What Kitchen Worktops Cost In 2026
Worktop quotes are hard to compare because each supplier includes a different set of items. This guide gives fitted price ranges for every common surface, then shows you exactly which lines to check before you decide one quote is cheaper than another.
Where this works
- Setting a realistic worktop budget before a kitchen is designed
- Understanding why two quotes for the same kitchen differ by thousands
- Deciding whether to stretch from laminate to solid surface
- Budgeting a worktop only replacement in an existing kitchen
- Setting a client allowance in a specification or schedule of works
How we install it
- 1Why linear metre pricing hides so much
Almost every worktop is quoted per linear metre, which works only if the two quotes assume the same depth, thickness, edge profile and cutout count. A six hundred millimetre deep run in twenty millimetre stone with a pencil edge is a different product from a nine hundred millimetre island in thirty millimetre stone with a mitred forty millimetre edge, yet both get described as a metre. Before comparing anything, write down the depth, the thickness, the edge detail and the number of cutouts, and ask each supplier to price against that same list.
- 2The items that move the number most
Cutouts are the biggest hidden cost. An undermount sink cutout with a polished internal edge, a drainer groove set and a hob cutout can add several hundred pounds on stone. Waterfall ends on an island effectively add a whole extra slab and the mitre work to join it. Long runs over three metres force a join or a bigger slab, and the bigger slab costs more than twice the small one. Finally, removal and disposal of the old worktop is a line item on some quotes and an assumption on others.
- 3Where each material sits and why
Laminate is cheap because it is factory made and cut on site in an hour. Timber is mid priced but carries an ongoing oiling cost in your time. Quartz and granite sit close together and are dominated by slab brand. Sintered stone costs more because the material is harder to cut and fabricators price the tool wear in. Corian type solid surface costs more than quartz mainly because of thermoforming and seamless joining labour. Microcement is priced by area and detail rather than slab, so it holds its price on awkward layouts where stone escalates.
- 4Comparing quotes without getting caught out
Ask every supplier for four things in writing: the exact material and thickness, the edge profile, every cutout listed individually, and whether templating, delivery, fitting, sealing and removal of the old top are included. Then ask about the join positions on a plan. A quote that is a thousand pounds cheaper and shows a join across the middle of the island is not cheaper, it is a different job. Finally check lead time from template, since a three week gap without a worktop means no sink and no hob.
Common pitfalls we prevent
Frequently asked
What is the cheapest worktop that still looks good?+
A good quality laminate with a square edge and a matching upstand. Modern laminates print convincingly and cost a fraction of stone. The compromise is the exposed core at any cutout and the fact that water damage at a sink edge is permanent.
How much should I budget for an average kitchen?+
For a typical eight linear metre kitchen with an island, expect roughly £900 for laminate, £2,500 for timber, £4,000 for mid range quartz, £4,500 for microcement and £6,000 or more for sintered stone or a premium solid surface, all fitted.
Is it cheaper to replace just the worktop?+
Usually yes, and it transforms a tired kitchen more than anything else you can do for the money. The constraint is that the existing cabinets have to be level, square and strong enough for the new material, which is what a survey checks.
Does a thicker worktop cost much more?+
On stone, moving from twenty to thirty millimetres adds roughly fifteen to twenty five per cent because the slab costs more and is heavier to handle. A cheaper way to get a chunky look is a mitred edge on a thinner slab, which builds visual depth without the full slab weight.
Are there ongoing costs?+
Timber needs oiling two or three times a year. Granite needs resealing every year or two. Quartz, sintered stone and solid surface need nothing beyond cleaning. Microcement needs a refresh sealer coat roughly every five years in heavy domestic use, which is a half day job.
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