Frequently Asked Questions

Fixr's 2026 cost guide shows most kitchen countertop installs between $1,400 and $5,250, with 35 square feet of quartz near $3,000. Laminate can come in far lower; exotic stone or a big island can run far higher. Your written quote follows the measurement visit.

It depends on how you cook and how long you will stay. Mid-grade granite and commercial-grade quartz give the most durability per dollar for most kitchens; laminate is the lowest cost up front; solid surface sits between and can be repaired. We can price two options side by side at the estimate.

Mostly heat. Quartz is bound with resin, and Forbes Home notes that hot pans can scorch or discolor it; Caesarstone's care guide says to always put hot cookware on trivets or hot pads. Quartz also costs more than entry-level granite. With a trivet habit, it is one of the easiest surfaces to live with, since it never needs sealing.

Get quotes that list the same things: square footage, material grade, edge profile, number of cutouts, removal of old tops and backsplash. A low number that leaves out tear-out or sink cutouts is not really lower. Ask for the quote in writing.

Swapping tops on the same cabinets with the sink in place usually does not involve permitted trade work. Allen County lists plumbing, electrical, mechanical and structural work as needing permits, so moving a sink, adding circuits or removing a wall changes that. Confirm with the building department for your address.

Quartz and sealed granite are not harmed by mineral deposits, but spots show on dark polished surfaces. Marble is the one to watch, because acidic hard-water removers can etch it. City Utilities water is softened at the plant; private wells in the area are usually much harder.

Once you approve the quote and cabinets are ready, the template visit comes first, then fabrication, then install day. For an average kitchen, tear-out and setting the new tops fit into one visit. Plumbing reconnection follows, and any permitted work adds its own scheduling.

The main reasons are heat and price. Hot pans can scorch the resin, and quartz usually costs more than entry-level granite or laminate. If you use trivets and want a surface that never needs sealing, those drawbacks are small.

Not usually. The two overlap a lot. HomeGuide shows installed quartz from $50 to $200 a square foot and granite from $50 to $250, with typical granite jobs in the $80 to $150 band. Lower-grade granite tends to undercut mid-grade quartz slightly. We can price both for your layout.

No sealing is needed, since liquids cannot soak into it. Dish soap, warm water and a soft cloth are enough; skip scouring pads and harsh solvents.

Only up to a point. Caesarstone tells owners to keep hot cookware on trivets or hot pads, because high heat can scorch or discolor the resin.

It depends on the layout and slab size. Long runs, L-shapes and large islands often need one. Before anything is cut, you see the seam locations on the layout, and we steer them clear of the sink when possible.

Nationally, HomeGuide shows most installed granite between $80 and $150 a square foot, which works out to $2,400 to $6,000 for a mid-size kitchen. Rare colors can hit $250 a square foot. The written quote comes once your layout and slab are chosen.

Dense stones can go many years between treatments; porous ones may need it every few months. If water spots darken the surface quickly, reseal.

Close to it, and much more so than quartz or laminate. Still, a trivet is a good habit, because a sudden temperature change at a seam or near a cutout can stress the stone and the sealer.

Busy, speckled granite went out of fashion for a while, but quieter granites and stones with long veining are widely used. Since every slab is different, you can choose one that fits your kitchen rather than a trend.

Granite rarely cracks in normal use when it sits on level, well-supported cabinets. Most cracks come from uneven bases, unsupported overhangs or heavy impact near a cutout, which is why we check the cabinets first.

Yes, if the boxes are sturdy and sit level. We inspect them at the first visit, and small repairs like shimming or a new sink base floor are listed on the quote.

After the template, fabrication takes some time, then an average kitchen has its old tops pulled and new ones set in a single day. Tile tear-outs and cabinet repairs can add time.

Not always, but most stone and quartz tops are made for undermount sinks, and an old drop-in sink often does not suit them. Many people replace the sink and faucet at the same time.

It can. A laminate splash comes off with the top, and the bottom row of a tile backsplash can crack when the old top is lifted. You will know before the job starts whether to plan on a new splash.

A like-for-like countertop swap usually does not involve permitted trade work. Allen County lists plumbing, electrical and structural work as needing permits, so moving the sink or adding circuits changes that.

HomeGuide lists a standard 20 x 36 inch vanity top installed at $250 to $1,000 for quartz and $400 to $750 for granite. Two-sink tops and unusual shapes run higher. You get a written figure once we have measured.

For most bathrooms, quartz, because it is non-porous and does not need sealing. Granite works well too. Marble is lovely, but acids dull it and it asks for more upkeep.

Frequently. Offcuts from bigger slabs can trim the cost when a piece of the right color and size turns up. We look when we put the quote together.

Not if it is solid, level and the right size. If the cabinet is water damaged or you want a different size, replace it first, since the top is templated to the cabinet.

Moving drain and supply lines is plumbing work, which Allen County lists as needing a permit. We raise it during the estimate so the plumbing is settled before fabrication.

For durability, usually yes. True quartzite is much harder and does not etch from acids the way marble does. Marble is softer and develops a patina, which some people love and others do not.

Test a sample. Real quartzite scratches glass and does not etch when lemon juice or vinegar sits on it. Stone that fails those tests is likely marble or dolomite, whatever the label says.

No. Sealing helps resist stains, but etching is a chemical reaction between acid and the stone itself. Etch marks are harder to see on a honed surface than a polished one.

Yes. Even though it is hard, many quartzites have some porosity. Frequency varies by slab; if water darkens it quickly, it is due.

HomeGuide's installed range for marble is $40 to $150 a square foot. Carrara is the most affordable; Calacatta slabs cost far more. We price your layout with the specific slab.

Laminate, by a wide margin: HomeGuide puts installed laminate at $20 to $80 a square foot, about $600 to $3,200 for a mid-size kitchen. It is a good fit for rentals, laundry rooms and kitchens with a remodel planned later.

Solid surface costs more but is the same material all the way through, can have seamless joints and an integral sink, and shallow scratches buff out. Laminate costs less but cannot be repaired once the top layer is cut or burned.

Standard laminate is generally used with drop-in sinks, because water reaching the exposed core around an undermount opening causes swelling. Solid surface works very well with undermount and integral sinks.

Yes. Light scratches on matte or semi-gloss finishes can be sanded out. Angi lists professional repairs at $150 to $750.

No. A hot pan can blister or scorch laminate. Use trivets, the same as with quartz and solid surface.