Cabinets & Countertops in Sunset - Same-Day Service, Done Right the First Time

Cabinets & Countertops in Sunset, FL: Timeline, Cost, and What to Expect

Cabinets and countertops in Sunset typically run $6,000-$19,500 for a standard kitchen refresh and take 2-3 weeks from demo to final cleanup. Most jobs we handle in the 33173 corridor are part of a full Kitchen Remodeling in Sunset project, though we’ll tackle the cabinet and countertop scope alone when that’s what the homeowner needs. Call (844) 665-0162 to schedule a free on-site estimate and we’ll bring sample boards from KraftMaid, Wellborn, Cambria, and Silestone so you can decide on materials during that first visit.

Call (844) 665-0162

How We Handle Cabinets and Countertops From First Measurement to Final Caulk

We’ve refined this into a five-stage process that keeps Sunset kitchens functional as long as possible and eliminates the “surprise” days that throw off a family’s routine.

Stage 1: Field measure and decision lock (Day 1, 2-3 hours on site)

We arrive with cabinet door samples, countertop slabs on a mobile rack, and our laser measure. This is when you choose door style, finish, hardware, and countertop material. We also photograph every existing condition: the state of your wall behind the backsplash, whether your uppers are screwed into block or furring strips, and any plumbing or electrical that sits inside cabinet boxes. Decisions made today determine lead times. Stock KraftMaid cabinets ship in 2-3 weeks; custom Wellborn runs 6-8.

Stage 2: Order and shop drawing approval (Week 1-2, no site presence)

We generate shop drawings showing every cabinet dimension, hinge location, and countertop seam placement. You approve these in writing. We also submit for permit if the job touches plumbing, electrical, or load-bearing walls. In Sunset, this means Miami-Dade County review, and we’ll explain why that matters in the section below.

Stage 3: Demo and rough prep (Day 1 of site work, 1-2 days)

We remove existing cabinets, countertops, and sinks. If we’re keeping your flooring, we protect it with Masonite and tape every edge. This is when we discover what the field measure couldn’t show: water damage under the sink base, termite-eaten sill plates behind the toekick, or a prior homeowner’s DIY wiring that needs correction. We photograph anything unexpected and text you before proceeding.

Stage 4: Cabinet install and countertop templating (Days 2-5)

Lower cabinets go in first, leveled on shims and screwed through the back rail into structure, not just drywall. Uppers follow, with temporary ledger boards for support. Once cabinets are set, our countertop fabricator returns to create the final template. This is not the day-of measure; it’s a second, precise pass that accounts for the actual installed cabinet run. For quartz from Cambria or Silestone, fabrication takes 5-7 business days. For natural stone, 7-10.

Stage 5: Countertop install, plumbing reconnect, and final punch (Days 6-10)

Countertops arrive on A-frames. We seam at the sink cutout when possible to hide the joint. Undermount sinks get epoxied and clamped; drop-ins get sealed with color-matched silicone. Your plumber reconnects water and drain, or our crew does if that’s in our scope. We adjust every drawer glide, align every door, and leave you with touch-up paint and a care sheet specific to your finish.

The Cabinet and Countertop Choices That Actually Change Your Kitchen

These are the decisions that move your price and your daily experience. We’ve stripped out the marketing language and given you the honest trade-offs we discuss with Sunset homeowners in their living rooms.

• Stock vs. semi-custom vs. custom cabinets: Stock KraftMaid boxes come in 3-inch width increments. If your kitchen walls aren’t perfectly square, you get filler strips. Semi-custom Wellborn lets us order 1/8-inch increments and modify depths, which matters in Sunset’s smaller 1960s ranch kitchens where every inch counts. Custom is rarely necessary unless you’re matching existing millwork in a historic home.
• Frameless European vs. face-frame construction: Frameless gives you slightly more interior space and a contemporary look, but the hinges are hidden and harder to adjust long-term. Face-frame is more forgiving of wall irregularities, which we see often in the post-Andrew rebuilds where drywall was floated over uneven block.
• Painted MDF vs. stained hardwood doors: Painted finishes show every fingerprint and chip; they’re beautiful but high-maintenance. Stained maple or cherry hides wear and can be spot-repaired. In Sunset’s humidity, we specify catalyzed conversion varnish on painted jobs, not standard lacquer, or you’ll see peeling within two years.
• Quartz vs. granite vs. solid surface countertops: Cambria and Silestone quartz are non-porous and don’t need sealing, but they’re sensitive to heat above 300°F and can discolor with direct sun through west-facing windows. Granite handles heat but needs annual sealing and can stain with red wine or oil left overnight. Solid surface like Corian scratches easily but can be sanded and renewed; it’s the only choice if you want a fully integrated sink with no seam.
• 3cm vs. 2cm countertop thickness with laminated edge: 3cm looks substantial and needs no buildup; 2cm with a laminated edge saves $8-$12 per square foot but the seam line is visible on close inspection. Most Sunset homeowners choose 3cm quartz once they see both in person.
• Undermount vs. drop-in sink: Undermount is standard now for good reason, it lets you wipe crumbs straight into the sink. But it requires solid surface or quartz; laminate countertops can’t support the edge. If you’re keeping laminate to save money, you’re locked into a drop-in.

What Cabinets and Countertops Cost in Sunset, FL

These ranges reflect what we quote for Kitchen Remodeling projects in the Fort Lauderdale market, which covers our Sunset work. The low end gets you stock cabinets with painted MDF doors and a mid-tier quartz in a straightforward rectangular kitchen. The high end brings custom Wellborn with dovetail drawers, full-overlay hardwood doors, and a Cambria slab with waterfall edges on a peninsula.

Five variables push you up or down:

• Kitchen footprint: A 10×10 kitchen with 12 cabinets vs. a 14×16 with 24 cabinets and a full-height pantry doubles your cabinet cost before you choose a different grade.
• Existing condition: Rotted subfloor under the sink, termite damage in the toekick, or a prior DIYer’s unpermitted electrical adds remediation days and materials.
• Plumbing or electrical relocation: Moving a sink from an exterior wall to an island means trenching the slab for drain and vent, which in Sunset’s shallow water table can mean dewatering. That’s a $1,500-$4,000 add.
• Material grade and brand tier: The jump from KraftMaid’s standard line to their Vantage collection is roughly 35%. Cambria’s designer series runs 20% above their classic colors.
• Permit scope and Miami-Dade NOA verification: If your job triggers structural review, we spend additional hours on documentation and inspection scheduling. This is labor cost, not markup.

Our written estimates include cabinets, countertops, hardware, installation, and basic plumbing reconnect. They do not include appliance upgrades, flooring replacement, or permit fees paid directly to Miami-Dade County.

What Sunset Homes Specifically Do to This Job

Sunset sits in unincorporated Miami-Dade County within the corridor that bore the brunt of Hurricane Andrew’s 1992 destruction, leaving a neighborhood patchwork of pre-Andrew CBS homes with substandard roof-to-wall connections alongside post-1992 rebuilds that had to meet the newly overhauled Miami-Dade code. Any construction or renovation on pre-1993 structures here triggers mandatory upgrades to hurricane strapping, impact-resistant openings, and structural connections that contractors in neighboring Broward County simply do not encounter at the same rate or under the same scrutiny.

For cabinets and countertops specifically, this matters when your kitchen remodel touches a window over the sink or a sliding glass door adjacent to the cabinet run. Replace that window and you’ll need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance product, verified NOA number on the plans, and inspection sign-off before you can install the cabinet that butts against it. We’ve seen out-of-county crews substitute a code-compliant window from their usual supplier only to fail inspection and delay cabinet install by three weeks while they reorder.

The 33173 housing stock is dominated by 1960s-1980s single-story CBS ranch homes built during Miami-Dade’s post-war suburban expansion westward. Many retain original flat or low-slope roofs with aging wood decking. When we remove upper cabinets on an exterior wall, we often find no structural sheathing behind the drywall, just furring strips and block. That doesn’t stop cabinet installation, but it changes our fastening strategy and sometimes reveals moisture intrusion from roof leaks that the homeowner hadn’t noticed.

Sunset’s shallow water table, sitting just east of the Everglades on flat oolitic limestone, means any slab work, even minor trenching for an island drain, can hit groundwater. We plan for this on the front end rather than discovering it mid-demolition.

Frequently Asked - Cabinets & Countertops in Sunset

Get Your Free Estimate for Cabinets and Countertops in Sunset

We’ll come to your home in Sunset, measure your kitchen, bring samples from our cabinet and countertop partners, and give you a written estimate with line-item pricing before we leave. No deposit required to schedule, and no pressure to decide on the spot. Call (844) 665-0162 or fill out the form on this page. Most Kitchen Remodeling in Sunset estimates take 45 minutes, and we’ll also note anything your home’s specific condition, pre-Andrew or post-Andrew, might add to the scope.

Homeowners updating their kitchens in Sunset often pair this work with a bathroom refresh. If you’re considering both, ask us about Walk-In Showers & Shower Remodeling in Sunset or a Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Sunset during your estimate, we can sequence the work to minimize total disruption.

Written by Raymond Estevez, Owner at Groundwork Construction Co., serving Sunset and South Florida homeowners since our founding.