Kitchen benchtops across Canberra.

What the 2024 ban actually changed.

From 1 July 2024, the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of high-silica engineered stone was prohibited across Australia, and from 1 January 2025 it became a prohibited import. The reason is serious: cutting and grinding high-silica engineered stone created respirable crystalline silica dust that caused an epidemic of silicosis among stonemasons. The ban is enforced by Safe Work Australia and the territory regulator. It does not mean you can’t have a stone benchtop — it means the dangerous high-silica product is gone.

What you can still have — and what we install.

• Natural stone — granite, marble, quartzite. Timeless, each slab unique.
• Porcelain / sintered stone — extremely heat, scratch and stain resistant; a leading post-ban choice.
• Low-silica engineered stone — the new compliant products under 1% crystalline silica, legal to fabricate and install.
• Laminate — huge range, great value, ideal for budget makeovers and rentals.

We only fabricate and install compliant materials, through stone suppliers who run the required dust controls. We will not source banned high-silica engineered stone, even if asked — it’s illegal and it puts tradespeople at risk.

2026 Canberra benchtop price guide.

Supplied and installed, per square metre (slab and finish dependent):

• Laminate: the most affordable option — ideal for budget makeovers.
• Low-silica engineered stone: $550–$1,200 per m².
• Granite: $600–$1,400 per m².
• Marble: $900–$2,500 per m².
• Porcelain / sintered stone: $1,100–$2,400 per m².
• Quartzite: $1,400–$3,000 per m².

A typical kitchen needs around 4–6 m² including the island, so a porcelain benchtop on an average kitchen often lands around $5,000–$6,500 installed. Waterfall ends, thick mitred edges and extra cut-outs add to the figure.

Templating & installation.

1. Cabinetry first. The cabinets must be installed and level before templating.
2. Digital template. We laser-template the exact benchtop shape, including the sink, cooktop and tap cut-outs.
3. Fabrication. The slab is cut and edged off-site (about a week) under proper dust controls.
4. Install. We fit the benchtop, seal joins, set the sink and cooktop, and coordinate the plumber for final connection.

Compliance & the rest of the job.

Benchtop installation sits within work regulated under the ACT Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004 via Access Canberra, with plumbing to AS/NZS 3500 and any adjoining wet-area waterproofing to AS 3740. In older homes we also check for asbestos in the old splashback and substrate (Canberra carries the Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos legacy from 1968–1980) before removing the existing benchtop.

Why we don’t cut corners.

The cheapest quote in the market is sometimes cheap because someone is still sourcing banned high-silica stone or skipping dust controls. That’s not a saving — it’s a liability and a health risk to the people doing the work. We quote compliant materials, installed properly, sealed and finished. Choose your slab as part of a full kitchen design or a complete renovation.