Expect to spend anywhere between $2,500 and $7,000 for most standard kitchens. That’s installed. Not just materials. Installed and done right. Bigger kitchens or higher-end material? You’re looking at $8,000 to $12,000+. It could go higher if you start throwing in full custom edges, waterfall sides, or luxury slabs.
Now let’s break down why.
What Actually Affects Kitchen Countertop Replacement Cost
I’ve seen people get quotes for $1,800 and others pay $10K+. And both can be right, depending on the situation.
1. Material Choice: This is the big one.
- Laminate: $25-$50/sq. ft. installed. Cheap. It works. But it won’t impress anyone and doesn’t hold up forever.
- Butcher block: $45-$100/sq. ft. Warm look, but needs maintenance. Water damage and scratches happen if you don’t seal it right.
- Granite: $60-$150/sq. ft. Durable, natural, and every piece is different. You want it sealed, and the installer has to know how to handle it.
- Quartz: $70-$150/sq. ft. Engineered stone. Most popular. Consistent look, easy to clean, low maintenance. Costs more, but it lasts.
- Marble: $100-$250/sq. ft. Looks great. Soft and stains easily. It’s luxury, but not for everyone.
There’s more- concrete, stainless steel, soapstone, but those are less common unless we’re doing something custom or high-end.
2. Square Footage
A small galley kitchen? You’re maybe at 25–35 square feet of countertop. A larger L-shape with an island could push 60–80 sq. ft. or more. Multiply that by the cost per square foot, and you’ll see how it adds up quickly.
3. Tear Out & Disposal: $200 to $600+
Someone’s gotta get the old stuff out. If it’s glued down tight or it’s tile with a concrete backer, it’ll take more time (and make more mess). We haul it off, too. Not dumping it in your driveway.
4. Fabrication & Edges
Basic square edge is standard. But you want ogee, bullnose, bevel, or mitered waterfall sides? That costs more. Especially with stone. The shop has to cut, polish, and finish every edge exactly.
Also, if your kitchen layout has weird corners or multiple seams, it takes more skill to cut and match the stone so it looks right. Not all installers care. We do while doing a kitchen remodel.
5. Sink Cutout + Faucet Holes: $200 to $400+
Undermount sinks are more work. They need the opening polished. And if you’re going with a farm sink, that changes things too. It’s not plug-and-play.
Why It Matters
A bad countertop install wrecks your whole kitchen. Even if your cabinets are solid, the wrong installation can lead to cracks, gaps, or uneven seams that are impossible to unsee.
And if you’re replacing countertops but keeping your cabinets, you’ve got to make sure those cabinets are level and solid. Otherwise, you’re just putting expensive stone on a wobbly base. Recipe for disaster.
We check all that before we install anything.
When Should You Replace Your Countertops?
Here’s when it makes sense:
- You’re updating the look of the kitchen but not doing a full remodel.
- The old tops are cracked, stained, warped, or just plain ugly.
- You’re selling and want to get top dollar without replacing everything.
- You’re tired of fighting grout lines, peeling laminate, or mystery stains that don’t come out.
Also, if you’re already replacing the sink or appliances, do the tops too. Saves time and money vs. doing it in two steps.
How It’s Done (If You Hire the Right Crew)
This is the basic flow:
- We measure: We come out, take exact templates of your space. Not guesstimates.
- Material selection: You pick your slab. We help if needed. We work with real suppliers, not some Craigslist guy selling cutoffs from his garage.
- Fabrication: The slab gets cut, polished, and finished by professionals. We don’t rush this. You only get one chance to cut it right.
- Old countertop removal: Clean, careful, no damage to your cabinets or walls.
- Install day: We install the tops, level them, attach the sink (if it’s undermount), and seal where needed.
Usually takes 1–2 weeks from measure to install. We’ll tell you if there’s a backlog or material delay up front.
Common Mistakes People Make
- Trying to reuse old sink cutouts
Doesn’t always work. Undermount sinks, especially. Once it’s cut, that hole is that hole. - Buying material without checking if it’ll fit through the door
Sounds dumb, but it happens. Big islands might not fit in one piece. We check that stuff. - Not sealing stone countertops
Granite and marble need sealing. If the installer doesn’t do it or you forget later, you’ll get stains. Permanent ones. - Not levelling the cabinets first
If the cabinets are crooked, the countertop guys can’t fix that. They’ll shim it, but the result won’t be great. - Hiring cheap installers
Bad installs = visible seams, chipped corners, poor caulking, wrong overhangs. And they’ll never come back to fix it.
If You Don’t Do It Right
Countertops aren’t like paint. If it’s wrong, you can’t just touch it up. If the slab cracks because it was installed on uneven cabinets, it’s ruined. If they mess up the sink cutout, you’re buying a new slab. We’ve replaced a lot of bad installs done by “budget” guys.
Get it done right once.
Final Word
Replacing your kitchen countertops is one of the best upgrades you can make, whether you’re selling, remodeling, or just want something that looks good and works right.
Expect to pay $2,500 to $7,000 on average, depending on your choices and layout. Maybe more. Maybe a little less. We’ll give you a real number after we see the space.
We don’t guess. We don’t upsell. And we don’t bail on jobs halfway through.
Call me. Text me. Fill out the contact form. We’ll set up a time to take a look and give you the full picture, no pressure, just the truth.
