Share the remnant gallery on your social media and email list.
Week 3: Integrate into Workflow
Train your fabrication team to log remnants after every cut. This should become automatic - it takes 60 seconds per remnant and should be treated as part of the job closeout process.
Ongoing: Weekly Review
Spend 15 minutes each Monday reviewing your remnant inventory. Check for aging alerts. Adjust pricing on pieces that haven't moved. Send a "new remnant" email to your buyer list if you've accumulated fresh inventory.
Marketing Your Remnants
The shop that actively markets remnants sells more of them. Here's what works:
Social media posts - A well-lit photo of a remnant with dimensions and material name generates interest. "12 sqft of Blue Bahia granite - perfect for a vanity. $380. First come, first served." Post this on Instagram, Facebook, and local community groups.
Email list - Build a list of past customers, contractors, and DIYers who've expressed interest. Send a monthly "remnant roundup" email with your current inventory.
Website gallery - SlabWise's embed widget puts your remnant inventory on your website. Buyers can browse by material, size, and price without calling.
Contractor outreach - Email your contractor network when you get remnants in popular materials. A builder doing 10 bathrooms appreciates knowing you have vanity-sized remnants at a discount.
Cross-promotion with kitchen designers - Designers working on budget-conscious projects appreciate the option. A remnant vanity at 40% off retail can make a tight bathroom budget work.
Remnant Tracking vs. Competitors
| Feature | SlabWise | Moraware | ActionFlow | EasyStoneShop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remnant auto-creation from cuts | Yes | No | No | No |
| Photo-based remnant profiles | Yes | Limited | No | No |
| Nesting includes remnants | Yes | No | No | No |
| Public remnant listings | Yes | No | No | No |
| Aging alerts | Yes | No | No | No |
| Cost tracking per remnant | Yes | Partial | No | No |
| Customer portal integration | Yes | No | No | No |
| Price | $199-$349/mo | $200-$400/mo | $200-$350/mo | $150/mo |
This is an area where SlabWise significantly outperforms competitors. Most fabrication software treats remnants as an afterthought - if they track them at all. SlabWise treats every remnant as a sellable asset with its own lifecycle.
Measuring Your Remnant Program
Track these metrics monthly:
- Remnants created - Total count from cutting operations
- Remnants consumed by nesting - Used in new jobs (best outcome - zero sales effort)
- Remnants sold - Moved through listings
- Remnants written off - Failed to sell or use
- Recovery rate - (Consumed + Sold) / Created. Target: 50%+ within the first quarter
- Revenue recovered - Dollar value of remnant sales
- Average time to sell - Days from creation to sale. Shorter is better.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum remnant size worth tracking?
For most practical purposes, 5 square feet is the minimum. Below that, the handling and storage cost typically exceeds the resale value. Some shops track down to 3 sqft for high-value materials like exotic marble.
Do I need to fabricate remnants before selling them?
Usually no. Most remnant buyers understand they're getting a rough-cut piece and arrange their own fabrication (edge finishing, cutouts). Some shops offer basic finishing as an upsell.
How do I handle delivery for remnant sales?
Most shops require buyer pickup. Remnant buyers are typically local and willing to pick up. If you offer delivery, charge separately - it's not worth absorbing the cost on a $300-$600 sale.
Can I sell remnants to other fabricators?
Absolutely. Some materials (especially rare natural stones) are in demand by other shops. SlabWise's remnant listings can be shared with anyone via direct link.
What about liability on sold remnants?
Standard practice is to sell remnants "as-is" with no warranty on the stone itself. Include a simple disclaimer in your sale terms. Fabrication of the remnant piece is the buyer's responsibility unless you're doing it.
How does remnant pricing affect my regular slab pricing?
It shouldn't. Remnant sales are recovery of already-sunk material costs. Your full-slab pricing should remain based on your standard markup structure.
Do customers ever want to buy the remnant from their own job?
Frequently. When a homeowner's kitchen job produces a 12-sqft remnant, they often want it for a bathroom vanity or desk. SlabWise makes it easy to offer this during the job closeout process.
Can I track remnant donations for tax purposes?
Yes. SlabWise records the cost basis and fair market value of donated remnants, which your accountant can use for deduction documentation.
How many remnants can a typical shop expect to sell?
With active marketing and proper pricing, shops typically sell 40-60% of their remnant inventory within 90 days. The rest may need clearance pricing or write-off.
Should I offer fabrication services on remnants?
If you have capacity, yes. A basic vanity cut and edge finish on a remnant adds $150-$300 to the sale and takes 30-45 minutes of shop time. Good margin work when your CNC isn't running full jobs.
What's the best material for remnant sales?
Quartz remnants sell fastest because of consistent color matching. Natural stone remnants in popular colors (white/gray granites, white marbles) also move quickly. Exotic or unusual colors take longer.
Can contractors get first dibs on remnants?
Yes. You can set up priority notifications so your top contractors see new remnants before they go to the public gallery.
Turn Your Scrap Pile into a Profit Center
Every remnant in your yard is money sitting on a rack. SlabWise tracks, prices, and sells your remnants automatically - recovering revenue that most shops simply throw away.
Start your 14-day free trial → No credit card required. List your first remnants today.
Sources
- Natural Stone Institute - Remnant Management and Waste Reduction Guidelines (2025)
- Freedonia Group - U.S. Countertop Market Analysis ($22.1B market)
- Stone World Magazine - "The Hidden Revenue in Your Remnant Rack" (2024)
- Fabricators Alliance - Material Utilization and Waste Benchmarks
- Marble Institute of America - Sustainable Fabrication Practices
- SlabWise Internal Data - Remnant Recovery Rate Analysis (2025)
- National Kitchen & Bath Association - Small Project Material Sourcing Trends
- Countertop Fabricator Benchmark Study - Waste Management Costs (2024)
Internal Links
- Track Slab Inventory - Full slab tracking that feeds into remnant management
- Slab Nesting FAQ - How nesting uses remnants to reduce waste
- Countertop Materials FAQ - Material-specific remnant considerations
- Remnants FAQ - Detailed answers about remnant handling
- Pricing FAQ - SlabWise plan details and remnant feature availability