Key takeaways
- Ask every bidder whether the quote covers cabinets, surfaces or both, so you compare the same scope.
- The Federal Trade Commission advises getting multiple estimates and not automatically choosing the lowest bidder.
- RDC's countertop timeline: installation in one to three days after one to three weeks of fabrication, about two to four weeks from measuring.
- The City of Phoenix 2025 Water Quality Report lists water hardness of 10 to 17.6 grains per gallon.
Surfaces or Cabinets? Ask This First
Ask first whether a kitchen remodeling or renovation contractor is quoting cabinets or surfaces, because they are two very different jobs. Some companies replace cabinet boxes and appliances. RDC Renovation & Design Concepts is a kitchen tile and countertop contractor in Phoenix, Arizona. It installs surfaces and works around the cabinets you have.
Confirm which job each bid covers before you compare prices. RDC's full surface scope is on its kitchen remodeling page.
A tile backsplash installed as part of a kitchen surface update in Scottsdale.
Five Checks Before You Hire a Kitchen Contractor
Hold every kitchen contractor to the same five checks: scope, insurance, a written estimate, local work and a written warranty. RDC meets all five, and you can hold it to the same standard as any other bid.
| Check | What to ask for | How RDC answers it |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Whether the quote covers cabinets, surfaces or both | Surfaces only: countertops, backsplash and kitchen floors; your existing cabinets stay in place |
| Insurance | Proof of coverage in writing before work starts | Fully insured: business coverage through Insurance Concepts & Risk Management LLC, employee and job-site coverage through Central Insurance |
| Written estimate | Material, removal and labor on separate lines | A free written, itemized estimate after the in-home measure, valid for 30 days |
| Local work | Finished kitchens in the Valley, with the real city named | Real project photos on this page from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa kitchens |
| Warranty | The length and what it covers, in writing | A 1-year workmanship warranty on the installation |
The Federal Trade Commission's guide How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam says “Get multiple estimates.” It adds that “A written estimate should include a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date, and the price.”
Compare kitchen contractors in this order:
- Ask each contractor to put the scope of the quote in writing.
- Choose the countertop slab and the backsplash tile in person, not from a photo.
- Have each contractor measure the kitchen and send a written, itemized estimate.
- Compare removal, fabrication, installation and the warranty line by line.
- Sign once the scope, price and timeline are written into the contract.
Arizona and Phoenix Conditions to Raise With a Kitchen Contractor
Arizona's median home was built in 1992, and the median Phoenix home in 1985 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024, table B25035). In an older kitchen, ask each bidder how removing the old countertop and floor is priced. Then ask whether the slab under the old floor gets checked before the new one goes down.
Phoenix water is hard: 10 to 17.6 grains per gallon, per the City of Phoenix 2025 Water Quality Report. RDC chooses the grout for each area, cement-based, sealed or epoxy, with the hard water in mind. The Phoenix hard water and heat remodeling guide covers the rest.
RDC's showroom in North Phoenix is at 1610 E Bell Rd Suite 101. Customers choose their countertop slabs there, and book-matched (vein-matched) slabs are available.
Real RDC kitchen work spans the Valley. In Scottsdale, RDC installed the tile backsplash and the white subway tile with quartz shown on this page. In Paradise Valley, one RDC job is an outdoor kitchen BBQ bar by the pool.
A Mesa kitchen got granite countertops and a subway tile backsplash. A Peoria kitchen got quartz countertops and an engineered hardwood floor.
RDC also serves Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Tempe and Surprise. Fountain Hills, Anthem and the rest of the Valley are served from the same showroom.
Granite countertops and a subway tile backsplash in a white Mesa kitchen.
Questions to Ask a Kitchen Remodeling Contractor
Ask a kitchen remodeling contractor in Phoenix who fabricates the countertop, what removal and the sink cost, and how long each step takes. Get the answers in writing, on the estimate. RDC puts each answer on its written estimate, so you can compare it with any other bid.
- Who fabricates the countertop, and can I choose the actual slab?
- Is removal of the old countertop a separate line?
- Is reconnecting the sink included?
- Which slab thickness is quoted, 2 cm or 3 cm?
- Which grout goes on the backsplash behind the sink and the range?
- How long do fabrication and installation take?
- Who performs the installation, and is the company insured?
The full scope is on RDC's page for kitchen remodeling in Phoenix. Ask RDC the same questions: call or text (602) 788-1446.
Why RDC Skips the Cabinets
Replacing cabinet boxes can change a kitchen's layout, can involve custom millwork and adds installation labor. A surface remodel keeps the cabinet boxes and changes the look with new countertops, backsplash and flooring. When the cabinet boxes are in good shape, that trade updates the kitchen without a full gut remodel.
What's Included in an RDC Kitchen Surface Remodel
- Countertops: quartz, granite, porcelain slab, marble or quartzite. See countertop installation in Phoenix.
- Backsplash: tile from classic subway to full-height statement walls. See kitchen backsplash installation.
- Flooring: tile, LVP or engineered hardwood through the kitchen and the rooms that connect to it.
Kitchen surfaces are one part of RDC's home remodeling and renovation in Phoenix, alongside floors and bathrooms.
New quartz counters and a raised bar in a Phoenix kitchen.
What a Written Kitchen Estimate Should Itemize
Kitchen estimate lines and prices from RDC Renovation & Design Concepts, Phoenix, AZ (2026).
| Estimate line | What it should say | At RDC |
|---|---|---|
| Countertop material | The material, the square footage and the thickness | Quartz, granite, porcelain, marble or quartzite, in 2 cm or 3 cm |
| Fabrication | Who fabricates the slab, and how long it takes | A partner fabricator, one to three weeks |
| Countertop installation | Installation days and sealing for natural stone | One to three days; natural stone is sealed at installation |
| Old countertop removal | Its own line, never folded into the total | Quoted as a separate line |
| Sink | Whether reconnecting the sink is included | RDC reconnects the sink |
| Backsplash | The tile, the square footage and the grout | Two to three days of installation |
| Kitchen floor | Removal, slab prep and the new floor on separate lines | Removal $3 to $5 per sq ft, only with a new floor; slab prep $1 to $4 per sq ft if needed |
Please note: final pricing is set individually for each customer based on your specific project, materials, and scope, confirmed in your written estimate. The kitchen remodel cost guide breaks down each scope's range.
Worked example: removing 150 sq ft of old kitchen tile at $3 to $5 per sq ft adds $450 to $750. It appears on the estimate as its own line. Slab prep at $1 to $4 per sq ft is added only if the slab needs it.
White subway tile backsplash paired with quartz countertops in Scottsdale.
Visit the Showroom
The RDC showroom on Bell Road in North Phoenix.
Compare quartz, granite, porcelain, marble and quartzite slabs and tile in person at the Bell Road showroom. It is open Sunday to Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and closed Saturday. RDC then measures your kitchen at home for free and sends a written, itemized estimate.
RDC has completed 382+ projects across the Phoenix Valley.
See all of RDC's kitchen tile, backsplash and countertop installation in Phoenix, browse the project gallery, see financing options, or request a detailed estimate. Updating a bathroom too? Read the companion guide on choosing a bathroom remodeler in Phoenix.