Countertop Replacement in North Charleston, SC

If the counters in your North Charleston kitchen are past saving, we pull them out and set new tops on the cabinets you already have. Here's what we look at, which city rules can come up, and what our written quote spells out.

Is it worn out, or just worn?

A HUD-backed housing program called PATH put out a Rehab Guide on kitchens and baths. It points out that no counter surface lasts forever, and that knife marks, chips, burns and seams that open up can all pile up over the years.

If the trouble is one small chip or burn, we'll tell you, and a countertop repair may be all you need. If the whole surface is tired, we'll quote you for new tops.

What we check before we quote

We start with the cabinets, because a new top is only as flat as the boxes it sits on. The Rehab Guide says the frame and parts of a cabinet should be checked before any fix-up work, since warped or damaged rails, stiles (the upright pieces of the frame) or side and back panels can leave a cabinet out of level. We look for that when we measure, and again once the old top is lifted off.

We also note where the sink, faucet and cooktop (the burners set into the counter) sit today, and whether you want any of them moved. If they stay put, we have less to change, and fewer city rules come into play.

Choosing what goes on next

The EPA notes that countertops can be made from artificial materials, quartz, marble, slate or granite. We fit quartz, granite, quartzite, marble, soapstone, solid surface, butcher block, concrete and porcelain. We explain each one on its own page.

An OSHA and NIOSH hazard alert on stone countertops says granite can hold up to 50% crystalline silica, engineered stone up to 95%, and marble and limestone little or none. That same alert says the dust can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease, and it tells countertop firms to do as much cutting as they can in the shop, not in your home. Ask any installer where your slabs get cut.

Outlets, pipes and North Charleston permits

When we swap counters, we also look at the outlets along your backsplash, the strip of tile or stone on the wall just above the counter. North Charleston's electrical permit page lists, among its inspections, that all kitchen countertop outlets must be GFCI protected. The Consumer Product Safety Commission describes a GFCI as a device built into your wiring or a power cord to protect you from bad electric shocks. The city also says only a licensed electrician or a home builder can pull an electrical permit, so if outlets need moving or swapping, we'll tell you before the job starts.

Plumbing has its own permit in North Charleston. The city says no work can begin until that permit is issued, and the application has to include a contract that spells out the scope of work along with the cost of materials and labor. When your sink stays where it is, we'll tell you whether any of that applies. When it moves, we'll talk it through with you first.

Older houses, paint and mold

The EPA says about three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still have some lead-based paint in them. When we pull old counters, the wall behind the old backsplash is where we're most likely to disturb that paint. The EPA's rule says anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home must be certified, with workers trained in lead-safe methods. The EPA urges homeowners to hire a lead-safe certified contractor, and it runs an online search for finding one.

We check that wall for mold too. The EPA's mold guide says moisture control is the key to mold control, and that you should never caulk over mold (seal it in with a soft filler) but clean it and dry the surface first. If we find mold once the old top is out, we'll show you before anything gets sealed.

Your quote, line by line

We measure first, then give you a written quote for your house. Our number moves with the material you choose, how many feet of counter we cover, the edge profile, how many cutouts the sink, faucet and cooktop need, and how much prep the cabinets need first.

Whoever you hire, a good quote should name:

• The material, its color, and how thick each slab is.
• A layout drawing that marks every seam and every cutout.
• The edge you are paying for.
• Whether removing and hauling off the old tops is included.
• Who unhooks and hooks back up the sink, dishwasher and cooktop.
• What happens if a wall or cabinet needs fixing once the old tops are off.

Questions about countertop replacement in North Charleston

Get a quote for countertop replacement

Call us, or fill in the quote form with your ZIP code and the rooms you want redone. We'll come out, measure, walk you through materials and edges, and send a written quote. You can see everything else we fit on the North Charleston Countertops home page.