So far I have found one company in the Austin area that seems too expensive, at $6 a foot, and another that installs granite but does not routinely put edges on tile, which is only 1 centimeter thick.

In terms of buy and hold you can definitely get better yields than NZ but you have to be pretty thick skinned as there are all sorts of problems in the US we don't get in NZ.

Thick heavy stone that would cost a small fortune to replace.

I slice the loaf pretty thin, some cut it thick, in the end the loaf still gets eaten.

If someone comments about my hair loss usually I say "It looks like you have a thick head of hair and I imagine it will stay that way" then I say " Its been said Every time you have a great idea you lose a hair!"

Removing the plaster is a big commitment because its thickness affects everything, trim, windows, doors, etc.  

if they are 3/4" thick, just sand it out and re-finish it, if it is a laminate, you need to be more careful, you can lightly sand them and refinish or you may try buffing it out.

Now the tile floor (1inch thick) prevents me from pulling out the old dishwasher and of course from putting the new one in.

Trowel a thick coat over the stain and allow it to sit for several hours (or even overnight ... you may have to mist it to keep your paste from totally drying out).  

Thick gauge is especially helpful where high currents are expected, such as circuits running the air conditioning, electric dryers, and entertainment areas(TVs, computers, etc.)