Here's How Much Marble Countertops Cost

by Team HomeServe
beautiful kitchen in new luxury home with a Marble island

Marble Countertop Costs at a Glance

  • Marble cost: $40-$180 (CAD 50-CAD 250) per square foot
  • Finishes: $10-$40 (CAD 12.50-CAD 50) per square foot
  • Labor cost: $35-$45 (CAD 44-CAD 56) per hour; $350-$450 (CAD 440-CAD 560) total
  • Remove old countertop: $100-$300 (CAD 125-CAD 375)
  • Compare to granite: $45-$200 (CAD 56-CAD 250) per square foot

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 or 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 Fixr, the price of marble varies between about $40 and $200 (CAD 50 and CAD 250) 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 (CAD 50) 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 (CAD 15) 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 (CAD 31) per square foot.
  • Black: This is a Spanish marble with white veins. It's also called Travertine and costs about $75 (CAD 95) per square foot.
  • Statuario: Found in Italy, this material goes for around $50 (CAD 63) per square foot. It’s a white marble with gray veins.
  • Danby: Quarried in the United States, this white stone with gray with gold markings goes for about $80 (CAD 100) 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 $180 (CAD 225) per square foot.
  • Cultured: This is an artificially manufactured marble made out of stone, resin and pigments. It’s non-porous and doesn’t need to be sealed. It costs about $65 (CAD 80) per square foot.

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Finish

There are different types of finishes available, ranging from rough to honed. The type of finish you want can add anywhere from $10 to $40 (CAD 12.50 to CAD 50) 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 $200 to $600 (CAD 250 to CAD 750) for materials, and another $75 (CAD 95) per hour for labor.

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 $45 (CAD 44 and CAD 56) an hour for labor, or $10 (CAD 12.50) per square foot.

For simple installations, the total cost may come in around $350 to $450 (CAD 440 and CAD 560) 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 $200 (CAD 250). Also, if you want a contractor to remove an old countertop, you may pay an additional $100 to $300 (CAD 125 to CAD 375).

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 — $45 to $200 (CAD 56 to CAD 250) per square foot for granite, versus $40 to $200 (CAD 50 to CAD 250) for marble.

High-end granite and rare granite can cost $100 to $200 (CAD 125 to CAD 250) 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 45 to CAD 105) 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.