Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Styles & brands we work with
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterQuartz & Granite Countertops in San Francisco, CA
Quartz and granite countertop installation in San Francisco typically costs between $85 and $200 per square foot installed, with most kitchen projects landing between $4,500 and $9,500 depending on the stone you choose and the size of your kitchen. That price includes templating, fabrication, and installation when you work with a contractor who handles the whole job rather than farming pieces out to separate crews. At Elmstead Remodeling San Francisco, we install quartz and granite as part of a larger Kitchen Remodeling project or as a standalone countertop replacement, and you get a written price before any work starts. Call (831) 480-4497 to talk through your kitchen.
We are a Cedarwell company, which means every countertop job follows the Cedarwell Care Promise: shoe covers and drop cloths inside the house, a written price before the crew arrives, a photo of the clean-up before we leave, quiet tools during family rest hours where possible, and pet-safe product choices where available. Families with children and pets hire us because the house is left in better shape than we found it, not just because the stone looks right. Our crew asks before moving anything on your counters, and we schedule cutting and grinding around nap times and school hours when we can.
When You Need Quartz & Granite Countertops
Countertops are one of the first surfaces to show age in a San Francisco kitchen, and the signs are usually obvious once you know what to look for. Here are the situations where families call us:
- Your current counters are stained, scratched, or chipped. Older laminate and tile counters absorb spills, and granite that hasn’t been sealed in years will hold oil and wine stains. In neighborhoods like Noe Valley and Glen Park, where kitchens are often original to 1920s and 1930s homes, we see a lot of counters that have simply outlived their useful life.
- You are redoing the kitchen anyway. If cabinets are coming out, the countertop is coming off too. Installing new quartz or granite at the same time as Kitchen Remodeling in San Francisco saves you a second round of dust and disruption later.
- The laminate is peeling at the seams. Water gets under the edge near the sink or dishwasher, the substrate swells, and the top layer starts to lift. Once that happens, patching is a temporary fix at best.
- You want a surface that handles daily family life. Hot pans, kid spills, pet paws on the edge, art projects, homework at the island. Quartz resists staining and scratching better than almost anything else, and granite takes heat without scorching. Both hold up to the way a real kitchen actually gets used.
- You are selling or renting the home. In San Francisco’s market, buyers and tenants notice counters. A dated or damaged countertop can drag down the whole kitchen’s impression. A clean stone surface from Cambria or a natural granite slab makes the room feel finished.
- You need to change the sink or faucet and the current counter won’t survive removal. Undermount sinks in particular often can’t be swapped without damaging the surrounding surface. If you’re replacing a Kohler or Moen fixture and the counter is already compromised, it’s a good time to do both.
Our Quartz & Granite Countertops Process
Countertop work has a specific order of operations, and skipping steps is how people end up with seams in awkward places or a slab that doesn’t fit. Here’s how we run it:
- Written price and material selection. We come out, measure your kitchen, and talk through quartz versus granite, edge profiles, sink cutouts, and backsplash options. You get a written price before any work starts, every time. Named-brand options include Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone for quartz, and natural granite slabs we select with you at the stone yard.
- Digital templating. We measure the installed base cabinets with laser templating equipment, not just a tape measure. That gives us exact dimensions for the fabricator, accounting for walls that aren’t square, which is common in older San Francisco homes in the Sunset and Richmond districts.
- Fabrication. Your slab is cut, polished, and edge-profiled off-site. The heavy cutting and grinding happens at the fabricator, not in your kitchen. This keeps dust and noise out of your home as much as possible.
- Removal of the old counter. On installation day, we lay drop cloths on the floors, put shoe covers on at the door, and carefully remove the existing surface. We disconnect and cap the sink and faucet plumbing properly. If there’s anything on the counters you’d like us to move, we ask first, every time.
- Installation and seaming. We set the new slab, level it, and join seams with a color-matched epoxy where needed. Most kitchens need at least one seam; we’ll tell you where it will fall before the slab is cut so there are no surprises.
- Plumbing reconnect, clean-up, and photo. We reconnect the sink and faucet, test for leaks, caulk the seams, and clean the work area. Before the crew leaves, we take a photo of the clean-up and show it to you. That’s part of the Cedarwell Care Promise, not an optional add-on.
Quartz & Granite Countertops Pricing in San Francisco
Here’s what you can expect to pay in San Francisco for quartz and granite countertop work, based on the projects we’ve completed across the city in neighborhoods like Bernal Heights, the Mission, Pacific Heights, and West Portal:
- Quartz (Cambria, Silestone, Caesarstone): $95 – $200 per square foot installed. Quartz is engineered stone, non-porous, and doesn’t need sealing. It holds up to kid spills, pet claws, and daily cooking better than most natural stones.
- Granite (natural slab): $85 – $160 per square foot installed. Granite is natural stone, each slab is unique, and it takes heat without damage. It should be resealed annually, which is a simple process we can walk you through.
- Standard kitchen (30 – 45 square feet): $4,500 – $8,000 installed for quartz; $3,800 – $7,200 for granite. This range includes templating, fabrication, installation, sink cutout, and a standard edge profile.
- Larger kitchen or island (50 – 70 square feet): $6,500 – $11,000 installed. Waterfall edges, full-height backsplashes, and larger islands push toward the top of the range.
- Countertop-only replacement (no cabinet work): $3,500 – $6,500 for most San Francisco kitchens. If the cabinets are in good shape and you just want new surfaces, this is a focused one-day-to-two-day job.
What moves the price:
- Stone choice. Cambria quartz runs higher than most granite; exotic granite slabs with dramatic veining run higher still. We’ll show you options at each price point.
- Edge profile. Standard eased edges are included. Ogee, bullnose, and waterfall edges add fabrication time and cost.
- Sink and faucet condition. If your existing sink is being reused, the fabricator needs exact dimensions. If we’re installing a new Kohler or Moen faucet, plumbing adjustments can add a small amount to the total.
- Cabinet condition. If the base cabinets are out of level or damaged, we may need to shim or repair before setting stone. We’ll flag that during the written estimate, not after the crew arrives.
Every quote includes the full scope in writing: material, fabrication, installation, plumbing reconnect, clean-up, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t right after the job is complete, we make it right. Call (831) 480-4497 for an exact price on your kitchen, free.
Quartz vs. Granite: Which One Is Right for a San Francisco Kitchen?
Both materials work well in San Francisco homes, but they suit different households. Quartz is engineered, so the color and pattern are consistent from slab to slab. It’s non-porous, which means no annual sealing and no worries about red wine, coffee, or tomato sauce staining the surface. For families with young children and pets, that’s a meaningful difference. Granite is natural stone, cut from quarried slabs, so no two pieces look alike. It’s more heat-tolerant than quartz, and many San Francisco homeowners prefer the depth and variation of natural stone. Granite does require resealing about once a year, which we can do for you or show you how to handle. We also offer Cabinet Installation & Refacing if your kitchen needs a more complete update.
In practice, families with kids under ten often choose quartz for the low maintenance. Families who cook heavily and want a more organic look often choose granite. Either way, we’ll show you full slabs at the stone yard before you commit, so you’re choosing the actual piece going into your kitchen, not a sample chip.
How We Protect Your Home During Countertop Work
Countertop installation is dusty work before the slab goes in. Removing old counters, cutting new material, and sanding seams all create fine particles that can settle into every room if the job isn’t set up right, which is why we protect your Backsplash, Tile & Flooring throughout the process. Here’s what we do, on every job, without being asked:
- Drop cloths and shoe covers. Floors are covered from the entry door to the kitchen work area. Crew members wear shoe covers inside the house, every visit.
- Quiet tools during rest hours. If there’s a baby napping or a child doing schoolwork, we’ll sequence the noisiest work around those hours where possible. We ask about your schedule during the estimate.
- Pet-safe product choices. Where a pet-safe adhesive, caulk, or cleaner is available, we use it. We’ll also ask where your pets are during the day so we’re not startling anyone when we arrive.
- Sink and plumbing protection. We cap disconnected plumbing lines and keep the work area contained so debris doesn’t end up in your drain lines.
- Photo of the clean-up before we leave. When the job is done, we show you a photo of the clean work area before the crew walks out. It’s proof the home was left right.
- Ask before moving. If anything on the counters, in the cabinets below, or near the work area needs to move, we ask first. Your kitchen, your things, your call.
FAQs – Quartz & Granite Countertops
How much do quartz countertops cost in San Francisco?
Quartz countertops in San Francisco typically cost $95 to $200 per square foot installed, meaning a standard 30 to 45 square foot kitchen runs between $4,500 and $8,000 for material, fabrication, and installation. The exact number depends on the brand, edge profile, and whether the job includes a new sink or faucet. Call (831) 480-4497 for a written quote, free.
Is quartz or granite better for a family kitchen with kids and pets?
Quartz is usually the better choice for families with young children and pets because it’s non-porous, stain-resistant, and never needs sealing. Granite is still an excellent surface, but it requires annual resealing and can stain if spills sit too long. For busy San Francisco households, we often recommend quartz for the island and main prep areas, especially in high-traffic kitchens in neighborhoods like the Mission and Outer Sunset.
Can you install new countertops without replacing the cabinets?
Yes, we can install quartz or granite on existing cabinets if the cabinets are structurally sound and level. This is a common request from homeowners in older San Francisco homes who want a kitchen refresh without a full remodel, making it ideal for Small & Partial Kitchen Remodels. We’ll inspect the cabinet boxes during the estimate and let you know if any reinforcement is needed before the stone goes on.
How long does countertop installation take?
Countertop installation itself typically takes one to two days, but templating and fabrication add one to three weeks depending on the stone yard’s schedule and the complexity of the cuts. We’ll give you a clear timeline in the written quote, and we’ll coordinate the fabrication so the slab is ready before we remove your old counters, minimizing the time your kitchen is out of service.
Do you offer a warranty on countertop work?
Every Elmstead Remodeling San Francisco countertop project is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right after the job is complete, we make it right. Your slab also carries the manufacturer’s warranty from brands like Cambria, Silestone, or the stone yard for granite. That’s the longest-standing post-project commitment in our service area.
Get a Written Price for Your Countertops
If you’re in San Francisco and ready to replace your kitchen counters, call Elmstead Remodeling San Francisco at (831) 480-4497. You’ll talk to a live person, not a voicemail box, any hour of the day or night. We’ll schedule a visit, walk the kitchen with you, and give you a written price for quartz or granite before any work starts. The estimate is free, and the price doesn’t change once the crew arrives. That’s the Cedarwell Care Promise, and it’s how every job in San Francisco begins.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling San Francisco, serving San Francisco.
