Every year there is a moment in October when the calls change. People stop asking whether they should do the benchtops this year and start asking whether we can still get them in before Christmas. The honest answer is usually yes, as long as the planning starts now.
Because we measure, fabricate and install everything in-house, most projects move from measure to installation within days, not weeks. What fills up in the lead-up to Christmas is the calendar, not the process. Here is how to plan a kitchen renovation or benchtop upgrade that is finished in time for Christmas lunch.
Can You Still Get a New Kitchen Benchtop Before Christmas?
In most cases, yes. A benchtop-only upgrade is one of the fastest kitchen improvements you can make, because your cabinets, layout and appliances stay where they are. The key is to book your measure early, so you have more say over your installation date before the Christmas break.
1. Know Your Budget
Costs add up quickly in any kitchen renovation, so set your budget before you make any design decisions. For a benchtop project, the main factors are:
- The size and shape of your benchtop, and the number of joins
- Sink, cooktop and tap cut-outs
- Your edge profile and benchtop thickness
- Removal of your existing benchtop
- Splashbacks or waterfall ends
Every quote we provide is fully itemised with no hidden fees, so you can see exactly where your budget is going. If you are comparing quotes, read why the cheapest stone benchtop quote can cost you more.
2. Choose the Right Supplier
With a tight timeline, who you work with matters as much as what you choose. Look for a supplier who measures, fabricates and installs in-house, gives you one point of contact, and can confirm your surface is silica-free and compliant with the national ban on high-silica benchtop materials that took effect on 1 July 2024.
Ask to see examples of recent work (you can browse ours in our gallery), and ask how they handle scheduling in the busy weeks before Christmas.
3. Decide What Stays and What Goes
Not every pre-Christmas project needs to be a full renovation. If your cabinets are sound and the layout works, replacing the benchtop on its own can transform the room in a fraction of the time. If you are changing the layout, moving plumbing or replacing cabinetry, allow extra time for those trades before your benchtop can be measured.
4. Make Your Design Decisions Early
The biggest cause of pre-Christmas delays is not fabrication. It is decisions that are still being made. Before your measure, try to settle:
- Your surface and finish
- Your edge profile (our edge profiles guide is the most-read page on our website for a reason)
- Your sink, cooktop and tap models, so the cut-outs are right first time
- Any overhangs, islands or waterfall ends
5. Work Backwards From Christmas
Start with the date you want to be cooking in your new kitchen, then work backwards through each stage: installation, fabrication, measure and quote. Our guide to how long a silica-free benchtop installation takes walks through each stage and where projects most often slow down.
Then book the trades who need to be there around your installation day. Your plumber and electrician will need to disconnect and reconnect your sink and cooktop, and the week before Christmas is the hardest time to find them.
“Christmas never sneaks up on the benchtop. It sneaks up on the booking. The earlier we measure, the more say you have over your installation date.”
Craig Wiseman, Founder, Stone Benchtops Direct
Your Pre-Christmas Benchtop Checklist
- Set your budget and request an itemised quote
- Confirm your cabinets are installed, level and ready
- Choose your surface, edge profile and fixtures
- Book your measure
- Book your plumber and electrician around your installation date
- Clear the kitchen and access path before installation day
Start Planning Now
If a new benchtop is on your list before the holidays, now is the time to start the conversation. We work with homeowners across Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle, with one-on-one support from your first quote to the final install. For a full checklist of what to ask any supplier, download our Benchtop Buyers Guide.
Request a quote today, or call us on 1300 992 868.