Countertop Installation in Galway

Quartz (engineered stone) is non-porous, consistent in colour and needs no sealing; granite is natural, each slab unique, and needs periodic sealing. Both are hard-wearing at similar price points. Choose quartz for low maintenance and uniform looks, granite for natural variation and heat resistance.

Cost is driven by material and area. Laminate is cheapest; granite and quartz sit in the middle; premium natural stone and sintered surfaces are dearest. Priced per square foot/metre or linear metre installed, with templating, cut-outs (sink, hob), edging and removal of the old top usually on top.

Dry-cutting engineered (quartz) stone releases silica dust that causes silicosis, a serious lung disease — which is why fabrication must use wet-cutting and proper controls. This is a real, regulated workplace hazard; reputable fabricators take it seriously (see country notes).

After templating, fabrication takes about one to two weeks for stone; installation itself is usually a day. Plan for the gap between template and fit — you'll be without a worktop briefly, so coordinate with the rest of the kitchen work.

Look for: material and thickness, templating (a precise measure of your cabinets), fabrication (cut-outs for sink and hob, edge profile), delivery, installation, sealing if natural stone, and removal/disposal of the old top. A slab-only price hides the fabrication and fitting that make up much of the cost.

In Galway, expect the national typical per square foot or metre for your chosen material, with an island, complex cut-outs and premium edging pushing the total up. Ask for the price templated and fitted, not just the slab.

In Galway, view finished installs, get the price templated-and-fitted with all cut-outs and edging specified, and confirm who fabricates the stone. Compare quotes on the full installed cost per square foot/metre, not the raw slab price.

Stone worktops commonly run €350-900 per m² supplied and fitted; a typical kitchen lands at €2,000-7,500 depending on material and island. Laminate is far cheaper.