In the words of Carla from Top Chef: hootie hoo! Our counters are finally ordered (we explain our choices and reasoning in a separate post). They came in at $38 per square foot from Home Depot with no hidden fees, which added up to roughly $1,700. We checked prices at Lowe’s and several local suppliers — local shops couldn’t beat $55 per square foot — and while Lowe’s listed the same base price as Home Depot, they charged extra for the sink cutout and other add-ons. Home Depot agreed to match a 10% off Lowe’s project coupon we received in the mail and also matched the 5% discount we would have gotten with a Lowe’s card (some Lowe’s stores stack discounts differently). In the end we saved a decent chunk by shopping around and using coupons.
Another way we kept costs down was by reusing our existing sink:
We like our sink and preferred to avoid the extra expense of buying a new one. We’d heard that seamless Corian sinks can be harder to maintain than Corian counters and that many people opt for a stainless undermount sink instead. Both Lowe’s and Home Depot told us that the Corian fabricator would need to take the actual sink when they came to template for the new countertops so they could measure precisely. That meant removing the surrounding granite to free the sink.
The first step was disconnecting the garbage disposal and the plumbing under the sink. Although several online how-tos made it seem quick, the mounting ring on our disposal was jammed and it took about 45 minutes to free and spin it off. On the plus side, I now know my garbage disposal very well.
Next we removed our faucet, which we plan to reuse for now. This went faster after finding the installation manual online and reversing the steps.
With fixtures detached, it was time to remove the granite. We’d removed a portion of the granite before to make room for the stove, so we expected the job to be manageable — it would just require muscle. We started by prying off the backsplash with a crowbar.
No sweat.
We cut along the adhesive line between the countertop and cabinets and began prying. The slab lifted surprisingly easily.
Then came the heavy lifting. We recruited my parents to help — mom to watch Clara and take pictures, dad to lift — but this larger slab proved heavier than expected. Lifting it high enough to remove the sink without risking damage was beyond our ability; if the granite had slammed down while the sink was halfway out, the sink and cabinets could have been damaged.
Both Lowe’s and Home Depot had suggested removing the entire slab with the sink attached so the fabricator could cut the sink free without warping it, but here that approach wasn’t feasible because of the slab’s weight. We regrouped and decided to remove the sink first by breaking the glue seal that held it to the granite.
We gently slid a spackle knife into the undermount seam and once Sherry broke the seal at one spot, we tapped around the perimeter with a hammer to loosen the adhesive. My dad did most of the work, though Sherry handled the initial edge.
After about 45 minutes the adhesive was detached and we were able to hinge the granite up slightly and lift the sink out from under it. The sink was unharmed — just dirty — so we saved about $200 by reusing it. The photo shows the sink’s size compared to Sherry for scale.
We could have left the granite as-is, but the installers preferred either no counters or all counters in place for templating, so we continued. Lifting the granite slightly revealed a crack, which was actually helpful: if the slab split around the sink we could lift each half separately. Beneath the crack we found a metal rod embedded to reinforce the area around the sink hole — an unexpected obstacle.
After sliding one half of the granite onto the floor the rod bent enough to pry loose with a screwdriver, allowing us to separate the two halves. Each piece was now light enough for two people to carry out.
Here’s the aftermath before removing the other half. We used a towel to protect the new stove while working.
With all the granite removed and temporarily stored in the carport awaiting listing, our kitchen is now sinkless:
The fabricator estimates we’ll be without a sink for about three weeks, possibly four because of the Thanksgiving schedule. I did reconnect the dishwasher drain so we can still use the dishwasher, which helps maintain some normalcy. I rinse non-dishwasher-safe pots in the bathroom sink when needed. It could be worse — our first kitchen renovation was a full gut and left us without major appliances for months.
Have you ever attempted to lift a long slab of granite with just a few people? Found reinforcing rods around the sink while removing or installing granite? Reused an existing sink? Or spent longer than expected disconnecting a garbage disposal? If so, I’m all ears — and maybe a little jealous.