Know what your countertop should cost
A 40 sq ft countertop costs $2,800 to $4,400 in 2026, about $90 per sq ft installed. Across every option it runs from $1,400 (laminate) to $8,700 (quartzite).
Four questions gets you an itemised range, adjusted for construction wages where you live. The whole number, up front, before we ask for anything.
What countertop work costs in 2026
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Laminate Cheapest by a wide margin, shortest life | $1,100 – $1,700 |
| Butcher block Needs oiling and does not love standing water | $1,400 – $2,200 |
| Quartz Engineered stone, the most common choice | $2,800 – $4,400 |
| Granite | $2,950 – $4,650 |
| Marble Porous and stains; beautiful and high maintenance | $3,950 – $6,150 |
| Quartzite Harder than granite, harder to fabricate too | $4,200 – $6,600 |
Where the money goes
Slab or material
$1,980 · 55% of the job
Fabrication and cutting
$650 · 18% of the job
Installation
$540 · 15% of the job
Removal and disposal
$250 · 7% of the job
Edge profile and cutouts
$180 · 5% of the job
Countertop cost by state
Labour is the part of this job that moves with geography. These are the same 40 sq ft project, priced against construction wages in each state.
- California $2,950 – $4,600 +4.6% vs national
- Texas $2,850 – $4,450 +1.3% vs national
- Florida $2,650 – $4,150 -6.0% vs national
- New York $2,950 – $4,600 +4.4% vs national
- Oklahoma $2,550 – $4,050 -8.2% vs national
- Oregon $2,850 – $4,450 +0.7% vs national
- Pennsylvania $2,800 – $4,400 +0.6% vs national
- Rhode Island $2,800 – $4,400 +0.3% vs national
- South Carolina $2,700 – $4,200 -3.6% vs national
- South Dakota $2,600 – $4,100 -7.3% vs national
- Tennessee $2,750 – $4,350 -0.9% vs national
- Utah $2,650 – $4,150 -6.0% vs national
Questions homeowners ask
How much should I budget for kitchen countertops?
For an average 40 square feet of surface in quartz at mid-range quality, about $2,800 to $4,400. Laminate on the same kitchen is closer to $1,400, and marble or quartzite runs half again more than quartz.
How much is 20 square feet of quartz countertop?
Roughly $1,400 to $2,200 installed at mid-range quality. Small jobs sit close to the fabricator's minimum, so the price per square foot looks worse than it does on a full kitchen.
How do you calculate the cost of a countertop?
Measure the surface in square feet, then multiply by an installed rate for the material. The slab itself is about 55% of the total; fabrication and installation are another third. Removing the old counters is charged separately, around $12 per square foot.
Is granite or quartz more expensive?
They are close, granite runs about 5% more on a like-for-like job, roughly $3,800 against $3,600 for 40 square feet at mid-range. The bigger difference is upkeep: granite needs periodic sealing, quartz does not.
Reviewed and maintained by Anchorcost. Last checked September 3, 2026. Figures are verified against this page's own calculator on every build. How these figures are worked out.