Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Unilock Kitchen Remodeling: The San Antonio Owner’s Guide
We install and replace Unilock-compatible kitchen components throughout San Antonio, with most full kitchen remodeling projects landing between $14,000 and $45,000 depending on cabinet count, countertop footage, and whether we’re working around existing plumbing or moving it. The installed price we quote is the price you pay – written down before any work starts, with no additions after demo day. What most San Antonio homeowners discover is that a “simple” Unilock surface or cabinet replacement reveals hidden water damage or subfloor issues once we open the wall, which is exactly why we write the scope carefully and walk you through what we see as we see it.
We are an independent remodeling contractor serving San Antonio and nearby areas, not affiliated with Unilock. But we work with Unilock-compatible pavers, retaining wall units, and finish materials often enough to know how they behave in South Texas heat and clay soil, and how to match new work to what you already have.
Key Takeaways:
- Typical Unilock kitchen remodeling in San Antonio runs $14,000 – $45,000 installed
- We carry Unilock-compatible samples and can match existing courses and patterns
- Written price before work starts, every time – no change orders on our end
- 365-Day Done Right Promise if something isn’t right after the job is complete
Which Unilock Models This Applies To
When San Antonio homeowners mention Unilock in a kitchen, they’re usually working with Unilock wall units or pavers as an accent – a kitchen backsplash of Unilock Brussels Block, a hearth of Richcliff, or a low dividing wall of Lineo dimensional stone. The compatibility question that matters is not the model name but the series dimensions. Unilock Brussels Block runs 4.75 inches deep in modular patterns, while Richcliff is a larger format with a 3.5-inch height variance depending on the unit. Matching existing work means taking a measurement from the top of one unit to the top of the next, including the joint, and carrying that into the replacement material choice.
For the kitchen itself, what we replace most often in San Antonio is the intersection where a Unilock feature meets the house: the flashing, the base course, or a countertop support detail that’s beginning to fail. Older homes near King William Historic District have their own realities – original floor framing that has settled, meaning any new Unilock paver base needs to account for slab movement over time. We’d rather tell you that before we start than after we’ve set the first course. If you can find a label or original receipt from the Unilock dealer, we can match the series quickly; if not, we’ll match by measurement and by color lot.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Unilock Kitchen Remodeling Is Failing
- Pavers or wall units have shifted out of plane. The usual cause in San Antonio is clay soil expansion during wet seasons followed by contraction in the drought, which works the base course loose over four or five years.
- Discoloration or mineral staining spreading from the base. This is typically water wicking up through the paver from a missing or failed drainage layer beneath the Unilock material – the first thing we check before any replacement.
- Grout or joint sand is washing out after rain. In Texas downpour season, joint stabilizer products fail faster than in other climates, especially around a kitchen sink area where moisture collects.
- The Unilock-to-wall transition is pulling away. Your home shifts on its own schedule. The gap that opens between paver and wall is a symptom of slab or foundation movement, not a product defect, and it changes the fix.
- Countertop or cabinet joinery near the Unilock surface is loosening. Expansion and contraction in San Antonio heat works joints loose over time, and what begins as a cosmetic gap becomes a water intrusion point.
See the difference
Before
After
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After
Before
AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
For a kitchen remodel involving Unilock surface or feature replacement in San Antonio, the installed range breaks down like this:
- Kitchen remodel (full): $14,000 – $45,000
- Small kitchen remodel: $9,000 – $20,000
- Kitchen island installation: $3,000 – $10,000
- Backsplash installation: $800 – $2,500
- Countertop installation: $2,000 – $6,500
- Cabinet installation: $4,000 – $13,000
What moves the price is not mystery – it’s the square footage of countertop, the number of cabinet boxes, whether we’re doing electrical or plumbing, and whether the base beneath the Unilock material needs rebuilding. Every line is written down before the first tool comes off the truck. Graham Stein writes the scope himself, and the price you sign is the price you pay. We include drop cloths on the floors, shoe covers at the door, a photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise on the finished work. Call (432) 233-0976 to schedule a free estimate and we’ll give you the number in writing.
DIY or Call Us?
If you’re looking at a Unilock paver feature in your kitchen, there are things you can check safely: is the joint sand still in place, is there visible efflorescence (a white chalky film), has a single unit cracked or is the whole field moving? A cracked unit can sometimes be dyed or patched, and you can note it in a list for us when we do the full remodel. But replacing base course, re-leveling a settled paver field, or rebuilding a kitchen surface is not a job for hand tools and an afternoon. We’ve had San Antonio homeowners dig into what looked like a simple paver replacement and find a shifted drain or a soaked base layer that called for a full rebuild. Let us open it up – we’ll show you what we find before we do anything further. If you’re uncertain, call (432) 233-0976 and we’ll tell you over the phone whether it’s worth a visit.
FAQs
With proper base prep and drainage, Unilock pavers and wall units in a San Antonio kitchen environment typically hold for 15 to 25 years, though joint sand and sealant may need refreshing every 3 to 5 years in direct sun and high-moisture areas. If your feature is indoors away from foot traffic, it will last longer than an exterior installation. Call (432) 233-0976 and we can assess your specific setup.
Yes, in many cases a single cracked paver or a section of failed joint sand can be repaired without replacing the entire Unilock field, though the repair cost depends on what’s underneath. If the base has washed out or the wall has moved, a patch will fail quickly and we’ll tell you that before we sell you one. For an honest assessment of your exact situation, call our San Antonio office at (432) 233-0976.
Most Unilock-involved kitchen remodels in San Antonio take 2 to 6 weeks depending on cabinet lead times, countertop fabrication, and whether we’re addressing what’s behind the old surface. We work around your family’s schedule, use quiet tools during nap and school hours where possible, and give you a written schedule up front. The ask is always the free estimate – call (432) 233-0976 and we will lay out the timeline.
We do not stock Unilock branded material in our San Antonio shop, but we keep relationships with local Unilock dealers and can typically have the specific series and color on site within 5 to 10 business days. We also work with KraftMaid, Cambria, and Silestone for cabinets and counters when the project calls for it. Tell us your model or a measurement and we’ll match it – call (432) 233-0976.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner, Elmstead Remodeling San Antonio at Elmstead Remodeling San Antonio, serving San Antonio and nearby areas.
