For an electric, you simply unplug the cooktop and lift it up out of the hole and reverse for installation. If the hole is the correct dimensions, there are no issues. For gas, you turn the shutoff valve and then unscrew the flexible supply line, then unplug the cord and lift out. Not at all difficult even for the least handy of people.

The sink plumbing will be more problematical, but even that is doable if you own some simple tools. (And EVERY homeowner should!) That's usually around a $300 charge where I am for a plumber to reconnect the supply lines, drain lines, disposal, and DW after the new counters are done.

I'm sorry, forgot to mention what type of cook top!
It's gas. The sink is a Kholer Dickinson apron front. Garbage disposal.

Thanks live wire! You are giving me some hope.

Would your builder consider offering a percentage of their cost (maybe 50% or something) and letting you put it towards your own granite rather than even installing anything you don't want (builder's granite or laminate) up front? It seems like such a waste to put in granite only to immediately rip it out. Some of the granite can be reused probably, but when a kitchen is templated and cut, I believe there is already some waste, and it seems unlikely that you will find someone that can use your exact granite as-is.

drewem-After what I went through and how I felt when I was settling, I'm pretty determined to come up with a remedy for you. Thought of another one-is this a group of homes that is being built or just yours as a single? If this is a whole group of homes being built, is there any way that the builder can put you in touch with your soon to be neighbors? Maybe one of them REALLY wants granite but doesn't have quite enough in their budget. What if you essentially paid for the upgrade for your unit, they install it in theirs and then they pay you cash so that you can buy your own BA?

Bahacca-You are so helpful! Thank you, I appreciate it!I felt resigned to settling, but you made me snap out of it. So, yes it is a development of 21 homes, but no one would be interested in the granite, it's standard, so everyone would have it.

We did upgrade the master bath to have granite with undermount sinks. What if we took the standard cultured marble top, and then reuse the kitchen granite (in the future when it gets changed to BA) and put it up there? I am thinking the island granite would be the best fit? And use the rest of the leftover granite for the hall sink top? Maybe?

Just so I am clear, Yes, I can sort of easily move the gas cooktop, and then put it back ontop of the new granite?? I am thinking yes, because Live gave me hope...but just want confirmation..

Can't you just get a credit/allowance from the builder and go find the granite on your own and have it installed. Even if he won't give you one, you'd still be better off just biting the bullet and find your own granite - much less hassle and risk.

One place told us so much of the cost was in fabricating and installing so don't know if you would be bucks up that much to reuse the granite but certainly worth a try!

Sounds like you're not dealing with a custom home builder. Therefore you may not have a lot of wiggle room with him.

Removing and reinstalling a gas rangetop/cooktop is not a big deal at all. Note that you will need to save the documentation that shows the measurements of the cutout for your new piece of granite.

Countertops are usually 'glued' to the cabinets beneath. That's why removing them is a problem. It can certainly tear up the tops of the cabinets.

Maybe you can negotiate with the builder to not install the countertops at all (including sinks and cooktop). But you would have to arrange getting the counters measured and installed yourself.

I recall in another post your saying that the supplier of the granite doesn't carry BA. This leads me to believe they do carry other options other than the small list you were given. Is there any way that you can get a list of ALL of the colors they carry, or, even better, visit the yard(s) that the supplier uses and then go and pick your own that way? I'd be pushing these people HARD CORE on this. If they say our supplier doesn't have BA, that to me implies they checked into a list the supplier has.
Even if they won't give you a credit, I think that asking them to not install the counters and allowing you to bring in your own countertop people should be doable. Just have it in your contract that the countertops are NOT to be installed and you do that the day the builder completes their work. I mean, why "spend" however much on countertops you don't want just to turn around and have to rip them out, perhaps damaging cabinets you DO want? Seems you'd be out money either way-at least this way when you move in what you want is there and you don't waste perfectly good stone.