Here is where quotes diverge and where homeowners get surprised. Material choice sets the baseline; these line items decide whether you land at the bottom or the top of the range.

Edge profile. A standard eased, straight, or quarter-round edge is normally included in the base price. Upgrades add up: an ogee, dupont, or triple-pencil edge typically runs $12–$25 per linear foot. A mitered edge — where two pieces are joined at 45 degrees to make a 2cm slab look like a 4cm or 6cm thick monolith — is the single biggest edge upcharge, commonly $45–$95 per linear foot. It is also the detail most responsible for the high-end look people want from Instagram, so it is often money well spent.

Sink cutouts. An undermount cutout with a polished inside rail typically runs $150–$350. A drop-in cutout is cheaper, often $75–$150. A farmhouse or apron-front sink is the expensive one at $300–$600, because it requires precise scribing to the sink body and full support build-out. An integral sink carved from the slab itself is a specialty item, generally $900–$2,500+.

Cooktop and range cutouts. Usually $100–$250. A downdraft slot or an unusual appliance profile costs more because it requires exact template work.

Faucet and accessory holes. Typically $25–$50 each. A pot filler, soap dispenser, air switch, and instant-hot tap each count separately — five holes is not unusual and adds up quietly.

Waterfall panels. A single waterfall leg on an island typically adds $900–$2,500 depending on material and height, because it consumes significant extra slab, requires a mitered joint, and often demands vein-matching across the corner. Two legs roughly doubles it.

Backsplash. A standard 4-inch stone backsplash is usually priced per linear foot as an add-on. A full-height slab backsplash is priced as additional square footage at your material rate, plus cutting around outlets and windows — budget it as real square feet, not as a small trim item.

Tear-out and disposal of existing counters. Commonly $200–$600 for a typical kitchen. Tile counters cost more to remove than laminate because they are mortared to a substrate. If your old counters are staying until the new ones are templated, plan on being without a kitchen for a few days.

Plumbing disconnect and reconnect. $150–$400. Some shops include it, many do not. Ask directly, because a disconnected sink over a weekend is a real inconvenience.

Overhangs and seating bars. An overhang beyond roughly 10 inches (for 3cm material) needs support — steel plates, corbels, or brackets — and that is a hardware and labor line item, typically $200–$700.

Slab yield and the “you need two slabs” conversation. This is the biggest hidden cost in the whole industry. Countertops are cut from rectangular slabs, and kitchens are not rectangles. If your layout needs 52 square feet but the largest usable area from one slab is 48, you are buying a second slab — and paying for material you will not install. This is why a 5% increase in square footage sometimes increases your price by 40%. A good fabricator shows you the digital layout on the actual slab before you commit, so you can see the yield for yourself.

Two add-ons deserve their own reading before you decide. Edge profile is the easiest place to accidentally add four figures to a quote — our edge profile guide shows what each one actually looks like installed. And the 2cm-versus-3cm decision changes both your material cost and your edge options at the same time; we break that down in our countertop thickness guide. Sink choice is the third quiet cost driver — see kitchen sink options for stone countertops for what each style costs to cut and mount.