Countertops
Countertops for Salt Lake kitchens and baths, material by material
Quartz, granite, quartzite, marble, solid surface, laminate and butcher block, compared in plain words, with national costs where solid figures exist. Plus what happens between picking a slab and using your new counter.
- Seven materials compared side by side
- Free in home visit and written estimate from the remodeler
- One independent remodeler with an active Utah license
Free referral service · Your request goes to one licensed Utah remodeler · How it works
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Three quick questions. One licensed local remodeler calls you back. No obligation.
- Licensed remodelers onlyactive Utah contractor license
- One remodeler per requestyour details aren't sent to a list
- Free in home consultationand a written estimate
- Free to youremodelers pay us, you don't
What homeowners are choosing
Engineered quartz is still the most chosen countertop, picked by 32% of renovating homeowners in the 2026 Houzz study, though its share fell 7 points in a year. Granite follows at 15% and quartzite at 10%1. Countertops take about 10% of a typical kitchen budget in the National Kitchen & Bath Association's guide2.
The materials, compared
Here's what each one is. For how a given slab handles heat, stains and scratches, ask about the exact piece you're considering.
| Material | What it is | What the data says |
|---|---|---|
| Engineered quartz | A manufactured stone slab | Most chosen top, at 32%1 |
| Granite | Quarried natural stone | Chosen by 15%1. Slabs run $40 to $200 per sq ft before install, national3 |
| Quartzite | Quarried natural stone | Chosen by 10%1. No reliable national cost figure found |
| Marble | Quarried natural stone | No reliable national cost figure found |
| Solid surface | A synthetic sheet material; Corian is one brand | The vanity top in the midrange Cost vs Value bath4 |
| Laminate | A thin printed surface bonded to a core board | The counter in the midrange Cost vs Value kitchen5 |
| Butcher block | Strips of wood glued into a slab | No reliable national cost figure found |
Where we couldn't find a figure we trust, we don't print one. Questions that help sort the options:
- Does it need sealing, and how often?
- How does it handle a hot pan, lemon juice or red wine?
- Can a chip or scratch be repaired in place?
- Where will the seams fall, and how much will they show?
- Can you see the actual slab before it's cut?
What countertops cost
Reliable national figures exist for the two most common stone choices. Salt Lake kitchen pricing runs close to national averages6, so they're a fair guide, though not a quote.
| Project | Most projects | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Quartz | $2,600 to $4,400 | $50 to $200+ per sq ft installed; average $3,5007 |
| Granite | $2,500 to $5,000 | Average $3,500 for about 30 sq ft with an eased edge and no backsplash3 |
| Tile backsplash | $500 to $1,500 | Average $1,000, about $25 per sq ft8 |
A fancier edge or a stone backsplash isn't in that granite baseline, so ask to see them as separate lines on the estimate. More in the Salt Lake cost guide.
From template to install
Countertops come after the cabinets. Fixr puts the countertop step at 2 days to a week once the cabinets are in9. The usual order:
- The cabinets are set and leveled.
- The fabricator makes a template of the tops, including sink and cooktop cutouts.
- The slab is cut and finished to match.
- The tops go in, then the sink and faucet are hooked back up.
Keeping your cabinets? Ask the remodeler to check that the boxes are level and sound before new stone goes on them.
Sinks and backsplashes
Plan the sink and the counter together. The National Kitchen & Bath Association suggests at least 24 inches of counter on one side of the sink and 18 on the other10. The midrange Cost vs Value kitchen uses a stainless double sink5, and the upscale one an undermount sink with stone counters11.
For the backsplash, 72% of renovating homeowners choose tile1. Fixr lists ceramic at $12 to $30 per square foot, porcelain at $13 to $35 and glass at $18 to $43, nationally8. Salt Lake City's 2025 water report lists about 7 to over 28 grains of hardness per gallon12, so ask which sink and faucet finishes suit hard water.
Permits and licenses
Millcreek lists countertops as finish work that doesn't need a permit13. In unincorporated areas served by the Greater Salt Lake MSD, changing or lowering countertops does14, and in Salt Lake City, moving the sink's plumbing needs one15.
Utah's S220 license class covers countertops, and S230 covers stone work including granite, marble and Corian16. Check any license on DOPL's online lookup17. Pairing new counters with new boxes? See kitchen cabinets.
Service area
Countertops across the valley
Countertop requests are welcome from Salt Lake County and nearby Davis County towns. Permit offices treat counter swaps differently, so check your city below.
How it works
One request, one licensed remodeler
No bidding war and no week of sales calls. Here's the whole path, from your first tap to a written estimate.
Tell us about the project
Three quick taps: what you're remodeling, when you'd like to start and the budget you have in mind. Then add where the remodeler can reach you.
We pass it to one licensed remodeler
We send your request to one independent remodeler who serves your area, after checking that their Utah contractor license is active. It never goes to a list.
The remodeler calls you
They call to talk through the project and set up a free in home consultation at a time that works for you.
Get a written estimate and decide
After the visit, you get a written estimate. Read it, ask questions and take your time. There's no obligation to hire anyone.
Countertops FAQ
Questions about countertops
What do quartz countertops cost?
Fixr puts quartz at $50 to $200+ per square foot installed, with most projects between $2,600 and $4,400 and a national average of $3,5007.
The slab, edge and number of cutouts all move the number. The remodeler's written estimate is the figure to plan around.
Is granite cheaper than quartz?
How long does countertop installation take?
Can I replace countertops and keep my cabinets?
Often, if the boxes are sound, level and in a layout you like. Permit rules vary: Millcreek treats countertops as finish work with no permit13, while the Greater Salt Lake MSD requires one to change or lower countertops14. If the sink moves, that's plumbing work, and Salt Lake City requires a permit for it15.
What backsplash goes with a new countertop?
Sources
- 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, Houzz, checked Nov 2026
- Budget Breakdown for Your Kitchen Remodel (NKBA figures), Florida Realtors, checked Nov 2026
- Granite Countertops Cost, Fixr, checked Nov 2026
- Bath Remodel, Midrange, Journal of Light Construction, checked Nov 2026
- Major Kitchen Remodel, Midrange, Journal of Light Construction, checked Nov 2026
- 2025 Cost vs Value Report: Salt Lake City, Utah, Journal of Light Construction, checked Nov 2026
- How Much Are Quartz Countertops? Fixr, checked Nov 2026
- How Much Does It Cost to Install a Backsplash? Fixr, checked Nov 2026
- How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take? Fixr, checked Nov 2026
- Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards, National Kitchen & Bath Association, checked Nov 2026
- Major Kitchen Remodel, Upscale, Journal of Light Construction, checked Nov 2026
- Water Quality Report 2025, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, checked Nov 2026
- Building Department, Millcreek, checked Nov 2026
- Building Services, Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District, checked Nov 2026
- Building Permit FAQs, Salt Lake City Building Services, checked Nov 2026
- Contractor license classifications and scope of practice, Utah Administrative Code (LII copy), checked Nov 2026
- Licensee Lookup & Verification System, Utah Division of Professional Licensing, checked Nov 2026
Picking a countertop?
Three quick questions and you're done. We pass your request to one independent remodeler with an active Utah contractor license, who measures and gives you a free written estimate.