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Schluter Kitchen Remodeling: The Long Beach Owner’s Guide
A full Schluter kitchen remodel in Long Beach typically runs $14,000 to $45,000 installed, depending on cabinet count, countertop square footage, and how much waterproofing the project needs. Most kitchens we do here involve Schluter Kerdi-board behind the backsplash and Schluter Ditra under the tile floor, and when one of those layers fails, the repair is usually localized, not a full redo. You’ll know something’s wrong when grout starts cracking along the counter line, tile feels hollow when you tap it, or you see water staining at the base of cabinets near the sink.
We stock Schluter profiles, Kerdi band, Ditra mat, and the proper thinsets on our trucks. If you’re in Long Beach and the part is showing its age, we can usually diagnose it same-week and give you a written price before any tool comes out.
Which Schluter Models This Applies To
Schluter makes a range of kitchen waterproofing and edge-protection products, and the part you need depends on what was originally installed. The Kerdi-Board line (the foam backer panels used behind tile) comes in thicknesses from 5 mm to 2 inches, and the 1/2-inch panel is what we see in most Long Beach kitchens. Ditra mat (the orange uncoupling membrane under floor tile) comes in standard 3.3 mm thickness, but Schluter also sells Ditra-XL at 5/16 inch for flattening out problem subfloors. If you’re seeing a metal edge strip pulling away from the counter or tile, that’s a Schluter profile: Jolly, Rondec, or Quadec, and each has a different finish profile for tile thickness.
Here’s the compatibility gotcha: Schluter profiles have a specific anchor-leg height that has to match your tile thickness. A profile made for 3/8-inch tile won’t sit right under 1/2-inch tile, even if both look identical from the front. Most profiles have the size stamped on the underside of the flange. Check there before ordering, or snap a photo and we’ll ID it from the shape alone. We install OEM Schluter for all waterproofing layers, but for edge profiles we’ll sometimes use aftermarket aluminum equivalents if the finish is discontinued. The waterproofing, though? That’s always genuine Schluter. No exceptions.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Schluter Kitchen Remodeling Is Failing
- Grout cracking along the countertop line. This usually means the Ditra membrane underneath wasn’t bedded properly, or the subfloor flexed after install. In Long Beach’s older bungalows, we see a lot of this because the original 1940s floor joists weren’t sized for tile deflection limits.
- Hollow-sounding tile near the sink. Tile that sounds hollow when you knock on it has delaminated from the Kerdi-Board or Ditra. Water has usually gotten behind the tile and eaten the thinset bond. This is the first sign before the tile itself starts moving.
- Dark staining at cabinet bases. Water wicking up the cabinet toe-kick means the waterproofing seam at the floor-to-cabinet junction has failed. Schluter Kerdi band is what seals that seam, and if it wasn’t embedded in thinset with proper overlap (2 inches minimum), leaks show up within a few years.
- Metal edge trim lifting or separating from the tile. The profile’s anchor leg was either thin-setted with the wrong trowel or the tile was pressed too low and popped the leg out. It starts as a slight lip at the edge of the counter and gets worse as crumbs and water work their way underneath.
- Soft spots in the floor in front of the dishwasher or sink. Repeated leaks from the appliance or plumbing drip eventually rot the subfloor under the Ditra. Ditra itself doesn’t fail; what fails is the wood under it when water finds a seam that wasn’t banded correctly.
See the difference
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After
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
A full Schluter-based kitchen remodel in Long Beach runs $14,000 to $45,000. That covers new cabinets, countertops, backsplash with Kerdi-Board waterproofing, and Ditra under the floor tile. A smaller kitchen with stock cabinets and laminate counters will sit at the bottom of that range; a larger kitchen with custom cabinetry, quartz counters, and a full tile backsplash climbs toward the top.
If you’re just replacing a failed section rather than the whole kitchen, here’s what those pieces cost around Long Beach:
- Backsplash replacement with Kerdi-Board prep: $800 – $2,500
- Countertop installation: $2,000 – $6,500
- Cabinet installation: $4,000 – $13,000
- Kitchen island installation: $3,000 – $10,000
Every price we give is a written, line-item quote before work starts. You approve the number, and that’s the number on the invoice. The work is covered under our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right, in writing, for a full year after the job closes.
DIY or Call Us?
You can absolutely handle the diagnosis part. Tap the tile, check under the sink for staining, and look at the profile edges for separation. If you find a loose profile or a single cracked tile, that’s manageable for someone with patience. What you shouldn’t try is re-waterproofing a wet area. Cutting out Kerdi-Board or Ditra, re-seaming with Kerdi band, and getting the thinset coverage right takes practice. We’ve fixed more than a few DIY waterproofing attempts where the homeowner used mastic instead of modified thinset, and the whole seam failed again within a year.
If the tile is moving, the subfloor is soft, or the leak has been going on long enough to stain the cabinets, call (562) 512-6480. We’ll come out, quote it in writing, and fix it right the first time.
FAQs
Genuine Schluter Kerdi-Board and Ditra installed with proper modified thinset will outlast the tile itself, typically 30 to 50 years in Long Beach’s mild coastal climate. The failure point is almost always the seam work or the subfloor underneath, not the Schluter material. Call (562) 512-6480 if you’re seeing cracks or stains, and we’ll tell you what’s failing and what it costs to fix.
A single failed Kerdi band seam can usually be repaired by cutting out the affected tile, re-band the seam with proper 2-inch overlap, and re-tiling that section. If water has been running for months, though, the subfloor and cabinet bases below it often need replacing too. We’ll open it up, show you what we find with photos, and give you a written quote before any demolition gets worse.
A full Schluter-system kitchen remodel in Long Beach takes 4 to 8 weeks depending on cabinet lead time and countertop fabrication. A localized waterproofing repair around the sink or backsplash is usually a 2- to 3-day job. We give you a live schedule with photo updates before and after, so you’re never wondering what’s happening on the job site.
Our trucks carry Ditra mat, Kerdi band, Kerdi-Board in common thicknesses, Schluter edge profiles in standard colors, and the correct Schluter-modified thinsets for both. We also work with KraftMaid and Cambria if your remodel needs new cabinets or countertops alongside the Schluter repair. Call (562) 512-6480 and we’ll tell you if what you need is already on the truck or one day out.
If the Schluter work in your Long Beach kitchen is showing its age, get the real story before you pay for another company’s guess. We’ll look at it, tell you what failed, and put the number in writing. Call (562) 512-6480 for a free estimate.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner, Sawyer Remodel Long Beach at Sawyer Remodel Long Beach, serving Long Beach and nearby areas.
