Written by the Al Jory Marble team — countertop fabricators and installers in Crestwood, Illinois, founded by Motie and Naser Hamdan. Updated September 18, 2026.
Quick answer: From the day we template to the day your counters are installed is usually about one to two weeks. The sequence matters more than the calendar: cabinets must be installed and level before we can template, fabrication happens after templating, installation takes most of a day, and the plumber reconnects the sink the following day. Expect to be without a working kitchen sink for roughly 24 to 48 hours around installation — not the whole project. Call (708) 362-7674 or request a free estimate.
Countertop Installation Timeline: What Has to Happen Before Templating, How Long Fabrication Takes, What Installation Day Looks Like, When You Get Your Sink Back, and What Actually Causes Delays
Planning a kitchen timeline? Tell us your cabinet install date and we’ll build the countertop schedule around it. Visit the Crestwood showroom, we measure at your home, then you get written pricing.
📞 (708) 362-7674 · 💻 Free estimate · 📍 4711 W 135th St, Crestwood, IL 60418 · Mon–Sat 9–6
The Full Timeline, Stage by Stage
| Stage | Typical timing | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Showroom visit and slab selection | Same week you call | You and us |
| 2. In-home measurement and written price | Within a few days | Us |
| 3. Cabinets installed and level | Before anything else | Your cabinet installer or GC |
| 4. Templating | 1–2 hours on site | Us |
| 5. Fabrication | About a week after templating | Our Crestwood shop |
| 6. Installation | Most of one day | Our crew |
| 7. Plumbing reconnect | Next day, after adhesives set | Your plumber |
| 8. Backsplash tile, if any | After countertops | Your tile installer |
Total, from templating to usable kitchen: about one to two weeks for most projects. The selection and quoting stages happen before that, and how fast they go is mostly up to you.
Why We Can’t Template Until Cabinets Are In
This is the single most common scheduling surprise, and it trips up homeowners and contractors alike.
A template is an exact record of the finished space — the actual cabinet tops, actual wall positions, actual out-of-square corners. Stone is cut to that record with no tolerance for adjustment afterward. We can’t template from drawings, from the old countertops, or from cabinets that are set in place but not yet secured and leveled.
What must be true on templating day:
- Cabinets installed, secured and leveled
- The sink and faucet on site (or the exact models confirmed)
- The cooktop on site, or its spec sheet available
- Old countertops removed, or tear-out scheduled with us
- Appliance dimensions settled, especially for slide-in ranges
- Clear access to all counter runs
One detail worth insisting on: cabinets must be level, not just installed. Out-of-level cabinets mean shimming during countertop installation, and in bad cases the stone can’t sit correctly at all. It’s a fifteen-minute check for the cabinet installer and it prevents a very expensive problem.
What Happens During Templating
Templating takes one to two hours for most kitchens. We record exact dimensions, wall angles and out-of-square conditions, then confirm with you, in the room:
- Seam locations — where they go and why
- Overhang at the island and any seating
- Edge profile
- Sink placement and reveal (how much cutout edge shows around an undermount)
- Faucet and accessory hole drilling
- Backsplash height, if stone
- Appliance clearances
These decisions are final once fabrication begins. Changing your mind about an edge profile after cutting means new material, so we go through them deliberately rather than quickly.
What Happens in the Shop
Because we fabricate in house at our own Crestwood facility, we control this week rather than waiting on someone else’s queue:
- Slab layout. We map your pieces onto the slab, deciding which section becomes the island, which becomes the perimeter, and how the veining flows between them.
- Cutting. Pieces are cut to the template.
- Cutouts. Sink, cooktop and faucet holes.
- Edge finishing. Profiled and polished.
- Seam preparation. Edges are prepared so the joint closes tightly.
- Quality check. Dimensions verified against the template before anything leaves the shop.
More detail in our slab selection and templating guide and fabrication services.
Installation Day
| What happens | Notes |
|---|---|
| Crew arrives and protects the path | Floors and doorways covered |
| Old counters removed, if we’re doing tear-out | Tell us in advance so it’s in the quote |
| Pieces carried in and dry-fit | The heaviest part of the day |
| Shimming and leveling | Where out-of-level cabinets cost time |
| Seams joined and color-matched | Adhesive tinted to the stone |
| Undermount sink set | Needs to cure before water runs |
| Caulking and cleanup | Perimeter sealed |
| Walkthrough with you | We go over care and what to expect |
Most kitchens install in a single day. Larger kitchens with multiple islands, full-height backsplashes or difficult access can run into a second day, and we tell you that before installation rather than on the day.
When Do You Get Your Sink Back?
The question everyone actually cares about. Undermount sinks and seam adhesives need time to cure, so the plumber reconnects the next day, typically 24 hours after installation. Plan for one night of dishes in the bathroom or a cooler, not a week.
Schedule your plumber in advance for the day after installation. Waiting to call one afterward is the most common reason people go three or four days without a sink.
What Actually Causes Delays
| Cause | How to prevent it |
|---|---|
| Cabinets not level or not secured | Confirm with your installer before templating day |
| Sink or faucet not on site | Have them delivered before templating; the sink sets the cutout |
| Appliance changed after templating | Finalize appliances before we template — a different slide-in range changes the cutout |
| Slab out of stock in your color | We confirm availability at selection, not after |
| Layout change after templating | Any change means re-templating and usually new material |
| Access problems | Tell us about walk-ups, tight turns, elevator reservations and parking restrictions in advance |
| Plumber not scheduled | Book them for the day after installation when you book us |
| Backsplash tile ordered late | It goes in after the counters, so order it during fabrication week |
Notice the pattern: almost every delay comes from something that wasn’t ready, not from the stone. The fabrication week is the predictable part.
Sequencing With the Rest of a Kitchen Remodel
| Order | Stage |
|---|---|
| 1 | Demolition and rough plumbing and electrical |
| 2 | Drywall and paint (first coat) |
| 3 | Flooring, in most cases |
| 4 | Cabinets installed and leveled |
| 5 | Countertop templating |
| 6 | Fabrication week — order your backsplash tile now |
| 7 | Countertop installation |
| 8 | Plumbing reconnect, next day |
| 9 | Backsplash tile |
| 10 | Final paint touch-up and hardware |
If you’re working with a general contractor or kitchen remodeler, we coordinate directly with them on templating and installation dates. We do it constantly and it takes the scheduling off your plate.
Replacing Countertops Only, Without a Full Remodel
Counter-only replacements move faster, because the cabinets are already in place. The sequence is the same, minus the construction:
- Showroom visit and selection
- In-home measurement and written price
- Templating — cabinets are already set, so this can happen quickly
- Fabrication, about a week
- Tear-out and installation, usually the same day
- Plumbing reconnect the next day
The one thing to check first: whether your existing cabinets are level and structurally sound enough to carry new stone. We check during the measurement. See countertop replacement.
How to Compress the Timeline
- Choose your slab early, even before cabinets are ordered
- Buy the sink and faucet early — they set the cutout and drilling
- Finalize appliances before templating
- Book the plumber for the day after installation
- Order backsplash tile during fabrication week
- Tell us about access at the measurement, not on install day
About Al Jory Marble
Al Jory Marble is a countertop showroom, fabricator and installer in Crestwood, Illinois, founded by Motie Hamdan and Naser Hamdan. Motie brings more than 35 years of hands-on stone experience, and between the two founders there are over 45 years in the trade, with crews carrying 10 to 20 years each. We template, cut and finish every slab at our own Crestwood facility and install it with our own crew — which is why the fabrication week is a week and not a waiting game. More about our team.
Visiting the Crestwood Showroom
Al Jory Marble
📍 4711 W 135th St, Crestwood, IL 60418
📞 (708) 362-7674
🕔 Monday–Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. · Closed Sunday
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Serving Chicago, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn, Naperville, Downers Grove, Schaumburg, Bolingbrook, Aurora and Joliet, plus Palos, Homer Glen, Frankfort, Mokena and Oak Forest.
Countertop Timeline FAQs
How long does countertop installation take from start to finish?
About one to two weeks from templating to installed, with fabrication taking roughly a week and installation taking most of a single day.
How long after cabinets are installed can you template?
As soon as they’re secured and level. We can often template within a few days of the cabinet install.
Why can’t you measure before the cabinets go in?
Stone is cut to an exact record of the finished space with no adjustment afterward. Drawings and old counters don’t reflect actual wall angles and cabinet positions.
How long does templating take?
One to two hours for most kitchens, including the decisions about seams, overhang, edge profile and sink reveal.
How long does fabrication take?
Typically about a week after templating. Because we fabricate in house, we control that schedule.
How long is installation day?
Most kitchens install in a single day. Large kitchens, full-height backsplashes or difficult access can run into a second.
When can I use my sink again?
Usually the day after installation, once the adhesives and undermount sink have cured. Schedule your plumber in advance for that day.
Do I need to be home?
Yes for templating, since we confirm seams, edges and sink decisions with you, and ideally for the walkthrough at the end of installation.
Do you remove the old countertops?
Yes, tear-out and disposal can be included. Tell us at the estimate so it’s in the written price.
What delays a countertop project most often?
Cabinets that aren’t level, a sink or faucet that isn’t on site, an appliance changed after templating, or a plumber who wasn’t booked in advance.
Can I change the edge or layout after templating?
Not without re-templating and usually new material. Those decisions are final once cutting begins.
Do you coordinate with my contractor?
Yes. Give us your GC or cabinet installer’s contact and we’ll schedule templating and installation directly with them.
Tell Us Your Cabinet Date
The countertop schedule hangs off one thing: when your cabinets are in and level. Tell us that date and we’ll build everything else backward from it.
Request a free estimate · (708) 362-7674 · 4711 W 135th St, Crestwood, IL 60418 · Mon–Sat 9–6
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