Our Process for Countertops
Construction projects need to have an established process to go smoothly. Our countertop process brings everything together, and we take care of the details for every process step.
The goal of the Delmarva Design Center (DDC) is for you to feel comfortable from the start of the project to the finish and beyond. Countertops have to mesh with the cabinets and the backsplash adjacent to the countertops. However, they have to harmonize with all aspects of your kitchen, from the floor to the ceiling.
Below is the process step that helps to ensure the result you desire.
Our Process for Countertops
Construction projects need an established process to go smoothly. Our countertop process brings everything together, and we take care of the details for every process step.
The goal of the Delmarva Design Center (DDC) is for you to feel comfortable from the start of the project to the finish and beyond. Countertops must mesh with the cabinets and the backsplash adjacent to the countertops. However, they have to harmonize with all aspects of your kitchen, from the floor to the ceiling.
Below is the process step that helps to ensure the result you desire.
Process Flow
(click on a process step to learn more)
Process Flow
(click on a process step to learn more)
Plan
Planning a new kitchen involves a great deal of thought, from selecting the right style and layout to working with a designer or contractor.
Select
Countertop material selection is typically the most fun part of the process. This is where your planning meets inspiration!
Order
The order phase will begin with creating a cost estimate for your new countertop based off of your finalized cabinet plan or rough dimensions of existing cabinets provided by you or your designer or contractor.
Template
Once your countertop selections are complete, we will move into the template measurement phase. This will require coordinating cabinet delivery and installation or any cabinet modifications or configuration changes before scheduling for the countertop template.
Pre Production
Pre-Productions represents the period of the project just following the template measurement and completion of the template shop drawing (which usually takes 24 to 48 hours) and before the fabrication process.
Installation
Our installation scheduling team will work with you or your contractor to coordinate countertop installation for the most appropriate window in your construction/ finishing schedule.
Plan
Planning a new kitchen involves a great deal of thought, from selecting the right style and layout to working with a designer or contractor.
Select
Countertop material selection is typically the most fun part of the process. This is where your planning meets inspiration!
Order
The order phase will begin with creating a cost estimate for your new countertop based off of your finalized cabinet plan or rough dimensions of existing cabinets provided by you or your designer or contractor.
Template
Once your countertop selections are complete, we will move into the template measurement phase. This will require coordinating cabinet delivery and installation or any cabinet modifications or configuration changes before scheduling for the countertop template.
Pre Production
Pre-Productions represents the period of the project just following the template measurement and completion of the template shop drawing (which usually takes 24 to 48 hours) and before the fabrication process.
Installation
Our installation scheduling team will work with you or your contractor to coordinate countertop installation for the most appropriate window in your construction/ finishing schedule.
Post Installation
Upon completing your countertop, our install team will leave you with a small care package containing both care instructions and a cleaner designed especially for your natural or engineered countertop material.
Post Installation
Upon completing your countertop, our install team will leave you with a small care package containing both care instructions and a cleaner designed especially for your natural or engineered countertop material.
Step 1: Planning
Once you decide it is time for a kitchen or bathroom remodeling project or replacement countertops for any area, developing a plan for your success is essential. Planning a new kitchen involves a great deal of thought, from selecting the right style and layout to working with a designer or contractor. Don’t be tempted to rush into a showroom and choose a beautiful material before establishing a baseline planning process. Our advice is to take plenty of time to consider what you want.
We recommend breaking the planning process into manageable steps. Allow enough time for each step to feel comfortable with each decision.
Here is a breakdown of the general planning steps:
1. Assess All Your Needs
2. Examining Your Space
3. Now You Are Ready to Calculate Your Budget
4. Consider Plumbing / Fixtures
5. Consider Lighting – Mechanical & Natural
6. Collect Your Inspiration
If you need further assistance with the planning phase of your project, feel free to have one of our countertop consultants review the process and help get you started.
Step 1: Planning
Once you decide it is time for a kitchen or bathroom remodeling project or replacement countertops for any area, developing a plan for your success is essential. Planning a new kitchen involves a great deal of thought, from selecting the right style and layout to working with a designer or contractor. Don’t be tempted to rush into a showroom and choose a beautiful material before establishing a baseline planning process. Our advice is to take plenty of time to consider what you want.
We recommend breaking the planning process into manageable steps. Allow enough time for each step to feel comfortable with each decision.
Here is a breakdown of the general planning steps:
1. Assess All Your Needs
2. Examining Your Space
3. Now You Are Ready to Calculate Your Budget
4. Consider Plumbing / Fixtures
5. Consider Lighting – Mechanical & Natural
6. Collect Your Inspiration
If you need further assistance with the planning phase of your project, feel free to have one of our countertop consultants review the process and help get you started.
Step 2: Selection of Countertop Material
Countertop material selection is typically the most fun part of the process. This is where your planning meets inspiration!
For the countertop selection process, one of our design consultants will work with you to review all the unique elements in your design, including cabinet color, appliance style/ color, tile selections, flooring, hardware, wall colorings, and spatial lighting elements.
We will simultaneously provide education on different types of countertop materials in both natural and engineered options, discuss how you use each of your different spaces, and assist in selecting a countertop material that will be a perfect fit for your style and function.
Feel free to take a preliminary glance at our slab inventory online.
Or shoot us a call or email to set up a time to come and take a look in person.
Step 2: Selection of Countertop Material
Countertop material selection is typically the most fun part of the process. This is where your planning meets inspiration!
For the countertop selection process, one of our design consultants will work with you to review all the unique elements in your design, including cabinet color, appliance style/ color, tile selections, flooring, hardware, wall colorings, and spatial lighting elements.
We will simultaneously provide education on different types of countertop materials in both natural and engineered options, discuss how you use each of your different spaces, and assist in selecting a countertop material that will be a perfect fit for your style and function.
Feel free to take a preliminary glance at our slab inventory online.
Or shoot us a call or email to set up a time to come and take a look in person.
Step 3: Order Countertops
The order phase will begin with creating a cost estimate for your new countertop based on your finalized cabinet plan or rough dimensions of existing cabinets provided by you, your designer, or your contractor. Our design consultants will use these cabinet dimensions to draw a recreation of your space in our estimating software and apply any proposed countertop selection(s). This will provide us with a cost estimate for each possible selection that will be close to the total final cost.
Once a final selection and cost have been agreed upon, we will select and earmark the unique slabs for your project. If the slabs were found outside of our warehouse at a distributor, then we will initiate the procurement and transfer of those slabs to our production facility.
At this point in the process, we typically require a material deposit of 50% of the quoted amount.
Step 3: Order Countertops
The order phase will begin with creating a cost estimate for your new countertop based on your finalized cabinet plan or rough dimensions of existing cabinets provided by you, your designer, or your contractor. Our design consultants will use these cabinet dimensions to draw a recreation of your space in our estimating software and apply any proposed countertop selection(s). This will provide us with a cost estimate for each possible selection that will be close to the total final cost.
Once a final selection and cost have been agreed upon, we will select and earmark the unique slabs for your project. If the slabs were found outside of our warehouse at a distributor, then we will initiate the procurement and transfer of those slabs to our production facility.
At this point in the process, we typically require a material deposit of 50% of the quoted amount.
Step 4: Template Creation
Once your countertop selections are complete, we will move into the template measurement phase.
This will require coordinating cabinet delivery and installation or any cabinet modifications or configuration changes before scheduling for the countertop template. Your countertop consultant will be able to aid in the scheduling of the measurement and may be able to assist with any needed contractor coordination as well.
For this process, all cabinets will need to be plumb, level, square, and permanently affixed in their final locations.
If you are supplying the sink(s), those will need to be onsite at the time of template as well.
Step 4: Template Creation
Once your countertop selections are complete, we will move into the template measurement phase.
This will require coordinating cabinet delivery and installation or any cabinet modifications or configuration changes before scheduling for the countertop template. Your countertop consultant will be able to aid in the scheduling of the measurement and may be able to assist with any needed contractor coordination as well.
For this process, all cabinets will need to be plumb, level, square, and permanently affixed in their final locations.
If you are supplying the sink(s), those will need to be onsite at the time of template as well.
Step 5: Pre Production
Pre-Productions represents the period of the project just following the template measurement and completion of the template shop drawing (which usually takes 24 to 48 hours) and before the fabrication process. During this period, several critical final steps will be taken:
1. You will have the option to have us perform a photographic layout of your selected material, demonstrated over the template drawing of your actual kitchen. This is created using our Slabsmith software, the industry benchmark for superior kitchen countertop pattern placement, and offered at no additional cost!
2. Your design consultant will review your selections to ensure accuracy, including removal of your existing countertops, material, edge profile, sink selection and placement, backslashes, overhangs, faucet holes, mitered edges, waterfalls, and any other detail critical to your project execution.
3. You will want to discuss with your consultant any specific points about the physical installation of the countertop. For example: Is the countertop to be installed on the 3rd floor; Does the top need to fit into an elevator; Are there any special access instructions or pet considerations? Taking time to review the logistics of the installation can eliminate unforeseen headaches and aid in an overall superior installation.
Step 5: Pre Production
Pre-Productions represents the period of the project just following the template measurement and completion of the template shop drawing (which usually takes 24 to 48 hours) and before the fabrication process. During this period, several critical final steps will be taken:
1. You will have the option to have us perform a photographic layout of your selected material, demonstrated over the template drawing of your actual kitchen. This is created using our Slabsmith software, the industry benchmark for superior kitchen countertop pattern placement, and offered at no additional cost!
2. Your design consultant will review your selections to ensure accuracy, including removal of your existing countertops, material, edge profile, sink selection and placement, backslashes, overhangs, faucet holes, mitered edges, waterfalls, and any other detail critical to your project execution.
3. You will want to discuss with your consultant any specific points about the physical installation of the countertop. For example: Is the countertop to be installed on the 3rd floor; Does the top need to fit into an elevator; Are there any special access instructions or pet considerations? Taking time to review the logistics of the installation can eliminate unforeseen headaches and aid in an overall superior installation.
Step 6: Installation
Depending on the size and complexity of your project, countertop installation will typically be scheduled approximately 2 weeks after the template measurements have been completed.
Our installation scheduling team will work with you or your contractor to coordinate countertop installation for the most appropriate window in your construction/finishing schedule.
If pieces are cut for a shower installation, i.e., sills and thresholds, those pieces are typically installed by the tile setter or contractor unless previously discussed with your design consultant.
Step 6: Installation
Depending on the size and complexity of your project, countertop installation will typically be scheduled approximately 2 weeks after the template measurements have been completed.
Our installation scheduling team will work with you or your contractor to coordinate countertop installation for the most appropriate window in your construction/ finishing schedule.
If pieces are cut for a shower installation, i.e., sills and thresholds, those pieces are typically installed by the tile setter or contractor unless previously discussed with your design consultant.
Step 7: Post Installation
Upon completing your countertop, our install team will leave you with a small care package containing both care instructions and a cleaner designed especially for your natural or engineered countertop material.
If you have any additional questions about the use or long-term care of your specific countertop, please use your design consultant as a resource for information.
Our team’s goal is to achieve 100% satisfaction with your countertop installation. If there are any questions, punch-out tasks, or problems, we want to hear about them immediately so we can address them.
Once the countertops are complete, please feel free to share photos of the finished project with your design consultant or as inspiration for our community on social media.
Step 7: Post Installation
Upon completing your countertop, our install team will leave you with a small care package containing both care instructions and a cleaner designed especially for your natural or engineered countertop material.
If you have any additional questions about the use or long-term care of your specific countertop, please use your design consultant as a resource for information.
Our team’s goal is to achieve 100% satisfaction with your countertop installation. If there are any questions, punch-out tasks, or problems, we want to hear about them immediately so we can address them.
Once the countertops are complete, please feel free to share photos of the finished project with your design consultant or as inspiration for our community on social media.