Worktop & Countertop Replacement Derby
Free Consultation
01332-529933
A tired laminate worktop, a cracked quartz join or a stone surface that's started to dull can make an otherwise good kitchen look years older than it is - and none of it usually means the units themselves need replacing. Worktop replacement is a self-contained job: the existing cabinets stay exactly where they are, a laser template captures the current layout, and the new surface is cut, jointed and fitted to match it, whether that's laminate, quartz, granite or another solid surface. Most runs go from measure to finished fit inside one to two days on site.
Because the cabinets, plumbing and electrics underneath are already in place, the work is priced and scheduled around swapping the surface itself, with sinks, taps and appliances reconnected as part of the same visit and any cabinet damage found underneath dealt with openly rather than glossed over. A free home visit gives you a firm, itemised price before anything is booked in.
Where Worktop Replacement Stops and Other Trades Take Over
Not Included / Costed Separately
- Disconnecting and refitting gas hobs or range cookers - this is carried out and certified separately by Gas Safe registered engineers, coordinated into the same visit but priced and scheduled as its own piece of work
- Structural repair or replacement of cabinets - if a carcass has swollen or gone soft under a leaking sink once the old worktop comes off, that's shown to you and quoted for before any repair goes ahead, not assumed and added to the bill afterwards
- New electrical circuits, sockets or lighting positions - available through our Part P registered electricians, but only once you've confirmed what you want moved or added
- Testing or removing asbestos-backed laminate - some worktops fitted before the mid-1980s used an asbestos-containing backing sheet; if this turns up during removal, work stops and you're talked through the right next step rather than continuing regardless
- Evening and weekend fitting at standard weekday rates - available, but with a small premium for out-of-hours slots
How Worktop-Only Replacement Compares
| Derby Kitchen Fitter | DIY / online worktop kit | General kitchen chain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Templating | Digital laser templating for an exact fit | Card or tape-measure templates - higher risk of a poor cut | Templating turnaround and method varies by branch |
| Who does the fitting | One in-house crew, joiners with City & Guilds and bench-joinery training | You, or whoever you can find on short notice | Installation is often subcontracted out |
| Sink, tap and appliance reconnection | Plumbers qualified to NVQ Level 2 and City & Guilds | DIY, or a separately booked plumber | Usually a separate trade, booked and paid for individually |
| Old worktop disposal | Removed by a registered waste carrier and disposed of legally | Down to you - many tips refuse heavy stone | Sometimes included, sometimes an extra charge |
| Guarantee | 5-year labour and installation guarantee, 2-year product guarantee | Manufacturer's material warranty only, if any | Varies by branch and installer |
What's Usually Hiding Under an Old Worktop
Two decades of fitting kitchens across Derbyshire means the team has already dealt with most of what comes to light once an old worktop is lifted - a section of chipboard carcass gone soft and swollen where a sink has been dripping quietly under 1980s laminate for years, or a run that needs scribing and packing to sit level against a wall that's out of true, which isn't unusual in a Victorian terrace. Anything like that is shown to you and quoted for before work continues, not folded into the bill afterwards.
The trades who do the cutting, jointing and reconnection on a worktop job are qualified for that specific part of the work rather than being general fitters turning their hand to everything, and the same team works as an independent installation specialist for supply-only brands including Howdens, Wren Kitchens, Magnet and premium German handleless systems - useful if the worktop itself has come from elsewhere. The business is also a registered waste carrier, so the old surface leaves site properly rather than being left for you to deal with, and is a member of CITB and FSB.
More Questions About Replacing Your Worktop
Do I need to empty my cupboards before you arrive?
Yes - clearing cupboards and drawers along the worktop run before the templating visit and again before installation day speeds both visits up and cuts the risk of anything getting knocked or dusty. Larger built-in items like an oven or dishwasher can usually stay put; we'll tell you exactly what needs moving when the appointment is confirmed.
What happens if you find rot or damage to the cabinets once the old worktop is off?
It happens more often than you'd think, particularly under a sink that's been leaking quietly for years. If a carcass has swollen or the base has gone soft, we stop, show you what we've found, and give you a price to repair or replace that section before carrying on - you won't get a surprise bill after the job's finished.
Can you fit a new gas hob while you're replacing the worktop?
We can coordinate it into the same visit, but the hob connection itself is carried out and certified by our Gas Safe registered engineers rather than the worktop team, since gas work carries its own legal certification requirements. Mention it at the consultation stage so it can be scheduled alongside the worktop fitting.
Could my old worktop contain asbestos?
It's worth asking if your kitchen still has its original laminate from before the mid-1980s, when some laminate worktops were made with an asbestos-containing backing sheet. If we see the tell-tale grey fibrous backing when we start removal, we stop and talk you through the right next step rather than carrying on regardless. It's not common on later kitchens, but it's not something to guess about.
20 Years' Experience • 5-Year Guarantee • Licensed Waste Removal
Quick Free Estimate - No Obligation
Fully Insured • Response within 15 mins
🔒 Your details are safe with us. No spam, ever.