Templated after the boxes are set
Digital templating happens once the base cabinets are installed, levelled and fixed. Measuring earlier records an intention; measuring afterwards records the room.
Countertop installation
A countertop is the one surface in the room with no tolerance for error.
Cabinets can be shimmed. Tile can be adjusted at the grout line. A slab arrives cut to a number somebody took days earlier, and if that number is wrong the only remedy is another slab.
That is why templating happens after the base cabinets are set, levelled and secured — never off a drawing and never before. A template taken from installed cabinetry records the walls as they actually are, including the out-of-square corner that every older South Florida house has somewhere.
The rest is sequencing. Sink and cooktop cutouts are made in the shop where there is proper support, not on site over a cabinet opening. Seams are placed where they will be least visible and best supported, which is a decision made at layout, not at installation. And the substrate under the stone has to carry it before anything is set down.
We handle countertops as part of a kitchen, not as a delivery. The same contractor who set the cabinets is the one who signs off the template, which removes the gap where most countertop problems live.
CBC1265280Florida certified building contractor. Licensed, bonded and insured.
3 countiesMiami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — 104 municipalities.
4.8 / 343Average rating across Google reviews.
In-houseCabinetry, counters and the trades around them under one contractor.
How we work
Six things that decide whether a slab fits.
Substrate and support checked first
Long spans, unsupported overhangs and cantilevers need support designed before the slab arrives. Stone is strong in compression and unforgiving in bending.
Seams placed deliberately
A seam goes where it is supported and least seen — not wherever the slab happened to run out. On a veined material the pattern is matched across the joint at layout.
Cutouts made in the shop
Sink and cooktop openings are cut and finished on a bench with the slab fully supported. Cutting an opening in place is how slabs crack.
Edges chosen for use, not just looks
A soft eased edge chips less than a sharp arris on a busy family island. A mitred waterfall adds material and a fabrication step but hides the slab thickness.
Sealing and aftercare set out up front
Quartz needs none. Natural stone needs periodic sealing, and marble will etch with acid regardless. We say which applies before the material is chosen, not after.
Countertops in place · 01
Veined stone across island and perimeter
Veined stone carried across the island and the full perimeter run, with the seated overhang at the near end.
1 / 18
Project 01 · what the stone is doing
Running one pattern around a room
The same veined material is used on the island and on every perimeter run. That is a layout decision more than a purchase decision: the slabs have to be selected and sequenced so the veining reads as one piece of stone that happens to turn corners, rather than as four separate worktops that share a name.
The island carries a seated overhang, which means the stone was templated against installed, secured base cabinets and the overhang was checked against real knee clearance before anything was cut.
A slab arrives cut to a number somebody took days earlier. Take the number from installed cabinets, not from a drawing.
At the sink the stone is finished down to an apron-front bowl, so the cut edge is visible from the front of the room. That edge gets the same polish as the top face — there is nowhere for a rough cut to hide.
| Material | Veined white stone with heavy grey movement |
|---|---|
| Locations | Island plus full perimeter run, one material throughout |
| Island | Seated overhang, supported and checked against knee clearance |
| Sink cutout | Finished to an apron-front bowl, front edge polished |
| Range | Cut to a slide-in unit on both sides |
| Backsplash | Tile, meeting the counter without a filled gap |
| Edge | Consistent profile and overhang reveal along every run |
Described only from what is visible in this project's photography. Cost, schedule, client details, location, slab yield and product brands are not stated because they are not documented in the image set.
Materials
Choosing the surface you will live on
Engineered quartz
Consistent, non-porous, no sealing
Quartz is a manufactured surface, so the pattern is predictable from slab to slab and the colour you approve is the colour you get. It never needs sealing and resists staining well. Its limits are heat and UV: use trivets, and think twice about it in a room with sustained direct sun. It is the default for busy family kitchens for good reasons.
Natural granite
Movement no two slabs repeat
Hard, heat-tolerant and genuinely unique per slab — which also means you should approve the actual slab rather than a sample. Porous, so it takes periodic sealing.
Marble
Beautiful, and it will patina
Marble etches where acid touches it, and no sealer prevents that. Specified honestly it is a wonderful surface for a baking area or a display run; specified as maintenance-free it becomes a complaint.
Porcelain slab
Large format, non-porous
Very hard and heat-tolerant, and available in sheets big enough for a waterfall or a full-height backsplash with few joints.
Edges and cutouts
Where wear actually happens
Eased and bullnose edges chip less than sharp profiles. Undermount cutouts are polished to the bowl; overmount hides the cut.
Thickness and overhang
2cm, 3cm and mitred build-ups
Thickness changes both cost and how the room reads. A mitred build-up makes a 2cm slab present as a thicker one.
Common questions
Before the slab is cut
The questions we are asked most often about countertop work across the tri-county area — answered without the parts that depend on seeing your kitchen.
Once the base cabinets are installed, levelled and secured, and the sink and cooktop are on site so the openings can be cut to the actual fixtures. Templating before that records an intention rather than a room, and the slab is cut to whatever the template says.
There is always a fabrication window between the two, because the slab is cut, polished and finished in a shop. The length depends on the fabricator and the material, and we confirm it for your job rather than quoting a number here.
That depends on the run length against the slab size, and on the material. Where a seam is unavoidable it is placed where it is supported and least visible, and on a veined material the pattern is matched across it at layout.
Quartz for predictability and no sealing; natural stone for movement no two slabs repeat. Neither is better in the abstract. The honest question is how the room gets used and how much maintenance you actually want.
Often yes, provided the existing cabinets are sound, level and able to carry the new material. We check that before quoting, because a heavier slab on a tired carcass is a problem you only discover later.
They are removed and disposed of as part of the scope. Removal can disturb the backsplash and the wall behind it, which is why backsplash work is usually planned into the same job.
A like-for-like countertop replacement generally does not, because nothing structural, electrical or plumbing changes. If the work moves a sink, adds a cooktop, or forms part of a wider remodel, the wider scope may. We confirm with the authority having jurisdiction rather than assuming either way.
It depends on the material, its thickness and what supports it. Past a certain point an overhang needs concealed support designed in — which is a decision made before fabrication, not discovered on installation day.
No, but the relationship has to be decided before the slab is ordered. A full-height stone backsplash is a second slab off the same block; a tile backsplash meets the counter at a joint that wants planning.
Quartz needs no sealing. Natural stone takes periodic sealing, and marble will etch with acid regardless of sealer. We set out which applies to your material before you choose it.
Thanks — that came through.
Your details are with the Elbaz Construction team and we will come back to you, usually the same or next working day. If it is urgent, call (754) 236-0675.
Countertops in place · 02
White quartz with a mitred waterfall
Project 02 · what the stone is doing
A waterfall is a fabrication decision, not a styling one.
The mitre is the whole job
A waterfall return is two pieces of stone joined at 45 degrees so the pattern folds over the corner. It is cut in the shop, dry-assembled, and the joint is what the work is judged on. A butt joint at the same corner costs less and looks it.
The same slab, twice
Behind the range the backsplash is the counter material taken up the wall full height. That is a second slab off the same block, which is why it is specified at purchase and not decided later.
One thickness, one line
Island, perimeter and backsplash all read at one thickness and one height. That consistency is what makes a plain white quartz look deliberate rather than default.
Observed from this project's photography only. The mitred waterfall, the full-height slab backsplash and the undermount cutouts are all visible in the images above; cost, timeline, location and client details are not stated because the image set does not evidence them.
How the work runs
From selection to the final polish
01
Consultation
We look at the existing kitchen, how it is used, and whether the cabinets can carry the material you are considering.
02
Material selection
Quartz, granite, marble or porcelain — chosen against use and maintenance, not only against a sample board.
03
Slab approval
For natural stone, the actual slab is viewed and approved. Two granites with the same name can look nothing alike.
04
Cabinet preparation
Base cabinets levelled and secured, and any support needed for overhangs or spans built in.
05
Digital templating
The room is templated as built, with the sink and cooktop on site so openings are cut to the real fixtures.
06
Fabrication
Cutting, cutouts, edge profiling and polishing happen in the shop, with the slab fully supported.
07
Installation
Set, levelled, seams joined and finished, cutouts fitted, and the plumbing reconnected.
08
Seal and hand over
Sealed where the material requires it, with the aftercare for that specific surface written down.
A like-for-like countertop replacement does not normally require a permit, because nothing structural, electrical or plumbing changes. Where the work moves services or forms part of a wider remodel, we confirm the requirement with the authority having jurisdiction for your municipality.
Countertops in place · 03
Plain quartz, deliberately quiet
On site
What a finished surface should look like
A walkthrough of a completed Elbaz kitchen. Watch the counter line rather than the room: it is the thing that shows whether the rest was done properly.
- 01The counter holds one height and one line from end to end. Any dip shows up along that edge long before it shows anywhere else.
- 02The overhang reveal stays constant over the cabinet fronts. An uneven reveal means the stone was set to the cabinets rather than to a level line.
- 03Where the counter turns a corner or meets an appliance, look for a scribed fit rather than a filled gap.
- 04On a waterfall, the pattern should fold across the mitre. If the veining stops at the corner, the joint was a butt rather than a mitre.
Budget
What moves a countertop number
01
Material and grade
The single biggest lever, and the range within one material type is wider than the gap between two of them. Exotic natural stone and standard quartz are not close.
Highest impact
02
Slab count and yield
A long run, an island and a full-height backsplash may need more slabs than the area suggests, because pattern matching and cutting waste both consume material.
High impact
03
Edge profile and build-up
A simple eased edge is fabrication anyone does. Mitred build-ups and waterfall returns add both material and shop time.
Moderate to high
04
Cutouts and penetrations
Sinks, cooktops, faucets, soap dispensers and pop-up outlets are each a cut and a finished edge.
Moderate
05
Support and structure
Most runs need none. A long unsupported overhang or a cantilever does, and that is designed rather than improvised.
Lower, unless needed
06
Removal and making good
Taking the old surface out, disposing of it, and repairing the wall and backsplash that removal disturbs.
Lower, but real
The bars show the relative weight these factors typically carry against one another on a countertop project. They are not prices, percentages of a budget, or a quotation, and the order can change on any individual job.
Google reviews
What clients said on Google
4.8
★★★★★
If you are planning to remodel your kitchen or bathroom or do any other construction project, call Sean from Elbaz Construction. He has a lot of experience and will recommend the best options/ suggestions to your project. He did high quality job !
★★★★★
Elbaz Construction provided excellent service and outstanding craftsmanship. The team was professional and attentive to our needs. We’re extremely satisfied with the results!
★★★★★
Asher was knowledgeable and gave us cool ideas that we didn't even know before. Nice beautiful color and design. We appreciate the price !
★★★★★
Sean has experience and he gave me the best ideas for my kitchen and bathroom project. He did high quality Job . We are very satisfied
★★★★★
We had a good time dealing with Asher and the crew, he went over and above all our expectations and made every effort to ensure that the end result was up to their high standards. Thank you !!
★★★★★
Elbaz Construction provided excellent service and great customer service. also provide the right team to get the job done. Any project or style that’s needed it. Elbaz Construction is the place to call. Thank you!
Review text is reproduced verbatim from the connected Google Business Profile, including its original spelling. Nothing is rewritten, shortened or combined. No review schema is emitted on this page.
Project files
Three kitchens, one surface each.
A veined stone island against teal tile, a quartzite island with a farmhouse sink, and a navy kitchen finished in white quartz with a waterfall island.
3Projects shown
32Photos
3Site videos
PROJECT 01
Veined stone island with teal herringbone
A large island in veined stone sits in front of a teal herringbone backsplash. White uppers, dark lowers and glass pendants frame a gas range and a farmhouse sink under a window.
Scope of work
- Veined stone island top
- Stone perimeter counters around the sink
- Undermount and farmhouse sink cutouts
- Teal herringbone backsplash meeting the stone
- Gas range and pot filler wall
- Island seating with teal stools
Materials & finishes
Veined stoneTeal herringbone tileShaker cabinetsFarmhouse sinkGlass pendantsPlank-look floor
What to look for in the photos
Follow the veining across the island and onto the perimeter. See how the stone edge meets the teal tile where it rises behind the range.
Elbaz Construction project photo · 13 photos
PROJECT 02
Quartzite island with a farmhouse sink
A veined quartzite island with a farmhouse sink and seating for four sits between black fluted uppers and white lowers. Brass fixtures, double wall ovens and a stainless hood complete the room.
Scope of work
- Quartzite island with farmhouse sink cutout
- Matching quartzite on the working surfaces
- Overhang for four chairs
- Brass faucet and pot filler installed to the stone
- Cutout and hood alignment at the range
- Island edge detail facing the living room
Materials & finishes
QuartziteBlack fluted uppersWhite lowersFarmhouse sinkBrass faucetGold pendantsWood-look tile
What to look for in the photos
Check how the farmhouse sink sits within the island top and how much overhang the four chairs get on the seating side.
Elbaz Construction project photo · 5 photos
PROJECT 03
Navy kitchen with waterfall quartz island
Navy shaker cabinets, white quartz counters and backsplash, and a veined waterfall island under brass pendants. LED strips and a workstation sink with a gold spring faucet finish the room.
Scope of work
- Waterfall quartz island with mitered corners
- Quartz perimeter counters
- Quartz backsplash
- Workstation sink cutout
- Gold spring faucet at the sink
- LED under-cabinet lighting over the stone
Materials & finishes
White quartzNavy shakerBrass pullsGold faucetLED stripBrass pendants
What to look for in the photos
The island's veining continues over the edge and down the side. Look at where the quartz backsplash meets the navy cabinets and the LED line.
Elbaz Construction project photo · 6 photos
In motion
Slab surfaces, up close.
Short clips of finished surfaces and cabinetry from the site's own footage.
By the numbers
What a countertop budget is made of.
Shares, not prices. A countertop job has fewer cost lines than a remodel, but each one moves the total.
Where a typical countertop installation budget goes
- Slab material40%
- Fabrication and edge work20%
- Sink and cooktop cutouts8%
- Delivery and installation14%
- Plumbing reconnect6%
- Removal and prep7%
- Sealing and finishing5%
These are typical shares; slab choice and the number of mitered or waterfall pieces move them most.
A typical countertop schedule, in weeks
Slab selection
Cabinet check & ordering
Templating
Fabrication
Installation
Reconnect & seal
Week 0Week 4Week 8
The slab choice comes first and the template waits on installed cabinets; fabrication is the longest step.
How it works
Three decisions drawn out.
Edge profile, seating overhang and island size are all settled in the template. This is what to know about each.
Four edge profiles
Eased is the quietest, bevel adds a crisp line, bullnose is soft to the touch, and a mitered waterfall folds stone down the side as one piece.
Overhang for stools
Seating needs 12 to 15 inches of overhang and about 24 inches per stool. Long or thin stone usually needs hidden brackets underneath.
Island size and slab
Large islands often exceed one slab, so seams are planned. A 42 inch clear aisle around the island keeps the work area usable.
Scope planner
Plan the countertop job.
Choose the surface, edge, removal and sink, and see which trades are involved and how long the work might take.
Finishes
Edges, seams and cutouts, up close.
The details that tell you how well a top was fabricated: edge lines, sink reveals, corners and where stone meets tile.
More questions
More on countertop installs.
Cutouts, delivery, materials and who reconnects what.
Ask us directlyAre the sink and cooktop cut out before the slab arrives?
Yes. Cutouts are made in the shop from the template, so we need the exact sink, faucet holes and cooktop model before fabrication begins. Changing them afterward means recutting stone or buying a new piece. We collect spec sheets at the template visit and confirm them in writing.
Is porcelain slab a good countertop surface?
It can be. Porcelain slab is thin, dense and heat tolerant, and it can run up a wall as a backsplash in the same pattern. It also chips differently than quartz at exposed edges, and fabrication needs experienced hands. We show you a sample edge before you commit.
How do you handle strong veining across a long island?
We lay out the slabs before cutting, so the veining runs the same direction and meets at seams or waterfall corners. Bookmatched slabs mirror each other, which looks striking and needs more slab. We show you a layout drawing and can pause before cutting if you want a change.
How thick should the countertop be?
Quartz and stone are commonly offered in two thicknesses. The thicker slab looks heavier and handles overhangs better, while the thinner one can be built up at the edge for the same look. Weight matters for upper floors and condo elevators, so we check the delivery route too.
Do the cabinets have to be level before you template?
They need to be installed, secured and reasonably level. A template records what is there. If a run bows or a wall is out of square, the stone must be made to follow it or the cabinets shimmed first. We check with a level before the template visit and flag problems.
Does natural stone need sealing in a humid climate?
Some does. Dense quartzite and granite usually need a penetrating sealer once installed, and marble also etches from acids. Quartz does not need sealing. Humidity is not a big issue for stone itself, but spills near the sink matter. We tell you which sealer we use and how often to renew it.
What access do the installers need on delivery day?
A clear route from the truck to the kitchen: wide doors, no steps they cannot carry slab over, and floors protected. Condos often need an elevator reservation, a delivery window and a certificate of insurance on file with the association. We arrange the paperwork and confirm the slab will physically fit.
Will the plumber have to come back after installation?
Usually, yes. The sink and dishwasher are disconnected before demolition and reconnected once the stone is set and the sealant has cured. A licensed plumber handles this, and a gas range is reconnected by a gas fitter. We schedule both so you are without water for as short a time as possible.
Service Areas
Proudly serving homeowners across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
- Aventura
- Bal Harbour
- Bay Harbor Islands
- Biscayne Park
- Coral Gables
- Cutler Bay
- Doral
- El Portal
- Florida City
- Golden Beach
- Hialeah
- Hialeah Gardens
- Homestead
- Indian Creek
- Key Biscayne
- Medley
- Miami
- Miami Beach
- Miami Gardens
- Miami Lakes
- Miami Shores
- Miami Springs
- North Bay Village
- North Miami
- North Miami Beach
- Opa-locka
- Palmetto Bay
- Pinecrest
- South Miami
- Sunny Isles Beach
- Surfside
- Sweetwater
- Virginia Gardens
- West Miami
- Coconut Creek
- Cooper City
- Coral Springs
- Dania Beach
- Davie
- Deerfield Beach
- Fort Lauderdale
- Hallandale Beach
- Hillsboro Beach
- Hollywood
- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
- Lauderdale Lakes
- Lauderhill
- Lazy Lake
- Lighthouse Point
- Margate
- Miramar
- North Lauderdale
- Oakland Park
- Parkland
- Pembroke Park
- Pembroke Pines
- Plantation
- Pompano Beach
- Sea Ranch Lakes
- Southwest Ranches
- Sunrise
- Tamarac
- Weston
- West Park
- Wilton Manors
- Atlantis
- Belle Glade
- Boca Raton
- Boynton Beach
- Briny Breezes
- Cloud Lake
- Delray Beach
- Glen Ridge
- Golf
- Greenacres
- Gulf Stream
- Haverhill
- Highland Beach
- Hypoluxo
- Juno Beach
- Jupiter
- Jupiter Inlet Colony
- Lake Clarke Shores
- Lake Park
- Lake Worth Beach
- Lantana
- Loxahatchee Groves
- Manalapan
- Mangonia Park
- North Palm Beach
- Ocean Ridge
- Pahokee
- Palm Beach
- Palm Beach Gardens
- Palm Beach Shores
- Palm Springs
- Riviera Beach
- Royal Palm Beach
- South Bay
- South Palm Beach
- Tequesta
- Wellington
- Westlake
- West Palm Beach
104 municipalities across three counties — and we hold the licence to build in all of them. Not sure about your address? Ask us.
Keep reading
Guides and related services
Cost guide
How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a House in 2025?
Where surfaces sit against the rest of a remodel budget, and what moves each line.
Scope
Renovation vs Remodel: What's the Difference?
Replacing a countertop and remodelling the kitchen around it are different jobs with different sequences.
Resale
How Much Will My Home Be Worth After a Remodel?
How surface upgrades tend to sit against structural work when a property is valued.
Thanks — that came through.
Your details are with the Elbaz Construction team and we will come back to you, usually the same or next working day. If it is urgent, call (754) 236-0675.
Next step
Send us the kitchen, we will send back the options
A measure, a material shortlist against how you actually cook, and a written scope before anything is ordered.
