How Long Does Custom Fabrication Take?
Quick Answer
From the day your countertop is templated to the day it's installed, custom fabrication typically takes 1-4 weeks for residential projects. The most common timeline is 7-14 business days. The actual cutting and polishing of the stone takes only 4-8 hours - the rest is scheduling, material coordination, and logistics. Rush jobs can sometimes be completed in 3-5 business days. Commercial projects follow much longer timelines (weeks to months), depending on project size.
TL;DR
- Total residential timeline: 7-14 business days (template to installation)
- Actual stone cutting and fabrication: 4-8 hours for a typical kitchen
- Material sourcing adds 0-10 days if the slab isn't in stock
- Templating takes 1-2 hours on-site
- Installation takes 2-4 hours for most kitchens
- Peak season (spring/summer) can add 1-2 weeks to the timeline
- Rush service is available from many shops for an additional fee (typically 15-30% premium)
Step-by-Step Timeline Breakdown
Step 1: Quoting and Material Selection (1-7 days)
Before fabrication begins, you need a signed contract and material selection. This step varies widely depending on how quickly the homeowner decides.
| Task | Time |
|---|---|
| Initial quote / estimate | Same day to 2 days |
| Homeowner reviews quote | 1-7 days (varies) |
| Slab selection visit (if needed) | 1-3 hours |
| Contract signed, deposit collected | Same day |
Shop efficiency note: Many fabricators still take 15-20 minutes to generate a quote. Shops using quoting software like SlabWise's Quick Quote can generate accurate estimates in about 3 minutes - meaning more quotes go out faster and fewer leads go cold.
Step 2: Material Procurement (0-10 days)
If the selected slab is in the fabricator's inventory, this step takes zero time. If it needs to be ordered from a distributor:
| Scenario | Lead Time |
|---|---|
| Slab in fabricator's yard | 0 days |
| Slab at local distributor | 1-3 days |
| Slab at regional distributor | 3-7 days |
| Special-order material | 5-14 days |
| Imported or rare stone | 2-6 weeks |
Most common materials (popular quartz colors, standard granite) are stocked locally and available within 1-3 days. Exotic materials or specific lot numbers can take significantly longer.
Step 3: Templating (1-2 hours on-site)
Templating is the process of measuring and recording the exact dimensions and layout of the countertop area. This happens at the customer's home.
Digital templating (laser): 30-60 minutes for a standard kitchen. Measurements are captured digitally and transferred directly to the CNC machine. Accuracy: within 1/16 inch.
Physical templating (stick templates): 60-90 minutes for a standard kitchen. Thin strips of material are cut and arranged on the cabinets to create a physical pattern. Slightly less precise than digital.
Prerequisites for templating:
- Cabinets must be fully installed and level
- Sink and cooktop must be on-site (or exact models specified)
- Backsplash tile should be planned (affects countertop depth)
- Plumbing rough-in should be complete
Step 4: Layout and Nesting (1-2 hours)
After templating, the fabrication team lays out the countertop pieces on the slab to:
- Maximize material usage (minimize waste)
- Position seams in optimal locations
- Align veins or patterns where possible
- Identify the best section of the slab for the most visible areas
This step is increasingly done with software. SlabWise's slab nesting tools can optimize layout in minutes, yielding 10-15% better material utilization compared to manual layout.
Step 5: CNC Programming and Cutting (2-4 hours)
The actual stone cutting. A CNC bridge saw or waterjet cuts the slab according to the template specifications.
| Operation | Time |
|---|---|
| CNC program setup | 15-30 minutes |
| Slab cutting (main pieces) | 1-2 hours |
| Sink and cooktop cutouts | 20-40 minutes |
| Edge profiling | 30-60 minutes |
| Polishing edges | 20-40 minutes |
Total CNC time for a standard kitchen (2-4 pieces): 2-4 hours.
Step 6: Finishing (1-3 hours)
After CNC cutting:
- Edge polishing and quality check
- Dry fit of pieces (checking seam alignment)
- Surface inspection for chips, cracks, or defects
- Final measurements confirmed against template
- Pieces staged for delivery
Step 7: Delivery and Installation (2-4 hours)
Installation day:
| Task | Time |
|---|---|
| Load truck and transport | 30-60 minutes |
| Remove old countertop (if applicable) | 30-60 minutes |
| Set new countertop pieces | 30-60 minutes |
| Join seams with epoxy | 20-30 minutes |
| Install sink and cooktop cutout supports | 15-30 minutes |
| Silicone sealing (sink, backsplash) | 15-20 minutes |
| Final leveling and adjustment | 15-20 minutes |
| Cleanup | 15-20 minutes |
Total installation time: 2-4 hours for a standard kitchen.
Full Timeline Summary
| Phase | Duration | Running Total |
|---|---|---|
| Quote + contract | 1-7 days | Days 1-7 |
| Material procurement | 0-10 days | Days 1-17 |
| Templating | 1-2 hours (scheduled 1-5 days out) | Days 2-22 |
| Layout + nesting | 1-2 hours | Same day or next |
| CNC fabrication | 2-4 hours | 1-3 days after template |
| Finishing + QC | 1-3 hours | Same day as CNC |
| Installation | 2-4 hours (scheduled 1-3 days out) | Days 7-28 |
| Typical total | 7-14 business days | - |
What Causes Delays
Material Not in Stock
The most common delay. If the homeowner selects a slab that isn't locally available, the order-to-delivery time for material can add 5-14 days. Encouraging homeowners to select from in-stock slabs speeds up the overall timeline.
Cabinets Not Ready
Templating can't happen until cabinets are fully installed, level, and secured. If a cabinet installation runs behind schedule, the countertop timeline pushes back by exactly the same amount.
Peak Season Backlogs
Spring and summer are peak renovation season. Many fabrication shops see 30-50% higher volume from March through September. This means:
- Longer wait for templating appointments
- Longer fabrication queue
- Longer wait for install crew availability
A project that takes 10 business days in February might take 18-21 business days in June at the same shop.
Change Orders
If the homeowner changes the material, edge profile, or sink model after templating, the process partially or fully restarts. Material swaps may require new procurement. Sink changes require re-templating the cutout area.
Template Errors
Template errors - wrong measurements, missed details, incorrect cutout positions - require re-templating and re-fabrication. This adds a full cycle to the timeline. Template verification tools catch these errors before the stone is cut, but not every shop uses them.
Weather (for Installation)
Primarily an issue for second-floor installations where pieces must be carried through rain or up wet stairs. Most shops will reschedule rather than risk a wet-weather carry.
Rush Service
Many fabrication shops offer expedited timelines for an additional fee:
| Service Level | Timeline | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 7-14 business days | Base price |
| Priority | 5-7 business days | +15-20% |
| Rush | 3-5 business days | +25-35% |
| Emergency (if available) | 1-2 business days | +40-60% |
Rush availability depends on the shop's current workload. During peak season, even rush timelines may be longer than off-season standard timelines.
How Shops Speed Up Their Timeline
Faster Quoting
Shops that generate quotes in 3 minutes instead of 20 minutes get contracts signed faster. The quote-to-contract gap is one of the biggest controllable delays in the process.
Digital Templating
Laser templaters capture measurements 30-50% faster than physical templates and transfer data directly to CNC software - eliminating the manual measurement-to-drawing conversion step.
Template Verification
Verifying templates before cutting catches errors that would otherwise require re-fabrication. A 3-layer template check adds 15 minutes to the pre-production process but can save days if an error is caught.
Nesting Software
Automated slab nesting reduces layout time from 30-60 minutes (manual) to 5-10 minutes (software-assisted). It also optimizes material usage, reducing the chance of needing to source additional material mid-job.
Production Scheduling Software
Shops that schedule production digitally can identify and fill gaps in the CNC queue, batch similar jobs together, and keep the production floor running at higher utilization. Manual scheduling with whiteboards and sticky notes leaves capacity on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the actual stone cutting take?
For a standard kitchen (30-50 sq ft, 2-4 pieces), CNC cutting takes 2-4 hours. This includes setup, cutting, cutouts, and edge profiling. It's the fastest part of the overall process.
Can I get countertops fabricated in one week?
Yes, if the material is in stock and the shop has capacity. One week from template to install is achievable for standard jobs, especially during off-peak months. Expect a rush fee during busy season.
Why does it take 2 weeks if the cutting only takes a few hours?
Scheduling is the bottleneck - waiting for template appointments, CNC queue time, and install crew availability. Each step has to be scheduled around the shop's existing workload and the homeowner's availability.
Does the material type affect fabrication time?
Slightly. Quartzite and porcelain take longer to cut due to their hardness. Marble requires more careful handling. Granite and quartz are the fastest to process. The difference is typically 30-60 minutes of additional fabrication time.
How long does commercial fabrication take?
Much longer - 2-12 months from bid to final installation, depending on project size. A 200-unit apartment building might require 3-4 months of phased fabrication and installation.
What's the fastest possible turnaround?
Some shops can do same-day fabrication for simple jobs (straight countertop, in-stock material, no cutouts). More realistically, 2-3 business days is the fastest for a standard kitchen with cutouts and edge work.
Will my old countertop be removed the same day?
Usually yes. Most fabricators remove the old countertop and install the new one in a single visit. Some shops send a separate crew for demolition the day before, especially if the old countertop is tile or requires extensive removal.
Does template verification add time?
About 15 minutes of pre-production review. But it saves days if an error is caught - avoiding a complete re-template and re-fabrication cycle that would add 5-10 business days.
Speed Up Every Step of Your Timeline
SlabWise helps fabricators compress their production timeline with Quick Quote (3 minutes vs. 20), template verification (catches errors before cutting), and slab nesting (optimizes layout in minutes). The result: faster turnaround and fewer delays.
Start your 14-day free trial to tighten your production schedule.
Sources
- Natural Stone Institute - Fabrication process timelines and benchmarks
- ISFA - Production efficiency standards for fabrication shops
- Stone World Magazine - Industry survey on fabrication lead times
- National Kitchen & Bath Association - Renovation timeline expectations
- Countertop fabrication industry data on CNC processing times
- Laser templating manufacturer specifications (measurement speed data)