Countertops (cont., pg. 6)

 

What You Need To Do

All cabinet makers also provide laminate countertops.  But not all of them provide stone or solid surface selections.

You may find it necessary to contract with another source, particularly if you choose granite or cultured marble.

If this is the case, make your countertop selection early, well in advance of when the tops will actually be needed.

You could face a production backlog.

Don’t get caught with installed cabinets and countertops that are weeks behind.

 

 

Having said that, countertops don’t necessarily need to be installed at the same time as cabinets, or even immediately thereafter.

You must however, have countertops installed before appliances are installed and before plumbing final, and also before any tile backsplash is applied to kitchen walls.

Accurate countertop measurements should wait until cabinets are installed.  By acting early, you’re reserving a place in the production line, avoiding the big delay.

Things You Should Watch For

On another page, I write about how you can and should take an active role in seeing that your subcontractors don’t make avoidable mistakes.  Contractors, even the best ones, can and sometimes do make mistakes.

You don’t have to be an expert yourself to spot these mistakes and to get them corrected while it’s still easy to do so.  Here are some things you can double-check.

Remember, double-checking is all you’re doing.  You’re not telling him how to do his job, so don’t worry that you’re stepping out of line.

It’s your house.


● Just make sure everything looks right, and that the countertops fit the cabinets.

Immediately upon installation, give everything a careful eye, checking for flaws.

Now is the time to get flaws corrected, not weeks later when a scratch or nick could be blamed on other contractors in your house.