When deciding to remodel and replace your countertops it can be a very confusing process. This is an overview of what should be done at what time in your remodeling process. New homes are much easier as they tend to naturally progress in this order.

Step One: The first step in getting new counters for your kitchen or bathroom is selecting a material and getting a proposal. In order to provide you with a proposal we will need plans for the areas you would like to cover. The plans should be overhead view and give all needed dimensions if they are not to scale. Hand drawn plans are fine as long as they give all the information such as counter depth, and lengths on all counters. Any changes from the drawings to actual cabinets will be noted at the time of template and the price may be adjusted accordingly. We will also need to know what type of edge detail you are thinking of, what you would like for back splash options, what type of sink you will have and what type of range will be put into place. These details will help us to give you an accurate price, and our sales people would be happy to go over the different options with you.

Step Two: After accepting the proposal we will set up a date to come and template your counter tops. When we come to template all cabinets should be in and ready for the counter tops, which means they are fully secured, leveled, will not be moved or reconfigured, any existing counter tops are out and the required sub top is in place. The tear out of existing counter tops should be done the day before template if not included in the proposal. If we will be doing the demolition it is recommended that you clear out the base cabinets, so your things do not get covered in dust and debris and to help our employees to better clean their mess. We can also give proposals on installing the sub top and cutting it to size. If you are doing your own sub top you should note that we require 3/4" CDX or better plywood. We always prefer to cut the sink hole out of the sub top ourselves. When we make the template we will be bringing your sink back to the shop with us to ensure proper fit during fabrication.

Step Three: Fabrication is done at our facilities in Paso Robles. Typically fabrication takes between 10-15 working days. You will be without a sink during this time. Smaller jobs tend to go through the shop faster, and it always depends on the work load that we currently have. When your template is done you should be given a good idea of when your installation will be. The first step in fabrication is laying the slabs down on the saw and figuring out how to cut them. The employee who runs our saw spends a lot of time checking the slabs before he cuts them to make sure he will get the best flow possible in the project. After cutting, the edges are laminated to the proper thickness, then run on our Pro-Edge line polishing machines or through a router if necessary. After edging, the sink hole is cut out and polished if necessary.

Step Four: Before we come out to install your counter tops make sure someone at the house will know how many holes must be drilled, what sizes they will need to be and where they should be placed. Additional trips to the house can result in an additional trip charge. When we come to install we recommend removing everything from under the cabinet where the sink will be put in place to help protect your items from the dust that will be made by cutting the sink hole in the plywood. We will install the sink, however we do not connect any water, gas or electrical. Most installation will also require some work in an outdoor area that will cause some dust and debris.

Step Five: Enjoy! After your new counter tops are installed all you need to do is keep up on their care. The maintenance of granite is very easy and we use a solvent based sealer that the manufacturer says is good for ten years, although we recommend reapplying every five due to the kitchen generally being a high use area. It is recommended that you use a PH neutral cleaner if you would like to extend the life of your sealer. For more information check out our FAQ.