Cost per linear metre, supplied and fitted
Prices assume a standard 600mm depth with a straight edge profile.
| Laminate | £70 to £160 per metre | Fitted same day, no templating wait |
|---|---|---|
| Solid wood | £180 to £350 per metre | Needs oiling once or twice a year |
| Granite | £350 to £550 per metre | Natural variation, each slab differs |
| Quartz | £380 to £650 per metre | Consistent pattern, no sealing needed |
| Sintered stone | £550 to £900 per metre | Best heat and scratch resistance |
How each one behaves day to day
Quartz is the safe choice for a family kitchen: non porous, no sealing, and it shrugs off red wine and turmeric. Its weakness is direct heat, so a pan straight off the hob can mark it.
Granite handles heat better but is porous enough to need sealing, and the pattern varies slab to slab, which matters if you are joining two pieces. Solid wood is warm and repairable but needs oiling and hates a standing puddle beside the sink. Laminate is far better than its reputation, and a good one with a square edge looks convincing until you meet a cut edge at the sink.
The timeline difference
Laminate is cut and fitted on site, usually the same day the units are finished. Every stone worktop is templated after the carcasses are in and then manufactured off site, which adds seven to ten days to the job. That single fact is the most common reason a kitchen runs into a second week.
Our honest recommendation
If the budget is tight, a quality laminate with a matching upstand beats a cheap stone every time. If you can stretch, quartz in a 20mm thickness gives the best balance of price, durability and appearance for most homes in our area. Save sintered stone for the kitchens where a chef genuinely puts hot pans down.
Common questions
- Is quartz or granite better for a family kitchen?
- Quartz, in most cases. It is non porous so it never needs sealing, the pattern is consistent across joins, and it resists staining better. Granite wins only on heat resistance.
- How much does a quartz worktop cost for an average kitchen?
- For around five metres with a sink cut out and upstands, expect £2,200 to £3,800 supplied and fitted, depending on the colour and thickness chosen.
- Can a laminate worktop look expensive?
- A square edge laminate with a matching upstand and a good undermount style sink module looks far better than a rolled edge budget board, and costs a fraction of stone.
- Do wooden worktops work next to a sink?
- They can, with a properly sealed cut out and regular oiling, but standing water is their enemy. We usually suggest wood on an island and a harder material around the sink run.
- Can you replace just the worktop?
- Yes, provided the existing carcasses are sound and level. We check that first, because fitting new stone to failing units is money wasted.