Kitchen countertops are among the more expensive and important parts of a kitchen remodel. If you don’t plan ahead for this expense, you maybe shocked or out of money to spend. It is essential to make sure you budget or save enough for kitchen countertops. No one wishes to be caught off guard and be without countertops.

Cost of Granite

Probably the most desired countertop material for kitchens, is granite. However, on average granite countertops with cost you between $50-$100 a square foot. So the average cost for granite counters including labor and installation is around $5000.

These granite kitchen countertops costed my client over $6000 in material and labor.

Ouch, that may put a considerable dent in your kitchen remodeling budget. However there are ways to save money on kitchen countertops and still have an amazing looking kitchen.

Saving Money on Kitchen Countertops

  • Laminate Countertops- Laminate countertops have made a lot of progress since the 1960’s. Laminate has better colors and patterns, that look just like the more expensive granite. Plus edge profiles and seaming have greatly improved. Average cost: $10 to $30 per square foot.
  • Butcher Block Countertops – Butcher block is not only a beautiful countertop option but also a functional one. You can prepare food right on the counter without need a cutting board. All you need for cleaning is lemon and salt scrub as needs. Twice a year I would apply a natural oil finish to preserve the wood. Average cost: $30 per square foot.
  • Granite Remnants – Depending on the size of your kitchen countertops, you could get a better deal on granite if you select slab remnants. Most granite fabricators will have remnants from other projects that they sell at a discount. Search the internet for local stone fabricators and call to see if they sell granite remnants. In the end, you may be able to get a nicer granite for less because it is a remnant. Average cost: $30 per square foot.
  • Solid Surface – Solid surface countertops are man-made counters that primarily consist of an acrylic resin and polyester. Solid surface kitchen countertops are nice looking, come in a variety of “stone” like colors and patterns. Depending on the solid surface, you choose you could save money over a granite alternative. However, sometime solid surface can be as much as granite. Average cost: $30 – $100 per square foot.
  • Concrete Countertops – Concrete counters have grown in popularity and give your home urban industrial look. However, concrete countertops are not usually a cost savings unless you are doing them yourself. A professionally fabricated concrete countertop can cost you on average, $75 – $100 per square foot. Check out this post from More Like Home, DIY Concrete Countertops. They spend $305 on their concrete countertops. That’s a huge savings.
  • Tile Countertops – Tile kitchen countertops are a great idea for saving money on a remodel. You can get larger tiles with thinner grout lines to create a monolithic countertop look. Plus you could save more money by installing tile counters yourself. Average cost: $10 – $20 per square foot.

Using larger size tiles, like in this kitchen can give you a more granite look.

  • Mix-N-Match – Mixing countertop materials is another way to save money on kitchen countertops. A popular way of doing this mixing-n-matching is, installing a more expensive material on an island as a showcase, then on the back counters using a less expensive material thats coordinates with the island. I have seen where people install granite on the island and then laminate everywhere else. That often is a significant way to reduce your countertop budget.

Saving Money

I hope these money-saving ideas will help you create a kitchen that becomes the heart of your home. The best way to save money decorating your home is to think outside the box and create clever solutions.

Just because the national average cost of a kitchen remodel is $45,000, according to Remodeling.com, doesn’t mean you have to spend that much money to get a stunning kitchen.

If you are about to start a kitchen remodel project, I recommend using one of these kitchen countertop alternatives to save you money. The you save can then be use for other projects.

Question for You

What home projects are you hoping to be able to do in the coming year?