Key Takeaways
- Quartz costs around £350 to £700 per m², granite £200 to £400 per m², marble £300 to £600+ (Checkatrade / KML, 2026).
- Quartz is non-porous, low-maintenance and the most popular choice.
- Granite is a durable natural stone, each slab unique.
- Marble is the most luxurious but the most demanding to maintain.
- Designer marbles (Calacatta, Statuario) start at £1,000+ per m².
The worktop is the surface you use every day and one of the biggest visual statements in a kitchen, so choosing between quartz, granite and marble matters. This guide compares them on cost, durability, maintenance and looks to help you decide.
Cost compared
All three are premium surfaces, but they sit at different price points. Here are the 2026 ranges per square metre, typically including fabrication and installation, according to Checkatrade and KML Worktops:
| Material | Cost per m² | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Granite | £200 to £400 | Durable natural stone, each slab unique |
| Quartz | £350 to £700 | Engineered, non-porous, consistent |
| Marble | £300 to £600 (designer £1,000+) | Luxurious, veined, high-maintenance |
Quartz: the low-maintenance favourite
Quartz is engineered from natural quartz and resin, making it non-porous, stain and scratch resistant, and consistent in colour and pattern. It needs no sealing and is the easiest to live with, which is why it is the most popular choice for busy London kitchens. The trade-off is that it is less heat resistant than natural stone, so trivets are advised, and the look, while excellent, is engineered rather than natural.
Granite: natural and tough
Granite is a natural stone, extremely hard, heat resistant and durable, with every slab unique. It is a beautiful, characterful choice that has stood the test of time. The main consideration is that it is slightly porous and needs periodic sealing to resist stains. For those who want genuine natural stone with proven durability, granite is hard to beat.
Marble: luxury with care
Marble is the most luxurious and beautiful of the three, prized for its dramatic veining, and designer marbles like Calacatta and Statuario are the height of kitchen luxury. But it is the most demanding: porous and softer, it stains and etches from acids such as lemon, vinegar and wine, and needs careful sealing and use. It suits those who love the look and embrace a lived-in patina, or who use it in lower-traffic areas like an island.
How to choose
Match the worktop to how you live and the level of the kitchen:
- Choose quartz for a busy family kitchen and minimal maintenance.
- Choose granite for genuine, durable natural stone.
- Choose marble for a luxury kitchen where you will care for it, or use it on a feature island.
The worktop is one of the biggest swing factors in a kitchen renovation budget, so it pays to choose with both look and lifestyle in mind. GS Renovation designs and installs kitchens with all three across London. For advice, contact us or call 07472 424 226.