Average Cost of Countertops in Charleston, SC (Research 2024)

When you decide to replace a countertop in your kitchen, bathroom, or BBQ area, one of the main factors in choosing a contractor is the price. Sure thing. But how do you select a contractor if their website doesn't list any prices, not even estimates? To get quotes, you typically need to meet with each contractor, spend a lot of time with them, and only after they evaluate your project will you receive your quote. Yes, it is really that complicated!

To be able to identify the best countertop company in Charleston, we conducted extensive research, including a detailed analysis of kitchen countertop fabrication costs in the area. The result of our research is valuable knowledge that we are excited to share with you.

We hope that by reading this article, you'll find it easier to choose a contractor for your countertop project, based on their pricing tier. 

Key Takeaways:

• Prices for fabricating and installing the same kitchen countertop made from the same material can vary significantly depending on the contractor. In our study, quotes ranged from $4,921 to $6,805—a difference of over $1,500, which is impressive. It mea ns the prices per square foot ranged from $59 to $81.59.
• The kitchen countertop cost depends not only on the material but also on several other factors, such as the company's experience, target profit margins, company size, and whether they have their own manufacturing facilities. There may be other pricing factors we haven’t yet identified, but we aim to explore these in our future research.
• Not all countertop companies process customer requests promptly. Some even ignore them altogether.

Let’s talk about all of this in detail! 

Research Goal: To evaluate kitchen countertop contractors based on a huge amount of information about their work and assign them a position in our rating system. We believe that cost is one of the key criteria for making decisions by clients, which is why it plays a central role in our ratings. 

We want to clarify right away that our kitchen countertop price analysis was conducted exclusively on 11 contractors. These contractors were pre-selected by our analysts as the best based on our initial evaluation criteria from the entire pool of countertop contractors in Charleston.

1. Part 1: Research Methodology for Countertop Prices in Charleston

During our research, we understood that to obtain accurate results, we needed to ask all contractors to provide quotes for fabricating kitchen countertops of the same size and materials. To gather more comprehensive data, we requested estimates for not just one material, but at least two.

After consulting with our expert, we selected two materials that are highly popular in the U.S. today: Calacatta Idilio quartz and Carrara Morro quartz.

Quartz is a favored choice among homeowners for several reasons:

• Aesthetic Appeal: Quartz countertops mimic the look of natural stone, such as marble. They are available in many colors and patterns.
• Durability: Quartz is highly durable, resistant to scratches, stains, and heat.
• Low Maintenance: Unlike natural stone, quartz kitchen countertops are non-porous. That’s why they are easier to clean and maintain.
• Cost-Effective: While still a premium material, quartz is often more affordable than high-end natural stones. However, the cost of quartz can vary significantly. It depends on the manufacturer, its thickness, and quality. Quartz can range from inexpensive to very expensive. For our research, we selected a mid-range and popular option.

The quotes were only for two countertop materials. While we acknowledge that costs for countertops may vary for different materials, we believe our analysis provides a general understanding of the pricing strategies of the companies in our ranking.

Initial Company Selection

Our analysts did in-depth market research. The initial selection of contractors for our rating took a considerable amount of time. As the first step, our analysts compiled a list of all countertop companies in Charleston, 30 contractors in total. However, after a thorough selection process, only 11 companies made it into our rating.

It's important to note that we believe the other companies are also reliable. They didn't make it into the rating this year because, at the time of selection, certain evaluated criteria did not meet our standards. We hope that by 2025, these companies will meet the criteria and earn their place in our rating.

Challenges in Initial Calls

Having selected the best countertop companies in Charleston, we proceeded to evaluate them through direct conversations. Here, we encountered a significant challenge: contractors were reluctant to talk. We believe this reluctance is due to the high volume of spam calls that companies in the U.S. face today. This was a setback, but we knew we couldn't stop there.

To overcome this issue, we adopted a more effective approach: the Secret Shopper Method. Below, let’s talk in detail about this method.

2. Part 2: Secret Shopper Methodology

Why the Secret Shopper Method?

We chose the secret shopper method to ensure the integrity and accuracy of our research. This approach allowed us to experience the contractors' services just like any typical customer would. It provided an unbiased view of their operations. We avoided formal introductions and industry jargon.

This way we minimized the risk of countertop companies altering their responses to present themselves in a more favorable light.

We selected this approach because contractors were unwilling to discuss their business with us as a rating website. The Secret Shopper method involves calling contractors as a potential customer that is ready to place an order. Contractors are much more willing to share information with someone who is ready to pay. This method worked really well!  

By changing our data collection method, we were able to get answers to many important questions needed to evaluate each countertop company. Our questions were designed from a buyer’s perspective (from you), because our rating system is meant to serve the customers!

Using the secret shopper method, we gathered more reliable data on several key aspects:

• Genuine Customer Experience: This method revealed how contractors treat potential customers, from the initial inquiry to the final quote. It gave us insights into their customer service and responsiveness.
• Unbiased Pricing Information: We posed ourselves as regular customers and obtained realistic price quotes that reflect what an average customer might expect to pay. They are free from any special treatment or adjusted rates.
• Service Quality: We were able to assess the quality of information provided, the clarity of communication, and the thoroughness of the kitchen countertop contractors' responses.

3. Part 3: Conducting the Research (Detailed Price Analysis)

Calls and Data Collection

We contacted 11 kitchen countertop contractors, talked to all of them over the phone, and sent emails with a clear task. All contractors received the same project to evaluate.

Initially, we researched over 30 companies in the Charleston area, but only 11 met our criteria for inclusion in the 2024 rating. The others were not included in this year’s ranking. However, they have every chance to be included in the 2025 rating. They just need to reach out to us, tell us about their business, and demonstrate that they can qualify as one of the best countertop companies in Charleston!

We quoted 11 companies for an actual project that you can see on the screenshot below.

Receiving and Analyzing Quotes from Countertop Contractors 

We evaluated the following criteria: friendliness (rated from 1 to 5), expertise (rated from 1 to 5), years in business, office availability, possibility to visit the production facility, turnaround time, veteran discounts, payment terms, required deposit, time needed to create and send us a quote, and, of course, the costs for our order of Calacatta Idilio and Carrara Morro.

We looked into why some prices were higher than others—it seems to us that it's not just about the quality of the materials or labor cost for countertop fabrication and installation.   Things like the scope of services and the company’s reputation also play a big part in the final price tag.

4. Part 4: Research Results

Presentation of Obtained Prices

Our easy-to-understand comparison table of the top 11 countertop contractors in Charleston is sure to help you make the right choice faster.

— Means they didn’t provide the price quote. We want to emphasize that although some countertop contractors in our study did not provide us with their quotes, we do not consider them unworthy of being included in our ratings. We believe that their lack of response was a peculiar circumstance. The companies that did not provide quotes are still included in our ranking of the best companies in Charleston; however, their position will be lower than it would have been if they had provided us with a quote.

The costs you see are not public offers from these countertop companies. They were obtained by us in May 2024.

In our detailed price analysis for Charleston countertops, we discovered a significant range in costs (for the whole project and per square foot) from various local suppliers for two popular stone types: Calacatta Idilio and Carrara Morro. Here’s a snapshot of how the quotes stacked up:

• Perfect Stones topped the charts with Calacatta Idilio costing up to $7,744 ($92.85 per square foot) and Carrara Morro peaking at $7,806 ($93.59 per square foot). Granite by Design LLC and Palmetto Surfacing also charged us premium costs (for details check our table above). 
• Zimpel Granite & Marble and Classic Marble, Granite & Tile offered competitive rates, balancing quality with affordability.
• Mike USA Granite presented a striking contrast with no projects for Carrara Morro and an average cost for Calacatta Idilio.

Several companies, including Universal Marble & Granite and Granite Depot of Charleston, didn’t provide quartz worktop prices.

Factors Influencing Costs

Our cost analysis work led us to the idea of introducing pricing tiers—$, $$, $$$, $$$$ and $$$$$ in the company profiles. This will make it easier for users of our service to choose a contractor from the list of top countertop providers in Charleston.

In our opinion, higher-priced companies are not just charging for materials. They’re providing a full-service experience. This includes 

• detailed consultations,
• premium craftsmanship, 
• and a longer warranty, which all add value.

On the flip side, we assume that more affordable quotes (for the whole project and per square foot) might seem attractive but could mean less personalized service or lower-quality materials. In the future, we’ll be able to answer the question why there is such a difference.

Part 5: Importance of Price Transparency

Why Knowing Costs in Advance Matters

This is crucial for homeowners to know costs for a countertop project in advance. Our research provides insight into the different approaches to pricing among the countertop companies. This allows users to make their choice based on the price category of the company, as seen in our price comparison table, rather than just the cost of the specific project.

We believe that company owners will also read this article. We encourage them to display at least approximate prices to users. They can do this in the form of case studies of their completed projects. It’s convenient for users and clients and saves them time.

Many companies avoid listing prices on their websites to keep them hidden from competitors. However, we know that competitors use the same methods we do for our research—they call pretending to be customers to gather the information they need. Therefore, it’s simpler and more beneficial to display costs on the website.

Impact of Transparency on Trust in a Company

Price transparency significantly enhances trust between consumers and contractors. When companies are open about their pricing:

• Builds Credibility: Transparency shows that a countertop company has nothing to hide.
• Reduces Misunderstanding: Clear pricing prevents potential disputes over costs.
• Encourages Loyalty: Customers are more likely to return to and recommend companies that are honest about their pricing.

Role of Our Rating

Our rating system helps you:

• Identify Quality Providers: Our rating highlights the top-performing kitchen countertop contractors based on a variety of factors. So you can easily find reputable companies.
• Save Time: Instead of spending hours researching and comparing different contractors, you use our ratings to quickly narrow down your options.
• Make Informed Decisions: Our detailed analysis gives you a deep understanding of the current market.

Part 6: Recommendations for Choosing the Right Countertop Contractor in Charleston for Your Next Home Renovation Project  

How to Use Our Rating

Here’s a quick guide to hiring the right contractor:

• Find Contacts of the Companies. You can find websites of countertop contractors on Google, or visit aggregator sites where companies pay for listings. However, you can make the best choice by using our ratings, as we handpick and verify each contractor. Contractors do not pay us to be listed on our site. We include in our lists only those who meet our high selection standards.
• Evaluate Contractor Portfolio. When you review the portfolios of countertop contractors on our site, you gain inspiration. Also, you get an understanding whether a contractor is suitable for your project and is capable of bringing your vision to life or not.
• Assess Company Information. After reviewing photos, evaluate the information about each company. Soon we plan to add years in business, ranking position, communication rating, and other parameters to each listing.
• Choose by Price Tier. Select a countertop contractor based on their pricing tier. Once you've narrowed down your choices, you can contact them in any way convenient for you—call them, send a message through WhatsApp Telegram, Facebook Messenger, or submit a request.

Other Important Tips for Selecting a Contractor

Don’t just look at costs. Follow the steps outlined above. Even the top-rated companies in our listings may occasionally do something wrong. Thus, the choice and responsibility for it lie with you as the customer.

However, if you choose a contractor from our ratings and face any difficulties, we will do our best to assist you. If a contractor behaves unprofessionally or does something wrong, we may remove them from our ratings based on your comments and feedback. Also, you can leave your feedback or contractor review on our site.

Conclusion

We hope our research will be useful to you. At the very least, it will help you understand the costs associated with countertop fabrication and installation. You’ll be able to make an informed decision when choosing a contractor based on their pricing and other factors. 

As a reminder, all contractors received the same project from us to estimate. We do not take responsibility for the prices listed on our site, as we are simply reporting the information provided by the companies. Our goal is to help homeowners. Every interaction with the contractors is documented, and we can provide proof if needed. 

Use our rating to order your countertop in Charleston!

Appendices

• List of All Companies Involved in the Research