Kitchen Countertop Replacement in Wichita, KS

Kitchen countertop replacement is one of the biggest visual changes you can make to a kitchen without new cabinets. If your boxes are solid and you like the layout, swapping worn laminate, tile or dated stone for new tops updates the room in about the span of two visits. The job is more than setting a slab, though: the old tops have to come off cleanly, the cabinets have to be ready to carry the new weight, and the sink, faucet and disposal have to go back together.

Is your kitchen a good candidate?

Replacement works well when cabinets are structurally sound, level or close to it, and dry under the sink. Signs that cabinets need work first include a soft or swollen sink base, doors that no longer line up, face frames pulling apart, or a run that sags in the middle. In Wichita, where the 1950s was the most common decade for home construction, many kitchens have original or decades-old cabinets, so we check them at the estimate before recommending stone.

What tear-out involves

Laminate tops are usually screwed up from below and come off in large pieces. Tile counters are more work: the tile, mortar bed and backer have to be broken out, and the cabinet tops may need new plywood afterward. Old stone is heavy and is cut or lifted off in sections. A tile backsplash often has to be partly removed or replaced, because the new top may be a different thickness. National guides list removal of old countertops at about $50 to $300 depending on the material, and we put it on your quote as its own line.

Downtime

Expect your sink to be out of service from tear-out until the plumbing is reconnected. On a typical job we remove the old tops and install the new ones on the same day, after an earlier template visit. If the cabinet tops need repair or new plywood after tear-out, we tell you before going further.

Plumbing reconnection and when permits apply

Reconnecting the sink drain, faucet and disposal to the existing lines is part of the install. If you want a new sink in a different place, a prep sink in an island, or a relocated dishwasher, that is plumbing work. In Wichita and unincorporated Sedgwick County, plumbing permits and inspections are handled by MABCD, and work on drains and supply lines is done by a licensed plumber with a permit where required. MABCD requires homeowners who want to do their own plumbing work on a home they own and occupy to pass an exam first.

After a storm

In South-Central Kansas, hail and severe storms can cause roof leaks that reach the kitchen. Cabinets that took on water need to be dried, repaired or replaced before new tops go on, or the new stone can crack as the boxes shift. If you are working with an insurance adjuster, we give you a written, itemized countertop quote you can share.