KITCHEN PROCESS

Design

We require a drawing of your design layout complete with worktop measurements, including the overall depth. We also need the details for appliances to be fitted into the worktops.


We have an online form that you will need to fill in and attach your drawings to.


Please see the "Kitchen Enquiries" button on this page, the Home Page, or the contact page.


Choices for material are Quartz or Natural stone. Please view the options from our slab suppliers we have listed on our website. We also have a generous selection of quartz samples at our workshop if you prefer to make an appointment to visit.


Natural stone slabs can also be viewed, we have a live online stock list available, we also have the option for you to book an appointment at the suppliers to view your chosen material


Please be aware,  stock is constantly changing at our suppliers, if a particular block is chosen we will require the code indicated on the selected material or listed online with the slab image.


Once we have received confirmation for the work, we require a  deposit, this will enable reservation of your selected material  at the suppliers and also a template booking in our schedule.


The quantity of required slabs will then be delivered to our workshop by specialist transportation.

Template

This part of the process is the most critical stage. We approach templating with the same level of precision as when we cut and finish your worktops.


It is paramount that you treat the installation of your cabinets in the same way.


We are often installing over three metre lengths of worktop. To accommodate this, we require a firm, level surface to lay our pieces on top. We advise the final installation of cabinets to be checked with a laser level over the entirety of the kitchen before you book us in to attend your house/site . Uneven kitchen furniture can compromise the integrity of your worktops.


All undermount sinks require pre-fitting into the cabinet. Taps and overmount sinks need to be in the kitchen for us to check. If you are fitting a Range oven this needs to be installed and levelled to the exact position required, we use the body of the oven as a datum point with the laser template system.


All of the cabinets must be securely fixed to the wall and any open voids  to be battened out. Any plastering required to the area must be complete prior to the site visit.


Our laser templating system is very accurate  so it is important that no changes are made to the cabinet positions  between the template and the installation.

Manufacture

We aim to have your chosen  material delivered before we template to ensure that manufacturing can begin the day after the digital template is complete.


Our workshop features a fully automated CNC machine imported from Italy. The CNC allows us to produce precise and accurately fitting tops for your kitchen furniture.


After the CNC machine has completed its work, the tops are put through our automated polishing machine, then hand finished by our team of expert masons who will create your chosen edge detail.

Installation

As soon as we are in the manufacturing process we will advise you on a date for us to complete our installation.


This will be Monday to Friday, and we will advise you whether it is an AM or PM fitting.


We require your kitchen to be accessible for our fitters. Bringing the worktops into the house involves safely manoeuvring, sometimes, extremely fragile material into its final position.


If you're wondering how long it will take, we allow 2-4 hours for installation. More complex work will take longer, with prior arrangement, we will ensure time is allocated in our schedule to have your worktops fitted within a day.

Finished Product

The worktops are the final element installed into your new kitchen, 

the day we install them will be the first time you will see your kitchen furniture complete with the worktops of your choice.

KITCHEN FEATURES

WORKTOPS

One of the most important aspects of any kitchen is the careful selection of worksurfaces that complement the furniture that they are installed  on and the space they sit within.


This example, made from Calacatta quartz, features a waterfall end panel. Click the link below to find out more about waterfall end panels.


WATERFALL END PANELS

JOINTS

Meticulously finished, we spend extra time making sure our joints are as level as the material can allow and use colour-matched resins to make our joints as seamless as possible.


Click the link below to find out more.

JOINTS

ISLANDS

If your kitchen design includes an Island, at Totem we think this is a prime opportunity to showcase a beautiful stone worktop. An island will not only increase your workspace. But also provide an area for socialising with your family and house guests.


This example is made from Carrara Satinato Quartz and features a breakfast bar and a waterfall edge.

BREAKFAST BARS WATERFALL END PANELS

SPLASHBACKS

Wrap onto the wall with material matching your worktops to create a focal point in your kitchen, complementing your new cooker hood, hob, or free-standing oven.


This image is made of  Callacata style quartz,

UPSTANDS

We recommend fitting upstands onto your worktops where the surfaces meet the wall. When upstands and a splashback are combined, they can create the illusion of depth on your worktops. Why not ask about vein matching? If your material is the right type, we can run the vein into the upstands to match.


Standard height upstands are 90mm. 


This image showcases an upstand made from callacatta style quartz,  veinmatched with the worktops.

VEINMATCHING

UTILITIES

Stonework surfaces aren't only necessary in the kitchen. Stone worktops in the utility room can turn it from a purely functional space into a stylish part of your house design.


Add an extra level of detail to your kitchen by changing the edge detail  of your worktop.

EDGE PROFILES

WINDOW CILL

Complete your worktops with a matching window cill. We offer two types of window cill, one being quite traditional with the usual cut around the reveals.


The other option is to have a mitred cill, pictured here, which incorporates the upstand at the same height giving a seamless and more modern feel to the kitchen. Mitred cills look particularly good with contemporary handle-less kitchen furniture.

WINDOW CILL

Complete your worktops with a matching window cill. We offer two types of window cill; one being quite traditional with the usual cut around the reveals, and the other option is to have a mitred cill which incorporates the upstand at the same height giving a seamless and more modern feel to the kitchen. Mitred cills look particularly good with contemporary handle-less window designs.


This example is a window cill from dappled white quartz.

DRAINER GROOVES

Cut into the top of the stone and finished by hand to ensure a high-quality polish, drainer grooves prevent water runoff from your worktops. We employ traditional methods over automated processes because  the machine-made grooves are usually very shallow and sometimes razor-sharp on the edges. Sharp edges are a problem because of the high chance of chipping in everyday usage.


They can be installed on one or both sides of the sink and work with multiple sink designs, this example being a Farmhouse sink.

DRAINER GROOVES

Cut into the top of the stone and finished by hand to ensure a high-quality polish, we employ traditional methods over automated processes because the machine-made grooves are usually very shallow and sometimes razor sharp on the edges. Sharp edges are a problem because they can be hazardous and have a high chance of chipping in everyday usage.


They can be installed on either or both sides of the sink and work with multiple sink designs, this example being a Farmhouse sink.

RECESSED DRAINER

Incorporate a fully recessed area around your drainage grooves and tap to give a more traditional-looking drainer area.

RECESSED DRAINER

Incorporate a fully recessed area around your drainage grooves and tap to give a more traditional-looking drainer area.

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