How Do You Replace a Kitchen Countertop?

A countertop is never installed on its own. To replace it, everything attached to it has to come off, then go back on around the new surface. That is why two quotes for "a countertop" can cover very different work: one prices only the surface, the other includes removal, the sink, plumbing and backsplash.

• Removing the old countertop and disposing of the debris
• Disconnecting and reconnecting the sink, faucet and dishwasher
• Removing and reinstalling a built-in cooktop, if there is one
• Redoing the backsplash, which is often glued or sealed to the existing counter
• Measuring, fabricating, installing, cutting and caulking the new surface

The new countertop sits on your existing cabinet boxes. If they are swollen under the sink, sagging, poorly fastened to the wall or out of level, the new surface inherits the problem: seams that open, an overhang that tilts, stone that cracks under stress. Open every base cabinet and look closely around the sink and dishwasher. If the boxes are doubtful, the question is no longer just the countertop.

Your own measurements are for getting a budget, not for ordering stone. For a quartz or stone countertop, the final template is taken on site once the cabinets are in position and level, because walls in Montreal plexes and houses are rarely square. To prepare the conversation, note:

• The length of each run and the shape (straight, L, U, with an island)
• The depth you want and the overhang at an island or breakfast bar
• The position of the sink, faucet and cooktop
• The dimensions of appliances that sit flush or align with the countertop
• The height and material of the current backsplash, and whether you want to keep it

Every material has strengths and maintenance demands. Compare them against how your kitchen is really used: frequent cooking, children, hot pans set down directly, the upkeep you are willing to do.

• Laminate: affordable and light, but sensitive to direct heat and to water seeping into seams; hard to repair
• Quartz: a non-porous surface that needs no sealer; protect it from very hot pans
• Granite and natural stone: very hard-wearing, but some need periodic sealing depending on the stone
• Butcher block: warm and repairable by sanding, but needs regular oiling and watching near the sink

The material explains only part of the gap between two quotes. The rest depends on how complex the piece is and what is included around it. Ask for every line item to be detailed so you compare on the same basis.

• The material, its thickness and the edge profile (square, eased, bevelled)
• The number of cutouts: sink, faucet, cooktop, outlets
• The total length and number of seams, especially for an island
• Removing the old countertop and access to the home (stairs, upper floor)
• Whether the sink, faucet and backsplash are replaced

This is often where the scope changes. An undermount sink needs a solid surface such as quartz or stone; a laminate countertop is usually paired with a drop-in sink. Reusing the sink and faucet is possible if they are in good condition and fit the new cutout. A ceramic backsplash rarely comes off intact, so plan for it to be redone in whole or in part.

Swapping a simple laminate countertop without touching the plumbing is within reach of an experienced DIYer. In the situations below, a contractor helps you avoid costly do-overs. In Quebec, plumbing and electrical work must be done by companies holding the required licences.

• Moving the sink or dishwasher, or adding a cooktop that needs a new circuit
• Quartz or stone: heavy pieces, precise templating and shop-made cutouts
• Cabinet boxes that are out of level, damaged or need reinforcing to carry the weight
• A ceramic backsplash to redo, or uneven walls to correct
• A countertop that is part of a wider kitchen renovation

A new countertop is fabricated to the exact position of the cabinet boxes. If you plan to change the cabinets or layout in the next few years, stone installed today may not follow. If the cabinets and layout will suit you for a long time, replacing only the countertop makes sense, and ConsQualif takes on this kind of job. Resurfacing products also exist; we explain why we do not recommend them.