Kitchen update... worktops/tiles etc

[Hubbabubba123]

Hello!
Am seeking some tips/ advice/ expertise. Would really like to update our kitchen and had a joiner out to quote for new worktop. He said that the sink would likely be damaged and need replacing on removal of old worktop, and tiles would need to come off meaning new plaster board. He suggested that it would be a pretty expensive project...
Is that right? I just want to refresh as don’t think we will be in this house forever...
looking at wood effect laminate ( any suggestions?) also the worktops are wide 65cms which seems to be harder to source... perhaps an up stand, or new tiles? Is that going to cost more than 1500? Or will I regret going for laminate?
So many questions, but have done very little diy so pretty clueless...
Thanks in advance!

I think your budget won’t run to anything more glam than laminate. Possibly look at wood? When you do upstands, do you need tiles as well? Just have a splash back behind the hob and save money on tiles. Use a decent paint above the upstand on the new surface.

Any work top that needs templating costs money! Lots of it.

A new worktop means taking the old one out. Which will damage existing tiles. If you take the tiles off they may take the plasterboard with them (and as your joiner has seen and stated this I have no reason to not believe him) so solutions of just don't retile and paint won't cut it because the plasterboard will be damaged and joined in. I'd advice having a few tradesmen in to quote for supply and fit of what you want. See what's realistic . There's so much discrepancy in prices of work depending where you are and what you want that we can't realistically advise

Thank you @BubblesBuddy and @Waitingforadulthood
That’s really helpful. As you can tell I’m pretty clueless. So removing tiles, and potentially damaging plasterboard will mean new plasterboard and retiling to cover?
Has any one had any experience of taking a worktop off and not damaging the sink in the process. Swithering with just re doing tiles... but wondering if I’ll regret keeping the worktop which is what really dates the kitchen...

Does your £1500 include labour or just fittings? Worktop Express do 65cm worktops and are dirt cheap (well, relatively), and ditto IKEA (their marble-look laminate is BRILLIANT); tiles can be had for peanuts online. Although it depends on how much worktop and tiling area you have to cover.

@burritofan ideally that’s the price for everything but hadn’t factored in potential for new sink etc etc so might need to rethink. Thanks for the tips re worktops... will look at IKEA...
Would need approx 6ms worktop if I include utility and 3m2 tiles...

You re plaster over the plasterboard. You, in effect, get a new surface to paint. A competent plaster could easily do this and make it smooth.

Tiling is more expensive because it’s more labour intensive. However if you like tiles then go for that. I think, these days, with upstands, tiles can look a bit dated.