Streamlined Selection: Choosing Your Counter Top


One of the most difficult things to synchronize on a remodeling job is the countertop purchase. Most professional builders and remodelers have a system in place to make it work, but it must be carefully followed and monitored. The procedures are developed to help both the homeowner and the builder stay on track and get the right materials in the right time frame.

If you’re remodeling your kitchen, listen carefully to the instructions from your builder. Homeowners will want to choose their granite patterns ahead of time, but the actual granite slabs can’t be chosen too far in advance. The warehouses will only hold the slabs for a limited time period, so the builder has to be ready to take delivery.

At that point, the fabricator will have created the countertop pattern, or template, showing the exact measurements of the cut-outs for sinks, stove and other appliances. The template is what is used to cut the granite before delivery. Appliances will already be chosen, because the sizes are needed for the templates. The countertops require synchronization with the mill work – the cabinetry goes in first, followed by the countertop. These tradesmen are scheduled back-to-back to make best use of time. In addition, the homeowner will have already chosen the faucets and accessories and the builder should have ordered them. The process comes together amazingly quickly, and in no time, you have a streamlined countertop that’s the perfect fit.