Granite countertop cost

Granite countertops cost $40 to $175 per square foot installed, typically about $90. The range is wider than for any other counter material because granite is not one product. It is hundreds of quarried stones sold in price levels, and the level of the slab you fall for sets most of the bill before anyone measures the kitchen.

The rest comes from how the fabricator counts square feet, how many slabs the layout needs, and the extras that sit outside the per-foot price: thicker edges, cutouts and support for an overhang.

What it costs

The granite figure is the installed price: templating, fabrication, a standard edge and installation. Tear-out of the old top, a decorative edge and some cutouts are often extra, and a quote should say which.

Slab levels: why one granite costs four times another

Fabricators and stone yards sort granite into price groups, usually called levels 1 through 5 or groups A through E. The names vary from yard to yard. The logic does not.

Entry level. Common, plentiful stones in browns, tans, grays and speckled black, quarried in volume and stocked by most yards. These sit near the low end, around $40 a foot installed, and at that level granite often costs less than mid-priced quartz.

Middle levels. Stones with more movement, cleaner whites and grays, or a less common color. This is where most kitchens land, near the $90 typical figure.

Top levels and exotics. Dramatic veining, rare colors, stone from a single quarry, and slabs that need resin to hold together. These run toward $175 a foot and past it. Many fabricators price them by the full slab rather than by the foot, because the offcuts from an exotic slab are hard to sell.

Against the alternatives, entry-level granite overlaps with laminate at the top of its $20 to $50 range, and mid-level granite and quartz at $50 to $150 land close together. The level is the lever. Asking a fabricator to show you the same look one level down is the single most effective way to cut a granite quote.

Picking the slab yourself

With quartz, the sample is the product. With granite, the sample is a hint. Two slabs with the same name from the same quarry can differ in color, veining and the number of natural fissures.

Go to the yard and look at the actual slabs, ideally in daylight. Most yards will tag the ones you choose with your name. A few things to check:

• Look at the slab dry as well as wet. Yards often spray slabs to show their color, and the installed counter will look like the dry one.
• Find the fissures. Natural fissures are normal and do not weaken the stone. A crack that catches a fingernail and runs through the slab is a different thing.
• Ask how many slabs the job needs, and buy them from the same block, so the color matches across seams.
• Ask whether it has been resin-treated. Resin fills surface pits in some stones and is common on exotics. It is not a defect, but it changes how the surface takes heat and sealer.

If the kitchen needs two slabs and the island is the showpiece, ask the fabricator to lay the template on the slab so the best section of the stone goes on the island, not into a corner behind the coffee maker.

How the square footage gets counted

The countertop cost guide explains how to measure your runs. A granite fabricator's count usually differs from yours in a few ways, and the differences are where two quotes for the same kitchen drift apart.

Cutouts are not subtracted. The sink and cooktop openings are still billed as stone, because the stone was bought and then cut away.

The island is counted to its full overhang. A seating overhang of 12 inches adds a foot of depth along the whole length.

A backsplash in granite is extra square footage. A 4-inch strip along 20 feet of counter is under 7 square feet but is billed separately, and a full-height slab backsplash is priced as a counter of its own. The backsplash guide covers the alternatives in tile.

There is a minimum. Small jobs are usually billed as if they were larger, which is why a vanity top often costs more per foot than a kitchen.

Slabs, not feet, may set the price. A slab yields two counter-depth strips and a narrow offcut. A kitchen that needs two and a quarter slabs pays for three at the higher levels, unless the fabricator can sell the remainder.

Thickness, edges and cutouts

Thickness. Most of the country installs 3 cm granite, about an inch and a quarter, directly on the cabinets. Some regions use 2 cm, about three quarters of an inch, laid over a plywood subtop with a built-up front edge to look thicker. Compare quotes at the same thickness.

Edges. An eased or lightly beveled edge is usually included. Bullnose, ogee and a mitered edge that makes the stone look two or three inches thick are priced by the linear foot and quoted separately, and the mitered edge is the most labor of any.

Cutouts. An undermount sink needs a polished cutout, a cooktop needs its own opening, and each faucet, soap dispenser or air gap needs a drilled hole. Some quotes include one sink cutout and charge for everything else. If you are changing sinks at the same time, the sink installation guide covers the plumbing side.

Weight and support. Granite at standard thickness weighs roughly 18 to 20 pounds per square foot. Older or lightly built cabinets may need bracing, and a seating overhang past about 10 to 12 inches needs steel brackets or corbels. On an island with a deep overhang, that support is a real line on the quote.

Seams. A good seam is flush, tight, and filled with epoxy tinted to the stone. On a busy pattern it nearly disappears. On a plain or strongly veined stone it shows, which is one more reason to choose the slab before the layout is final.

Sealing: the water test, not the calendar

Granite is porous, but how porous varies widely. Some dense, dark stones barely absorb anything and may never need sealing. Many light-colored granites soak up oil and wine quickly and need it regularly.

The test is simple. Put a few drops of water on the counter in a spot you use a lot and wait about fifteen minutes. If the stone darkens under the drops, it is absorbing and it is time to seal. If the water beads and the stone stays the same color, leave it alone.

Most fabricators seal the counter once at installation. After that it is a homeowner job with a wipe-on sealer and a rag. Clean with mild soap and water, not vinegar, bleach or abrasive cleaners, which wear the sealer away.

A worked example: an L-shaped kitchen with an island

A kitchen with an L of base cabinets and a seating island, in a mid-level granite. The fabricator measures 34 square feet on the perimeter and 24 square feet on the island, including its overhang.

• Perimeter counters: 34 sq ft × $40 to $175 per sq ft = $1,360 to $5,950
• Island top: 24 sq ft × $40 to $175 per sq ft = $960 to $4,200
• Total: $2,320 to $10,150

The spread is almost entirely slab level. An entry-level stone keeps this kitchen near the bottom; an exotic island top can account for $4,200 on its own. A mid-level slab lands this kitchen in the middle, and tear-out, a mitered edge or brackets for the overhang sit on top of whichever level you pick.

Frequently asked questions

How much do granite countertops cost per square foot installed?

$40 to $175, typically about $90. The slab level is the main driver: common entry-level stones sit near the bottom and rare or exotic slabs near the top or above.

What is level 1 granite?

The entry price group at most stone yards: common stones quarried in volume, usually in browns, tans, grays and speckled black. The level describes price and availability, not quality or durability.

Is granite cheaper than quartz?

At the entry levels, often yes. Mid-level granite and mid-range quartz cost about the same, and exotic granite costs more than most quartz. Compare the specific slab against the specific quartz color, not the two materials in general.

How do I know if my granite needs sealing?

Put a few drops of water on it and wait about fifteen minutes. If the stone darkens, it is absorbing and should be sealed. If the water beads up, the existing seal or the stone itself is doing its job.

Related guides

• Countertop cost — every material compared, and how to measure
• Kitchen backsplash cost — tile and slab options behind the counter
• Kitchen sink installation cost — undermount sinks and stone cutouts
• Kitchen island cost — clearances and overhang support