Porcelain vs Quartz Benchtops: A Pricing Comparison
Porcelain vs Quartz Benchtops: A Pricing Comparison
When you’re tackling a big job like a kitchen renovation, we know how important pricing considerations are. Our design team often receive questions such as: How much will my benchtop cost? Is Porcelain or Quartz the right solution for me? Are there other factors that will determine the final price? We’ll answer all of these and more below. Whether you decide to shop with us at Archant or opt for another company, our goal is the same. We want to empower you to make the best choice for your project.
Costs of Installing a New Benchtop
Let’s look at the average price you can expect to pay for each of these benchtop materials. Of course, the precise cost will vary depending on the dimensions of your space. This is, however, a great starting point to help guide your design.
According to a recent article in Houzz, buyers can “expect to pay somewhere in the region of 30 per cent more for a porcelain benchtop than you would for a premium range engineered stone benchtop. This brings the price in at somewhere around NZ $1,466 per square metre for one of the standard range colours with a 12-millimetre thickness. Using this example in a head-to-head comparison, installing one square metre of porcelain would cost $1,466 while the Quartz would be $1,026. As you can see, the porcelain option involves a larger initial investment. Keep reading though, as you may be surprised to discover what the true costs of ownership really are.
Which Benchtop Costs the Least, Long Term?
When you’re making a substantial purchase for your home, it’s critical to understand how long it will hold its value. Rather than merely leaping in, we feel it’s best to be well informed on all the variables. The big two to consider are the cost of raw materials and labour. Here’s what you need to know:
With porcelain benchtops, you can expect to pay more for fabrication than with quartz. It takes specialised handling to install porcelain properly and this does increase the overall price. In comparison, the cost of installing quartz is lower since it’s more straightforward to work with.
This brings us to an obvious summation. When you factor in the cost of raw materials and labour, the installation of a porcelain benchtop will cost more than quartz. Unfortunately, many customers will stop there and simply opt for short term savings. Yet, this basic price comparison falls far short of the actual bottom-line cost.
What Am I Missing?
Archant porcelain comes with a lifetime warranty. Think about that for a moment… It can last forever! This means you won’t have to spend additional money on renovating anytime soon. And while Quartz is certainly a robust material, the warranty is far less superior at just 12 years in duration. With porcelain though, the additional peace of mind may be worth the higher price tag. This echoes the advice from Christchurch based designer Ingrid Geldof who said, “A great kitchen should look just as good in 15 years as it does today.” Either way you can rest easy knowing you’re buying a high-quality benchtop with a great guarantee. The right material for your space may be based on how you’ll use it. Active families with high kitchen traffic may benefit from the tough durability of porcelain.
Why the Big Difference in Warranty?
Due to its non-porous nature, porcelain offers some unique benefits over quartz. For example, you can chop vegetables directly on the benchtop. It is highly resistant to scratching and staining. It’s also hygienic and food-safe, making it a fantastic choice for foodies and chefs alike. Porcelain doesn’t change colour over time, nor will it yellow or fade. You can even use it outdoors with its superior resistance to UV rays. With its high heat resistance, it’s a great product to use around cooktops. You can move a hot pan from the oven directly onto the benchtop without leaving a mark. For a more complete look at the characteristics of porcelain, don’t miss “A Review of Porcelain Benchtops”.
How About Maintenance Costs?
Both porcelain and quartz are very solid, durable products that will last for many years to come. You’ll be pleased with how simple they are to care for. Ordinary household products are all that’s required to retain their lustre. You can even use a wet cloth to wipe the surface without fear of water marks and residue. This is not only convenient but offers cost savings over benchtops like granite which need to be re-sealed every six months.
What’s the Current Design Trend?
In a recent report from NKBA, Mark Bruce of Designmarked Kitchens claimed that porcelain will be the preferred benchtop material within the next ten years. He goes on to say that "engineered stone has been around a lot longer, is more affordable and has a wider reach.” Bruce then notes how "porcelain is a high-end and innovative product that many designers prefer to work with.” He credits this to a “much bigger design scope” and “more unique options for the designers and their clients." At Archant, we don’t recommend designing your kitchen based on current trends. Ultimately the right material for your benchtop is a balance of form, function, and price. Nevertheless, we feel it’s helpful to point out where the future of design is heading.
IMAGE ABOVE: DESIGN AND FABRICATION BY MCINDOE KITCHENS
In Conclusion
Without question, each type of benchtop material has its advantages. Yet, when it comes to the lifetime cost of ownership, porcelain is the clear winner. Still, if short term savings is your primary goal, the advantage goes to quartz. Weigh these options based on your project parameters to determine which is the right fit for you. To check out our stone samples and talk with a design specialist, call 0800 (Archant) or visit us at any one of our inspiring showrooms.
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