So, you’ve decided to upgrade or replace your countertops with granite or perhaps, marble or quartz. Now to start shopping: How do you estimate a budget? How do you know if you’re getting a good deal?
You could go through the process of getting exact quotes through in-home estimates, but that’s time-consuming! You will eventually want an in-home estimate from a supplier you are interested in using. But to start, you can gauge a countertop supplier’s prices by comparing square foot costs. Below, we’ll give you granite, marble, and quartz price per sq ft ranges to gauge if prices are at the low or high end. We’ll also cover some money-saving tips for your remodel.
Granite
According to Home Advisor, average prices of granite run $40-$60/sq ft for the stone, though certain colors and styles can run up to $100/sq ft. Then labor runs $35-$85/hour. HomeGuide calculates the national average total cost comes out to $50-$200/sq ft, including installation. A standard 3cm thick cut will be more expensive than the 2cm option. If cost is more important to you than color or vice versa, your local supplier will be able to suggest which options will suit you best. In the Seattle area, most fabricators use the same suppliers. So, if one fabricator doesn’t appear to have the color granite you saw at another shop, chances are they can order it.
Marble
HomeGuide reports average prices of marble range $40-$100/sq ft, including installation. However, Marble.com reports premium, rare slabs can run up to $300/sq ft. Generally, if you prefer marble to granite, you can find some options in the same price range. In addition to the cost of materials and installation, Countertop Guides warns that the cost of maintaining marble is higher than the other stone countertop options.
Quartz
Quartz countertops range on average $80-$150/sq ft installed, according to HomeGuide. Being an engineered stone, you’ll get a wider range of color options without the worry that your color choice is a rare/premium option, like you may run into with granite or marble. The surface is designed to be perfectly smooth, unlike natural stone, and the material will not absorb color, so staining is not a worry with quartz countertops. If color is the most important factor in your choice of countertops, it can actually be a lower cost than a natural stone of similar color.
Factors that increase your costs:
Regardless of the type of countertop you choose, the number of cut outs for sinks and faucets will increase your labor cost of the project. The number of seams needed to fit your space will also increase labor cost. Choice of edging can increase your labor cost for edges that require more time and detail. Generally, a common edge like “eased” or “edged” will be the lowest cost option. Lastly, the style/color of granite, marble or quartz you choose can increase your cost if you choose a rare or premium color.
Factors that can reduce your costs
Removing your old countertops can reduce labor costs for your new countertop project. Designing the size of your countertops to fit the stone slabs can reduce or eliminate the need for seaming pieces of the material together. This will reduce your labor cost, though in some cases, avoiding seams is not possible. If you are flexible on color choice, you can save a significant amount of money by choosing from remnants, leftover material from other jobs a supplier has on hand. This is ideal for smaller kitchens and bathrooms remodels that don’t require a lot of material. Visit your local fabricator to see what remnants they have available.
Right now, Seattle’s Best Granite is offering a special promotion on quartz and granite countertops, starting at $40-$75/sq ft installed. Choose from 8 colors of quartz and 11 colors of granite. Contact to get a free in-home estimate for your bathroom or kitchen countertops.