Is your granite 2cm or 3cm? Did they talk about the risk of breakage? Seems, especially with 3cm granite, that breakage would be a significant risk.

I had granite removed in my entire kitchen (replaced with marble). The contractor was able to remove the island without breaking it, and I gave it to a friend who installed it on his island.

We didn't re-use the rest of the countertops, but if I remember correctly they came off without breakage.

Madeline- how thick was your granite? I believe ours is 3 cm. we haven't closed the deal with the company yet, but they have assured me they have done this many times. Thanks for your info!

I don't know the risk, but was hoping to save my granite peninsula to be refabricated to use elsewhere in my home. Please keep us posted how it comes out.

I take it you're keeping the layout the same? If so, are your cabinet boxes in good enough shape that you could reface and get new doors?

Granite is pretty tuff stuff. We have removed whole slabs before with no breakage, and here in CA we use 2cm which is more fragile. Care is needed at seams, but it sounds as if your fabricator has it under control.

EllenB124 - did you do this? How did it go if you did?

alwayscold:

I don't know if EllenB124 can remember back 3 years, but I can. I've done this job several times and never guarantee against breakage or how the tops fit on the new cabinets. Those and all other risks are on the homeowner. If it breaks, you've got to pay me to fix it. Same if the sink's a little off center, if it can be done.

Thank you Joseph, good to know.

I know this is an old thread but I'm in the same predicament that EllenB124 was in. We're replacing all cabinets and I want to keep my beautiful Santa Cecelia granite. Contractor has contacted our original installer who says they can remove and replace our granite. I'm wondering if seams can be filled to look right

@GeorgiaPeach 1970 hopefully someone replies who knows, then please keep me updated. We haven’t bit the bullet yet. Our granite was installed with a slope that we didn’t realize was there. Any liquid from around the faucet pours off the other side and often into the barstool. It’s annoying because it can (has) ruin things that is on the counter and wicks up the water as it rolls by. We need to have longer brackets and/or better leveling. its A large island and I don’t want to loose the granite if it breaks just to correct it. We tried the leave a towel behind but you either can forget or it starts to mildew and I’m sensitive to mildew.

@alwaysscold, I'm hoping the company will be liable if they damage the granite but that's highly unlikely. Can't u have a company (preferably the original installer) have a look at your island? Surely they could lift it and shim it up level.
My contractor /cabinet builder says they have granite removed and reinstalled quite often. We have a large kitchen. The cost will be $1200.
Much cheaper than new granite though.
I'll keep u updated

Any granite fabricator who would bet the cost of replacement countertops for the chance to earn $1,200.00 is out of his mind. You'd agree that I'm not responsible for anything in writing or no Joe for you.

I’m considering this as I made the terrible mistake of remodeling kitchen before moving into the home. Now that I’m actually experiencing the layout, I want to make a few changes. I spent a fortune on quartzite counters (completely seamless) and I want to remove them from the island and use them in my master bath.

Here’s what I know, I’ve watched granite and quartz (not to be confused with real quartzite) get pulled off of cabinets and islands during 3 demos. Not once was there a break, crack, or any damage whatsoever...and this was just for a demo so they weren’t even being “careful”

Even in this remodel, granite was removed from the island that I then replaced with the quartzite. That granite was in perfect condition and I actually gave it to one of the sub contractors to use in his home.

Sadly, I think this is just something that fabricators don’t want to do because the truth is, they make the majority of their profit from the sale on the material. Someone will argue with me about this so I will provide my rebuttal in advance. Have you ever wondered why you can’t just walk into a slab warehouse and buy your stone? Same reason why they don’t list prices on the stones....it’s always low, mid, high, or “exotic”. The point is, the fabricator sets the price for the stone and the customer rarely knows the “real” cost of the slab.

If you’re just gonna use a stone you already have, they can’t make a huge profit from you so it’s not worth their time. I think about this bs every time I watch someone pop off a huge stone counter top and take it out to a truck, where it will later be sold to someone else....even MORE profit.

I found a piece of marble from my bathroom demo at my contractors slab warehouse, after he swore they “recycled/destroyed” everything. I knew it was mine because it had the little tiny stain from my daughter dying her hair in 8th grade. I prefer not to waste and fill land fills, but don’t deceive people for profit.

So the headline here is, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY RE-FABRICATE stone to use elsewhere....but good luck finding someone to do it. If you find someone that says “I won’t do it because it’s not worth the money” I suggest you keep their number because AT LEAST they are honest!

Certainly stone and solid surface tops can be refabricated; I've done it profitably several times. Engineered stone is much stronger than natural stone and therefore much less likely to break. Some granites crumble when you look at them. The nature of the material and the layout have the most to do with successful recycling.

You're correct about finding someone to do it. My company is completely capable, but we can't afford to miss out on sink replacement jobs to do so. You could dumpsterize your tops and replace them less expensively than we can recycle because we charge so much and the stoners charge so little.

I am a fabricator. When we remove granite countertops it's always with the caveat that we are not responsible for breakage. This is because you can do everything right and still have a stone crack or break due to an invisible inherent weakness in the stone. If the customer demands I be responsible for breakage I suggest he or she find someone else as I won't do it.

@GeorgiaPeach 1970 we wouldn’t use the original builder fabricator, they created this in the first place. And some granite in one of our bathrooms has surface flaws that was an oh well from them too. I just can’t take the risk of losing the 2 slabs by trying to have them lift it. It’s not the money, it’s not finding these slabs again. I’m the person who’s slab will crack or crumble.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC and @Granite City Services, follow up question for you. My husband took to loving grapefruit and cuts it up and snacks on it all morning (like an orange) and the juice winds up on the counter. And juicing limes too. And now that area is dull and etched. What is the fix and who am I looking for to do it? TYIA

It has to be professionally polished. Not a DIY job. $250.-$750.00.

what Joe said... and it takes a talented pro who knows the correct tools for your stone.

I am in a bit different situation, the wood beneath countertop is damaged due to waterleak. To fix the issue we need to remove part of the counter top to gain access.. we will use the original countertop. Does anyone have similar experience.

It is unlikely that the top has to be removed to gain access. You pop the cabinet front(s) off, hack off the cabinet sides, remove the failed underlayment, hot melt the cabinet sides back together, and reinstall the front(s). No one sees hacked cabinets, but a grainte repair will show.