Solid Surface Worktops: What Happens After Templating?
Your kitchen units are in, everything’s level, and the worktop team has just been out to take their final measurements — exciting stuff! So what happens now?
After the templating visit, your chosen fabricator will begin preparing your solid surface worktops for manufacture. Depending on the material and the supplier, this can take anywhere from 7 to 14 working days, or a little longer if you’ve chosen something that’s special order or imported, like certain quartz colours from Spain.
Once your worktops are made, they’ll be delivered to site and professionally installed — and then your kitchen really starts to feel complete.
But there are a few important things to know between now and then, so you know what to expect.
Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s quickly explain what templating actually is — and why it’s so important.
What Is Templating — And Why Is It So Important?
Templating is the process of taking precise physical measurements of your fitted kitchen to ensure the worktops are made to fit perfectly. It’s one of the most critical steps in the entire kitchen journey.
Although your kitchen might look square and straight, most walls in UK homes aren’t perfectly plumb or level — especially in older properties or extensions. Even the smallest discrepancy can cause problems when it comes to installing expensive solid surface worktops like quartz, granite, or Corian.
That’s why fabricators never manufacture from plans alone. A professional template allows them to:
- Record the exact shape and size of each section of worktop
- Confirm overhangs, upstands, cut-outs and edge profiles
- Double check that units are installed and secure before manufacturing
- Avoid costly mistakes and fitting issues on installation day
Once the template is done and everything’s signed off, the job moves into production — and from this point, the countdown to your finished kitchen begins.
Production & Installation Timeframes
Once your template has been approved, your worktops move into the manufacturing queue. This timeline can vary depending on your chosen material and the time of year, but here’s a general guide to help you plan:
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Standard turnaround (UK stock materials): Most commonly used quartz and solid surface colours are kept in UK warehouses. If you’ve chosen one of these, you can typically expect installation within 7–14 working days from templating.
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Special order materials: If your chosen colour or stone needs to be imported — particularly from Europe (e.g. Spain, Germany, or Italy) — it may take up to 5 weeks before installation. We’ll let you know if this applies to your order when you choose your material.
While this might feel like a bit of a lull in activity, it’s completely normal — and it doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about you!
During this time, your fabricator is carefully cutting, polishing, and prepping your worktops, and we’re working in the background to make sure everything’s lined up for your final fit.
Who Needs to Be There on Templating Day?
Templating might not feel like a big deal — it’s just measuring up, right? But in reality, it’s one of the most important milestones in your kitchen project, and someone needs to be there on the day to make sure all the crucial decisions are made correctly.
Here’s why your presence matters:
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Sink and tap positioning: Do you want the sink centred on a window? How far back from the front edge? Will your tap be mounted on the worktop or through the sink?
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Drainer grooves or recessed drainer area: If you’re having these, the fabricator will need to know exactly how you want them positioned — especially if you’re a leftie who prefers things the opposite way round!
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Overhangs and island design: Fancy a little extra overhang for bar stools? Want to match the lines of your breakfast bar with the end panels? These things can’t be changed after the tops are made, so they need to be agreed during templating.
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Edge profiles and corners: Whether you’re having sharp, modern lines or gently rounded edges, the templater will need to confirm the shape and finish.
If you’re not available personally, make sure you appoint someone who knows exactly what you want and can confidently make decisions on your behalf — because once the template is signed off, that’s what gets made.
If We’re Supplying the Worktops vs. If You’re Using Your Own Fabricators
What happens next depends on who’s handling the fabrication:
If You’re Using Our Fabricators
Good news — we’ll take care of everything.
Once the templating is done, our fabricators will:
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Check and process the template
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Confirm stock availability of your chosen material
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Schedule the fabrication and installation date
They’ll also keep us in the loop, so we can plan the final installation visit with our team (for things like fitting your hob, sink, or any final cabinetry that rests on the worktop).
You don’t need to chase us — we’ll be tracking it in the background and will be in touch to coordinate the final steps.
If You’re Using Your Own Fabricator
In this case, we won’t be updated automatically, so it’s really important that you:
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Let us know once the templating has been completed
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Confirm the proposed installation date
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Give us a heads-up as soon as the tops are booked in so we can arrange our return visit
Our team will need to come back after the worktops are in to finish off things like:
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Installing sinks, taps, hobs, or downdraft extractors
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Fitting any last units that sit directly on the worktop
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Adjusting plinths or side panels that couldn’t be cut before templating
Keeping us informed ensures a smooth handover and avoids unnecessary delays at the final stage.
How Long Does It Take to Get Worktops Installed After Templating?
The lead time for installation depends on two main factors:
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The fabricator’s schedule
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The material you’ve chosen
Here’s a rough guide to help manage expectations:
Standard Lead Time
For most UK-based fabricators, the time from templating to installation is typically between 7 to 14 working days. That assumes your chosen material is:
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In stock
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Not unusually complex to fabricate
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Being templated and installed within a relatively normal workload period
Busy times of year (like summer holidays or pre-Christmas) may add a few extra days.
Special Order Materials
If you’ve chosen a special-order material, especially one that’s sourced from overseas (like Spain), the lead time can be significantly longer —
up to 5 weeks, depending on supplier availability and shipping.
We’ll always aim to give you a realistic estimate as early as possible, and if anything changes, we’ll keep you in the loop.
What Happens Between Templating and Installation?
This stage often feels like a lull in the project, but don’t worry — it’s a perfectly normal (and necessary) part of the process.
Once templating is complete:
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Your worktops are put into fabrication based on the exact templates taken on-site.
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Precision tools and machines are used to cut, polish, and prepare each piece to match your layout exactly.
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Edging profiles, cut-outs for sinks and hobs, drainer grooves, and any other custom details are all made during this time.
“Why does it feel like nothing’s happening?”
Because everything is happening off-site! During this period:
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You might not see any physical progress at your property.
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We haven’t forgotten about you — this is just a quiet phase while the fabricators work their magic.
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It’s often the ideal time for other minor tasks to be wrapped up (like painting or prepping for flooring), but no kitchen units should be disturbed during this time.
Once your worktops are ready, we’ll be back to install them — and then we can move forward with fitting hobs, sinks, and anything that sits on or into the worktops.
What to Expect on Installation Day
When installation day rolls around, your solid surface worktops will arrive fully fabricated and ready to go. This part of the process is usually quick and efficient, but there are still a few things worth knowing:
You (or someone you trust) will need to be present
It’s important that someone is on-site to let the installers in, answer any last-minute questions, and give the final approval once the worktops are in place.
It can get noisy
The team may need to do some final trimming or on-site adjustments. Expect some noise from sanding and polishing equipment.
Dust is minimal — but not non-existent
Solid surface worktops are finished off-site, so most of the mess stays away from your kitchen. That said, a little bit of dust is normal during final fitting and polishing.
Natural stone sealing (if applicable)
If you’ve chosen granite or another natural stone, sealing will be carried out on-site after installation. It’s important to keep the area well ventilated for 24–48 hours to allow the fumes to dissipate and the sealant to cure properly.
Once installation is complete, the worktops will need 24 hours to fully cure — so no other trades (or enthusiastic cooks!) should work in or around the area until this time has passed.
What Happens Next?
Once your worktops are in and fully cured (usually after 24 hours), we’ll be able to return for the final stage of your kitchen installation.
If we’re managing your project:
We’ll already be in touch with the fabricators and will have scheduled our return visit accordingly.
This includes fitting any items that sit on or into the worktops — like sinks, hobs, taps, or breakfast bars — and making any final adjustments to ensure everything is perfect.
If you’re using your own fabricators:
You’ll need to let us know as soon as the installation date for your worktops is confirmed. Once we have that, we can book our final installation visit and ensure everything is wrapped up smoothly.
From there, it’s just a few final finishing touches — and your dream kitchen is complete.
Wrapping Things Up
Solid surface worktops are one of the final pieces of the puzzle — and once they’re in, your kitchen really starts to feel complete.
While there may be a bit of a lull between templating and installation, rest assured everything is moving behind the scenes to bring your vision to life.
If you’ve got questions at any stage, or just need a bit of reassurance, we’re always here to help. After all, the finish line is in sight — and it’s going to be worth the wait.
