Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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Before
AfterQuartz & Granite Countertops in Los Angeles, CA
Quartz and granite countertop installation in Los Angeles typically runs $65 to $175 per square foot installed, depending on material, edge profile, and the condition of your existing cabinetry substrate. Most Kitchen Remodeling services involving countertop replacements in the Los Angeles market are completed within two to three days once the material is templated and fabricated. Rowan Construction Group has installed countertops across more than 4,000 projects since 2007, always with a flat written price and a documented photo record before the crew leaves.
If you’re rethinking your kitchen surfaces, this page is the right starting point. Countertops sit at the intersection of function and finish – they take daily abuse and they’re the first thing a visitor notices. Getting the material, thickness, and substrate prep right the first time saves a significant amount of money and frustration. Our Kitchen Remodeling in Los Angeles work covers everything from layout changes to appliance hookups, but countertops are often where homeowners want to start because the visual payoff is immediate and the cost is legible before the project begins.
Call (213) 652-7670 to get a written estimate with line-item pricing. A live person answers every call, every day.
When You Need Quartz & Granite Countertops
- Your laminate or tile grout is failing. Tile countertops were common in Los Angeles homes built between 1970 and 1995, particularly in Silver Lake, Echo Park, and the San Fernando Valley. Once the grout cracks or the substrate beneath the tile softens from moisture, the surface is difficult to clean and structurally compromised. A full slab replacement is almost always more cost-effective than re-grouting tile on a damaged deck.
- Your countertop has visible cracks, chips, or deep staining. Granite is porous and, when left unsealed for a season or two in a high-use Los Angeles kitchen, absorbs oil, wine, and acidic cleaners. Staining that goes past the surface layer doesn’t polish out. If the damage is structural, replacement is the honest answer.
- You’re updating cabinets and the countertop no longer fits. When cabinet height changes – especially common in older Craftsman homes in Pasadena and Highland Park where the original cabs sit at non-standard heights – the existing countertop overhang or backsplash profile rarely works with the new configuration. New cabinetry and new countertops need to be templated together.
- You’re preparing the home for sale and need the kitchen to photograph well. In the Los Angeles market, where median list prices have stayed well above $800,000 through most of the 2020s, buyers scrutinize listing photos closely. A dated laminate countertop in an otherwise updated kitchen reads as deferred maintenance, not personal preference.
- Your current surface is heat or scratch damaged beyond cosmetic repair. Quartz is manufactured with a resin binder that can scorch from a hot pan set directly on it. A single deep burn mark in the center of a run is not patchable in any way that matches the original finish. Replacement is the only clean outcome.
- You’re adding an island or reconfiguring the kitchen layout. Islands require precise templating, often with waterfall edges or multi-thickness transitions. Trying to source matching material from an old batch is rarely possible. A full re-template and replacement ensures the island and perimeter counters match in color, finish, and edge profile.
Our Quartz & Granite Countertops Process
- Written estimate with a flat price and written scope, before anything starts. Under Clause 1 of the Haven Standard, no work begins without a written price. We measure your kitchen, document the existing countertop condition with photographs, note the substrate material (plywood deck, particleboard, or cement board), and deliver a flat-price quote that specifies the material, edge profile, thickness, backsplash treatment, and any demolition or substrate repair needed. You see the number before you make a decision. If something changes during the project, a signed change order precedes any additional work – that’s not a policy we invented last year; it’s the discipline that has kept Rowan’s projects within a few percent of the agreed price across more than 4,000 jobs.
- Material selection from sourced inventory. We work with a vetted set of fabricators and material suppliers in the Los Angeles area and give you access to slabs in person so you can see the actual stone, not a digital swatch on a screen. For quartz, we regularly source Caesarstone and Cambria – two manufacturers whose material tolerances and warranty terms we’ve verified across multiple projects. Granite is sourced slab by slab, because no two slabs from the same quarry are identical. We select material with you, mark the slab, and photograph it before it goes to fabrication.
- Template. Once the existing countertop is removed (or in the case of a new installation, once cabinetry is set and level), a digital template is taken of the actual kitchen. This is the measurement that goes to the fabricator, not the estimate measurement. Sink cutouts, cooktop cutouts, and corner radii are captured precisely at this stage. Errors in templating are the most common source of countertop installation failures – an out-of-square wall or an unlevel cabinet run that isn’t caught here shows up as a gap or a crack later.
- Fabrication. The slab is cut, edged, and polished at the fabricator. Standard lead time in Los Angeles for most in-stock Caesarstone or Cambria material is seven to twelve business days from template. Exotic granite or specialty edge profiles can extend that to three weeks. We give you the realistic timeline in writing – not the optimistic one.
- Installation and substrate prep. The existing countertop and any failed substrate decking are removed. If the plywood deck beneath shows moisture damage – common in older Los Angeles kitchens where the sink seal has degraded over time – we replace it before setting the slab. Stone is set, the sink is re-mounted, and caulk joints at the wall and backsplash are finished. Granite is sealed on-site after installation as a standard step, not an add-on.
- Documented photo record delivered to you. Every visit ends with a photo record: substrate condition before installation, material placement, finished countertop, caulk lines, and sink mount. You receive this documentation as a standard deliverable. It’s evidence of what was found and what was done – useful if a warranty question comes up later, and useful if you sell the home.
Before
AfterQuartz & Granite Countertops Pricing in Los Angeles
Countertop pricing in Los Angeles has a wider range than most homeowners expect, and the spread is almost entirely explained by three variables: material and grade, edge complexity, and substrate condition on demo day. Here are honest ranges based on current Los Angeles market conditions.
| Material | Installed Cost Range (per sq ft) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level quartz (basic color, straight edge) | $65 – $90 | Standard 3cm thickness, eased or beveled edge, no cutout complexity |
| Mid-grade quartz (Caesarstone, Cambria) | $90 – $130 | Wider color range, longer warranty terms, better resin consistency |
| Premium quartz (large-format veining, specialty finish) | $130 – $175 | Calacatta or dramatic veining patterns, waterfall edges, book-matched slabs |
| Entry-level granite (domestic, standard color) | $60 – $85 | Uba Tuba, Santa Cecilia, and similar common stocks |
| Mid-grade granite (imported, moderate movement) | $85 – $125 | Brazilian or Indian origin, requires individual slab selection |
| Premium granite (exotic, rare movement) | $125 – $175+ | Blue Bahia, Taj Mahal quartzite, limited availability; price varies by slab |
What moves the number up:
- Undermount sink installation adds roughly $150 to $300 for precise cutout and polishing
- Waterfall island edges require significantly more material and fabrication time – budget an additional $400 to $800 depending on the island size
- Substrate replacement (failed plywood or particleboard decking) typically adds $8 to $15 per linear foot of run
- Custom edge profiles beyond a simple eased edge – ogee, dupont, full bullnose – add $12 to $25 per linear foot at fabrication
- Backsplash in matching material (a 4-inch slab backsplash rather than tile) adds material cost at the same per-square-foot rate
What to watch for in other quotes: Some Los Angeles countertop quotes come in low on the supply line and add substrate repair, sink cutouts, and sealing as separate line items at the end. Rowan’s written quote includes all of those items in the scope so the number you see is the number you pay, unless something genuinely changes during demo – and if it does, you sign a change order before the additional work begins.
A typical Small & Partial Kitchen Remodels kitchen with 40 to 55 square feet of countertop – common in 1940s through 1970s homes in neighborhoods like Mar Vista, Atwater Village, and Culver City – runs between $3,200 and $6,500 installed for mid-grade quartz. Larger kitchens in newer construction in neighborhoods like Playa Vista or Sherman Oaks, where 70 to 90 square feet of counter is standard, run $5,500 to $10,000 for comparable material.
Call (213) 652-7670 for a written estimate. Estimates are free, include a line-item scope, and carry no obligation. If you have a written quote from another contractor, bring it – we offer a free second opinion on any written estimate and will review it line by line at no charge.
FAQs – Quartz & Granite Countertops
How much does quartz countertop installation cost in Los Angeles?
Quartz countertop installation in Los Angeles costs between $65 and $175 per square foot installed, depending on the grade of material, edge profile, and whether the existing substrate needs replacement. A typical 45-square-foot kitchen countertop in mid-grade Caesarstone or Cambria with an undermount sink runs $4,000 to $6,500 fully installed in the current Los Angeles market. Call (213) 652-7670 for a flat written price on your specific kitchen – estimates are free and include full line-item scope.
Is quartz or granite better for a Los Angeles kitchen?
Quartz is non-porous, requires no annual sealing, and holds up well in a busy kitchen with quality Backsplash, Tile & Flooring that sees daily cooking. Granite is natural stone, so every slab looks different – that variation is the appeal for homeowners who want a surface that reads as genuinely unique. In practical terms, granite in a high-use kitchen needs to be sealed once a year (or more in a kitchen that handles acidic foods regularly), and it can chip at thin edges if something heavy is dropped against it. Quartz won’t stain but can scorch if a hot pan is set directly on it. For Los Angeles homeowners who cook seriously and don’t want a maintenance obligation, quartz is the more forgiving choice. For homeowners focused on resale value and a specific aesthetic – particularly in older Craftsman or Mid-Century homes where natural variation reads authentically – granite is worth the maintenance.
How long does countertop installation take?
From the day you approve material to the day installation is complete, the realistic timeline is ten to fifteen business days for in-stock quartz from Caesarstone or Cambria. That window covers templating, fabrication, and a one-day installation. Granite from a specific slab you select may take twelve to eighteen business days depending on the fabricator’s queue. The installation itself – demolition of the old surface, substrate prep if needed, and setting the new slab – typically takes one full day for a standard kitchen. We put the expected timeline in writing at the estimate stage so you can plan around it.
Do Los Angeles homes require any permit for countertop replacement?
A straightforward countertop-for-countertop replacement in Los Angeles does not require a building permit under current LADBS guidelines, as long as the work doesn’t alter plumbing rough-in locations or structural elements. If the project involves relocating the sink, adding a gas cooktop where there wasn’t one, or making changes to the Cabinet Installation & Refacing structure underneath, permit requirements change. We identify those triggers at the estimate stage and tell you in writing whether a permit applies to your specific scope – before any work starts.
Why Rowan Construction Group for Countertops in Los Angeles
Grant Rowan founded Rowan Construction Group in 2007 on a single discipline: the price is written down before anyone picks up a tool. Across more than 4,000 projects in the Los Angeles area since then, that discipline has kept final project costs within a few percent of the agreed number – not because surprises don’t happen, but because when they do, a signed change order documents the decision before work proceeds.
Countertop replacement sits inside a larger system. If you’re also looking at cabinet refacing, appliance placement, or a full kitchen layout change, everything connects back to our home base of operations and the broader scope of Kitchen Remodeling work we do across Los Angeles. You don’t have to commit to the full scope to get an honest countertop quote – but it’s worth knowing the same crew that does the countertops can handle whatever comes next.
Our crews are background-checked and uniformed. Every visit is documented with photographs as a standard deliverable. The 365-Day Done Right Promise means that if the countertop installation isn’t right, we make it right – that’s printed in the project paperwork, not offered verbally and forgotten. Cambria and Caesarstone material comes with manufacturer warranties; Rowan’s workmanship warranty runs behind it.
Los Angeles kitchens in neighborhoods like Los Feliz, Leimert Park, and the West Adams Historic District often present specific challenges – original layouts that weren’t built to modern standard dimensions, plaster walls that aren’t plumb, and plumbing that hasn’t been touched since the 1960s. We’ve worked in enough of those kitchens to know what to look for before the template goes down.
If you’re ready for a written price, call (213) 652-7670. A live person answers. The estimate is free, includes a line-item scope, and commits us to nothing more than giving you an honest number.
Written by Grant Rowan, Owner at Rowan Construction Group Los Angeles, serving Los Angeles since 2007.