It depends on what fabricator you choose. If you choose the local authorized distributor/fabricator, he most likely will charge by the square foot without requiring the purchase of an entire slab. For fabricators who are authorized, but are purchasing "back channel", they have to buy the whole slab. Cambria is tightening up on those type of guys though and moving everyone to the regional distributor/fabricator system. They can guarantee the results better, and have better customer satisfaction that way.

My experience (SF Bay area) has been that only big box stores will have a 'per square foot' price for Quartz and other types of counter tops.

I ended up ordering my Quartz counter (Caesarstone) through Ikea where I got my cabinets. They also price by the square foot, and they are having a 20% off sale right now. I think I ended up paying about $55/square foot.

Bonnie

The answer probably varies by fabricator and geography. Simplest solution is to call a bunch of local fabricators and just ask what they do.

Mike, was that installed price, or just for the slab?

I just got a quote for Cambria, from my cabinet maker (he contracts out the countertop install). It came in at just over $100/sq ft installed. My countertop is about 36 sq ft (price was $3450).

It is a lot ofmoney, but DH and I haven't seen another quartz that we like half as much, so we didn't get bids on anything else. We'll be in this house at least 10 more years, so decided to splurge on exactly what we want.

I am not suprised Cambria is more expensive. I was surprised when I surprised countertops though! Where I live, Maine, quartz by any manufacturer, is more expensive than many granites. I got quotes for several different things, exact same specs, this is how they ranked in price ascending order:
kashmir white
silestone tigris sand
caesarstone champagne limestone
madre perla
super white

GreenDesigns is right about Cambria, so far as how it is being handled in our area, which has a lot of moderate to high-end construction going on. The distributor is watching like a hawk. They wouldn't even let me see samples until I told them which of their authorized dealers I was working with. And I've been told Cambria doesn't warranty any product if it isn't cut and installed by an authorized fabricator. You can see a list, I think, on their website.

We found a Cambria we loved, and despite a few hoops to jump through, we are sticking with it.

@annkh: that was the installed price.

@bons : ikea in Philly was carrying cambria for $80/sq foot (before their 20% sale this month and next). So $150/sq foot is certainly crazy.

Per my other thread, I might just go with the cambria to spare me obsessing about radiation and radon.

@GreenDesigns very interesting about the fabricators, etc.

Thanks everyone!

Mike