Countertop Questions & Answers

Our shop and showroom are at 21950 LaGrange Rd B, Frankfort, IL 60423. We regularly work in Frankfort and nearby towns including Mokena, New Lenox, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Homer Glen, Lockport, Joliet, Manhattan, Matteson, Orland Hills, Plainfield and Lemont, and we serve customers across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Call 815-671-8990 if you are not sure about your location.

See our service area.

Quartz, granite, quartzite, marble, dolomite and porcelain. We have hundreds of materials in stock at our Illinois facility and a quick-turnaround program on more than 150 colors. You can also choose material from one of the many suppliers in the area. All slabs are inspected on arrival.

Compare them on Types of Countertops.

Four steps: (1) Find your color – visit our Frankfort location, choose your slab, edge and sink, and we give you a quote. (2) Measure – we laser-measure your cabinets with a Laser Products LT-2D3D and do a measure review to confirm every detail. If you want a shop ticket review of the layout, seam placement and overhangs, request it in writing at or before the final (laser) measure. Otherwise, we determine the layout, seam placement and overhangs using our professional judgment and industry standards, and you accept those decisions. Before 24 hours after the final (laser) measure, changes are accepted in writing as a paid change order. Starting 24 hours after the final (laser) measure, no changes of any kind are accepted. (3) Fabrication – your countertops are cut on our Baca Robo SawJet and Donatoni 625 Jet. (4) Installation – one of our installation teams installs your new countertops.

Read more about our process and installation.

Jobs over $2,000: a 75% deposit is due at signing. Jobs of $2,000 or less are paid in full at signing.

We do not offer payment terms. On jobs over $2,000, the remaining balance is due in full when the countertop installation is complete, before the crew leaves (jobs of $2,000 or less are paid in full at signing). If you delay installation more than 30 days after fabrication is complete, the remaining balance becomes due at that time. Accepted payment methods: cash, check, and card. If you have provided a card for payment, you authorize us to charge the remaining balance to that card when the countertop installation is complete. Final payment constitutes your acceptance of the completed work, subject to the warranty. If the job includes full-height backsplashes, your acceptance of the full-height backsplash installation takes place when it is installed on the second visit; the one-year warranty for it runs from that date. A returned check or reversed card payment incurs a $25 fee.

Your scheduled time is not a guaranteed start time. It is a window of arrival between 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM or 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. On rare occasions, due to circumstances beyond our control, we may arrive outside the window. There will be only one scheduled measure and one scheduled installation appointment per project (two installation appointments when full-height backsplashes are included). Appointments are not confirmed by phone, so please keep your scheduled window open. Your measure and installation dates are scheduled dates; if weather or another delay beyond our control requires a new date, we'll let you know promptly.

Yes, $150. It applies if you are not available when we arrive and we are unable to measure or install; if a required item (customer-supplied sinks, faucets and appliances, or any other item needing a cutout) is missing at measurement; or if the job site is not ready. Unusual access (more than one flight of stairs, no elevator, or tight hallways) may result in additional charges or rescheduling, and the $150 trip charge applies.

All cabinets, including end panels and legs, must be securely screwed to the wall in their final location. Customer-supplied sinks, faucets, and appliances must be on site at measurement with their cut-out templates. Sinks supplied by Midwest Surfaces are brought by Midwest Surfaces and do not have to be at your home at measurement. All other appliances (cooktops, vents, and similar items) and any other items requiring cutouts must be at your home at measurement; any new appliances must be in their final position for both measurement and installation; farm sinks must be fully installed prior to measurement; and all countertops must be cleared. If you want a shop ticket review of the layout, seam placement and overhangs, request it in writing at or before the final (laser) measure. Otherwise, we determine the layout, seam placement and overhangs using our professional judgment and industry standards, and you accept those decisions. Before 24 hours after the final (laser) measure, changes are accepted in writing as a paid change order. Starting 24 hours after the final (laser) measure, no changes of any kind are accepted.

Yes, if you ask. If you want a shop ticket review of the layout, seam placement and overhangs, request it in writing at or before the final (laser) measure. Otherwise, we determine the layout, seam placement and overhangs using our professional judgment and industry standards, and you accept those decisions. Seam locations are chosen for structural integrity and slab yield, and stone-to-stone seams are determined at fabrication in Midwest Surfaces' sole discretion. Before 24 hours after the final (laser) measure, changes are accepted in writing as a paid change order. Starting 24 hours after the final (laser) measure, no changes of any kind are accepted.

A typical kitchen countertop installation takes 3–5 hours on average.

If your job includes full-height backsplashes, they are measured by the installers after the countertops are installed and are installed on a second visit approximately one week later. Full-height backsplash material is thicker than tile, so the screws for your outlets and light switches may not be long enough to resecure them. We do not provide new screws; longer screws are available at local hardware stores such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, or Ace Hardware.

No. We do not reconnect plumbing, install your faucet, or reconnect appliances. You are responsible for disconnecting plumbing, gas, electrical and appliances before installation and for having a licensed plumber or electrician reconnect them. Wait 24 hours after installation before reconnecting plumbing, and do not use the sink or dishwasher until the plumbing is reconnected and the silicone has fully cured.

Tear-out and haul-away of existing countertops is an optional service. It is not included unless it is specifically stated in your contract, so tell us before you sign if you need it. Tear-out creates dust and may cause minor drywall dings or nicks. We are not responsible for damage caused by removing tops that were glued, screwed, or tiled in place, or for hidden conditions found after removal (such as rot, water damage, or uneven cabinets); any repairs are extra.

Yes. All overhangs greater than 8 inches, and any overhang on a 4-inch-wide knee wall, need supports you install in place before installation. Midwest Surfaces does not install supports. We cannot install stone (natural stone or quartz) without proper supports.

Cleaning and sealing natural stone (granite, marble, quartzite, and other natural stone) is the final step of your installation – we apply Miracle Sealants 511 Impregnator. We recommend re-sealing your natural stone every 6 months with 511 Impregnator; damage from failure to reseal natural stone is not covered by warranty. Quartz and porcelain countertops do not require sealing. Never sit, stand, or walk on your stone or quartz countertops.

Quartz is not heat-resistant: hot pans and appliances can cause discoloration or cracking that is not covered by warranty. Our warranty does not cover damage from heat for any material, so always use trivets.

You may cancel by written notice – email to support@mwsurfaces.com or a letter delivered to Midwest Surfaces, 21950 LaGrange Rd B, Frankfort, IL 60423 – received within three (3) business days after signing, and we will refund any deposit or payment in full. After that, you may not cancel and the deposit or payment is non-refundable, except as required by Illinois law, including: if you are 65 or older and signed away from our showroom, you may cancel within 15 business days; if the work is being paid through an insurance claim, you may cancel by written notice to the address above before the earlier of midnight of the fifth business day after your insurer notifies you that all or part of the claim is not covered, or the thirtieth business day after the insurer receives a properly executed proof of loss; and if we fail to begin or complete the work within the time agreed, you may cancel by written demand sent by certified mail. In each case, any payments will be refunded within 10 business days after we receive the notice. If you sign at your home, a Notice of Cancellation form explains your right to cancel before midnight of the third business day.

See the terms summary.

All work is guaranteed to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one (1) year from the date of completion, ordinary wear and tear excepted. If the job includes full-height backsplashes, your acceptance of the full-height backsplash installation takes place when it is installed on the second visit; the one-year warranty for it runs from that date. The warranty is limited to repair or, at our option, replacement of defective materials or workmanship. It does not cover damage from heat (for any material), impact, chemicals, misuse, standing or sitting on countertops, failure to reseal natural stone, settling of the home or cabinets, plumbing leaks, or work by others. Manufacturer warranties on quartz, sinks and other products pass through to you and are handled by the manufacturer. The warranty is void if the balance is unpaid.

Most installations require seams. We choose seam locations for structural integrity and slab yield. Seams are approximately 1/16" wide, filled with color-matched epoxy and made as tight as practical. Seams will be visible – no seam is invisible.