How much does it cost to install a countertop?

Countertop Installation Cost

One of the most important design choices you will make for a remodel will be your preference for a countertop. This means it is also one of the most important places to spend money where you need to so that you are left with a result that adds significant beauty and equity to the room.

The Short Answer

Without taking into account any of the possible variables or customizations that are likely to impact the cost, the average homeowner will spend about $3K on their countertop installation, which will include up to about $30 per foot of just labor. 

This all depends on a few other factors, such as the particular materials you choose, the demolition or removal needed before installation, awkward or non-standard sizing which may need excessive customization, and finishing, grouting, edging, and sealing.

Average Per Foot Costs Of Countertops

With an average of $10 to $50 per square foot of installed countertop, the installation and labor cost can comprise up to half of the entire total cost of your new countertops. 

Materials have such an enormous range of pricing with some cheaper materials being available for only $0.99 per square foot, and some of the more luxurious or rare materials costing hundreds of dollars per square foot. The average for most people, however, is between $20 and $60 per square foot.

It is important to remember that more expensive materials do not necessarily require more expensive installation, however, this is not a hard and fast rule. Some materials will require someone to be skilled enough to work with them. 

Fabricating Countertops

Being able to use a standardized countertop size can significantly decrease the cost of the countertop as a whole, and may allow you to reallocate that part of the budget elsewhere. By using a prefabricated countertop, as much as 50% may be able to be saved over the cost of similar countertops that need to be cut to size. Be sure your estimates include the usual cut, edge, and polish that need to be done to raw cut countertops since they will often be left off of the estimate.

Slab vs. Tile Countertops

This is an important factor to consider in the pricing of your countertops. Will they be one single slab, or will they need to be laid in smaller, tiled segments. If your countertop cannot be laid in a single slab, it can nearly double your installation labor cost. Often the installation for slab counter breaks down to an average of about $13 per square foot, while smaller countertop tiles can increase that to $25 per square foot.

Replacing Existing Countertops

This is where things can really start to get expensive since it can essentially double your total countertop cost. If you are budgeting $5K to have your new countertops purchased and installed, you will need to make sure that space, where the countertop will be installed, is clear and ready for them to slap down that slab, if not, you’re looking at an additional $5K to remove and prep.

This will include a lot of things that many people do not think about when planning to upgrade their countertops. This includes the contractor removing and hauling it away since you can’t just throw a giant piece of countertop in the garbage. They will then make sure that all of the necessary plumbing pipes or lines are where they need to mesh with the new countertop holes. 

Then they will make sure that the wiring for your appliances is ready for the new countertop. Finally, they will ensure that the cabinet will support the new countertop, and if not, they will cut it to final dimensions.

Cost Of Kitchen Counters vs. Bathroom Counters

There is a large difference in what a kitchen counter will cost you versus what a bathroom counter will cost you, but when you break it down, the average cost of the materials and the labor is about the same. The only reason for the price difference is that bathroom countertops are much smaller than kitchen countertops. 

However, if you are thinking about redoing both, it may be cheaper to get all of the countertop material at once, since you may be able to leverage the number of square feet you need against a quantity discount. The same material could provide coordination between countertop needs in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, laundry rooms, and even nurseries.

There are several factors to determine the cost of any countertop installation project. If you need help in estimating the cost of installing a new countertop, be sure to call Pablo Marble and Granite. We are here to assist you in making your kitchen or bathroom a place you can be proud of.