How much does a stone benchtop cost? The average price of stone benchtops ranges between $700 and $2,500 per square metre, including installation.
Stone kitchen benchtops add a touch of sophistication to your home and can be used in other room – from the bathroom to the laundry, and even outdoors! Not only do they look incredible, but they are strong, durable and long-lasting.
stone bench top price
Whether you love the classy look of black stone benchtops or the stark, minimalist and clean effect of white stone bench tops, it’s a good idea to understand how much they will cost. Natural stone, for example, is more expensive than engineered stone or composite.
In this guide, we explore:
How much does a stone benchtop cost: marble and granite benchtop price
Engineered stone benchtop price
Smartstone vs Caesarstone
Other kitchen benchtop prices, and
Hiring an installer and getting quotes
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How much are stone benchtops?
How much does a stone benchtop cost? While the price of stone benchtops ranges between $700 and $2,500 per square metre, your overall stone bench top cost will depend on the material used and size of the benchtop you choose. Engineered stone benchtops are a more affordable alternative to natural stone and usually range between $390 and $550 per square metre.
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Stone bench top price list
Let’s explore what you might expect to pay for different types of stone benchtops:
granite benchtop cost
Natural stone benches
For a natural stone bench top price, you can expect to pay anywhere between $700 and $2,500 per square metre. This cost of stone benchtops includes having it manufactured to size, polished, sealed and installed in your home. Usually, benchtop stone price is quoted in slabs, though.
The cheapest stone benchtops are the ones in paler hues of natural granite, rather than dark granites. While the purest black granite benchtops look super luxurious, absolute black granite is the most expensive natural stone benchtop material.
Here is an estimate of what you might pay for a granite or marble benchtop:
Granite benchtop cost: $700-$1,900 per square metre
Marble benchtops price: $900-$2,500 per square metre
The cost of granite benchtops is for a standard 20mm thick slab, but if you require a thicker slab an edge can be included to make it appear to be a 40mm benchtop. This process will cost about $250 to $500 extra, depending on the amount of edging needed.
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stone benchtop cost
Engineered stone benchtops
Engineered stone benchtops are very on trend. They look natural while also offering durability and affordability. Generally, quartz is used in Australia for engineered stone benchtops, but porcelain is gaining popularity as an alternative with a similar look and finish.
Quartz is an engineered stone often used for benchtops. While 90% of the material in quartz comes from the earth, it’s a man-made product and not a natural stone. Don’t get it confused with quartzite, which is a natural stone.
Quartz benchtops are made from ground-up particles of quartz that have been bound with resin, giving a very natural stone look to the bench top. It’s a durable material that is crack and stain-resistant, and comes in many colours and patterns, making it a great choice for a kitchen renovation.
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Engineered stone benchtops price
An engineered stone benchtop is cheaper than a granite or marble benchtop. Engineered stone benchtops range from $390 to $730 per square metre, plus installation.
Quartz benchtops price: $520 to $1,500 per slab
There are many renowned brands to choose from for your kitchen benches, such as Caesarstone, Smartstone and Essastone, offering both quartz and porcelain benchtops to choose from.
engineered stone benchtop cost
Smartstone vs Caesarstone
Caesarstone benchtops range between $416 and $1,190 per square metre, however, they usually come in slabs. Here is a Caesarstone benchtop price list per slab with 20mm thickness:
Osprey (standard): $1,749
Buttermilk (deluxe): $2,199
Alpine Mist (supernatural range): $2,999
Calacatta Nuvo (supernatural ultra range): $4,999
Smartstone offers a 15-year Limited Warranty on all their products and are competitively priced. Here is a Smartstone price list for a standard 3000mm x 1400mm x 20mm slab:
Almendra (essentials range): $1,499
Nero Astral (essentials range): $1,699
Nieve White (premium): $1,899
Calacatta Blanco (luxury): $3,599
An Essastone benchtop starts from about $188 per square metre, making it a more affordable option. Silestone benchtops cost between $1,475 and $3,069 per slab (3250mm x 1590mm x 20mm).
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ikea stone benchtops
IKEA stone benchtop price
IKEA has a variety of affordable engineered stone benchtops. Quartz or ceramic benchtops range in price from $679 to $1,079 per square metre.
Porcelain benchtop cost
Porcelain benchtops are another choice that look like a stone benchtop. However, they’re actually made from a mixture of powdered clay and pigments that have been bonded together with high pressure, at a high temperature.
With porcelain, you can opt for thinner slabs than other stone benchtops. Brands like Caeserstone and Smartsone offer porcelain slabs. A porcelain benchtop will cost about $1,200 to $2,000 in total.
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Other kitchen benchtop prices
Stone-look laminate benchtops: $120 to $350 per square metre
Timber: $550 to $1,200 per square metre
Stainless steel benchtop cost: $850 to $1,200 per square metre
Hiring a stone benchtop installer
Looking for stone benchtops near me? If you want a new stone island bench installed in your kitchen, before you start your project, you’ll need to find the right benchtop installer for the job. It can be like an interview process, but it’s important to ask the right questions when looking for a qualified tradesman.
Firstly, ask your stone benchtop installer whether they are licensed and insured to work in your home. Next, you should request a written quote for the job and find out the timeframe for completion. Don’t forget to check their references and ask to see past examples of their work.
Make sure you check with your local council whether your tradesman must be licenced to install benchtops.
How much does a Caesarstone benchtop cost?
Getting stone benchtop installation quotes
Still wondering how much does a stone benchtop cost? Whether you want a marble or granite kitchen bench or one made from engineered stone, make sure you shop around and get plenty of quotes for your kitchen renovation project.
Rather than relying on a stone benchtop price estimator, we recommend comparing at least three quotes from local benchtop installers to get a good idea of local market rates for materials and installation costs. With Yellow Pages, you can compare multiple free quotes and read reviews about local kitchen builders.
If you have your heart set on a black granite benchtop, it’s a good idea to compare granite kitchen benchtop prices with engineered stone prices. Absolute black granite is one of the most expensive materials for benchtops, so an engineered stone could give you a similar look with a much more affordable price tag.
Want to find a kitchen bench installer in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide?