Countertop Cost Calculator
Estimate countertop square footage and total installed cost from the length and depth of each run, material price per square foot, and fees.
How to use this tool
- Add up the length of all counter runs in inches.
- Enter the counter depth (about 25.5 in for standard kitchens).
- Enter the material price per square foot for your chosen surface.
- Add a flat fabrication and installation fee.
- Read the area, material cost, and total estimated cost.
Estimate your counter budget. Enter the length and depth of your runs, the material price per square foot, and an install fee to get the square footage and total cost.
Formula
Convert the surface from square inches to square feet, then price it:
Area (sq ft) = (Length × Depth) ÷ 144
Material cost = Area × Price per sq ft
Total cost = Material cost + Fabrication & install fee
There are 144 square inches in a square foot (12 × 12).
How it works
Countertops are quoted by the square foot of surface, so the first step is converting your measured dimensions into area. We multiply the total run length by the counter depth and divide by 144 to turn square inches into square feet. For an L-shaped or multi-run kitchen, add the lengths of the runs together and use a single representative depth, or run the tool once per section and sum the results.
Material price per square foot varies enormously: laminate runs roughly $10-$40, butcher block and quartz land in the middle, and natural stone or premium quartz can exceed $100. We separate that slab cost from a flat fabrication-and-install fee, which covers templating, cutting the sink and cooktop openings, edge profiling, and setting the tops. Lumping them into one number hides how much of a quote is labor versus material.
The estimate is a planning figure, not a fabricator's quote. It does not break out per-linear-foot edge upgrades, backsplash, cutouts beyond the standard, or slab minimums and waste from the way a slab must be cut. Stone is often sold by the whole slab with significant offcut waste, so the delivered material cost can exceed the net-area figure here; treat this as a baseline before adding those extras.
Worked example
120 in of counter at 25.5 in deep, $60/sq ft granite, $300 install
- Area = (120 × 25.5) ÷ 144 = 3,060 ÷ 144 = 21.25 sq ft.
- Material cost = 21.25 × $60 = $1,275.
- Total = $1,275 + $300 fabrication & install = $1,575.
Total $1,575.00 | Area 21.25 sq ft | Material $1,275.00
Material cost by area and price per sq ft
| Area | $40/sq ft | $60/sq ft | $90/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 sq ft | $800 | $1,200 | $1,800 |
| 30 sq ft | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,700 |
| 40 sq ft | $1,600 | $2,400 | $3,600 |
| 55 sq ft | $2,200 | $3,300 | $4,950 |
Key terms
- Square foot
- A unit of area equal to a 12-by-12-inch square, or 144 square inches. Countertops are priced per square foot.
- Fabrication
- The shop work of cutting a slab to size, making sink and cooktop cutouts, and shaping the edge profile before installation.
- Edge profile
- The finished shape of the counter's front edge (e.g. eased, bullnose, ogee). Fancier profiles add cost per linear foot.
- Slab
- A large single sheet of countertop material (stone, quartz) from which the counter pieces are cut, often sold whole.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate countertop square footage?
- Multiply the total length by the depth in inches, then divide by 144 to get square feet. A 120-inch run at 25.5 inches deep is 21.25 sq ft.
- How much does a countertop cost per square foot?
- Material runs from about $10-$40 per sq ft for laminate up to $100+ for premium stone and quartz, plus a fabrication-and-install fee for templating, cutouts, and edging.
- Does this include sink cutouts and edging?
- It includes a flat fabrication-and-install fee but not per-foot edge upgrades, extra cutouts, backsplash, or slab waste. Treat it as a baseline and add those extras.