Are you considering buying a granite or quartz worktop? Are you wondering about the quartz worktop cost? Stay with us, as below we discuss all that you need to know before you make a purchase, or decide to seek out a different material.
What is the typical price for quartz worktop?
Prior to discussing the price of quartz worktops, let’s discuss why this price might be justified.
The vast number of colour choices
When choosing a kitchen worktop, we are first and foremost guided by aesthetics. Very rightly so, because the countertop must blend into the surroundings. You wouldn’t select a green countertop when your cabinets have reddish tones. The furniture, fittings, flooring – everything needs to be considered.
Thankfully, stone worktops are abundant in hue varieties. Blue, grey, black, white and hundreds of varied patterns (marble-look veins, mirror chips, small blemishes or a rusty metallic effect). Quartz worktop colours can influence your decision, as you can virtually pick out any hue or design possible. The flexibility of worktop materials is immense. This colour abundance is little harder to replicate with laminate worktops, wooden oak worktops, or even resin conglomerate types. Not only because they are cheaper to manufacture, but mainly because of the material restrictions. Any design you apply to a laminate top will appear flat, 2D and frankly a little tacky, hence why these kitchen worktops are a little simpler in style.
But the usability and price of worktops also need to be discussed, as that takes the entire perspective to another level.
Engineered stone resistance
It’s no secret that kitchen worktops made of stone are by far the most durable. Granite worktops, quartz worktops or even sintered stone (aka ceramic) – they are superior products that guarantee extreme longevity and resistance to staining, scratching or mechanical damage. Designer grade quartz worktops aren’t heat proof, unlike natural stones, but indeed they are heat resistant. That means if you place your heated pans or oven trays on the surface, the worktops shouldn’t blemish as long as they aren’t exposed to the extreme heat for too long.
Stone worktops also have non porous properties and are extremely resistant to general wear and tear. This makes them very hygienic quartz countertops as they do not warp, break, split or absorb food particles that then turn into mouldy bacteria growing in these nooks.
Easy, simple maintenance
Granite, quartz or marble worktops are known to be easy to clean. All it takes is a dollop of soap, a sponge and some warm water, and even the most dry, sturdy dirt & grime will come off with one gentle, effortless swipe. That’s because stone is glossed and shiny, like your polished sink. It almost has a hydrophobic, non-stick texture. So while your new quartz worktop will repel the grime, your wooden or laminate worktops might struggle against tougher stains. Prepare to swap the low maintenance for some scrubbing…
Speaking of stains, all stone brands imbue their man made stone with water-proof agents that stay with the stone for good. They are added during the production process, and make the worktop area stain resistant, non porous and repellent to even some of the harshest liquids: wine, coffee or even some acids.
When your local stone fabricator completes your quartz worktop installation, they should leave you with a special spray that makes the cleaning even more straight forward.
Are quartz worktops worth it?
Granite worktops and quartz have a huge number of other advantages, beyond the ones mentioned above, so in that sense they are indeed worth every penny. Or at least this is our opinion.
At the end of the day, you are purchasing the kitchen top from trusted quartz worktop manufacturers that deal with high quality stone. Stone that is defined by amazing longevity, anti-damage properties and a general guarantee of long-lasting quality.
Because we haven’t named the most important aspect: quartz is extremely durable to ageing. What does that mean?
In brief, if you take care of your worktop, it will last you literally an entire lifetime. Once again, they do not scratch or succumb to abrasion & wear and tear. But above all these tops do not fade. No matter hoe long you expose them to UV rays or time, they will maintain their original colour for decades.
Why granite Worktops over laminate Worktops?
All in all, you should definitely consider a quartz worktop as replacement for your old worktop or existing worktops. They should not be seen as an “expensive, luxurious product saved only for the rich”. A better quality stone should be deemed as an investment. But contrary to common belief, a very affordable investment.
To sum up, quartz worktops are not expensive if we take into account all the benefits that you gain from the purchase. The unmatched longevity, the sturdiness and minimal exposure to damage. The beauty of the worktop and a sense of superior quality to name a few.
An average person might look at a £2k investment as something expensive. But one has to bear in mind that a kitchen worktop is used every single day. These must be products that can withstand daily wear and tear or harsh cooking conditions, preferably for generations.
Above all, in perspective, affordable granite worktops can be purchased at similar prices to laminate worktops, so given the extreme difference in quality and longevity, it’s much better to add a little more money, and purchase a prevailing, top-quality product like granite or quartz.
Average Quartz Worktops cost per metre
Let’s get to the meat of the matter. How much is a quartz worktop?
Material Type
The basis for any quartz or granite worktop price is the choice of a specific granite or quartz colour. A slab of natural stone or man-made conglomerate will vary in price. Slab prices can range between £700-£3k. The rare, or hard-to-make quartz slabs that require a lot of design or production process, will naturally be more pricey. But the average quartz slab price equals to about £800. Quartz brands, like Levantina, Compac, CRL or Cimstone also dictate the prices for their products. Just as car makes might have different price stamps for their vehicles.
Although the difference is, most quartzes and granites supplied by different trusted companies have an identical quality. There isn’t one quartz that will last longer than the other, as the production methods are shared across the industry.
Kitchen size
Another factor determining the quartz worktop prices is the kitchen size. Naturally, for bigger kitchen surface area, you might require more slabs, although most projects can be completed in that 2-slab range, even medium kitchen or big kitchens requiring a lot of quartz kitchen worktops. All in all, per metre quartz worktops cost around £120 going by the average slab price mentioned above.
Location
A price of a kitchen worktop doesn’t just depend on the entire worktop length. The location of your property will define a hefty chunk of the final price. For example, if you live in a normal British home, where the kitchen is located downstairs, on ground floor, and the access to it is non-problematic, then additional charges shouldn’t be an issue.
If, however, you live in an apartament, in a complex block of flats, on top floor with no lift access, and on top of all that in the City Centre with no free local parking, then your local company might apply some extra charges. After all, to lift such sizeable kitchen islands, correct tools and other worktop materials up a flight of stairs might require extra manpower. Therefore the manufacturer who performs the worktop installation will naturally need to increase the costs.
The same goes for transportation – a trip to suburbs of Manchester will cost less than a trip to the Scottish highlands in some remote location.
Additional features
We always expect that a price of quartz worktop can be determined by measuring the length of the required material and labour costs. It’s not as simple as that. 8/10 times the customers of a granite company will ask for additional features: a waterfall edge, quartz splashbacks, quartz windowsills, drainer grooves, polished sink cut out, quartz sink tap hole etc.
These are all elements that add onto the overall kitchen worktops costs. They all amount to either more material or more labour while preparing these features.
Where can you find out about the granite worktops and quartz worktops prices?
To get a rough idea of how much you’d need to spend on a granite worktops or quartz kitchen worktops project, you need to consult a manufacturing company either via phone or email. They will analyse your kitchen plans, help you choose quartz of the right colour, and provide you the total cost of quartz worktops.
There are many companies which we could recommend, however there’s only one that stands out when it comes to quartz worktop prices & granite worktop prices: Polish Granite. They provide the best price for quartz worktops projects in the UK.
It’s a reliable firm, with a long history and an amazing customer service team, who will be able to provide you a quartz kitchen worktops Free Instant Quote. Beyond that, their quartz worktop price calculator is one of the most advanced systems on the web.
In under 10mins, you’ll be able to pick out your favourite samples, choose the worktop type, type in the measurements, select all additions and generate a final cost of quartz worktops.
Their system is unique as you are able to select up to 3 colours at once, and carry them through the Quartz Online Quote process, then automatically generate a separate price for each. We highly recommend exploring their website and contacting them regarding your potential granite worktops project.
They deal with ceramic, granite and quartz, their experience is vast and knowledge superior, so please know that you’ll be getting a 5-star service all around and best quality cheap worktop solutions that will last you a lifetime.
Does installation length impact the kitchen worktop cost?
The length of the installation isn’t taken into account when it comes to cost of quartz worktops. A company like the one we mentioned above sometimes carries out a worktop installation in a 2hr period, sometimes in 5 hours. The price will be the same for both times.
What might impact the price, are factors that indeed prolong this installations e.g. carrying the worktops up a flight of stairs, the complexity of the assembly project, a lot of joining, gluing and caulking. As well as fitting of extra features like a windowsill or side panel. The customer isn’t charged for the length of the process, they are charged for the factors that impact that length.
What might impact the length of the installation, but not the expense, are unforeseeable complications. For example, wonky or uneven cabinets that need fixing, problems with access to the van, a prolonged cleaning or worktop drying process, logistical issues with the mounting etc.
Are granite worktop prices impacted by complexity of the worktop design?
Yes – you can see this clearly by completing the Worktop Online Quote calculator process we linked above. If you select a worktop that has the basic ‘pencil edge’ chamfer, little to no rounded edges and an overmounted ‘unpolished’ sink option, the quartz worktop cost will be significantly reduced.
Every step that requires extra cutting, scraping, chamfering the edges, polishing the sides, cutting holes etc. will impact the final granite price.
Likewise, naturally if If there is an island in the kitchen, a quartz cut to size and polished with immaculate precision, it induces more labour. If you request a few socket holes in the side panel or top of the island, that also amounts to more work either from the masons or CNC machine.
Is the cost of quartz worktops higher than granite worktops?
Going back to the initial points we mentioned in this article: it all depends on the material. Quartz slab prices can range anything from £700-£3,000, depending on the rarity, demand or supplier prices. The same goes for the natural stone granite. We must remember that granite is an organic rock, therefore some supplies of this stone are slowly running out, making them very expensive products.
A common colour like Indian Jet Black (or Absolute Black), or Blue Pearl granite will be much cheaper than a Shivakashi product that is basically impossible to get nowadays since the quarries in the earth’s surface have been bled dry.
All in all, we can conclude that the slab prices for granite & quartz are similar. However, most granite slabs come in much bigger sizes compared to quartz. An average quartz slab can be even 20% smaller than a granite counterpart. This means that a kitchen of your size might require 2 slabs of quartz for completion, but only 1 slab of granite.
If you’re considering the prices, you are worried or you need more details regarding this matter, feel free to contact the company we linked above. They will answer any query and provide you a step-by-step, thorough explanation of the prices for different materials or your given project.
Don’t forget that they always offer a free quote service. Their contact details like phone or email are available on their website.
