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If you're hoping to host Thanksgiving or Christmas around a new kitchen island, the calendar matters more than most people expect. Countertops are one of the last pieces of a remodel to go in, and every step before them has to land in order. The good news: if you start this month, there's still time for both holidays. Here's how the timeline works, counted backward from the day you want to set the table.
Start From the Holiday and Count Backward
This year Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, and Christmas on Friday, December 25. Aim to have counters installed the week before each one, not the day before. That cushion covers the sink hookup, a backsplash, or a small surprise, and it means you're cooking in a finished kitchen instead of a job site.
Step 1: Choose Your Slab
This is the one part of the timeline you control completely, and it's the part that can quietly cost the most time. A slab that has to be special-ordered can add weeks before anything else moves. A slab that's already sitting in a warehouse doesn't.
Every slab on our floor at the Phoenix Slab Warehouse is in stock. Once you've picked yours, your fabricator can pick it up right away, with no ordering wait at all.
The slab is the one piece of the holiday timeline you can lock in today.
Step 2: Get the Kitchen Ready for Templating
Before a fabricator can measure, a few things need to be in place. Your cabinets have to be fully installed, level and secured; if new cabinets are part of the project, their delivery date sets the pace for everything after them, so check it first. Your sink and faucet should be on site, because the fabricator needs them to template the cutouts. And it helps to have your edge profile and cooktop specs decided, since changes after templating can cost you your place in line.
Step 3: Templating
Templating is when your fabricator measures your cabinets to create an exact pattern for cutting the stone. The visit itself usually takes an hour or two for a typical kitchen, but getting on the schedule can take longer in the fall, so book it as soon as your cabinets are set. If you don't have a fabricator yet, our guide to choosing a countertop fabricator in Phoenix covers what to ask before you sign.
Step 4: Fabrication and Installation
This is the longest stretch. In the Phoenix area this time of year, plan on roughly two to three weeks from templating to installation. Fall is one of the busiest seasons for Valley fabricators, between remodels timed for the holidays and winter residents getting homes in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley ready for the season. Some shops move faster and some are booked further out, so treat your fabricator's quote as the number to plan around.
Install day itself usually takes a matter of hours. If you have an undermount sink, your plumber reconnects it once your fabricator gives the go-ahead.
Your Holiday Countertop Calendar
Putting it all together, these are the dates we'd work toward. Think of them as the latest comfortable targets rather than guarantees; your fabricator sets the actual schedule.
| Holiday | Choose your slab and book a fabricator by | Templating by | Installed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving (Nov 26) | Friday, October 23 | Friday, October 30 | Friday, November 20 |
| Christmas (Dec 25) | Friday, November 13 | Friday, November 20 | Friday, December 18 |
Notice that the Christmas templating date lands before Thanksgiving. Holiday week slows down most shops, so it's worth getting measured before it rather than after.
Reading this after one of those dates? Don't write the holiday off. A straightforward kitchen with an in-stock slab can sometimes come together faster, so call your fabricator and ask.
What Slows Things Down
Holiday timelines that slip usually slip for the same few reasons: a slab that has to be special-ordered, cabinets that arrive late or need adjusting, a sink or faucet that isn't chosen until the template visit, or a design change after measuring. Layouts with several seams or a waterfall edge can also take extra time in the shop. Settle the first three early and you've taken most of the risk off the table.
Come Pick Your Slab This Month
If a holiday kitchen is the goal, the best time to visit is now, while the full range is on the floor and fabricators' calendars still have room. Walk the slabs at our Phoenix Slab Warehouse at 3230 E Washington St, whether you're coming from Gilbert, Tempe or out in Buckeye, and bring a cabinet door or flooring sample if you have one. We sell the slabs; your licensed fabricator handles templating, cutting and installation. Inventory moves quickly this time of year, so give us a call before you head over.