By the Templateez Team · Licensed Attorney · June 2026

Cabinet & Countertop Intake Forms: What Installers Need to Capture at Project Intake

A cabinet and countertop project that starts without a thorough intake is a project that will generate change orders, material delays, and unhappy clients. The homeowner wants a kitchen transformation. You want a profitable job with no surprises. The gap between those two outcomes is almost always a documentation gap — details that should have been captured in the first conversation but were not.

Cabinet and countertop work involves more specification depth than most home improvement trades. You are selecting materials that take weeks or months to arrive, coordinating with plumbers and electricians, templating stone surfaces to a sixteenth of an inch, and managing client expectations about finish, hardware, and edge profiles that most homeowners have never thought about before. All of that starts with a proper cabinet and countertop intake form that captures the full scope before a single measurement is taken.

Project type: define the job before you quote it

Cabinet and countertop work spans a wide range of project complexity, and your intake needs to classify the job before anything else. A cabinet refacing and a full kitchen renovation with custom cabinetry are entirely different projects in terms of timeline, budget, subcontractor coordination, and material procurement. Your intake form should present clear project categories:

• Cabinet refacing — keeping the existing cabinet boxes and replacing only the doors, drawer fronts, and veneer. This is the fastest and least expensive cabinet upgrade, but it only works when the existing boxes are structurally sound. Your intake should note box condition.
• Cabinet refinishing or painting — no new components, just a new finish on the existing doors and frames. This requires noting the current finish type (stained wood, painted, thermofoil) because each strips and prepares differently.
• New cabinet installation — kitchen, bathroom, laundry, or garage — full tear-out and replacement. The room matters because kitchen cabinets involve plumbing, electrical, and appliance coordination that a garage storage cabinet project does not.
• Countertop replacement only — no cabinet work involved. The client keeps existing cabinets and replaces only the countertop surface. This is a common standalone project, especially when upgrading from laminate to stone.
• Full kitchen or bathroom renovation with cabinets and countertops — the most complex project type. Requires coordinating with flooring, plumbing, electrical, backsplash, and sometimes structural work. Your intake becomes the project master document.
• Commercial cabinetry — office, medical, or retail — different requirements from residential. Commercial projects involve ADA compliance, fire-rated materials, commercial-grade hardware, and often architect or designer specifications that must be followed exactly.

Getting the project type right at intake determines every downstream decision — what you quote, what you order, which subcontractors you engage, and how long the project takes.

Cabinet specifications: style, material, construction, and layout

Cabinets are the single largest cost component in most kitchen projects, and the specification options are vast. A client who says "I want white shaker cabinets" has communicated about ten percent of what you need to know. Your intake form should walk through every specification layer:

Door style. Shaker is the most popular, but the variations matter — shaker, raised panel, flat panel (slab), beadboard, glass front, or a combination. Many kitchens use glass fronts on upper display cabinets and solid doors everywhere else. Document which style applies to which cabinet location.

Material. The material determines price, durability, and finish options. Solid wood species — maple, cherry, oak, birch, hickory, alder — each have distinct grain patterns and stain characteristics. Plywood boxes with solid wood doors are the most common mid-range option. MDF takes paint well but cannot be stained. Thermofoil is budget-friendly but cannot be refinished. Laminate is the most economical but limits design options. Your intake should capture the material for both cabinet boxes and door fronts, because they are often different.

Construction type. Framed cabinets have a face frame attached to the front of the cabinet box — this is the traditional American construction style and offers more structural rigidity. Frameless (European) cabinets have no face frame, which means slightly more interior storage space and a more contemporary look, but requires precise installation on perfectly level walls. This distinction affects your installation approach, your shim requirements, and your hardware compatibility.

Finish. Painted (most popular — note the exact color and sheen), stained (specify the stain color and whether it is a penetrating or gel stain), natural (clear-coated to show raw wood grain), glazed (a secondary finish applied over paint or stain for an aged look), or distressed (intentional wear marks for a rustic aesthetic). Finish selection must happen at intake because it drives material selection — you do not order MDF for a stained finish.

Hardware. Knobs, pulls, or a combination. Soft-close hinges — standard on most modern cabinets or offered as an upgrade on budget lines. Pull size and finish (brushed nickel, matte black, brass, chrome). Whether the client is supplying their own hardware or purchasing through you. Hardware selection affects door drilling, so this cannot be decided after doors are manufactured.

Layout and cabinet types. Document every cabinet planned: base cabinets, wall cabinets, tall pantry cabinets, island cabinets. Then the specialty units — lazy Susan corner cabinets, pull-out drawer inserts, spice rack pull-outs, trash and recycling pull-outs, wine racks, appliance garages, tray dividers, and pot-and-pan drawers. Count the number of each cabinet type. This is what drives your material order and your quote.

Countertop specifications: material, edge, thickness, and cutouts

If cabinets are the backbone of the project, countertops are the surface the client will touch, see, and judge every single day. The specification details here are critical because stone fabrication is a one-shot process — you cannot fix a wrong edge profile or a poorly placed seam after the slab has been cut.

Material. Each countertop material has different fabrication requirements, lead times, and price points. Granite — natural stone, every slab unique, requires sealing. Quartz — engineered stone, consistent patterns, non-porous, most popular residential choice. Marble — beautiful but etches easily, requires regular sealing, often limited to bathrooms or low-use areas. Quartzite — natural stone often confused with quartz, extremely hard, premium pricing. Soapstone — develops a patina over time, heat-resistant, limited color range. Butcher block — warm aesthetic, requires oiling, not ideal near sinks without proper sealing. Laminate — budget option, wide variety of patterns, seamed at corners. Solid surface (Corian) — seamless, repairable, mid-range price. Concrete — custom-formed, heavy, requires structural support verification. Tile — grout maintenance, typically used in specific design styles.

Edge profile. This is the shape machined into the front edge of the countertop. Eased (slightly rounded, simple, most affordable), beveled (angled cut), bullnose (fully rounded), ogee (S-curve, traditional, more expensive to fabricate), or mitered waterfall (the slab continues down the side of the island or peninsula at a 90-degree angle — the most dramatic and most expensive option). Edge profile is a fabrication instruction, so it must be locked before templating.

Thickness. Standard options are 2cm (approximately 3/4 inch, lighter and less expensive, sometimes requires plywood substrate) and 3cm (approximately 1-1/4 inches, the standard for most residential granite and quartz installations, no substrate needed). Thickness affects weight, overhang support requirements, and price per square foot.

Backsplash. Full-height backsplash (slab runs from countertop to upper cabinets — dramatic, expensive, requires precise measurement around outlets), standard 4-inch backsplash (a matching strip of the same stone), tile backsplash (separate trade, but your templating needs to account for the tile thickness), or no backsplash at all. This decision affects your template measurements and your material order quantity.

Sink and cooktop cutouts. Undermount sink (cut and polished from below — the most common choice with stone countertops), drop-in sink (simpler cutout, the sink rim sits on top), or farmhouse/apron-front sink (requires a specialized cabinet and a precise cutout with a finished front edge). Cooktop cutout — capture the exact model number so the fabricator can reference the manufacturer's cutout template. Every cutout is irreversible.

Seams. Any countertop run longer than a single slab (typically over 120 inches) requires a seam. Document the number of anticipated seams and their planned placement — ideally at the least visible locations. Seam placement is both a structural and aesthetic decision, and clients who are not told about seams in advance are often unhappy when they discover them.

Overhang. Standard overhang is 1 to 1.5 inches past the cabinet face. Island overhangs for bar seating are typically 12 to 15 inches and require corbels or steel brackets for support — any overhang exceeding 10 inches without support risks cracking. Document the overhang requirement for every exposed edge, especially islands and peninsulas.

Measurements: the numbers that drive everything

Accurate measurements are the foundation of a cabinet and countertop project. Your intake form should capture both the overall kitchen layout and the specific dimensions that affect material ordering and installation:

• Kitchen layout type — L-shape, U-shape, galley, single wall, or island. The layout determines traffic flow, work triangle efficiency, and how many linear feet of cabinetry and countertop you are quoting.
• Cabinet run — linear feet per wall — measure each wall run separately. This is how cabinet pricing is often quoted (per linear foot for stock and semi-custom), and how you determine how many individual cabinet units fit each run.
• Countertop square footage — total surface area including islands, peninsulas, and bar tops. Stone countertops are priced per square foot, so this is a direct input to your material cost calculation.
• Ceiling height — standard 8-foot ceilings accept standard 30-inch or 36-inch wall cabinets. 9-foot or 10-foot ceilings open the option for 42-inch wall cabinets or stacked cabinets with crown molding. Ceiling height also determines whether crown molding is practical and what filler strips are needed.
• Window and door locations — every window above a countertop affects wall cabinet placement. Every doorway affects base cabinet runs. Document the exact position, width, and height of every opening.
• Existing dimensions — are the current cabinets standard depth (24 inches for base, 12 inches for wall) or something different? Older homes sometimes have non-standard depths that affect replacement options. Note any deviations.

Demolition and prep: what comes out before anything goes in

Cabinet and countertop installation is never just installation. There is always demolition, and the scope of that demolition directly affects your timeline, your labor cost, and the number of trades you need to coordinate:

• Existing cabinet removal — are you removing all existing cabinets? Just uppers? Just lowers? Are the existing cabinets built-in or modular? Built-in cabinets from older homes can require significant wall repair after removal.
• Countertop removal — this is often a separate scope item from cabinet removal. A granite slab on top of existing cabinets is heavy, fragile, and requires careful extraction. Laminate countertops are simpler but may be glued down. Document whether the client wants the old countertop disposed of or kept.
• Flooring — are the current cabinets sitting on top of the finished floor, or was the flooring installed around them? If the flooring was installed around the cabinets, removing the cabinets reveals an unfinished strip that needs to be addressed before new cabinets go in. This is one of the most common surprises in kitchen renovation.
• Wall repair after demolition — removing cabinets often damages drywall. Removing a tile backsplash almost always damages the wall surface behind it. Document the expected wall condition and whether wall repair is included in your scope or handled by a separate trade.
• Plumbing disconnect and reconnect — sink supply and drain lines, dishwasher supply and drain, ice maker line, pot filler rough-in. Document what needs to be disconnected before demolition and reconnected after installation. Is this handled by your crew or does the client need a separate plumber?
• Electrical — outlets behind the countertop backsplash area, under-cabinet lighting, in-cabinet lighting, outlet placement for built-in appliances (microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal). New cabinet layouts often require outlet relocation, which means an electrician and possibly a permit.
• Appliance removal and reinstall — stove, dishwasher, microwave (especially over-the-range models that mount to the wall and cabinet above), range hood. Document which appliances need to be removed for the project and whether they are being reinstalled or replaced. New appliances should be ordered and on-site before cabinet installation begins — you cannot install a dishwasher cabinet without knowing the dishwasher dimensions.

For projects that extend beyond the kitchen into a whole-house renovation, the demolition and coordination requirements multiply. Our home remodeling intake form guide covers the broader scope management that those projects require.

Template and fabrication for stone countertops

Stone countertop fabrication is a distinct phase that has its own intake requirements. If your project includes granite, quartz, marble, or quartzite, these details must be documented:

• Template date — templating happens after cabinets are installed and leveled, never before. The template captures the exact dimensions of every countertop surface as it actually exists, not as the drawings predicted. Your intake should note the anticipated template date relative to cabinet installation completion.
• Slab selection — for natural stone (granite, marble, quartzite), the client should visit the stone yard to select their specific slab. Every natural slab is unique. A client who chooses a color from a sample chip and then sees the full slab with different veining patterns will be disappointed. Document whether the slab has been selected, and if not, schedule the yard visit.
• Remnant availability — for smaller countertop areas (bathroom vanities, laundry room), remnant pieces left over from larger jobs are significantly less expensive than purchasing a full slab. Document whether remnants are acceptable to the client and whether your fabricator has suitable inventory.
• Template-to-install lead time — typically 5 to 10 business days from template to installation, depending on fabricator workload and material availability. This lead time must be communicated at intake because it creates a gap in the project timeline where the kitchen has cabinets but no countertops — and therefore no functioning sink.
• Seam plan — the fabricator determines seam placement based on slab size and countertop geometry, but the client should approve the plan before cutting begins. Document any client preferences about seam location.
• Overhang support — corbels, steel L-brackets, or plywood subtops for overhangs exceeding 10 inches. The support method should match the design aesthetic — decorative corbels for traditional kitchens, hidden steel brackets for contemporary designs. Document the support approach and confirm the island or peninsula cabinet can handle the additional weight.

Pricing: how cabinet and countertop jobs are quoted

Cabinet and countertop pricing has multiple components, and your intake form should establish the pricing structure so the client understands what drives the total cost:

• Cabinets — per linear foot or per cabinet — stock cabinets are often quoted per linear foot. Semi-custom and custom cabinets are typically quoted per individual cabinet unit. Your intake should clarify which method you use.
• Cabinet grade — stock (off-the-shelf from home improvement stores, limited sizes and styles, lowest cost), semi-custom (standard sizes with more style, finish, and configuration options, mid-range pricing, 4-to-8-week lead time), or custom (built to exact specifications, any size or configuration, highest cost, 8-to-16-week lead time). The grade selection is the single biggest driver of cabinet cost.
• Countertop — per square foot by material — laminate and tile at the low end, granite and quartz in the mid-range, marble and quartzite at the high end, with mitered waterfall edges adding significant fabrication cost. Quote material and fabrication together or separately, but make the breakdown clear.
• Installation labor — separate from material cost. Cabinet installation and countertop installation are often priced as distinct line items, especially when different crews handle each phase.
• Demolition — a separate line item. Clients are often surprised that tearing out old cabinets costs money. Documenting demolition as its own line at intake prevents sticker shock on the final proposal.
• Plumbing and electrical — are these included in your scope or contracted separately? If separately, provide a rough estimate range at intake so the client budgets for the full project cost, not just the cabinet portion.
• Hardware — included in the cabinet price, or client-supplied? If included, is there a per-unit allowance with upgrades available? Hardware on a 30-cabinet kitchen at $8 to $15 per pull adds $240 to $450 — not trivial.
• Delivery charge — stock cabinets from a distributor, custom cabinets from the manufacturer, stone slabs from the fabricator. Each has a delivery fee. Document whether delivery is included in your quote or itemized separately.
• Template fee — many fabricators charge a template fee ($150 to $300) that is credited toward the countertop purchase if the client proceeds. Document this at intake so the client is not surprised by a charge before fabrication begins.

Lead times: setting realistic expectations from day one

Lead time is the most under-communicated aspect of cabinet and countertop projects. Clients routinely underestimate how long the process takes, and installers who do not set expectations at intake spend the entire project managing frustration:

• Stock cabinets — 1 to 3 weeks. Available from major retailers and distributors. Limited style and size options, but fast.
• Semi-custom cabinets — 4 to 8 weeks. The most popular residential option. More style and configuration choices, but the manufacturer builds to order.
• Custom cabinets — 8 to 16 weeks. Built to exact specifications by a cabinet shop. The longest lead time and the highest price, but no limitations on size, style, or configuration.
• Countertop fabrication — 5 to 10 business days after template. This assumes the slab has already been selected and is in the fabricator's inventory. If the slab needs to be ordered, add 1 to 3 weeks.
• Total project timeline — from contract signing to completion, a typical kitchen cabinet and countertop project takes 6 to 20 weeks depending on cabinet grade and project complexity. Document the expected timeline at intake, including the phases: design finalization, ordering, demolition, installation, templating, fabrication, countertop installation, plumbing and electrical reconnection, and final punch list.

Every week of lead time is a week the client's kitchen is partially or fully out of commission. Documenting the timeline at intake — and getting the client's acknowledgment — prevents the "I thought this would take two weeks" conversation six weeks into a custom cabinet order.

A complete intake protects the project

Cabinet and countertop projects have more specification layers, more trades to coordinate, and longer lead times than most home improvement work. A thorough intake form captures all of it in one document — project type, cabinet style and material, countertop specifications, measurements, demolition scope, fabrication details, pricing, and timeline. It becomes the reference point for every decision that follows and the documentation that protects you when the client asks why their custom cabinets are not ready in three weeks.

If you are building documentation across a multi-trade operation, the Trade Services Bundle includes cabinet and countertop forms alongside 51 other service categories, each with trade-specific intake fields.