Average Cost of a New Kitchen Worktop in 2026 (UK)
Worktops are the one kitchen line item where the material choice, not the fitter, decides the bill. In 2026 the average UK worktop replacement costs £300–£3,500 fitted, with a typical 6–7 linear metre kitchen landing at £1,200–£2,200. This guide gives the real per-linear-metre rate for every common material, the templating and cut-out charges that quotes hide, and where the price genuinely stops buying you more.
How much does a new kitchen worktop cost in 2026?
A new kitchen worktop costs £300–£3,500+ fitted in 2026, depending almost entirely on material. Budget laminate in a small kitchen sits at the bottom of that range; engineered quartz and granite occupy the middle; marble, Dekton and premium solid surface sit at the top.
For a typical UK kitchen of 6–7 linear metres, the realistic all-in figures are: laminate £400–£900, solid wood £900–£1,800, engineered quartz £1,800–£3,200, granite £1,900–£3,400, and Dekton or marble £2,800–£5,000.
The single biggest surprise in worktop quotes is not the stone — it is templating, cut-outs and edge profiling, which routinely add £250–£700 to a stone job and are frequently quoted separately or not at all.
Worktop cost per linear metre by material (UK 2026)
| Material | Supply only /m | Supplied & fitted /m | Typical 6–7m kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate | £35–£90 | £60–£140 | £400–£900 |
| Solid wood (oak, beech, walnut) | £90–£220 | £140–£280 | £900–£1,800 |
| Compact laminate / slimline | £120–£240 | £180–£320 | £1,100–£2,100 |
| Engineered quartz | £220–£420 | £280–£520 | £1,800–£3,200 |
| Granite | £230–£450 | £300–£540 | £1,900–£3,400 |
| Solid surface (Corian-type) | £280–£500 | £350–£620 | £2,200–£4,000 |
| Dekton / sintered stone | £320–£600 | £400–£750 | £2,600–£4,800 |
| Marble | £350–£700 | £430–£850 | £2,800–£5,000+ |
Rates are for 20–30 mm thickness in standard 600 mm depth. London and the South East typically run 15–25% above these figures; the North East, Yorkshire and Northern Ireland typically run 10–15% below. Full material-by-material detail is in our worktop cost guide.
Worktop replacement cost line by line
| Line item | Typical 2026 cost | Why it varies |
|---|---|---|
| Removal & disposal of old worktop | £80–£250 | Stone is heavy and often needs cutting out in situ |
| Laser templating (stone only) | £100–£250 | Sometimes free above a minimum order value |
| Worktop material | £35–£700/m | The dominant cost — see table above |
| Sink cut-out | £60–£180 | Undermount costs more than inset; Belfast more again |
| Hob cut-out | £50–£150 | Flush-fit and induction cut-outs cost more |
| Tap & waste holes | £20–£60 each | Boiling-water taps need extra holes |
| Edge profiling | £25–£90/m | Bullnose and mitred edges cost far more than pencil |
| Upstands or splashback | £40–£180/m | Matching stone splashbacks add materially |
| Installation labour | £180–£600 | Stone needs 2–3 fitters and access |
| Plumbing disconnect & reconnect | £90–£250 | Often not included — check the quote |
Why the "per metre" price is not the price you pay
Worktop suppliers advertise a headline rate per linear metre, but stone is not sold like carpet. It is cut from slabs, and a slab has a fixed size — typically around 3.0 × 1.4 m. A kitchen needing 6.4 linear metres and a kitchen needing 6.9 linear metres can require the same number of slabs, so the second kitchen is effectively free at the margin while a kitchen needing 7.1 m may tip into an extra slab and add £500–£1,200 in one step.
This is why two quotes for the same kitchen in the same material can differ by hundreds of pounds: one fabricator has nested your cuts more efficiently, or is quoting from remnant stock. Ask each supplier how many slabs your kitchen needs and whether the price includes the offcut. If you are close to a slab boundary, shortening an island overhang by 100 mm can be worth several hundred pounds.
The second consistent gap is the cut-out and edging schedule. A quote reading "quartz worktop supplied and fitted, £2,100" with no line for the sink cut-out, hob cut-out, tap holes and edge profile is not a complete quote. Those items are real work and typically add £250–£700. Insist on them being itemised so you can compare like for like — and see how the materials themselves compare in our quartz vs granite vs Dekton guide.
6 legitimate ways to cut worktop cost
- Ask about remnant and offcut stock. For small kitchens, utility rooms and islands, fabricators often hold part-slabs they will sell at 30–50% off. You take what is in stock rather than choosing freely.
- Choose a pencil or eased edge. A simple edge profile is included in most base rates; bullnose, ogee and mitred waterfall edges add £25–£90 per metre for a detail few people notice.
- Keep the sink and hob where they are. Reusing the existing positions avoids moving plumbing and electrics, commonly saving £200–£500 on the wider job.
- Consider 20 mm over 30 mm stone. Thinner stone with a mitred front edge looks near-identical and typically costs 15–25% less in material.
- Mix materials. Quartz on the main run with a solid wood breakfast bar or laminate in the utility keeps the visual impact where it counts.
- Get 3 quotes from fabricators, not just kitchen showrooms. Showroom worktop prices frequently carry a 20–35% margin over going direct to a local stone fabricator for the same product.
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Kitchen Worktop Cost Questions (UK 2026)
Where these figures come from
- gov.uk — VAT for building work
- gov.uk — Construction price and cost indices
- ONS — Inflation and price indices
- BSI — British Standards for kitchen fitting
- Which? — Trusted Traders
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