How to Prepare for Countertop Installation: Essential Tips for a Smooth Process

Once a new countertop is selected, a TNT Countertops professional will arrange an in-home visit. During this visit, details will be confirmed, measurements verified, and an installation date provided. The next step is to ensure a smooth installation. Here are some helpful tips for preparation of the big day.

Make a Countertop Installation Checklist

Checklists are not only helpful ways to keep track of all necessary tasks but also to provide guidance for others to assist with the preparation process, as written out tasks are easier to assign. Make the list on a large, easily viewable sheet of paper or chalkboard, plus adding a date of completion or a countdown to the installation appointment can be a valuable visual reminder. Include the action items below to the checklist, as well as any additional ones useful to you and your family.

For New Builds

Ensure cabinets, islands, and other structures can support the weight of the newly installed countertops or stone pieces. After checking the manufacturer’s specs, carefully look for loose screws and brackets which should be anchored to the wall. Tighten or add where needed.

For Existing Countertops

Arrange for existing countertops to be removed prior to the TNT Countertops installation date. Unless agreed upon in the purchase agreement, we are not able to remove old countertops. 

Remove All Objects 

First, clear counters and surfaces of all loose items including plants, decorative items, and breakables. This is beneficial to installers, who will need room for tools and materials. Further, dust is inevitable – it is much easier to move items away from the construction zone ahead of time than to clean each thing individually. Next, relocate all dishware, pots, and other things from inside the cabinets which surround the work area. This will allow access to necessary things even when work is in process. For extra worker satisfaction, wipe down with cleaner any areas with a food odor or moldy smell. Finally, shift appliances out of the way of operating machinery, materials, and personnel.

Disconnect 

It is important to disconnect anything near the installation site. Drain sinks, appliances, and other plumbing. Electricity and gas will also need to be disconnected for safety. If hiring a plumber and electrician for these tasks, remember to also schedule a second appointment the day after installation for reconnections. If DIYing, keep tools handy to quickly reinstate. 

Create a Temporary Space

Although an installation makes the space unusable for a bit, the daily needs of the space do not go away. To save time and frustration, create a temporary space elsewhere which can handle tasks which are displaced. For example, when a kitchen goes out of commission, set up a small cooking area in the dining room, along with an ice chest, trash can, plates and silverware. Or when a bathroom is about to be taped off, gather all day and night items into a basket, and temporarily relocate to another bathroom or sink area.

Arrange Simple Meals

Although countertop installations are not typically length, they can be disorienting. Give yourself respite by planning simple meals, like tacos or a frozen lasagna. These are quick, easy, and filling for you and your family. If take-out or dining in restaurants is in the budget, alternate with plain home meals. This will ease the mental load of being relocated for a short time.

Establish Closest Point of Entry

Clearing a path for workers is a helpful and much appreciated gesture; when that path is connected to the closest point of entry, it is even better. This allows for easy and quick movement, while minimizing dust and debris from spreading to other areas. Want to make your space more worker-friendly? Secure the best nearby street parking closest to the door, or reserve a special driveway spot for keeping tools and materials easily accessible.

Cover Furniture and Floors

Dust and debris are inevitable. TNT installers are very tidy and strive to clean behind their work, but all construction has some amount of mess. To keep it as minimal as possible, cover furniture in the space and adjoining rooms, as well as along the path from the closest point of entry and in spaces adjacent to the installation.

Contain Dust and Debris

On the same topic from above, shield area entryways and air vents to contain particles to one place as much as possible. Less clean up translates to more time enjoying your beautiful new countertops!

Installation Decisions

Sometimes, installers need a decision to be made by the homeowner in the moment. To save time, schedule an adult who has authority to make decisions for the home to be onsite during the countertop installation. If no one can be at home, assign someone to check their phone regularly in case a call or text comes through which needs attention. The more speedily questions are addressed, the quicker a project can proceed.

Keep Children and Pets Away

TNT Countertops is a company full of employees with vibrant kids and cuddly pets, we love them! An installation site, however, is an unsafe place for them to be. This applies to non-employee adults too. This is because all stone is very heavy and in large pieces – dropping it due to littles being underfoot can not only cause expensive breakage but also severe injury. Although curiosity is to be expected, during working hours is not a good time to entertain it. Bring eager eyes and noses into the space after completion and cleanup for everyone’s healthiest benefit.

Plan for Noise

If anyone typically works remotely in the space where the installation is taking place, it is best to either plan for ways to cancel out the noise such as headphones, or to relocate for the duration of the job. While TNT endeavors to keep sound to a minimum, many clients are more comfortable working in a space further away within the home, at a library, or other public workspace.

Get Inspired

Now that you know how to prepare for and have items for a countertop installation checklist, where will these tips apply? Follow us on Facebook to see what others in your area are doing inside their own homes and with their outdoor spaces! We post pictures of completed projects regularly; we are very proud of our work, and it shows. Check it out and get inspired!