Sequencing the plumber and the countertop crew

The plumber and the countertop crew both work on the same sink, so the order they come in decides how long a kitchen sits without running water. Two trades showing up the same morning by accident is a sign nobody compared calendars, which is why we ask about the plumbing schedule before we book a template date.

Why the order matters

A sink cutout has to be cut to the exact sink the homeowner is keeping or buying, so we need that model confirmed before template, not guessed at.

Tear-out of an existing top happens at the start of the install visit, and the old sink and supply lines have to be disconnected before it comes up: we or your plumber disconnect them, and your plumber reconnects them once the new top and sink are set.

On the other end, a stone top with a cut sink opening cannot be set until the base cabinet underneath is fixed in place, which means cabinet work has to close out before install day, not overlap with it.

An island with a prep sink adds another layer, since the drain run under the floor has to be settled before we finalize exactly where that cutout sits in the slab.

What we need from the plumber before template

Before a template visit, we want the sink model and the faucet spec locked, since the number of faucet holes, their spacing and whether a soap dispenser or air gap is going in the deck all change where we drill.

If the plumbing has not been roughed in yet, as on a new bathroom layout, we still template off the cabinet box and mark hole locations from the fixture cut sheets rather than the drain itself.

We do no plumbing beyond that disconnect: supply lines, drains and venting stay with your plumber. Once a top is templated, the rest of the rough plumbing can continue on its own schedule up until a day or two before install.

What happens on install day

Our crew sets the stone, drops the sink into the cutout made in our shop, drills the faucet holes and seals the perimeter, and on granite or marble we apply sealer before we leave.

The plumber's part comes right after: your plumber installs the faucet, connects the supply lines, hooks up the disposal if there is one, and runs water to check for leaks under the new top.

A homeowner does not need both trades in the house at the exact same hour, but having the plumber able to come within a day of install keeps a new kitchen out of commission for the shortest stretch.

We leave the sink set and the holes drilled, so the plumber's visit is about the faucet and the water, not the stone.

When the schedule slips

A sink or faucet that has not arrived by template day is an easy holdup to avoid: without it we template to a spec sheet and hope nothing changes before the order ships.

A close second is a plumber who cannot get back out until the following week, which leaves a finished stone top sitting with no working sink for longer than anyone wants.

On a remodel with an independent plumber, we ask the homeowner to loop us in on that contractor's availability as soon as a template date is set, so both crews are working from the same calendar instead of guessing at each other's timing.

If you are coordinating your own plumber around a countertop project anywhere in the Houston area, send the estimate form with your rough timeline and we will set the template and install dates with it in mind.