This depends on which technique is being used in most cases.

We use a digital templating system (LT-55 Laser) which does
not require us to remove the tops.

Other guys that used manual techniques (wood strips, coroplast, acetate, paper, etc)
have a much harder time (in most cases)tempalting over
the existing countertops.
It CAN be done mind you, but the guy doing it has to be pretty
darn good - if you catch my drift....

Additionally, your tops may be so simple, that he is going to
"dimension" the pieces - measure existing areas, and make the
pieces that make up your kitchen from measurements - this can be done
with great success, but the job conditions have to be right...

Perhaps your Granite company is using a digital templating system -
if that's the case, you should be fine with keeping your
existing tops until the day of installation.

hope that helps

kevin

they may be able to template with success, but what happens when they pull your tops and your cabinets are out of level. Are they going to install the top and shim it and caulk it(hack job). I see it done all the time, and it looks horrible. It may not be noticeable to the average consumer. I feel that a good installation starts with properly prepared cabinets. The company we use will not even template if your cabinets are not perfectly level and plumb. They will literally just walk out. See if you can get that level of scrutiny from a discount stone installer. Great prices often times lead to shoddy work, but again most people would never notice unless the top cracks.

O.K. If shimming is not the best way to correct cabinets that are possibley not level and walls that are most likely not plumb, then what should be done instead? I'm keeping my decent quality exisisting cabinets which were installed over porcelain tile that runs all the way backe to the walls.

mcr1,
Your definition of a Hack job is rather harsh. Most times the most efficient, economical method is to shim and caulk, and done correctly, this is a perfectly acceptable job.

It will depend entirely on the ability of the fabricator.

As for removing the tops first. I have talked to fabricators that insist both ways are the best. IMHO, the finished result is where you should be focused. Let the Tradesman get you there, IF you have developed trust in him. Have you?

Mcr1:

You have a good point about the levelness of the cabinets,
and we are pretty fussy about that as well - As my Brother
VR James has pointed out - many projects CAN be shimmed and
look fine (99% of the time).

One of the things that we WON'T do is just walk out on a
customer that has cabinets that are "Ca-Ca"... in just about
every instance - going back 24 years - we have been able to
work with the cabinets - no matter how perfect or not-perfect
they were, and get the job done - properly.

Jerseydeb- your follow up question:
"O.K. If shimming is not the best way to correct cabinets..."

Don't slam the door on shimming countertops just because
ONE GUY says HE thinks that this equates to a "hack job"..

Mcr1 has a right to his opinion, and I totally respect that, but it
sounds to me like maybe he is not a Fabricator.
I am, and have been for 24 years now.
Granite Fabricators -all over the world- use shims in setting
countertops, monuments, and wall panels.
This is because pretty much NO surface or area that
we install Granite on is perfect....
This is an intregal part of the sundry items that we use in doing our trade.
In every project that we do, we use shims to some degree.
The gaps that are created when the shim is inserted
between the top of the cabinet frame, and the bottom surface of the stone
is filled with setting material (latex caulk, silicone, polyester, thinset, etc)
giving a solid foundation and adheasion (sp?) to the substrate.
We use latex caulk to set our countertops
regardless of whether the stone is 2CM OR 3CM.
There are lot's of products that work for this
application, we have found that latex caulk gives us the adhesive strength we need,
and IF we ever have to take a piece out for a
repair
(let's say that an Electrician drops a hammer on a top by accident,
and we have to repair it, we can get the top out without
destroying it).

Back to your original question with a follow up comment:
In a perfect world - in a remodel, yes it would be really
great to have the countertops removed so that I could see
first hand - the condition of the cabinets, and make the
templates (or in my case - digitize the templates).
However- this asks my customer to live with no counters
and quite frankly, the market has changed from ten years
ago when this was the norm, to now... customers do NOT want
to live with the disruption in their lives for up to 4 to 6 weeks
depending on the Fabricator's lead time in going from date
of template to date of install - and this is not limited to
JUST Granite tops. Many Fabricators of Granite AND other materials
like solid surface, quartz, laminate, etc - are all in the same
boat.

With the advent of digital templating, a Fabricator can come
in to your kichen, make accurate templat files (ours are
accurate to 10 thousanths of an inch) and bring out perfectly
fitting countertops.

IF the cabinets are anywhere out of level, we address that on
the day of install and get the job done. Our call back rate
for broken tops due to them being set out of level is...
ZERO....

hope that helps

kevin

Thanks, Kevin, you provided excellent information regarding templating and leveling of cabinets. Several years ago when I thought I would be updating my kitchen I was repeatedly told the countertops must come off for templating, and that meant 2 to 3 weeks until granite installation.

That's why I was surprised when my granite fabricator indicated my husband could take them off, and save a little money, before templating (do without my kitchen for one week which is not bad, really) or that he could template over the old counters and his crew remove them the day of installation. Then he will level the cabinets as needed to insure the granite will not crack down the road.

Actually, what he will charge to unhook plumbing, remove countertops, and haul everything away is so reasonable I will hire his crew to do the work.

Doing baths, at the same time,too, so what you explained does make me more comfortable and happy!

Way Cool!!!!!!

Glad I could help!!! :-)

kevin