Granite and Quartz Worktop Price Calculator

What is the difference between granite, quartz and ceramic? Which one should you pick?

The main difference between granite, quartz and sintered stone ‘ceramic’ lies in five aspects: Palette Range / Availability / Thickness Range / Application / Resilience.

• Palette Range = While quartz and ceramic are abundant in colour options, granite is limited to roughly 60-100 different hues, and that number shrinks year by year due to low stock. There are over 500+ different quartz samples and up to 300 of ceramic which are usually readily available to order. Conglomerates tend to be more homogenous in nature, although an influx of marble lookalike ranges has been observed in the past decade, due to popularity and demand. Granite (for example: Emerald Pearl, Black Pearl or Ivory Fantasy) is purely natural: always chock-full of minerals, elements, particles and colours. Natural or synthetic, the line is now blurred. Many nowadays mistake granite worktops for quartz, quartz for ceramic and vice versa. The list above speaks for itself.
• Availability = Speaking of availability, quartz and ceramic have a plethora of choice in terms of colours. However, many quartz worktop colours are discontinued per year and replaced with different designs/models. Notwithstanding, those are synthetic, conglomerate products, therefore in circulation, constantly in stock. Granite and other natural stones like quartzite are garnered from quarries across the earth, so this natural stone is rarely discontinued. In fact 60-100 colours have been around in circulation for decades, and the palette rarely changes. Although some granites are more or less common; it all depends on whether the given quarries are still bountiful or slowly depleting.
• Thickness Range = Ceramic is available in many sizes, e.g. standard 12mm. 6mm and even 8mm varieties are also available for some ceramic products. This contrasts with granite, which tends to be cut into 20mm or 30mm slabs. Same applies for quartz, although some companies like Silestone cut their slabs in 12mm thickness.
• Application = The point above relates to application and common use for the three materials. By virtue of low weight and thin slabs, ceramic is often used for cladding of walls, ceilings and even kitchen cabinets. This often cannot be done with much thicker, denser granite or quartz products. Nonetheless, granite + quartz are fantastic solutions for public places: bathrooms or flooring because of their sturdy, thick durability against daily grind.
• Resilience = As opposed to laminate or marble worktops, ceramic, granite and quartz are by nature very durable products, resistant against scratches, impacts, staining or decolouration. However, those strengths are greater for one material, weaker in another. A granite worktop, as a natural stone, is porous, therefore a couple of times a year it requires sealing with special liquid-repelling impregnator. However, the material performs exceptionally well at heat resistance. Quartz is superb at repelling liquid, since its synthetic, conglomerate properties are imbued with liquid-repellents. But by contrast, it can be vulnerable to radiating heat of pots and pans. Ceramic is neither porous or vulnerable to extreme heat. However, if chosen in a thickness lower than 12mm, it can sustain damage from impacts. It’s by no means fragile, but also won’t stop the land of a hammer as efficiently as 20mm quartz, granite worktops or other conglomerate.

There is no clear answer as to which material should be chosen, nor is there a definite response as to which material is ‘the optimal one’. As demonstrated above, each material possesses their own, unique advantages. It’s often a matter of personal taste, needs and expectations which resolves the dilemma. In many cases it’s kitchen worktops prices (upon which we elaborate below), that are the deal breaker.

To gain a better idea of each product qualities, benefits and applications, please visit our Products Page for more information; you may also browse the selection of our dedicated blog posts created by our team of professional writers. Alternatively, feel free to contact us directly via email or phone – a member of our team will gladly help you with any struggles, granite prices UK or decision making.

How much are granite worktops? What is the cost of granite worktops, ceramic tops or quartz worktops cost? And why do prices differ?

If you already had the chance to complete and familiarise yourself with our Worktop Online Quote Calculator, you probably noticed that worktop prices of quartz, ceramic or granite worktops tend to vary depending on selected stone worktops material.

• The reason is simple: each product, sold by varied companies has its own set price. Some products are cheaper in cost (either due to colour popularity, simplicity of production/extraction or applied discounts), while other worktop materials are priced higher (often on account of rarity or complex production/extraction processes). This is a general rule of thumb, although it’s often the case that some companies charge extra due to novelty or uniqueness of a colour; other factors determining a quartz price also often come to play e.g. transportation fees, reinforcement cost (when dealing with mineral-rich granite worktops) etc.
• Prices between quartz and granite tend to be more or less comparable per slab. Chief difference lies in sizes of slabs themselves. While an average granite slab will measure 5.60m2, quartz slabs can be as little as 4.2m2 or as big as 5.20m2. Therefore you can get more out of a single granite slab compared to quartz – therefore all costs decrease. Of course, however (as we mentioned above) with granite worktops you’re limited in colour options.
• Sintered stone or ‘ceramic’ is usually costlier per slab than quartz or granite, somewhere between 20%-30%. Higher price difference stems from exclusiveness of lower thicknesses, the production process and a range of benefits that come with sintered stone. The application possibilities and ceramic’s universally adaptive nature is valued by brands like Neolith, Lapitec or Dekton, as such influencing the overall cost.

To clearly gauge price differences between products, we recommend you complete the kitchen granite worktops cost calculator. Our advanced ceramic, quartz and granite worktop price calculator has a multi-sample functionality, so at will swap between different materials.

Simply complete each quotation step above with three selected colours, browse the final kitchen worktop prices and then delete any sample colours by clicking [X] in the upper right corner. After that, click on the empty box [+], pick out a new colour by selecting ‘Online Quote’ button on the given sample, complete necessary steps, and voila!

Remember: beyond selection of preferred colour thickness, re-entering your information won’t be required each time you switch colours as the granite worktop price calculator memorises your choices. Only ‘enter length’ & ‘choose edge’ options reset. If you prefer to avoid an option (e.g. number of rounded corners), please leave values as zero.

Further factors determining the price of granite tops or other kitchen worktops project

Our quartz, ceramic and granite worktop price calculator doesn’t just determine the product & worktop prices. Many other variables have an impact upon worktop project price as a whole. Final cost for a kitchens worktop project is based on range of choices you elect along way.

• Thickness of the chosen kitchen worktop. Worktops prices are often increased with thicker worktop because you are purchasing more work surfaces material. The jump from 20mm to 30mm thickness in quartz worktops and granite worktops is usually only about 10-15%, but it’s worth keeping that in mind. If you don’t mind a thinner surface and you wish to cut worktops costs, we suggest opting for slim-depth stone kitchen worktops granite or quartz.
• Your kitchen design/shape i.e. required worktop surface area. Households containing a large kitchen, with plenty worktop room, naturally require more material. That will equate to purchasing even up to three ceramic, quartz or granite slabs. In this instance, we, as the granite fabricator, are left with more labour: granite worktop cut outs, finishing, cutting and templating. Our quartz worktop installation services also prolong the process; with that entire worktop length, installation charges naturally increase.
• Kitchen designs aren’t the only factors impacting the price of granite worktop. Additional details or selected items in STEP 7 (see Online Quote) also impact cost calculation. For example, if you choose a number or rounded corners, drainers grooves, quartz windowsills, drainer grooves, a recessed area, hob cut out, undermounted kitchen sinks and quartz splashbacks, either added material or our prolonged labour will impact the overall quartz kitchen worktops cost.
• Edge Profile is a significant factor in ceramic, granite worktop and quartz calculation. In some, complicated instances like creating Ogee finishing, labour of our craftsmen can be doubled, hence the higher worktops cost. Our free instant quote price calculator already provides a simplified chart outlining which edge profile option is least to most expensive, allowing you to select the finishing option matching your budget. Don’t forget upon completion of the granite worktop price calculator you may always return to STEP 6 and elect a different edge profile then skip to final worktops cost.
• Location is the last aspect we consider before creating granite worktop prices. If your home is located in remote Scottish highlands, or the Isle of Man, it’s a given the installation cost will rise, as travel time for those UK places is quite challenging. The same applies for logistics, those also have an affect on kitchen worktops price. If you live in a home with a downstairs kitchen, your quartz worktops cost will come to less than living in a 10-storey high apartment. In the latter case, quartz worktop installation charges increase as carrying heavy granite worktops tends to be risky, time-consuming and man-power demanding. If, however, we are your local stone fabricator, we might be more lenient given these factors.

As we mention above, it’s very easy to determine conglomerate / engineered stone or granite worktop prices by simply completing our granite worktops Online Quote calculator above.

So, if you’ve always wondered how much black granite countertops cost, or what the difference is between quartz prices, feel free to tackle our online granite countertops calculator. In merely 8 steps and 5 minutes of your time you’ll be able to create a fairly accurate estimate of your quartz, ceramic or granite worktops undertaking. Utilising this advanced system means generating a quick and reliable catalogue of granite worktop prices and understanding where most of granite worktop price calculator variations lie.

Our ceramic, quartz & granite worktops UK prices are very competitive, even if you max out on aforementioned variables. Our long-term partnership with slab suppliers allows us to apply a hefty discount to majority of provided worktop materials – even as much as 20% OFF quartz kitchen worktops prices. For most quartz brands too. So, it’s certainly worth browsing through our Kitchen Worktops Online Calculator – obtaining a cheap worktop from stone has never been more plausible.

Are granite worktops prices often put on offer?

Absolutely. Granite worktops are constantly either put on sale or lowered in cost. A slab of granite can either be cut in costs on account of high stock or lowered demand. Sometimes a supplier company may choose to discontinue a stone slab range and thereafter discount the particular material completely, as is often done at retail shops.

As such we, manufacturers of granite slabs, can lower granite worktops prices, enabling you to save even upwards of 40% on a quartz worktops, granite worktops or ceramic worktops project. If costs of a specific granite colour lower, we will announce that by displaying relevant samples on our social media posts or our SALE webpage. So, if you’re interested in low granite worktops prices UK, feel free to give that site a frequent visit.

If you’re interested in special offers or low granite worktop prices you should also enquire about our granite offcut range. We often have big enough sheets of granite to utilise them for kitchens granite worktops or vast other mini designs: from utility rooms to windowsills or coffee tables.