Pricing Guide
By ColorUp Cabinets · Updated September 30, 2026 · Greater Houston
ColorUp does not publish countertop $/sq ft. Per /facts/, countertops are quoted on the written proposal after templating. Early conversations can discuss material direction and likely drivers; the proposal reflects layout, slab, seams, edges, cutouts, and install scope. Relative live language from the service leaf: quartz often on the lower end; exotic quartzite and marble higher. That is qualitative — not a unit menu.
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What drives a countertop quote?
Name the driver. The number waits on the template.
No edge menu and no cutout fee chart. The written proposal is the price.
Why “average $/sq ft” misleads
Layout can force a second slab. Seams, pattern match, sink and cooktop cutouts, faucet holes, splash height, edge profile, removal of old tops, plumbing-if-scoped, and site access all move the total. Natural stone is slab-specific. A blog average cannot see your island overhang or your L-corner. Older ColorUp pages that once showed invented unit bands are not pricing authority — use /facts/ and the service leaf.
Cost driver checklist
- Material family and variation within that family
- How many slabs the layout forces
- Seam count / complexity / pattern match
- Edge profile (standard vs decorative / miter / waterfall — qualitative)
- Sink and cooktop cutouts; faucet holes
- Backsplash path (none / short stone / full-height slab)
- Removal and disposal of old tops
- Plumbing disconnect/reconnect if in written scope
- Site access / multi-level carry
- Coordinated cabinet finish (separate planning ranges)
No $/lf edge menu, no $/cutout fee chart, no invented “typical Houston kitchen totals.”
What belongs in a ColorUp written proposal
Material and slab or sample approval, template-based fabrication scope, seam plan, edges, cutouts, splash if included, install, and any disposal or plumbing lines that project records actually include. Template visit expectations: sibling laser-templating article. Plumbing is never assumed from a photo quote.
Budgeting finish + stone together
Cabinet painting for most full kitchens: $3,500–$9,500. Refacing planning: $5,000–$12,000. Staining: $4,500–$9,500. Stone: proposal after template. Detail cost structure for paint alone: cabinet painting cost.
Photos help planning; they do not invent a firm stone total
Send photos through the estimate flow to discuss direction. The firm countertop number waits on template and scope.
How to start without a fake menu
Send kitchen photos and a material direction through /estimate/ or book a live visit on /book-estimate/. Early talk can rank quartz vs exotic quartzite qualitatively and flag obvious drivers (island waterfall, full-height splash, farmhouse sink). The firm number waits on template. Browse directions in the catalog; approve natural stone as a tagged slab.
Financing, deposits, and payment schedules appear on the accepted proposal or checkout for the project — ColorUp does not advertise competitor-style “0% forever” or price-match gimmicks as public policy. Warranty for cabinet painting is separate (1 year standard; 2–3 with hardening upgrade). Stone care and any material warranties follow the products and documents in your project file — not a lifetime stone slogan copied from another shop.
Sibling education: seams, templating, quartz vs quartzite, and undermount cutouts in this batch. Do not paste unit rates from third-party Houston blogs into a ColorUp conversation and call them ours.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t you give a firm price from photos alone?
Photos miss level, exact runs, seam needs, and slab choice. Template and scope close those gaps.
Does edge profile or backsplash change cost?
Yes, as scope drivers — described qualitatively on the proposal, not as a public unit menu.
Is demo or disposal included?
Only when the written scope says so. Ask every bidder to line-item it the same way.
How do I budget cabinets and counters together?
Use approved paint/reface/stain planning bands for finish; keep stone on proposal-after-template. One coordinated schedule when ColorUp holds both scopes.
Is quartz always cheaper than granite?
Often quartz sits lower in ColorUp’s qualitative range versus exotic quartzite and marble; granite is slab-specific. No unit rates.
Get a proposal after the template, not a fake average
ColorUp explains drivers up front and quotes countertops on the written proposal after templating — policy aligned with /facts/.
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