How To Measure Countertops For A Quote
Thinking about replacing your counters but not sure what it would cost? Wondering how to get an estimate on your countertop project? We have a step-by-step guide for you on how to measure your countertops and calculate the total area to make it simple for us to price out your stone countertops!
What You Need for a Stone Countertop Quote
Before we get started, we need to gather a few things to make the stone quote process easier. We will guide you on how to measure countertops!
Don’t get worried, it’s just a few simple measuring tools, and every home should have them!
Helpful tools you need to measure and calculate your countertop area:
- A tape measure
- A pencil or pen
- A notepad but grid/graph paper is preferred
See, it’s not that bad! With these simple tools, you’ll be able to measure each section of your countertop, calculate the area in square footage (or square inches), diagram the layout with or without a seam or two and draw up a sketch. Easy!
Take Photos of the Existing Countertop and Space
A picture is worth a thousand words. Providing photos of your entire existing kitchen or bathroom space and current countertop materials, along with your floor plan, is extremely helpful in communicating to our design team your existing layout and what you plan to change. Include as many angles that you can, including windows, walls, ceiling, and openings to adjoining rooms.
All of this will help our team better understand your total space. Whether its stone countertops for a kitchen or bathroom, or even a fireplace, knowing what the layout looks like is a big help!
How to Measure Your Existing Kitchen or Bathroom Countertops
Begin by measuring the existing countertops wall-to-wall, corner to corner. Again, make sure to record all measurements in inches.
- Measure the length of all countertops (Measure in inches)
- Measure depth (width) of all countertops
- Indicate where the sink and other appliances land
Indicate finished edges – Metropolitan uses this symbol //
Planning for L shaped countertop seams
Before calculating the area of the countertops square footage, it is very important that you determine the number and locations of the sections and seams that may be needed to achieve your desired kitchen or bathroom layout. Do your best to get an accurate estimate of the length and depth of the area and our design experts will help you sort the seam locations if needed. Most often, seams are located in the corners of countertops to help minimize the waste and cost of the job.
The fabricating and placement of countertop seams are important factors to keep in mind for the final installment as they affect the expansion or compression that naturally occurs in any home with temperature changes or settling of your home’s frame.
The seams also allow the countertop material relief to keep cracking, splitting, and breaking at bay. No matter the countertop surfaces, quartz, granite, marble, laminate, or wood, seams are a helpful addition that will keep your investment safe for years to come.
One thing to keep in mind when creating the countertop diagram, seams are not to be used in areas that include a cook top cutout, bar sink cutouts, or cut-outs for large sinks or other types of kitchen and bathroom pieces. This can weaken the countertop piece and lead to surface failure and additional costs. (No one wants to call their homeowners insurance!)
Again, our design experts are available over the phone or in the showroom to help with these details and ensure your countertop fabrication is perfect and complete!
Important Information About How to Measure Your Existing Countertops
Before any planning can start, we need to know the exact dimensions (length and width), in inches, of the total square footage (sq. ft.) available to work with. By drawing a floor plan, measuring each section, and completing the measurement guide, our team of designers will have an easier time understanding your total space and countertop cost.
This does not have to be a work of art but your diagram/sketch should be a clear, simple, and accurate drawing of the countertops in your space. The goal of these countertop measurements/estimates is to understand all the costs and limit any waste. You may need an extra hand in holding the measuring tape for longer measurements. Don’t forget to double-check all your layouts and measurements.
- What is the material of your existing countertop piece?
- What is the thickness of your existing countertop piece?
- Do you have a tile backsplash?
- What is the backsplash height?
- Do you have a backsplash with the countertops?
- Does your backsplash go all the way up to the upper cabinets?
Example:
Special consideration if measuring without a current countertop:
If you happen to have the cabinets installed and are trying to calculate the area needed to fit your countertop measurement without a current countertop installed, you should add 1.5 inches total to your measurement to account for the edgework and countertop overhang.
A base cabinet standard width is usually 24 inches, and that extra measure should give you the ability to correctly estimate the total countertop piece surface area.
What to do next
We hope this article helped you get an idea of how easy it can be to get the stone countertop measurements together to better understand the scale of your project.
Give us a call or stop in the nearest showroom location of course! We’d love to help you get an estimation of the unique kitchen countertops of your dreams! Come check out our stone slabs and get an idea of the needed sizes and total square footage for your countertops.
Talk to our professional design team about your countertops and get a project price quote, and know that customer service is our number one priority!