How to Price Worktop Replacement: Laminate, Quartz, Granite and Solid Wood Rates

Quick Answer: A like-for-like worktop replacement in a typical UK 3-bed kitchen prices £450–£1,400 fitted for laminate, £2,400–£4,800 for quartz, £2,200–£4,200 for granite, and £900–£2,400 for solid wood in 2026. Stone worktops (quartz, granite, Corian) are sold per m² fitted, templated and installed across two visits — a CAD or laser template day plus a fit day 7–14 days later. Laminate and solid wood are typically priced per linear metre supplied, fitted by a kitchen fitter at £180–£480 per day.

Summary

Worktop replacement is one of the cleanest single-line jobs in a kitchen — but quote variance is enormous because four different pricing models collide in one product category. Laminate is sold per linear metre off the rack at a builders' merchant. Solid wood is per linear metre but with hours of in-situ oiling and edge work. Quartz and granite are sold per m² fitted, templated by the stone fabricator, and the labour cost is bundled into the supplied-and-fitted rate. Corian and other solid surfaces sit in between with seamless joints and thermoforming options that add days to programme.

Templating is the make-or-break stage for stone worktops. A site survey with steel rule and a sketch is no longer good enough — fabricators want laser or CAD templates taken with the base units fitted, sink in place (or a template of it), and the hob model confirmed. Cut-outs for an undermount sink (£80–£180 supply), drainage grooves (£60–£140 per set), tap holes (£20–£40 per hole) and hob apertures (£40–£80) are charged on top of the m² rate. A quote that doesn't itemise these is hiding the extras.

Programme is the second-biggest source of misunderstanding. A laminate replacement is a single day. A quartz or granite worktop is two visits — template day, then fit day 7–14 working days later. The kitchen is unusable between visits if the existing worktop is removed at template stage (which is sometimes necessary). Tradespeople who don't programme this clearly leave homeowners washing up in the bath for a fortnight.

Key Facts

Quick Reference Table

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Material Price (supplied) Fitted total (3-bed kitchen) Programme Notes
Laminate 38mm post-formed £35–£85/lin m £450–£1,400 1 day Cheapest, widest colour range
Laminate 22mm slim profile £45–£100/lin m £550–£1,600 1 day More contemporary look, thinner edge
Solid wood 40mm (oak, beech) £90–£180/lin m £900–£1,900 1–2 days In-situ oil finish, requires maintenance
Solid wood premium (walnut, iroko) £150–£250/lin m £1,400–£2,400 1–2 days Higher cost, similar fitting time
Granite 30mm £250–£420/m² £2,200–£3,800 Template + fit (2 visits) Natural stone, sealed annually
Granite premium (exotic colours) £380–£500/m² £3,200–£4,800 Template + fit Volume-driven pricing
Quartz mid-tier (Silestone, Caesarstone) £280–£420/m² £2,400–£3,800 Template + fit Engineered, low maintenance
Quartz premium (large format, anti-bacterial) £420–£750/m² £3,800–£6,500 Template + fit Designer brands, larger slabs
Corian / solid surface £400–£700/m² £3,200–£5,500 Template + fit Seamless joints, thermoformable
Compact laminate (Fenix, Dekton thin) £350–£600/m² £3,000–£5,000 Template + fit Ultra-thin, scratch-resistant

Detailed Guidance

Laminate — the volume option

Laminate worktops dominate the UK kitchen market because they're cheap, available off the shelf, and any competent kitchen fitter can install them. The 38mm post-formed profile (the curved front edge) is the standard. The 22mm slim profile is the contemporary upgrade that adds £10–£25 per linear metre.

Pricing breaks down as:

Mason's mitres (preferred over butt joints at corners) require a router with a mitre jig. Cheap fitters use butt joints with steel connectors — fine for a year, but water tracks in and the chipboard core swells. A good quote specifies mason's mitre.

Post-formed laminate cannot have an undermount sink — the chipboard core soaks up water. Inset (drop-in) sinks only. Compact laminate (Fenix, Egger Pro) is solid throughout and supports undermount, but costs 4–6× the price.

Quartz — engineered stone, the 2026 default for mid-spec kitchens

Quartz is engineered from approximately 90–95% crushed quartz and 5–10% polymer resin. It's harder than granite, doesn't need sealing, and comes in consistent slab patterns. Pricing is per m² of slab area (not per linear metre), and the rate includes templating, manufacture, delivery and installation.

Three pricing tiers:

A typical 3-bed UK kitchen has 4–8 m² of worktop area (10 linear metres × 600mm depth = 6 m²). At £350/m², that's £2,100 for the worktop alone, plus £200–£500 in extras (cut-outs, drainage grooves, upstand).

Granite — natural stone, the long-game choice

Granite is quarried natural stone. Each slab is unique — homeowners typically visit the stone yard to choose their slab. Pricing is per m² fitted, similar structure to quartz, but with two material-specific factors:

Granite is typically 30mm thick (vs 20mm for quartz) — the additional weight means structural support matters. Base units must be solid; weak floors flag for additional joist work before fitting.

Solid wood — character at a labour cost

Solid wood worktops (oak, beech, walnut, iroko) are sold per linear metre supplied, typically at 4m maximum length. Fitting is done in-situ by a carpenter or kitchen fitter:

Total labour: 1–1.5 days for a typical kitchen. At £200–£300/day, labour alone is £200–£450 on top of the £900–£1,500 worktop supply cost.

Wood worktops require ongoing oil maintenance (every 6 months for the first 2 years, then annually). They mark with hot pans and water rings if not maintained. Homeowners drawn to the look should be quoted on the maintenance reality.

Sink cut-out, drainage grooves and edge profiles

Stone worktop quotes look simple until you list the extras. Standard inclusions and standard exclusions:

Usually included in m² rate:

Always priced separately:

A clean quote lists each extra as a line item. Beware quotes priced as "£X per m² supplied and fitted" with no extras shown — the homeowner will find £400–£800 of extras on the final invoice.

Templating: site survey vs CAD/laser template

Two approaches to capturing the worktop dimensions:

  1. Hand template — fabricator makes a 3mm hardboard or coreflute template on site, with the base units fitted but no sink. Captures all curves and angles. 1–2 hour visit. Most common for cottage kitchens with non-square walls.
  2. Laser / CAD template — fabricator uses a digital templating system (Proliner, LT-55, LT-2D3D). Generates a CAD file that goes straight to the CNC. 30–45 minute visit. Standard for high-volume fabricators.

Both require:

Programme assumption: template day, then 7–14 working days for manufacture, then fit day. The kitchen is usable between visits if the existing worktop stays in place. If the old worktop has to come off at template stage (rare, but happens with awkward sinks), the homeowner has no kitchen for 7–14 days.

Programme: laminate single day vs stone two visits

A laminate worktop replacement is a single day's work for one fitter:

Total: 8–9 hours = 1 day. Two-trade jobs (kitchen fitter + plumber) sometimes split this over 2 half-days.

Stone worktops follow a different rhythm:

Customers expect a "1 day" install and are surprised by the gap. Quotes should explicitly show: template visit, then approximate fit date.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to replace kitchen worktops in the UK in 2026?

For a typical 3-bed kitchen (6–8 m² of worktop): laminate £450–£1,400, solid wood £900–£2,400, granite £2,200–£4,200, quartz £2,400–£4,800, Corian £3,200–£5,500. Add £200–£600 for cut-outs, drainage grooves, and upstand. Premium designer quartz or large-format slabs can push above £6,000 fitted.

Can I keep my existing sink with a new quartz worktop?

Usually yes, if the sink is in good condition. Inset sinks lift out and drop into the new cut-out — the fabricator will template around your existing sink dimensions. Undermount sinks usually need replacing because the bracket and sealant bond breaks during removal. Belfast / Butler sinks stay in place — the new worktop is templated to fit around them.

Why does quartz take two weeks?

The fabrication queue. The slab is cut on a CNC bridge saw to your template, edges polished, cut-outs routed, then quality-checked. Most fabricators run a 7–14 day production schedule. Premium fabricators with their own slab yard can sometimes do 5 days; volume installers offering "next-day fit" usually mean next-available slot, which is 10–14 days.

Do I need a separate plumber and electrician for a worktop swap?

Yes — almost always. The kitchen fitter or stone installer handles the worktop only. The plumber disconnects and reconnects the sink, dishwasher and waste. The electrician handles the hob disconnection and reconnection (gas hobs require a Gas Safe engineer, not just an electrician). Build this into the quote — typically £180–£300 in plumber fees plus £80–£180 in electrician fees on top of the worktop price.

Is granite or quartz better value?

Quartz is lower maintenance (no sealing, more stain-resistant) and slightly cheaper to install for the same finish. Granite has more character (every slab is unique) and slightly better heat resistance. For a kitchen used heavily for cooking, quartz wins on practicality. For a showcase kitchen, granite wins on uniqueness. Within £100/m² between them at 2026 rates.

Regulations & Standards