| When you're getting ready to shop for your kitchen | | | | for the materials you select with your retailer or |
| counter tops be aware that some materials such as | | | | installer. |
| granite and quartz and other natural and engineered | | | | With laminates much of the cost of a is the labor: |
| stone materials are priced per square foot and other | | | | fabrication and installation. With laminate countertops, |
| materials such as laminate are priced per linear foot. | | | | labor costs are separate from materials costs. That's |
| Remember this difference when you shop. Since | | | | why it's important to work with a fabricator and |
| most countertops are about 2 feet deep, simply | | | | installer you feel good about, who has a good |
| multiply the square foot price by 2 to estimate the | | | | business reputation, and whose bid is realistic. |
| cost per linear foot. | | | | This isn't the case for pricing natural stone, |
| Typical kitchen counter tops are anywhere between | | | | engineered stone and solid surfacing materials. The |
| 28 and 30 linear feet. Most likely they will be either a | | | | square foot costs for natural stone, quartz |
| U-shape or L-shape layout. Laminate counters are | | | | countertops and solid surfacing countertop material |
| sold by the linear foot, but other materials such as | | | | include the fabrication and the installation, so you |
| solid surfacing, natural stone, and engineered stone | | | | have less opportunity to price shop or compare |
| are sold by the square foot. | | | | installation bids from separate contractors or |
| It's all in the options | | | | fabricators. |
| There is a vast difference in price between a basic, | | | | When estimating the entire remodeling costs be sure |
| post-formed laminate countertop, a laminate | | | | to include all the components involved with the |
| countertop with a premium edge, and top-end | | | | countertop installation. A total countertop job takes |
| options like solid surfacing and stone. | | | | into account the material itself, profiling the edge, |
| For a typical 30-foot linear countertop, a post-form | | | | cutting and drilling for sinks and faucets, the |
| laminate top might cost as little as $800. For a | | | | installation itself, and often, removing the old top. |
| premium laminate with a beveled edge, the price | | | | When calculating your remodeling costs you need to |
| could go up to $2,000. | | | | compare the total installed costs when shopping for |
| For solid surfacing, natural stone or engineered stone, | | | | new countertops to avoid any unpleasant surprises in |
| which would be priced between $80 and $100 per | | | | your remodeling costs and keep from going over |
| square foot, you're looking at $4,800 to $6,000. | | | | budget. |
| Prices listed are guidelines only so always verify prices | | | | |