Countertop Installation Cost: Quartz vs Granite, Fabrication Included
Installed quartz runs $60 to $150 per square foot and granite $50 to $130, fabrication and template included. A 40 square foot kitchen lands at $2,400 to $6,000. Edge profile, seams and cutouts move the number more than the stone.
Installed quartz countertops cost $60 to $150 per square foot and granite costs $50 to $130, with template, fabrication, delivery and installation included. A typical 40 square foot kitchen lands between $2,400 and $6,000. The stone is roughly half the number. Fabrication complexity is the other half.
Slab prices get quoted per square foot and then the invoice arrives with lines nobody mentioned. Understanding which of those lines are legitimate and which are padding is most of what separates a good countertop purchase from a frustrating one.
Installed cost by material
| Material | Installed, per square foot | 40 sq ft kitchen | Sealing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite, entry tier | $50 to $75 | $2,000 to $3,000 | Yes, periodically |
| Granite, premium | $80 to $130 | $3,200 to $5,200 | Yes, periodically |
| Quartz, standard patterns | $60 to $100 | $2,400 to $4,000 | No |
| Quartz, designer patterns | $100 to $150 | $4,000 to $6,000 | No |
| Quartzite | $80 to $180 | $3,200 to $7,200 | Yes |
| Ultra compact surface | $90 to $190 | $3,600 to $7,600 | No |
A standard kitchen with perimeter counters and a modest island is 40 to 55 square feet. Measure your own run before comparing quotes, because a 55 foot kitchen priced at $70 beats a 40 foot kitchen priced at $60 in total dollars and the per foot number hides that.
What is in the price and what is extra
Included in a legitimate installed price:
- Digital or physical templating after cabinets are set
- Slab fabrication, standard eased or bullnose edge
- One standard sink cutout and one faucet hole
- Delivery and installation
- Standard seam work
Commonly extra, and reasonably so:
- Upgraded edge profiles such as ogee, mitered or waterfall, adding $10 to $60 per linear foot
- Additional cutouts for a second faucet, soap dispenser, air switch or cooktop
- Cooktop cutouts, which cost more than sink cutouts because of tolerances
- Overhangs beyond 10 inches, which require corbels or steel support
- Backsplash from the same slab, priced per square foot
- Removal and disposal of the existing countertop, $200 to $600
- Plumbing disconnect and reconnect, $150 to $400
The three things that actually move the price
Slab yield. Fabricators buy whole slabs. A kitchen that needs 42 square feet out of a 55 square foot slab pays for the slab, not for 42 feet. Layouts that nest efficiently cost less, and an experienced fabricator will show you the layout on the slab before cutting.
Seams. Every seam is labor and risk. Long runs, L shapes and islands over 10 feet usually need one. A dramatic vein that has to match across a seam is skilled work and priced accordingly.
Edge and overhang. An eased edge is nearly free. A mitered edge that makes a two centimeter slab look like a five centimeter slab is fabrication time, and a waterfall island end is effectively another small countertop with a mitered joint.
Quartz or granite, in practice
Quartz is engineered and consistent, which means the sample you approve is what arrives. It never needs sealing and resists staining well. It is not heatproof: a pan straight off the burner can mark it, and unlike stone, that damage is permanent.
Granite is natural, so every slab differs and you should approve the actual slab, not a photo. It handles heat better than quartz and needs sealing periodically, which takes about ten minutes a year and is not the burden it is made out to be.
The honest summary is that the choice is aesthetic and behavioral, not durability. Both outlast the kitchen around them when treated sensibly. What matters more is seeing full slabs rather than four inch samples, because pattern scale reads completely differently at slab size. Our countertop showroom guide covers what to look for, and our countertops in Maryland page lists what we carry.
The Maryland factor
Fabrication and install labor in the DC metro runs 15 to 25 percent above national averages. Two things are specific to older Montgomery County homes: cabinet runs that are out of level need shimming before templating, and stairwells or tight turns in 1950s houses occasionally require an extra pair of hands on delivery day, which some fabricators bill.
If the counters are part of a larger project, our sister company can coordinate the demolition and the trades so the template date is not wasted.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install granite countertops?
Installed granite runs $50 to $130 per square foot including template, fabrication and installation. A 40 square foot kitchen typically lands between $2,000 and $5,200 depending on the tier of slab.
Is quartz more expensive than granite?
Quartz averages slightly higher, $60 to $150 installed against $50 to $130 for granite, but the ranges overlap heavily. A premium granite costs more than a standard quartz.
What is included in countertop installation?
Templating, fabrication with a standard edge, one sink cutout and faucet hole, delivery, installation and standard seams. Old countertop removal, plumbing reconnection and upgraded edges are usually separate line items.
How long does countertop installation take?
Templating takes about an hour and happens after cabinets are installed. Fabrication runs 7 to 14 days. Installation itself is typically 4 to 8 hours for a standard kitchen.
Do I have to pay for a whole slab?
In most cases yes, because fabricators purchase whole slabs. Ask to see the layout on the actual slab before cutting, both to check vein placement and to understand what you are paying for.
See full slabs, not samples. Our Derwood showroom keeps granite, quartz and quartzite on display at slab scale so pattern and tone read the way they will in your kitchen. Call (301) 939-0009 or book a showroom visit.
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