Majority of the home owners who visit our granite and quartz showroom frequently begin the conversation with the same question; Does Quartz cost less than Granite? Majority of them have an idea that the quartz countertops should cost less than that of granite because quartz is a manufactured product.
Majority tend to think that any man-made or artificial product should be cheaper than a natural product as it can be manufactured in huge quantities at lower cost. Which is understandable. In the case of quartz stone, however, it is slightly different.
In quartz manufacturing, there was only one company that developed and patented the man-made stone technology. Breton Stone was the only company that supplied the machines and knowhow to limited number of quartz manufactures like Silestone, Caesarstone etc. The rising demand for quartz and limited manufacturing made the quartz prices higher.
During the past 15 years, several granite quarries and slab fabrication facilities were opened in many countries, especially in Brazil and India resulting in lower prices for granite countertops. The entry level granite colors like Venetian Gold, Uba Tuba, Santa Cecilia, Black Pearl, Coffee Brown etc. have come down significantly because of the opening of new quarries.
Quartz vs Granite Countertops Price per Square feet
The following is a table to give you an idea of price comparison between quartz and granite for similar category products:
Entry level granite (sometimes known as “Staple Granite Colors”) include Venetian Gold, Uba Tuba, Santa Cecilia, Coffee Brown, Luna Pearl, and Black Pearl and more.
Entry Level Quartz: Quartz companies have come up with colors that look similar to the entry level granite colors. They are kind of uniform in pattern without much movement or flow. Artic White, Toasted Almond, Pearl Grey are some of the examples.
Medium level granite: A wide spectrum of desirable granite colors like Silver Cloud, River White, Grey Nuevo fall into this category. Home owners will easily be able to find their choice in this category of granite.
Medium level Quartz: Nice colors of Quartz like Carrara Grigio, Grey Lagoon, Fossil Grey, and Chakra Beige are available in this group.
Higher End Granite: Very beautiful colors of granite like Typhoon Bordeaux, Blue Flower, Lennon, and Mystic Spring are found in this group.
Higher end Quartz: Quartz manufacturers have designed highly desirable colors that mimic like real marble slabs. They look like real marble slabs like Calcatta marble, Carrara marble and Super White marble without the burden of additional maintenance required by marble countertops. Calcatta Laza, Calcatta Lago, Statuary Classique are some of the popular choices in this category.
Exclusive Granite and Quartzite Colors: There are some very exclusive granite and quartzite slabs which almost look like beautiful art work, which can be used as kitchen and bathroom countertops. Fusion and Blue Bahia granite from Brazil, Taj Mahal and Calcatta Macaubas quartzite slabs from Brazil, Labradorite Extra from Madagascar, and Lapis Lazuli from Africa are some of the well-known examples from this category.
Some of these stones like Labradorite Extra belong to the semi-precious stone category and are used for jewelry making.
There is nothing in Quartz countertops that match the beauty of these natural stones and the price of these granite colors is much higher than any Quartz countertop color.
| Category level | Granite Prices | Quartz Prices |
| Group I (Entry Level) | $45 to $50 | $55 to $59 |
| Group 2 (Medium Level) | $55 to $60 | $69 to $72 |
| Group 3 (Higher end) | $65 to $75 | $80 to $95 |
| Exclusive / Rare | $100 to $200 or more | Nothing found at that level in Quartz |
You may also be interested to know the way granite or quartz is priced. There are three main components of the net price when paying for a kitchen or bathroom countertop installed.
- The cost of the raw material: The number and cost of slabs that are used in the project including the wastage is the major factor in pricing the granite or quartz project. Stone companies that stock their own inventory will be able to offer better pricing because they will be able to use a slab or two and a small portion from the 3rd slab if needed for the project without the need to buy the entire 3rd This becomes possible because the stone fabricator stocks bundles of same batch of stone.
Stone fabricators who use modern machines like waterjet cutting will be able to cut down the percentage of wastage that results in lower cost of raw material.
The difference between Quartz and Granite prices depend on the category of the stone you use.
- Fabrication and Installation cost: Another important cost component is measuring, cutting, polishing and installation. Accurate measuring with digital devices and cutting the stone with modern CNC and Waterjet machines enable a stone fabricator to run a smooth and efficient operation that results in better prices to you without cutting the quality standards. It is a good idea to visit the stone fabricator to view their operation first hand. Any business can make louder claims with the advent of the internet age.
This cost component does not differ much between Quartz and Granite prices.
- Upgrades cost: Upgraded decorative edges like Ogee or Full Bullnose or double built up edges will add to the cost of the project. Waterfall islands, Mitered built up edges to make 3” thick islands etc. is a modern countertop design trend that can add significant cost to the project.
There will not be any difference between the price of granite and quartz from this point of view.
How to shop for best price on Quartz or Granite Countertops?
Finally, you may be interested to know where to buy the quartz or granite countertops at the best price and quality combination. Home owners shop at big box stores for their countertops or purchase countertops from the supplier of their cabinets. In these both cases, the supplier has to sub-contract the job to an actual stone fabricator.
Best prices for Quartz or Granite countertops are offered by your local area stone company that directly serves you without any middleman. Majority of the stone fabrication companies do not have their own inventory of Granite or Quartz slabs. They send their customer to a stone importer who does not sell the slabs to home owner. This again creates two layers in the purchase process.
Best bet is to find a stone fabricator who has their own inventory of slabs. That way you can hand pick your granite or quartz slab and you get the turn-key service of material supply, measuring, fabrication and installation from one single source. That saves time and money and you have a direct contact with your stone supplier.
Arch City Granite & Marble, Inc. is located in St. Louis, Missouri. We stock over 100 colors of quartz and granite full slabs. Home owners can visit our showroom to pick their stone, and we measure, fabricate and install.
With over 13 years in business with the experience of installing over 5000 kitchen and bathroom countertop projects, Arch City can be a trusted partner for your granite or quartz countertops project. Our stone specialists offer no-obligation stone design consultation.
Visit our Showroom located at 1540 Page Industrial Blvd, St. Louis, MO and you do not need a prior appointment.