Countertop installation costs $40 to $150 per square foot installed, or $1,500 to $6,000 for a typical 30 to 40 square foot kitchen.123 Angi’s average project is $3,161 across 8,820 jobs1 and Fixr’s is $3,000 for a 35 sq. ft. quartz kitchen.3 Labor alone is 15% to 30% of the bill.3 Prices below are national averages* for 2026.
*National averages, not local quotes. Your price depends on material, square footage, edge profile, cutouts, and local fabrication labor.
$40 – $150
per sq. ft. installed, Angi & Fixr
$1,500 – $6,000
30 – 40 sq. ft. kitchen, HomeGuide
$3,161
average project, Angi (8,820 jobs)
15% – 30%
labor share, Fixr
Quick math: a 35 sq. ft. kitchen at $40 to $150 per foot = $1,400 to $5,250, our arithmetic — exactly Fixr’s published national range, because that is how the range was built.3 Fixr’s $3,000 average implies about $86 per square foot for the most common job: mid-range quartz in a standard kitchen.3
Cost by material (installed, per square foot)
| Material | HomeGuide | Fixr |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate / Formica | $20 – $80 | $15 – $60 |
| Butcher block / wood | $50 – $150 | $40 – $100 |
| Corian (solid surface) | $50 – $150 | $40 – $100 |
| Granite | $80 – $150 | $40 – $150 |
| Quartz | $50 – $200 | $50 – $200+ |
| Marble | $40 – $150 | $50 – $200 |
| Quartzite | $65 – $150 | $60 – $200 |
Laminate is the budget floor everywhere — a full kitchen in laminate can cost less than the fabrication minimums on stone.23 Granite shows the widest disagreement: HomeGuide’s installed band starts at $80 where Fixr’s starts at $40, because entry-level granite slabs vary hugely by region and supplier.23 Quartz and quartzite top the table at both sources; do not confuse them — quartz is engineered, quartzite is natural stone.23
Cost by area
| Area | Typical size | Cost (Angi) |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen perimeter | 20 – 40 sq. ft. | $800 – $3,500 |
| Kitchen island | 12 – 30 sq. ft. | $600 – $2,500 |
| Bar / peninsula | 8 – 20 sq. ft. | $400 – $1,800 |
| Bathroom vanity | 6 – 10 sq. ft. | $350 – $1,200 |
Small jobs cost more per foot: installers charge minimum fees that make a vanity disproportionately pricey.1 Most kitchens carry 30 to 40 square feet of counter.23
Labor, removal, and the extras
Labor runs $35 to $100 per hour or $20 to $50 per square foot (Angi)1 — typically $450 to $900 on an average kitchen, 15% to 30% of the project (Fixr).3 Old counter removal, disposal, and plumbing or electrical reconnection add $200 to $600.1 Decorative edge profiles add $20 to $40 per linear foot for ogee or Dupont cuts.3 Extra sink and cooktop cutouts, seams, and corners all add labor time.1
Worked examples
Example 1 — the standard 35 sq. ft. quartz kitchen. 35 x $40 to $150 = $1,400 to $5,250, our arithmetic — Fixr’s exact range, with its $3,000 average at about $86 per foot.3 HomeGuide’s 30 to 40 sq. ft. band of $1,500 to $6,000 brackets it.2
Example 2 — budget laminate swap, 30 sq. ft. Fixr: 30 x $15 to $60 = $450 to $1,800, our arithmetic.3 HomeGuide: 30 x $20 to $80 = $600 to $2,400, our arithmetic.2 Overlap: $600 to $1,800 for most laminate kitchens.
Example 3 — perimeter plus island. Angi’s area pricing: perimeter $800 to $3,500 + island $600 to $2,500 = $1,400 to $6,000 combined, our arithmetic1 — its $3,161 project average lands right in the middle.1
FAQ
Can I install countertops myself? Laminate and butcher block are realistic DIY; granite, quartz, and concrete need fabrication tools, and a botched seam or dropped slab costs more than the labor you saved. Pro install also keeps the warranty valid.1
What is the cheapest decent option? Laminate at $15 to $80 per foot installed — modern laminates mimic stone well.23
Quartz or granite? Quartz needs no sealing and resists stains; granite is natural stone with more variation and a slightly lower entry price. They occupy the same installed band.23
Do new countertops pay back? Kitchen counter upgrades return roughly 50% to 80% at resale, with granite and quartz at the high end.1
How do I cut the quote? Keep the existing layout (no moved plumbing), choose a standard edge, handle old-counter removal yourself, and ask fabricators about remnant slabs for small jobs.1
DIY shopping: a butcher block countertop is the most DIY-friendly real-counter upgrade — cut to length, sand, and seal (plain link, no affiliate relationship).
Sources
- Angi, How Much Does Countertop Installation Cost? (2026 data, 8,820 projects).
- HomeGuide, How Much Does Countertop Installation Cost? (2026).
- Fixr, How Much Does It Cost to Replace Kitchen Countertops? (2026).
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