Kitchen Countertops in Gainesville, FL

Kitchen countertops take more abuse than any other surface in the room: hot pans, knives, standing water around the sink and, in Gainesville, months of humid air. Replacing them is one of the quickest ways to change how a kitchen looks, and it can often be done without touching the cabinets, as long as the cabinets are level and strong enough to carry the new material.

Materials compared

• Quartz: a manufactured stone surface with no sealing schedule; Forbes Home lists $50 to $140 per square foot installed.
• Granite: natural stone with more variation from slab to slab; also $50 to $140 per square foot in Forbes Home's figures. Many granites benefit from periodic sealing.
• Laminate: the lowest-cost option; HomeAdvisor lists $8 to $35 per square foot. Seams and edges near the sink need care so water does not reach the core.
• Butcher block: warm and repairable at $50 to $100 per square foot (Forbes Home), but it needs regular oiling, and wood near a sink in a humid climate demands attention.
• Solid surface: seamless and repairable; Forbes Home lists Corian at $40 to $100 per square foot.
• Marble: the most delicate of the common choices and the widest price spread, $60 to $200 per square foot (Forbes Home).

Checking the cabinets underneath

Stone is heavy, and it shows every flaw in the cabinets below it. Before we price a stone counter we check that the base cabinets are level, square and solid, especially the sink base, where years of small leaks can weaken the floor and back. If a cabinet needs shimming, reinforcement or replacement, it goes in the quote up front rather than turning up on install day.

Templating and installation

For stone and quartz, templates are made after the old counters come off and the cabinets are confirmed level. The fabricator cuts the slabs from that template, including the sink and cooktop openings, and installation day is usually short. Laminate and butcher block can often be measured and installed with less lead time. Plan on the sink and cooktop being disconnected between tear-out and install.

Sinks, faucets and cutouts

A new counter is the natural time to replace the sink and faucet. Undermount sinks pair with stone and quartz; drop-in sinks are common with laminate. Every cutout is sealed, and the joint where the counter meets the backsplash is caulked, so water does not wick into the cabinet below. If the sink is staying where it is, reconnecting it usually does not change the plumbing layout.

Edges, overhangs and seams

Eased and beveled edges are the most forgiving in daily use; thicker built-up edges cost more. Seating overhangs on a peninsula or island may need support brackets depending on the material and depth. In longer runs, seam placement is part of the layout, and we show you where seams will fall before the slabs are cut.

Do counters need a permit?

Replacing counters in the same place, without moving plumbing or wiring, may not need a permit; the City of Gainesville's Permit Exemption Guide and the county building office decide. Moving the sink, adding a cooktop where there was none, or adding outlets to an island is a different matter and can require plumbing or electrical permits from the City of Gainesville or Alachua County. We confirm which applies to your job.