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AfterCabinets & Countertops in San Antonio, TX
Cabinets and countertops are the two surfaces you touch most in a kitchen. They carry the daily load of cooking, spills, and slammed drawers, and they set the visual tone for the entire room. At Sawyer Remodel San Antonio, we handle both as a single, coordinated project: custom and semi-custom cabinetry measured and installed to fit your exact wall dimensions, paired with stone, quartz, or solid-surface countertops cut and seamed on site. If your kitchen feels tired but the layout still works, replacing cabinets and countertops is usually the highest-impact remodel you can do without moving a wall.
We are a general contractor operating under the Relay Home Co. family since 2005, and every cabinet and countertop job we run in San Antonio follows The Relay Standard: a written price before work starts, live arrival time tracking, and before-and-after photo updates. You’ll know what you’re paying, who’s walking through your door, and what got done at the end of each day. Call us at (432) 547-6806 to talk through your kitchen, or read more about how this fits into a full Kitchen Remodeling in San Antonio project.
When You Need Cabinets & Countertops
Some kitchens need a full gut. Most don’t. Here’s what tells us, and what should tell you, that cabinets and countertops are the right scope of work:
- Your cabinet boxes are solid, but the doors and faces are shot. If the frames are square and the hinges mount cleanly, refacing or replacing doors and drawer fronts can save you thousands over a full tear-out. We’ll tell you honestly which route makes sense in your home.
- Laminate counters are peeling, stained, or burned. San Antonio heat and sun exposure through kitchen windows is rough on laminate. Once the top layer separates at the seams near the sink, water gets in and the substrate swells. That’s a replacement, not a repair.
- Drawers stick, sag, or slam shut. Worn slides and soft-close failures are a sign the hardware outlived its service life. You shouldn’t need two hands to open a drawer in a kitchen you own.
- You bought the house with the previous owner’s “starter” kitchen. Builder-grade oak cabinets and builder-grade laminate counters are everywhere in San Antonio homes built between 1995 and 2015. Replacing them with KraftMaid or Wellborn cabinetry and Cambria or Caesarstone counters changes how the whole house feels.
- You’re selling within two years and the kitchen is the weak room. If every other room in the house presents well but the kitchen looks dated, cabinets and countertops are the highest-return finish you can replace. San Antonio buyers in neighborhoods like Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, and the Monte Vista historic district will walk away over a bad kitchen faster than any other room.
- One section failed and you can’t match it. A water-damaged sink base or a burned section of counter near the range can’t always be patched. If the existing material is discontinued or faded, a partial replacement looks worse than doing the full run. We price both options so you can decide with real numbers in hand.
How Much Do Cabinets & Countertops Cost in San Antonio?
For a typical 10-foot-by-10-foot San Antonio kitchen, new cabinets and countertops run between $14,000 and $38,000, with most of our projects landing in the $18,000 to $26,000 range. That’s the honest spread, and we put the number in writing before a single tool is picked up. The invoice you approve is the invoice you pay.
What Drives the Price
- Cabinet construction. Stock cabinets from a big-box supplier cost the least. Semi-custom lines like KraftMaid and Wellborn, which we regularly specify, let you choose door styles, finishes, storage inserts, and depth adjustments without going full custom. Fully custom, built-to-the-inch cabinetry costs the most and makes sense when you have an odd wall, a curved corner, or very specific storage needs.
- Countertop material. Laminate is the cheapest at $25 to $50 per square foot installed. Granite and quartz run $65 to $120 per square foot in San Antonio, depending on stone selection and edge profile. Cambria and Caesarstone quartz sit at the higher end because of the brand warranty and consistency. Solid butcher block falls between laminate and stone.
- Linear footage and layout. A single-wall kitchen costs less than a U-shaped kitchen with a peninsula. More cabinets mean more boxes, more hardware, more crown molding, more labor. It’s simple math.
- Demolition and disposal. If your existing cabinets are glued and screwed to the studs, removal takes real time. San Antonio’s solid waste fees are also real, and we factor them into the written price so they don’t surprise you later.
- Plumbing and electrical adjustments. If you’re changing counter heights or moving a sink, the plumber and electrician enter the equation. We’re a general contractor, so we schedule and manage every trade. That coordination is part of the price, not an add-on.
| Scope | San Antonio Price Range |
|---|---|
| Laminate countertop replacement only | $1,800 – $4,200 |
| Full cabinet replacement, 10×10 kitchen, mid-range semi-custom | $9,000 – $18,000 |
| Quartz or granite countertops, full kitchen | $4,500 – $9,500 |
| Combined cabinets + stone countertops, typical kitchen | $14,000 – $38,000 |
| Custom cabinetry with premium storage inserts and lighting | $22,000 – $45,000+ |
These are real numbers for the San Antonio market, not national averages. Your exact price depends on your kitchen’s footprint, your material choices, and how much of the existing structure we’re keeping. Call (432) 547-6806 and we’ll give you a line-item written estimate, free. You shouldn’t have to call just to know if your project is even in the ballpark, which is why these ranges are printed right here.
Our Cabinets & Countertops Process
Every kitchen we handle runs the same way. No surprises, no ghosting, no price changes at the door. Here’s what you’ll experience when you work with Sawyer Remodel San Antonio:
- Measure and consult. We come to your home, take every dimension that matters, and look at how you actually use the kitchen. Where do you prep? What’s the traffic pattern? Do you need a pull-out trash, a spice drawer, a blind-corner solution? We spec cabinets around your cooking, not around a catalog photo.
- Written price before work starts. You get a line-item proposal that breaks down cabinets, countertops, labor, delivery, and any subcontractor work. The number on that sheet is the number on the invoice. If something changes mid-project, we re-price it in writing before we proceed. The Relay Visibility Guarantee is how we’ve worked since 2005.
- Material selection and template. You choose your cabinet line, door style, finish, and countertop material. Once the cabinets are ordered, the countertop fabricator templates the installed cabinet bases so the stone fits the actual built dimensions, not the drawing. That’s how you avoid fat caulk joints and sloppy overhangs.
- Demolition and install. We remove the old cabinets and counters, repair any wall or floor damage behind them, and install the new boxes level and square. Shims, screws, and a laser level are the language we speak. Doors and hardware go on last, after everything is aligned.
- Countertop fabrication and seaming. Stone slabs are cut at the fabricator’s shop, then brought to your home for seaming and install. A typical kitchen requires one or two seams. We tell you where seams will land before cutting so there are no surprises when the slab arrives.
- Walkthrough and 365-Day Done Right Promise. After the job is finished, we walk through with you, touch up anything that’s not right, and hand you the written guarantee. If it’s not done right within a year, we make it right. That’s a standing commitment on every job, not a line item you have to ask for.
We also handle the parts of the job most contractors delegate into a void. Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, so you know exactly who is at your door before they knock. Our phone is answered by a live person, 24/7, at (432) 547-6806. If you call, you talk to a human. If you text, you get a response. No callback queues.
Cabinets & Countertops Materials We Specify in San Antonio
We don’t buy mystery material from a wholesale liquidation bin. The brands we specify carry manufacturer warranties and are supplied through established distributors, which means your parts show up on time and correct. For cabinetry, we regularly install KraftMaid and Wellborn product lines, both of which offer plywood box construction, soft-close hardware, and a wide range of door profiles. For countertops, we specify Cambria and Caesarstone quartz for most projects because they hold up to San Antonio’s sunlight, spills, and hot pans without the sealing schedule that natural stone demands. Granite, marble, and butcher block are also available when the look calls for it.
We also pull fixture lines from Kohler and Toto when the project includes a sink or faucet replacement, which most countertop projects do. You don’t have to source any of this yourself, but you’ll make every decision with a brand name and a warranty attached.
What to Check Before Booking a Cabinet & Countertop Contractor in San Antonio
San Antonio has hundreds of kitchen contractors. Many are one person with a truck and a WhatsApp number. Some are legitimate. Here’s what separates the ones who finish from the ones who disappear mid-project:
- Written price, not a verbal ballpark. If a contractor won’t put the price in writing before work starts, walk. The Relay Visibility Guarantee at Sawyer Remodel San Antonio exists specifically because verbal quotes evaporate.
- Specified materials on the quote. “Quartz countertops” isn’t a spec. A specific Cambria or Caesarstone color, the edge profile, the backsplash height, and the sink cutout are a spec. We write it all down.
- Who is doing the work? Background-checked employees or day-labor subs? You have a right to know. Our technicians are uniformed, vetted, and you get their name before they arrive.
- What happens if something fails? A real contractor answers this without blinking. Our answer is the 365-Day Done Right Promise, backed in writing. If the repair fails within the year, we return and fix it. No arguments, no charge.
FAQs – Cabinets & Countertops
Is it cheaper to reface cabinets or replace them?
Refacing costs roughly 40 to 60 percent of a full replacement, and it makes sense when your existing cabinet boxes are square, solid, and laid out in a way that works for you. In San Antonio homes with quality 1990s and 2000s cabinet boxes, refacing with new KraftMaid doors, drawer fronts, and soft-close hardware often delivers 80 percent of the visual impact for about half the price. Write down your cabinet brand and approximate layout, then call (432) 547-6806. After a look at your kitchen, we’ll tell you which route actually makes sense and price both options in writing.
How long does a cabinet and countertop replacement take in San Antonio?
A typical cabinet and countertop replacement takes three to six weeks from material order to final walkthrough. Cabinet lead times from KraftMaid and Wellborn run two to four weeks depending on the line and finish, and stone fabrication runs five to ten business days after the cabinets are installed and templated. We schedule the countertop template the moment the cabinets are set so we’re not losing days between trades. If you need the kitchen functional sooner, we can discuss temporary surfaces or phased installation on the first call.
Can you install new countertops without replacing the cabinets?
Yes, as long as the cabinet boxes are structurally sound and level enough to carry stone. We install new Cambria, Caesarstone, granite, or butcher block counters over existing cabinets frequently in San Antonio, particularly in kitchens where the cabinets were already updated but the counters were left behind as builder laminate. Before quoting, we check the cabinet tops for deflection, inspect for water damage at the sink base, and verify the existing substrate meets the stone fabricator’s requirements. This is a lower-cost refresh that can be done in five to eight business days once the slab is selected. Call (432) 547-6806 and we’ll measure whether it works in your kitchen.
What countertop material holds up best in San Antonio heat and sun?
Quartz is the most durable countertop for San Antonio’s climate because it’s non-porous, resists UV fading far better than most materials, and never needs sealing. Granite handles heat well but requires periodic sealing to protect against stains. Marble etches and stains, which makes it a poor fit for a hard-working kitchen, though we install it for clients who accept the maintenance. Laminate is the most affordable but the least resistant to heat and moisture damage. For most homes, we recommend Cambria or Caesarstone quartz. Both carry manufacturer warranties and stand up to the daily reality of a San Antonio kitchen.
Cabinet and Countertop Warning Signs We See Across San Antonio
After nearly two decades of kitchens in this city, we can tell you what’s coming before it happens. Here’s what we regularly see in Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Stone Oak, Helotes, and the older neighborhoods inside Loop 410:
- Sink base water damage. The most common cabinet failure by far. A leaking P-trap or drain gasket rots the cabinet floor under the sink, and by the time you see the peeling finish or the musty smell, the plywood is already compromised. We replace the sink base, re-plumb the drain, and often re-level the cabinet run.
- Laminate de-lamination at the seams. When laminate counters meet at an inside corner, water works into the seam and separates the top layer from the substrate. This is a heat and humidity failure, and San Antonio has both. Once it starts, there’s no repair that holds. We sell replacement, not patch.
- Hinge and slide failure on builder cabinets. The concealed hinges and roller slides used on many 1990s to 2010s builder installations have a service life of roughly 15 to 20 years. When they fail, doors won’t hang straight and drawers bind. We replace the hardware or the entire cabinet, depending on what the budget supports.
- Counter overhang cracking at bar seating. Stone counters that overhang more than 12 inches without bracket support will crack under repeated weight. We see it on breakfast bars and peninsula overhangs across San Antonio. We spec steel brackets or corbels on every overhang over 10 inches, consistently.
None of these are theoretical. They’re the calls we answer every week. When you call (432) 547-6806 about a specific problem in your kitchen, you’re talking to someone who has seen and fixed that exact failure before.
Why San Antonio Homeowners Choose Sawyer Remodel San Antonio
San Antonio’s remodeling market is loud. Every contractor claims to be the best, the cheapest, the fastest. We don’t make that argument. Here’s what we do instead:
- We put the price in writing. Always. Before any work begins. If you’ve ever been burned by a verbal quote that grew at the invoice, you already know why this matters. The number on the invoice is the number you approved.
- We tell you who is coming. Background-checked, uniformed technicians. You get their name before they arrive. No menagerie of unannounced subcontractors.
- We answer the phone. 24/7, live. (432) 547-6806. A human picks up. That’s the standard, not the exception.
- We guarantee every job for a full year. The 365-Day Done Right Promise means if it’s not done right, we make it right. No fine print, no exclusions on labor.
- We specify name-brand materials. KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinets. Cambria and Caesarstone counters. Kohler and Toto fixtures. You’re not buying a mystery. You’re buying manufacturer-backed product installed by a crew that stands behind its work.
If you’re considering a kitchen update in San Antonio, start with a conversation. We’ll listen to what your kitchen actually needs, price the work honestly, and tell you if there’s a better use of your budget. That might mean cabinets and counters. It might mean a smaller intervention. Either way, you’ll get a straight answer. Call (432) 547-6806 for a free estimate, or visit our home page to see the full scope of what we do.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner at Sawyer Remodel San Antonio, serving San Antonio.
