Countertops are the workhorses of any kitchen - chopped on, leaned on, hot pans set down, water spilled, kids' homework finished. The right counter material lasts a lifetime; the wrong one looks tired in 8 years and stained in 12. Wichita kitchens overwhelmingly favor quartz over granite by about 4:1 in our orders, but every material below has a kitchen where it's the right answer.
According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, countertops are the single most-cited element when buyers walk into a remodeled kitchen. Quartz hardness rates 7 on the Mohs scale (steel knives are 5.5), which is why a quartz counter outlasts the kitchen knives that cut on it.
Materials We Install Most Often
| Material | Cost / sq ft installed | Maintenance | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz (engineered) | $55–$110 | Wipe with soap & water | 25–50+ years |
| Granite | $50–$120 | Seal annually | 50–100 years |
| Marble | $80–$180 | Seal twice yearly, etches with acid | 50+ years |
| Quartzite (natural) | $80–$160 | Seal annually, very hard | 50+ years |
| Butcher block | $45–$90 | Oil monthly, sand every 5–10 yrs | 20–30 years |
| Porcelain slab | $70–$130 | None - non-porous | 30–50 years |
| Solid surface (Corian) | $45–$85 | None, refinishable | 25–40 years |
What's Included
- Digital templating - laser-measured to ±1mm; no cardboard templates
- Slab selection - for natural stone, you visit the slab yard and approve the exact slabs cut for your kitchen
- Edge profile fabrication - eased, mitered, ogee, half-bullnose, or custom (your choice)
- Sink cutout - undermount or top-mount, polished or unpolished interior
- Faucet, soap, and air-gap holes drilled - to your spec
- Cooktop cutout - for drop-in or slide-in ranges and cooktops
- Seam placement - engineered for least visibility, tight enough to be invisible from arm's length
- Old counter removal & haul-away
- Install with structural support - corbels or steel plates where overhangs exceed code
- Full caulk-up - to backsplash, walls, and at the sink
- Initial seal - for granite, marble, quartzite
Quartz vs. Granite - The Wichita Decision
Roughly 80% of our Wichita counter orders go quartz, and there are good reasons:
- Non-porous. Doesn't need sealing, ever. Granite needs annual or semi-annual resealing.
- Pattern consistency. The slab in the showroom is exactly what arrives in your kitchen. Granite has natural variation slab-to-slab.
- Stain resistance. Wine, coffee, oil - wipes clean even after hours.
- Seam appearance. Quartz seams disappear; granite seams are visible because of natural pattern variation.
Granite still wins for: heat resistance (you can set a 500°F pan directly on granite; quartz manufacturers warn against it), one-of-a-kind dramatic veining, and slightly lower cost per sq ft for entry-level grades.
Our Process
- In-home consult - measure, photograph, identify any leveling needed on existing cabinets
- Slab selection - for natural stone, visit the yard with us; for quartz, choose from in-stock samples or full slabs
- Digital templating (Day 1) - laser measure, sink and faucet positions confirmed
- Fabrication (Days 2–7) - slabs cut, edges profiled, sink cutout polished
- Install day (Day 8–10) - old counters out in AM, new counters in by mid-afternoon, plumbing reconnected by evening
- 24-hour cure - caulk and silicone sets overnight; full use next morning
Financing Available
Counter-only projects fit comfortably in 12-month 0% promotional plans for most clients.
Local Wichita Context
Wichita's hard water (typical hardness 240–320 ppm) is rough on natural-stone counters that aren't well-sealed. We use sealers rated for hard-water environments and recommend twice-annual reseal for marble in Wichita rather than the annual reseal manufacturers suggest. We also coordinate with local fabricators based in Wichita and Park City - slabs don't ship cross-country, which keeps lead times short and prevents transit damage to fragile stone like marble.
Why Choose Us
Laser Templating
Templates are taken with a Proliner CAD tool to ±1mm tolerance. No cardboard, no field-fitting, no surprise gaps when the slab arrives.
Fabrication in Wichita
We work with fabricators in Wichita and Park City. Your slabs don't ride cross-country in a flatbed - they're cut, polished, and delivered to your kitchen within a week.
Install Window
Most kitchens we install in a single day. You're back to using your sink that night, and we don't leave until every seam is filled and every edge polished.
FAQ
How much do quartz countertops cost in Wichita?
Installed quartz runs $55-$110 per square foot for materials and fabrication. A typical 50 sq ft kitchen runs $3,200-$6,500 installed.
How long does counter replacement take?
From template to install is typically 7-10 business days. Template takes 90 minutes, fabrication 5-7 days, install one day.
Is quartz better than granite?
For most kitchens, yes. Quartz is non-porous, doesn't need sealing, and is consistently patterned. Granite is more heat-resistant but requires periodic sealing.
Do you handle the sink swap?
Yes. If you're upgrading the sink, we coordinate timing so the old sink comes out the day of template and the new sink is in hand before fabrication begins.
Related Services
- Custom Cabinets - paired with new counters
- Backsplash & Tile - installed after counters
- Kitchen Islands - counter overhang engineering
- Full Kitchen Remodel