A template appointment goes faster when the fabricator can see the same appliance decisions you already made. Before the visit, gather the model numbers, cutout guides, and clearance notes for every fixture that touches the countertop — sinks, faucets, cooktops, ranges, dishwashers, and under-counter units.
This homeowner prep sheet supports a cleaner template day. It does not replace the fabricator’s field measurements or the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Think of it as the packet that keeps template day from turning into a scavenger hunt.
Write down every appliance that intersects the top
List each appliance that changes a cutout, hole count, overhang, or panel decision. Include brand and model numbers exactly as printed on the packaging, order confirmation, or appliance sticker. If a decision is still open, mark it as open — a labeled unknown is more useful than a guessed model that forces a remake conversation later.
Also note which appliances are already on site, which are still on order, and which are panel-ready. Delivery timing matters when the shop is ready to cut.
Print or save the manufacturer cutout and clearance pages
Bring the current specification sheet for each selected appliance. Do not rely on a retailer product-page screenshot alone when a PDF cutout guide exists. Highlight faucet hole counts, sink reveal preferences, cooktop clearances, and any required support brackets so those items are easy to discuss on site.
If two models are still in contention, bring both sheets and label the preferred option. Confirm final appliance selections before template day, and bring updated cutout specs right away if a model changes.
Note overhang, support, and seating goals in plain language
Write how you want the island or peninsula to feel in daily use: stool count, knee space, whether a heavy appliance sits nearby, and whether kids will climb the overhang. Share those goals; the fabricator will translate them into supported dimensions. Accurate appliance data matters for both granite countertops and quartz countertops before fabrication starts.
Photograph the cabinet run with doors closed and open
Take wide shots of the cabinet layout, plus close-ups of corners, end panels, and any out-of-square walls you already noticed. Date the photos so the template team can compare them to the field drawing. Include a shot that shows where the dishwasher, sink base, and cooktop cabinet sit relative to each other.
Confirm dishwasher door panels and adjacent clearances
If you are using a panel-ready dishwasher or a specific handle style, bring that detail to template day. Panel thickness and adjacent drawer clears can affect overhang decisions as much as sink cutouts do. Note whether the dishwasher door must clear a nearby island corner or appliance handle.
Leave with a short confirmation list
After templating, you should be able to restate which appliances were confirmed, which remain open, and when final model numbers are due. Keep that list with your slab selection notes so the cut list does not invent answers you left blank.
Clear appliance specs turn template day into a decision meeting instead of a scavenger hunt.
- Template appointment date and site readiness
- Sink, cooktop, and faucet model sheets attached as PDFs or clear photos
- Edge, seam, and hole-count preferences written on one page
- Backup plan if the preferred slab sells before fabrication
Keep the packet with your slab notes
Store the appliance sheets, overhang goals, and template confirmation list in the same folder as your slab selection photos. When fabrication questions land a week later, you will not have to rebuild the decision trail from memory. If a model number changes after templating, send the new cutout sheet the same day and ask whether the existing template still holds.
A complete appliance packet is the difference between a template visit that locks decisions and one that creates a second site trip.
