The Short Answer
For about 5 metres of worktop, supplied and fitted: £300 to £600 in laminate, £480 to £1,150 in solid wood, £1,000 to £1,900 in quartz and £1,100 to £2,100 in granite, before cut-outs. On stone, each sink or hob cut-out adds about £150 to £200.
Stone is templated once your units are in and made to measure, so expect a week or two without a worktop. Laminate and wood are cut in your kitchen on the day. If you want value, I'd use laminate or wood on the long runs and stone on an island.
Worktop cost calculator
Material, length and cut-outs are almost the whole price. Stone is templated and cut off-site; laminate and wood are cut in your kitchen.
Templated after the units are fitted, cut in a factory and fitted
Estimated total
£1,410 to £2,550
| Quartz (engineered stone), 5m supplied and fitted | £1,000 to £1,900 |
| Undermount sink cut-out, polished | £180 to £250 |
| Hob cut-out | £150 to £200 |
| Removing and disposing of the old worktops | £80 to £200 |
Worktop prices per metre
| Material | Per metre, fitted (600mm deep) | 5 metres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate | £60 to £120 | £300 to £600 | Wickes 3m lengths £110 to £210 (£35 to £70 a metre) plus cutting, jointing and sealing |
| Solid wood | £95 to £230 | £480 to £1,150 | Wickes 3m lengths £180 (beech) to £524 (38mm oak), plus fitting and oiling |
| Quartz (engineered stone) | £200 to £380 | £1,000 to £1,900 | Templated after the units are fitted, cut in a factory and fitted |
| Granite | £220 to £420 | £1,100 to £2,100 | Natural stone, templated after the units are fitted and made to measure |
Laminate and wood come in standard lengths you can price yourself: at Wickes in October 2026, a 3-metre laminate worktop cost £110 to £210 and a 3-metre solid wood one £180 (beech) to £524 (38mm oak). Fitting, joints and edging come on top.
Quartz or granite: which costs more?
Usually granite, but not by much. We compared DIY Kitchens' full ranges in October 2026, both priced with templating and fitting included: the middle of its granite range was about 11% dearer than the middle of its quartz range, and its cheapest quartz undercut its cheapest granite. Colour and pattern move the price far more than the material does: its dearest quartz cost more than three times its cheapest.
For a 3-metre run of standard depth, the middle of that quartz range comes to about £674 including VAT, and granite about £749, before cut-outs.
What's extra on stone
| Extra | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Sink or hob cut-out | £150 to £200 |
| Undermount sink cut-out, polished | £180 to £250 |
| Drainer grooves | £130 to £170 |
| Matching upstands, per metre | £60 to £140 |
| Removing the old worktops | £80 to £200 |
How stone worktops are measured and fitted
Quartz and granite are measured with a template once the base units are fitted, then cut and finished in a factory. DIY Kitchens' terms are typical: the quote includes templating and fitting, the fitters come back 7 to 10 working days after templating, and if the measurements you gave for the quote were well out, expect extra charges.
So choose the sink, hob and taps before templating and have the units fitted and level. Changing your mind afterwards means re-cutting.
Living with each material
Quartz
Engineered stone, mostly crushed quartz. It isn't heatproof. Caesarstone, one of the biggest makers, says always put hot cookware on a trivet or hot pad, always use a chopping board, and don't use cream cleaners.
Solid wood
The warmest-looking, and the most work. Worktop Express's fitting instructions, which its warranty depends on, say:
- Oil every face and the end grain at least twice before fitting, then two or three coats after, 8 to 10 hours apart. It takes 2 to 3 weeks to cure fully.
- Leave a 4 to 5mm expansion gap at the edges, fit a moisture barrier over a dishwasher or washing machine, and support any overhang over 200mm.
- Don't unpack it until the room is dry: fresh plaster needs at least 6 weeks.
- Re-oil when water stops beading on the surface. Use trivets and boards, mop up spills, and keep metal pans and tins off it: they can stain the wood.
Laminate
The cheapest and cut on site, so there's no wait. For an undermount sink you need solid (compact) laminate: undermount sinks can be fitted in that, not in traditional laminate.
Granite
Natural stone, templated and made to measure like quartz. Ask your supplier for the care instructions for the stone you choose.
Engineered stone and silica: what changed in 2026
On 11 May 2026 the Health and Safety Executive declared dry cutting of engineered stone unacceptable. Its first guidance sheet for engineered stone says fabricators must switch to low-silica products, use on-tool water suppression, control mist, provide respiratory protection and run health surveillance, and that these are legal requirements. It also began more than 1,000 inspections of fabricators across Great Britain, after the deaths of two young workers from silicosis.
Related
Doing the whole kitchen? See new kitchen costs. Changing the sink too: sinks and taps.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a quartz worktop cost?
About £200 to £380 per metre fitted at 600mm deep on our estimates, so £1,000 to £1,900 for 5 metres, plus about £150 to £200 per cut-out.
Is quartz cheaper than granite?
Usually slightly. Across DIY Kitchens' ranges in October 2026, both including templating and fitting, the middle of the granite range was about 11% dearer than quartz, and the cheapest quartz undercut the cheapest granite. The colour you pick matters more.
How much is a 3m length of quartz worktop?
About £674 including VAT for a standard-depth 3-metre run at the middle of DIY Kitchens' range, templated and fitted, before cut-outs.
Is it worth paying for quartz worktops?
It isn't heatproof: its makers say use a trivet for hot pans and a chopping board. I'd say it's worth it on an island or a short run; on long runs, laminate or wood does the job for much less.
How long do stone worktops take?
They're templated once the units are fitted; DIY Kitchens, for example, fits them 7 to 10 working days later.
Can I have an undermount sink with a laminate worktop?
Only with solid (compact) laminate, not traditional laminate.
Is quartz dust dangerous?
To the workers cutting it. Since May 2026 HSE says dry cutting engineered stone is unacceptable and fabricators must use water suppression and low-silica products.
How we priced thisView sources (8, 1 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryLaminate and solid wood worktop prices (3m lengths), Wickes. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryQuartz worktops (templating and fitting terms), DIY Kitchens. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryGranite worktops (prices include templating and fitting), DIY Kitchens. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryMinerox quartz worktop prices per m², Gemini Worktops. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow to clean and maintain Caesarstone quartz, Caesarstone UK. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustrySolid wood worktop installation and aftercare instructions, Worktop Express. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryChoosing a sink for solid laminate worktops, Worktop Express. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialHSE says no dry cutting of engineered stone ahead of inspection crackdown (11 May 2026), Health and Safety Executive. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
