Water, the Universal Solvent. Water is called the universal solvent because it is capable of dissolving more substances than any other liquid. This is important to every living thing on earth. It means that wherever water goes, either through the air, the ground, or through our bodies, it takes along valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients. It is water's chemical composition and physical attributes that make it such an excellent solvent.
Cost breakdown. 1  Materials: Poured slab concrete typically costs $3-$5 per square foot. Footings 1 can add an additional $1-$2 per square foot. 2  Labor: labor costs from contractors or concrete specialists typically adds another $2-$3 per square foot, for a total of $2000-$3000 for this project.
For example, the aforementioned survey found that the installation cost for slab granite that costs $10 per foot is $35 per foot, meaning the slab-total ratio is around 3.5. On the other hand, the installation cost for a high-end granite slab that goes for $40 per square foot is $66, translating to a 1.65 slab-total ratio. Put another way, this ratio drops drastically as the price of granite slab increases. Still, installation costs account for about 50% of the cost of a slab granite countertop.