Introduction
When it comes to your worktops, you naturally want only the best materials, but since you also have to think about your budget, it might seem that you won’t be able to get what you want in the end, so finding out how much is a quartz worktop in comparison to compact laminate could be a great help.
The thing is, today’s worktops come in so many designs and colours that you can easily choose something you love regardless of your budget.
Quartz is considered the best material for worktops, but compact laminate looks great because it is made to look just like the real thing.
There are also price differences between the two worktops, but let’s first take a look at what makes each of these worktops unique.
Compact Versus Laminate Countertops: The Specifics
Some of the characteristics of these two types of worktops include:
- Durability. The durability of quartz is unbeatable and, therefore, is always an excellent choice for busy kitchens. Keep in mind that while laminate is fairly heat- and stain-resistant, it will still burn or stain if you do things such as place a hot pan on the worktop for a long time.
- Colour choices. Both quartz and laminate worktops come in a wide variety of colours, from very light to very dark and everything in between. This means you have tons of options regardless of the type of worktop you choose.
- Maintenance. Both quartz and laminate worktops are strong, but laminate ones tend to scratch and stain and quartz ones do not. Nevertheless, if you wipe up spills immediately and be careful when using knives, you can protect laminate worktops for a lot longer.
- The prices. As you can imagine, quartz is always more expensive than laminate is – sometimes double the price, in fact. Quartz lasts for much longer, however, so that is something to keep in mind when deciding between the two options.
When you’re looking at the features of quartz versus a laminate worktop, you also have to consider how it is installed because the installation is always going to be part of the cost of the job.
Laminate, for instance, is lighter and, therefore, easier to install for DIY enthusiasts.
If you choose quartz, you’ll have to use a professional for the installation, although this option is usually recommended for both types of worktops.
The bottom line is this: quartz is extremely sturdy and difficult to damage, but it is also very expensive.
Nevertheless, if you can afford it, quartz is your best option simply because it is made to last for many years to come and is low-maintenance as well.
What About the Costs?
When looking at the costs of both quartz and compact laminate worktops, you have to consider not just the cost of the worktops but also the costs associated with fitting and installing them.
If you’re curious about the costs, the truth is that we can only give you averages because the costs are affected by many things. These things include:
- Where you buy your materials from
- Where you live
- The size of your kitchen
- The costs to fit and install the worktops
Nevertheless, you can still get estimates of the prices for both quartz and compact laminate worktops. Let’s take a look at some of them.
For compact laminate worktops, the average price is around £135 per metre, or around £1,200 for nine metres of laminate. This is for the supplies themselves, but the fitting will cost you roughly £80 to £90 per metre or £700 – £900.
For quartz worktops, you’ll pay roughly £475 per metre on average, so you can see what we’re talking about when we say that quartz worktops are a lot more expensive than compact laminate worktops.
If you want an accurate estimate of how much it would cost to install your own worktops in your own kitchen, you can check with a company that offers this service.
If you want to look at the average prices per square foot, here is what you can expect to pay:
- Laminate: an average of £6 to £15 per square foot.
- Quartz: an average of £37 to £55 per square foot, although it can cost up to £70 per square foot.
Again, these prices only include the cost of the materials themselves, not the VAT, fitting fees, or installation fees.
But this is a good place to start when you’re trying to determine how much it’s going to cost you to install new worktops in your kitchen.
Ways to Save Money When Choosing Worktops
So, can you save some money when you’re researching worktops? Just like any other product, the answer to that question is “yes.”
Regardless of the type of worktop you choose, there are things you can do to cut down on the costs.
One of those things is to ask the supplier if they have any materials that have composite surfaces that don’t need templating.
These are called “installer ready” materials and can be delivered in about two days as opposed to two weeks.
But you don’t want to go overboard with it. For instance, you still want to get a high-quality, sturdy worktop in the end, which means you may have to pay a little more for it.
Even with laminates, you should keep in mind that not all of them are alike.
Laminates have a “core” with a density that can be high quality or low quality.
Ask the supplier about the density of the core of the material you’ve chosen to make sure it will last a long time after the worktops are installed.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s a lot more to choosing your worktops than just the cost, but cost is still an important consideration for most people.
While quartz is an excellent choice because of its durability and strength, you can save a lot of money by going with a laminate worktop.
Once you compare all of the features and consider your budget, it should be easier to make the right decision in the end.
The smartest thing you can do is research all of your options so that you can feel confident with the choice you make.
You certainly have a lot of options available, and it doesn’t take long to research all of them.
