What a kitchen costs
Replacing Kitchen Worktops: Cost by Material and Labour
The cost of replacing kitchen worktops starts with the material. Laminate is the budget option, while quartz and granite cost more to buy, more per m² to fit, and add extras for cutouts and drainer grooves. Here are the UK prices for laminate, quartz, granite and wood, the labour rates, a worked quartz example and the extras to get priced in a quote.
Kitchen worktop prices by material
Checkatrade’s worktop replacement cost guide prices a new worktop in four materials and the labour per m² to fit three of them. The table’s figures exclude VAT.
| Material | Supply price | Average | Labour per m² | What it is like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate (5m length) | £200 to £800 | £500 | £40 to £60 | Budget-friendly, with lots of colours |
| Quartz (5m length) | £500 to £1,100 | £800 | £80 to £130 | Hard-wearing and stain-resistant |
| Granite (5m length) | £550 to £1,150 | £850 | £120 to £180 | Durable and heat-resistant |
Laminate is the cheapest of the three, both to buy and to fit. Its £500 average is £300 below quartz and £350 below granite, and its labour averages £50 per m², all excluding VAT, on Checkatrade’s figures.
A wood worktop costs £300 to £900, or £600 on average, excluding VAT, in the same table, which gives no labour rate for wood. Heavier materials such as marble take longer to fit than wood or composite, Checkatrade’s kitchen fitting cost guide says.
Quartz vs granite worktop prices
On Checkatrade’s figures, a 5m quartz worktop averages £800 against £850 for granite, and labour averages £110 per m² for quartz against £150 for granite, all excluding VAT. At the top of the ranges, granite reaches £1,150 for a 5m length and £180 per m² to fit, against £1,100 and £130 for quartz, in the same table. Cutouts, drainer grooves, curved corners and round edges are priced the same for both, so the difference comes from the worktop and the labour.
Worktop fitting costs and labour rates
As a general guide, Checkatrade’s worktop guide puts supply at £500 to £850 for a 5m length and labour at around £100 per m². A kitchen fitter’s day rate runs £250 to £350, or £37 an hour, on the same guide. Heavier granite and quartz need special cutting tools and careful fitting, which adds to the cost, and bespoke shapes such as waterfall ends cost more.
Priced per job, kitchen worktop fitting costs £300 to £1,000, and £500 on average, on Checkatrade’s figures. A per-job price only compares with another when both describe the same job, so ask each fitter to write the material, the length and every extra on the quote.
Describing a worktop job on a quote
Do this
Remove the old laminate worktop, supply and fit a 5m quartz worktop with one polished cutout for the sink, drainer grooves and round edges, and refit the sink and taps
Not this
Supply and fit new quartz worktops
Fitting a laminate worktop yourself
A simple laminate worktop can be replaced by a confident DIYer, Checkatrade’s worktop guide says, which saves paying for labour at £40 to £60 per m², excluding VAT. Pop-up plugs or a worktop charging station still need an electrician, at £50 to £60 an hour on the same guide.
Extra costs for cutouts, grooves and edges
Checkatrade’s table prices these extras for quartz or granite worktops, as averages excluding VAT.
| Extra on quartz or granite | Average |
|---|---|
| Unpolished cutouts | £180 |
| Polished cutouts | £185 |
| Drainer grooves | £150 |
| Curved corners | £15 |
| Round edges | £14 |
A polished cutout costs £5 more than an unpolished one on Checkatrade’s figures, and each extra is priced on top of the worktop itself, separately from the labour.
A 5m quartz worktop with a polished cutout and drainer grooves
| 5m quartz worktop | £800 |
|---|---|
| One polished cutout | £185 |
| Drainer grooves | £150 |
Total £1,135
Checkatrade's average prices, excluding VAT. The total leaves out labour, which runs £80 to £130 per m² for quartz, and any curved corners or round edges.
The same two extras on a 5m granite worktop at £850 bring the total to £1,185, again excluding VAT and before labour, on Checkatrade’s figures. Because the extras are priced separately, two quotes for the same worktop can differ in whether they include them.
Compare quotes with the cutouts and grooves priced in
On quartz or granite, a polished cutout and drainer grooves add £335 on Checkatrade's averages, excluding VAT, so a quote that leaves them out looks that much cheaper than one that prices them in.
Comparing worktop quotes in Nottingham
Ask every fitter to price the same items, so the totals compare like for like, and check whether each price includes VAT, since Checkatrade’s worktop table excludes it. If the worktops are part of a wider kitchen makeover with new doors or a respray, ask for them as a separate line, so the price can be set against a quote for worktops alone.
Extras to get priced in a worktop quote
- Labour, and whether it is priced per m², by the day or per job
- Each cutout, and whether it is polished or unpolished
- Drainer grooves
- Curved corners and round edges
- Bespoke shapes such as waterfall ends
- An electrician for pop-up plugs or a worktop charging station
- Whether the prices include VAT
Among the Nottingham kitchen fitters compared for fit-only and supply-and-fit jobs, JCP Kitchens in Nuthall, trading since 1984, fits laminate, solid wood and Minerva worktops. Kitchen Fitter Nottingham in Giltbrook offers a complete renovation service from cabinets and worktops to tiling and decorating, and gives a price within 5 working days of visiting.
Common questions
How much does it cost to replace kitchen worktops?
Excluding VAT, a 5m worktop costs £200 to £800 in laminate, £500 to £1,100 in quartz and £550 to £1,150 in granite on Checkatrade's figures, with labour priced per m² on top. A 5m quartz worktop with a polished cutout and drainer grooves comes to £1,135 before labour, also excluding VAT. Kitchen worktop fitting on its own costs £300 to £1,000 per job, and £500 on average, on Checkatrade's figures.
How much does a quartz worktop cost?
A 5m quartz worktop costs £500 to £1,100, or £800 on average, excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures. Labour adds £80 to £130 per m², and a polished cutout averages £185 and drainer grooves £150, also excluding VAT. Quartz is hard-wearing and stain-resistant.
How much does a granite worktop cost?
A 5m granite worktop costs £550 to £1,150, or £850 on average, excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures. Labour costs £120 to £180 per m², excluding VAT, which is more than quartz or laminate, and heavier granite needs special cutting tools and careful fitting. Granite is durable and heat-resistant.
Is quartz cheaper than granite?
Yes, a little, on Checkatrade's averages. A 5m quartz worktop averages £800 against £850 for granite, and labour £110 per m² against £150, all excluding VAT. Cutouts, drainer grooves, curved corners and round edges are priced the same for both.
How much does a laminate worktop cost?
A 5m laminate worktop costs £200 to £800, or £500 on average, excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures. Labour costs £40 to £60 per m², also excluding VAT, and a confident DIYer can replace a simple laminate worktop. Laminate is budget-friendly and comes in lots of colours.
How much does a kitchen fitter charge to fit a worktop?
Kitchen worktop fitting costs £300 to £1,000 per job, and £500 on average, on Checkatrade's figures. Checkatrade's worktop guide gives a kitchen fitter's rate as £250 to £350 a day or £37 an hour. An electrician for pop-up plugs or a worktop charging station costs £50 to £60 an hour on the same guide.
Can I replace a kitchen worktop myself?
Yes, if it is a simple laminate worktop and you are a confident DIYer, Checkatrade says. Heavier granite and quartz need special cutting tools and careful fitting, and pop-up plugs or a worktop charging station need an electrician.
Where the figures come from
- Checkatrade, replacing kitchen worktops cost read 2026-09-17
- Checkatrade, kitchen fitting cost read 2026-09-17
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