The countertop stays. The cabinets stay. The wall gets a second life. Careful removal, honest wall repair, new tile in 1ā2 days.
The most common call we get in Cromwell is not "remodel my kitchen." It is "I hate my backsplash but everything else is fine." That is the cheapest and fastest upgrade in the house, and it does not touch your counters or your cabinets.
1. The dated-but-intact splash.
By far the most common in Cromwell ā 1980sā90s four-inch tile, an odd colour band, or a splash that simply matches nothing. Careful demo, wall prep, new tile. Counters masked and protected throughout. See the cost guide for where this lands.
2. Failing grout or tiles coming loose.
We diagnose before we quote. Sometimes it is failed caulk or a handful of hollow tiles; sometimes water has been getting behind the wall and the section needs rebuilding. You get the honest answer and a price for the real fix. If it points at a waterproofing problem, we say so before you spend anything. Related: repair.
3. Old adhesive, patched walls, no existing tile.
Ridges of old mastic, patched drywall, or long straight runs over a peninsula where the tile line has to stay dead level. Prep is most of the result here. We flatten and prime the wall so the new tile sits true and the grout lines stay straight.
4. New counters, mismatched wall.
Counters went in last year and the wall is still the previous owner's. Swapping only the splash is how you make the kitchen look like one decision instead of three.
Taking a backsplash off is not hard. Taking it off without damaging counters, cabinets or the drywall you still need is the actual skill. A hammer and enthusiasm turn a one-day job into a drywall replacement.
Cromwell is mostly post-war suburban: ranches, raised ranches and 1970sā80s colonials on generous lots, with a smaller older pocket near the center and along the river. In practice that means Cromwell center replacements often involve more wall repair than removal, which is exactly why we price the repair up front. If a previous install was done over something unsuitable ā very common behind the range ā that gets corrected rather than tiled over again.
Can you tile over the old backsplash instead?
Sometimes, if the existing tile is flat, well-bonded and the extra thickness will not foul the counter edge or trim. Removing is usually cleaner and not much slower. We will give you both numbers.
How long will my kitchen be out of action?
Usually one to two days for the tile, with the sink and range usable the same evening in most cases. Full timeline here.
Will you damage my countertops?
No ā they are masked and protected before work starts, and we set the new tile over them rather than through them. That protection is standard, not an add-on.
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