Laminate countertops cost a national average of $1,251 installed, per Angi’s 2026 data drawn from 1,643 verified projects, with most homeowners paying $841 to $1,748.1 HomeAdvisor publishes the same average and the same range — the two sites are corporate siblings, and matching figures alone don’t establish independent corroboration.1,2 Fixr puts the national average at $1,050 for a typical 35-square-foot kitchen inside a wider $525 to $2,100 range that contains Angi’s band, and HomeGuide prices a 30-to-40-square-foot installation at $600 to $3,200.3,4 Figures below are the latest published national figures* from each source.
*National figures, not local quotes. Angi was updated September 16, 2026; HomeAdvisor was updated June 20, 2026; HomeGuide’s page is dated November 28, 2023; Fixr was updated January 29, 2026; Forbes’ page was last verified May 3, 2023. Your price depends on square footage, finish grade, edge profile, substrate, and local labor.
$1,251
national average installed (Angi, 1,643 projects)
$841 – $1,748
typical installed range (Angi, HomeAdvisor)
$525 – $2,100
national range, 35 sq. ft. (Fixr)
$20 – $80
per sq. ft. installed (HomeGuide)
What sources say
| Source | Figures | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Angi | $1,251 average; $841 – $1,748 typical; material averages $35 per sq. ft. 1 | 1,643 verified projects, 2026 data (updated Sept. 16, 2026) |
| HomeAdvisor | Same $1,251 average and $841 – $1,748 range 2 | Corporate sibling of Angi publishing matching figures (updated June 20, 2026) |
| HomeGuide | $600 – $3,200 total installed; $20 – $80 per sq. ft. installed 3 | 30–40 sq. ft. kitchen (page dated Nov. 28, 2023) |
| Fixr | $1,050 average; $525 – $2,100 range; $30 per sq. ft. average, $15 – $60 range 4 | 35 sq. ft. kitchen (updated Jan. 29, 2026) |
| Forbes | $30 per sq. ft. material average, $10 – $50 range; about $30 per sq. ft. for professional installation 5 | Materials-focused overview (verified May 3, 2023) |
These figures aren’t directly comparable line for line because the scopes differ: Angi and HomeAdvisor average real whole projects of varying sizes, Fixr and HomeGuide price fixed 30-to-40-square-foot kitchens, and Forbes quotes material-only pricing. Angi’s $841 to $1,748 typical range falls inside Fixr’s wider $525 to $2,100 band, and HomeGuide’s $600 to $3,200 band overlaps both.1,3,4
Cost per square foot by finish grade
The finish grade you pick sets the material price before any installation charge. All three cost guides that publish a grade table break it into the same three tiers (material only, per square foot):
| Finish grade | Angi / HomeAdvisor 1,2 | HomeGuide 3 | Fixr 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (horizontal grade) | $10 – $18 | $10 – $15 | $10 – $18 |
| Antimicrobial | $15 – $35 | $15 – $30 | $15 – $30 |
| High-durability / high-definition | $20 – $55 | $20 – $50 | $20 – $50 |
Angi and HomeAdvisor post identical grade tables; the two are corporate siblings. HomeGuide’s and Fixr’s top grades cap a few dollars lower than Angi’s, and HomeGuide’s standard grade starts at the same $10 floor but tops out $3 lower.1,3,4
Formica, the brand name often used as shorthand for laminate, is priced differently across sources. Angi quotes Formica countertops at $40 to $80 per square foot without stating on the page whether installation is included, while HomeGuide lists Formica material at $10 to $40 per square foot and Fixr puts luxury laminate over plywood at up to $50 per square foot, with Formica reaching $60.1,3,4 Treat the brand premium as a materials-line item to confirm with your installer.
Labor and installation costs
Professional installation labor runs $30 to $40 per hour, with a typical job taking three to seven hours, per Angi; some contractors instead quote a flat rate of $400 to $800.1 Fixr publishes the same hourly range and adds a per-square-foot alternative of $10 to $30, putting labor for a 35-square-foot kitchen at $350 to $1,050; HomeGuide also lists labor at $10 to $30 per square foot.3,4 When removal and disposal of the old countertop are bundled into the job, Angi puts total labor at $700 to $1,300.1
Removal on its own is priced three ways depending on the source: Angi lists $30 to $40 per hour (about an hour for an average kitchen) or $20 to $34 per countertop piece, Fixr quotes $50 to $300 for the service, and HomeGuide says contractors who don’t bundle removal charge $10 to $15 per square foot.1,3,4
Custom fabrication costs more than prefab. Angi says choosing custom over prefabricated adds at least 25% to labor costs, while Fixr says custom pieces run 25% to 100% more than prefab overall once special orders and higher-end finishes are factored in.1,4
Cost by countertop location
HomeGuide breaks installed pricing down by surface, which is useful if your project is a vanity or island rather than a full kitchen:3
| Surface | Square footage | Installed cost 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Small kitchen counter | 20 – 30 | $400 – $2,400 |
| Average kitchen counter | 30 – 40 | $600 – $3,200 |
| Kitchen island | 16 – 20 | $320 – $1,600 |
| Small kitchen island | 10 – 12 | $200 – $960 |
| Bathroom vanity top | 5 – 8 | $100 – $650 |
| Bar top | 4 – 6 | $80 – $480 |
Edge profiles, substrates, and brands
The standard square edge costs nothing extra; decorative edges are priced per linear foot. Angi’s table:1
| Edge style | Cost per linear ft. 1,2 |
|---|---|
| Square (standard) | No extra charge |
| No-drip | $5 – $9 |
| Eased | $5 – $9 |
| Full bullnose | $9 – $11 |
| Half bullnose | $8 – $10 |
| Ogee | $11 – $25 |
| Dupont | $10 – $20 |
HomeGuide prices decorative edges at $5 to $30 per linear foot overall, and Fixr lists ogee at $11 to $30 and Dupont at $10 to $30 — slightly higher tops than Angi’s table for those two styles.3,4
The substrate under the laminate matters for both price and durability. For raw material, Angi prices a 4-by-8-foot sheet at $6 to $20 for plywood and $15 to $45 for MDF.1 Priced as finished countertops, Fixr puts laminate over an MDF substrate at $10 to $18 per square foot and laminate over a plywood substrate at $20 to $50 per square foot, noting that plywood’s rigidity is what allows undermount sinks.4
By brand, HomeGuide lists material prices per square foot of $10 to $30 for Arborite, $10 to $30 for Pionite, $10 to $40 for Formica, and $20 to $40 for Wilsonart.3
Additional costs to budget for
| Add-on | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Backsplash installation | $600 – $1,300 ($15 – $40 per sq. ft. materials) | Angi, HomeAdvisor 1,2 |
| New backsplash (average) | $500 – $1,500 | Fixr 4 |
| Tile backsplash installed | $10 – $50 per sq. ft. | HomeGuide 3 |
| Sink installation labor | $215 – $626 | Angi, HomeAdvisor 1,2 |
| Sink fixture | $150 – $3,000 | Angi, HomeAdvisor 1,2 |
| Sink installation (typical) | $300 – $500 | Fixr 4 |
| Kitchen sink replacement | $380 – $1,400 | HomeGuide 3 |
| Kitchen faucet replacement | $600 – $2,000 | HomeGuide 3 |
| Sink and faucet cutouts | $20 – $25 each; large cooktop cutout up to $100 | Angi 1 |
| Cutouts (project total) | $100 – $200 | Fixr 4 |
| Plumbing disconnection | $45 – $200 per hour; often a ~$100 line item | Angi 1 |
| Old countertop removal | $50 – $300 (Fixr); $30 – $40 per hour or $20 – $34 per piece (Angi); $10 – $15 per sq. ft. where not bundled (HomeGuide) | All three 1,3,4 |
Whether your project needs a permit depends on your local building authority and the full scope of the work — a straight countertop swap is a different scope from a remodel that moves plumbing or electrical lines, so confirm requirements with your local building department before work starts. Published estimates put permit costs at $50 to $100 where one is required (Angi) and $200 to $1,500 for a kitchen or bath remodel permit (HomeGuide); your local authority sets the actual requirement and fee.1,3
DIY vs. hiring a pro
Laminate is the most DIY-friendly countertop material: it’s lightweight, cuts with ordinary tools, and needs no sealing. Angi estimates a DIY installation at around $24 per square foot, and Fixr puts the labor savings for a standard kitchen at $350 to $1,050.1,4 Forbes notes that retailers stock inexpensive pre-cut lengths, so a DIYer willing to skip custom work can bring an entire installation in at a few hundred dollars.5
The trade-off is risk: uneven seams, misaligned edges, and bubbling are the mistakes sources flag most, and fixing them can cost more than the original professional install.1 If you do go the DIY route, home centers sell the raw materials — Home Depot’s laminate-sheets category (browse the category here) gives you a sense of per-sheet material pricing before you commit.3
How long laminate countertops last
Published lifespan figures differ across sources, and the pages don’t explain the differences: Angi says laminate can last 20 to 30 years with proper care, while its sister site HomeAdvisor says 10 to 15 years. HomeGuide puts the average at 10 to 20 years, and Forbes says about 15 years with standard use.1,2,3,5 All the sources agree on the care basics that extend life: wipe spills quickly so moisture can’t swell the substrate, keep hot pans on trivets (Fixr notes laminate can blister above 140°F), and avoid abrasive cleaners.4,5
Laminate vs. other countertop materials
Laminate is the budget end of the countertop market. Fixr prices laminate at $15 to $60 per square foot against granite at $40 to $150 per square foot, and puts the materials’ averages at $30 versus $90 per square foot respectively.4 HomeGuide notes solid surface countertops run $1,500 to $6,000 installed against laminate’s $600 to $3,200.3 For detailed pricing on the alternatives, see our guides to granite countertop cost, marble countertops cost, quartzite countertops cost, quartz countertops cost, and butcher block countertop cost, or the overview of countertop installation cost across materials.
Related guides: Quartz Countertops Cost
Butcher Block Countertop Cost
Countertop Installation Cost
All cost guides
Countertop Refinishing Cost: 2026 Resurfacing, Repair and DIY Prices
Epoxy Countertops Cost: 2026 Pro, Refinish and DIY Kit Prices
Solid Surface Countertops Cost
Sources
1. Angi — How Much Does Laminate Countertop Installation Cost? (2026 data, updated September 16, 2026)
2. HomeAdvisor — How Much Does It Cost to Install Laminate Countertops? (updated June 20, 2026)
3. HomeGuide — How Much Do Laminate Countertops Cost To Install? (page dated November 28, 2023)
4. Fixr — Cost of Laminate Countertops (updated January 29, 2026)
5. Forbes Home — Laminate Countertops: Pros and Cons (verified May 3, 2023)