Countertop Questions, Answered

Typical national installed ranges: quartz and granite $50 to $150 per sq ft, quartzite $65 to $200, marble $60 to $200, soapstone $55 to $150, porcelain $50 to $120 and solid surface $40 to $100. See countertop cost in Sacramento.

A typical kitchen has 30 to 50 sq ft of counter, which in quartz or granite usually runs $2,500 to $7,500. Large islands and premium stone can pass $10,000.

Common add-ons are cooktop cutouts ($100 to $200), edge upgrades ($10 to $40 per linear ft), removal of old tops ($50 to $300 or more), waterfall ends ($500 to $2,000 each) and plumbing reconnect ($45 to $200 per hour). The first sink cutout is often included.

California caps a home improvement down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less.

Quartz is about 90% ground quartz in resin: non-porous, no sealing, consistent color, but sensitive to hot pans. Granite is natural stone that takes heat and works outdoors, and is usually sealed. Compare them in quartz vs. granite.

Quartzite is natural metamorphic stone, about 7 on the Mohs scale. Quartz countertops are engineered from crushed quartz and resin. Some stone sold as quartzite is softer marble, so test a sample. See quartzite vs. quartz.

2 cm is about 3/4 inch and 3 cm about 1-1/4 inch. 3 cm is the usual kitchen thickness; 2 cm is common on vanities and backsplashes.

Natural Stone Institute guidance is about 10 inches for 3 cm stone and 6 inches for 2 cm, and never more than a third of the top's width. Beyond that, use corbels or hidden brackets.

Usually one to three weeks. A typical kitchen installs in one to two days. See how fabrication works.

Base cabinets installed and level, the sink on site, and specs for the cooktop and faucet so the fabricator can cut accurately.

It depends on the stone. Put a few drops of water on the surface: if it darkens within minutes, it is time to reseal. See granite sealing and countertop care.

An independent, licensed fabricator. Sacramento Select Countertops is a referral service: we connect you with the fabricator, who contracts with you directly and is responsible for the work, pricing and warranty.

CSLB has no single countertop class. Stone slab installation falls closest to C-54 (Ceramic and Mosaic Tile); C-29 (Masonry), D-12 (Synthetic Products) and B (General Building) contractors also do this work. Verify any license at cslb.ca.gov.

California gives you 3 business days to cancel a home improvement contract, or 5 if you are 65 or older, with limited exceptions.

Yes. Cal/OSHA's silica standard (Title 8, §5204) requires wet cutting or waterjet, respirators and air monitoring for engineered stone and high-silica natural stone. A proposal to prohibit high-silica engineered stone was in rulemaking but not adopted as of October 2026.