Short answer: laminate runs CAD $25–$40 per square foot installed and lasts 10–15 years. Quartz runs $74–$96 and lasts 30 years or more. Over thirty years the cost per year is similar, so the real decision is about cash flow, repairability and how long you intend to stay.
Where laminate loses permanently
- Water at the seams. The substrate is particleboard, and swelling is not repairable.
- Heat. A hot pan scorches it in seconds.
- No undermount sink. The exposed edge cannot take it.
- No repairs. Stone chips and dull areas can be fixed; laminate has to be replaced.
When we tell people to keep it
Selling within a year, a rental where nobody will use a trivet, or cabinets you plan to replace within two years — a template will not survive a layout change.
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