When I first met Emily, she was standing in the middle of her half-demolished kitchen — hands on hips, brows furrowed, and surrounded by cabinet boxes, paint samples, and a very frazzled-looking tile catalog.
“Hilary,” she sighed, “I typed ‘quartz countertops near me’ into Google… and now I’m buried under a mountain of options. Prices. Slabs. Edge profiles. I don’t even know where to start.”
Sound familiar? Whether you’re mid-renovation or just dreaming, hunting for the perfect quartz countertops can feel equal parts exciting and overwhelming — especially if you’re tackling this as a DIY project.
But here’s the good news: You can absolutely do this. And by the end of this article, you’ll feel not only confident but excited about choosing the right quartz countertop for your space.
✨ Step 1: Understanding Why Quartz Is the DIY Darling
Quartz isn’t just popular — it’s practical, stunning, and forgiving for first-time remodelers.
✔️ Why DIYers Love It:
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It’s non-porous — no sealing, no stress.
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Highly scratch- and stain-resistant.
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Available in colors that mimic marble, concrete, or stone — without the maintenance headaches.
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Pre-fabricated options exist that make installation manageable for a savvy homeowner.
💡 Inspiration Moment: When Emily walked through her local showroom, she fell in love with a soft-veined Calacatta quartz slab — the look of marble, but with zero upkeep worries.
🔍 Step 2: Where to Find Quartz Countertops Near You
“I didn’t realize there were this many places offering quartz,” Emily confessed.
✔️ Start your search:
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Local stone yards (best for variety and seeing full slabs).
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Kitchen and bath showrooms (great for paired cabinetry and design help).
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Big box retailers (Costco, Home Depot, Lowe’s — good for budget-friendly prefabricated quartz).
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Specialized countertop fabricators — often offer installation or sell slabs for DIY projects.
💡 Pro Tip: Ask if they offer remnants — leftover pieces from larger jobs. Perfect for small kitchens, bathrooms, or laundry rooms, and often deeply discounted.
🔨 Step 3: DIY-Friendly — Yes, But Know Your Limits
Quartz can be a DIY project — with some caveats.
✔️ You can DIY:
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Choosing the slab.
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Measuring (carefully!).
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Arranging fabrication (cutouts, sink holes, edge profiles).
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Installing prefab quartz (smaller sizes).
✔️ You probably need help with:
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Large slab cutting (requires specialized equipment).
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Seam joining and heavy lifting — a quartz slab weighs 15–20 lbs per square foot.
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Precision for undermount sinks or complex edge profiles.
💡 Emily hired pros for the fabrication but proudly installed the vanity quartz top herself — a win that saved her hundreds.
💰 Step 4: What Does Quartz Actually Cost?
✔️ Material Only:
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$55–$90 per square foot for standard quartz.
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$100+ per square foot for premium brands or exotic colors.
✔️ DIY Savings:
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Skip installation fees ($40–$70 per square foot saved).
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Buy remnants — sometimes as low as $20–$40 per square foot.
💡 Emily’s tip: Check showroom clearance sections — she scored her bathroom quartz for half price.
🎨 Step 5: Design Choices That Matter
✔️ Edge profiles: Eased edges are DIY-friendly. Mitered or ogee edges? Best left to the pros.
✔️ Seams: Minimize by choosing larger slabs.
✔️ Backsplash: Run quartz up the wall for a seamless look — no grout, no mess.
💡 Hilary’s advice: Always bring cabinet, flooring, and paint samples to the showroom. Quartz changes color dramatically under different lighting.
🌟 Step 6: From Overwhelmed to Inspired — The Transformation
A few weeks later, I walked back into Emily’s home. Her kitchen was transformed — bright white quartz counters, soft sage cabinets, brass hardware, and sunlight dancing across the waterfall edge she’d dreamed of.
“Remember how stressed I was?” she laughed. “Now I walk in here and think… I did this.”
And that’s the heart of it. Finding ‘quartz countertops near me’ isn’t just about checking a box. It’s about creating a space that feels like you — beautiful, functional, and filled with the pride of knowing you made it happen.
✔️ Final Takeaway: You’ve Got This.
✔️ Quartz is durable, beautiful, and manageable for DIYers.
✔️ Local showrooms and fabricators are your best allies.
✔️ Know when to hire help — lifting and cutting, yes. Measuring and choosing, totally you.
