Here's How Much Marble Countertops Cost

Marble is a popular, sleek option for your kitchen worktop. Marble's heat resistance makes it a good choice for bakers, and the surface can be sealed to resist staining. Homeowners working on new builds or kitchen remodeling jobs can choose between marble countertops and some other material like concrete or laminate.

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For most, the decision comes down to cost. If you have your heart set on dreamy marble counters, here’s what you should know about pricing.

How Much Do Marble Countertops Cost Per Square Foot?

According to HomeGuide, the price of marble countertops varies between about $40 and $150 (CAD 55 and CAD 205) per square foot, depending on grade and rarity. There are four grades of marble:

• A: This marble is practically, but not completely, flawless. It doesn’t require any repairs, and the veins running through are subtle.

• B: This marble has a few flaws, with some pitting and — usually — fissures running through the material.

• C: This marble requires repairs before it leaves the factory.

• D: This marble requires significant repairs.

What Other Factors Can Affect the Cost of Marble Countertops?

Type of Material

Generally, one of eight types of marble is used to create kitchen countertops. Each comes at its own price point:

• Carrara: This is a white type of marble, but it also comes in different shades of light gray. The thickness of the slabs is usually 2 to 3 inches. The cost is about $40 to $50 (CAD 55 to CAD 68) per square foot.

• Makrana: This type of marble comes from India. It’s favored for use in kitchens because of its density and appearance. The marble has a milky white color with gray and brown veins running through it. It costs around $12 to $15 (CAD 16 to CAD 21) per square foot.

• Pink: Pink marble comes from Turkey and usually requires special ordering. The marble has pink or rose hues with brown and golden tones and red veins. The cost is about $25 to $30 (CAD 34 to CAD 41) per square foot.

• Black: This is a Spanish marble with white veins. It's also called Travertine and costs about $75 to $80 (CAD 103 to CAD 110) per square foot.

• Statuario: Found in Italy, this material ranges between around $50 and $125 (CAD 68 and CAD 171) per square foot. It’s a white marble with gray veins.

• Danby: Quarried in the United States, this white stone with gray and gold markings goes for between $60 and $90 (CAD 82 and CAD 123) per square foot.

• Calacatta: This is the highest quality marble used for kitchen countertops. Originating from a single quarry in Carrara, Italy, this distinctive white marble with bold veins of gray and gold costs about $175 to $200 (CAD 240 to CAD 274) per square foot.

• Cultured: This is an artificially manufactured marble made out of stone, resin and pigments. It’s nonporous and doesn’t need to be sealed. It costs from $50 to $70 (CAD 68 to CAD 96) per square foot.

More Related Articles:

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• How to Clean Granite Countertops

• Catch a Bad Break? Fix Chips in Your Granite Countertops in 6 Simple Steps

• How Much Do Concrete Countertops Cost?

• How Much Do Laminate Countertops Cost?

Finish

There are different types of finishes and edge treatments available, ranging from rough to honed. The type of finish you want can add anywhere from $10 to $40 (CAD 14 to CAD 55) per square foot to the cost of a project.

Repairs or Treatments

Repairing damage like chipping of the stone or applying a sealant can add another $10 to $50 (CAD 14 to CAD 68) per square foot, or anywhere from $200 to $800 (CAD 274 to CAD 1,095) for a typical job.

How Much Does Installation Cost?

Installation costs vary depending on the cost of living in your area. According to data from HomeGuide, you can expect to pay between $35 and $80 (CAD 48 and CAD 110) an hour for labor, or $10 to $20 (CAD 14 to CAD 27) per square foot.

For simple installations, which take around 10 hours, the total cost may come in around $350 (CAD 479) total, but if the project is more complex and requires extensive work, costs go up accordingly.

There may also be charges for extra materials like caulk and fasteners. This can raise the cost of installation by up to another $338 (CAD 463). Also, if you want a contractor to remove an old countertop, you may pay an additional $50 to $400 (CAD 68 to CAD 548).

What's the Price Difference Between Marble and Granite?

Another choice of material for countertops is granite. The material cost of granite is similar to marble — $40 to $100 (CAD 55 to CAD 137) per square foot for granite, versus $40 to $150 (CAD 55 and CAD 205) for marble.

High-end granite and rare granite can cost up to $100 (CAD 137) per square foot. Granite also comes in grades A–E (or levels 1–5), with A being the highest quality and E representing the lowest quality of granite.

The cost of installation is also similar. You can expect to pay roughly $35 to $85 (CAD 48 to CAD 116) an hour for labor. The average amount of time to install a standard granite countertop is about 4 hours.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.