Ooops, I meant 90 degree angle (not 45, duh). In other words, a right angle.

Don't get hung up on your definition of cobblestone because it is a very general term. I live in Massachusetts and can only guess what a Connecticut blue cobblestone is. So, it is not going to do you any good to hang your hat on the idea that the contractor did not give you true cobblestones. All I'm saying is that you have to approach this from a different angle than that one. It is not a failure of supplying the right material, it is a craftsmanship issue.

First you have to inform your contractor of your disappointment in his craftsmanship and ask him to correct it. It is not your problem to solve for him. He sold you on the idea of him being a craftsman by telling of his awards and such. You should have expected that high level of craftmanship.

I can only guess that these "cobblestones" are tumbled Connecticut bluestone. If it is, it is fairly soft and grindable. It may take several weeks for the patina to match where the grinding occured, but other than that it would be fine. A torch can also be taken to it to make the area look weathered (has to be done by someone who knows what he is doing or the stone could explode).

There are two things in question here. Does the contractor have the knowledge, skill, and ability to make the job come out the way that you expected it and did you have reason for that expectation?

My guess is that you had reason for this expectation and that if the contractor makes the effort, he can make it right. But, he has to be pushed to make it right.

I'd suggest that you defuse the challenge to his credibility by saying something like "one of your guys did not finish this off well ..." or something that gives him the opportunity to save face and be the craftsman.

I agree with laag. Go to the contractor with "hat-in-hand".

From a legal standpoint, without a written agreement, the contractor is bound only to well recognized standards of practice common to the area. Unless you can find three other contractors that will state, on oath, that everyone doing this type work resurfaces cuts to match the original look, you can't make the contractor do anything.

This is one of those times it pays to have a pro for design and construction management. The problem may have been covered in the written specifications.

Even if the problen was not covered in the agreement, consider the position of the contractor. This is the last work he will do for you. He has little incentive to make you happy. But the pro handling the construction management is almost sure to steer future work to another contractor or strike his name from the list of firms to invite to bid. For that reason the contractor will do any reasonable thing the designer asks for, contract or not.

I agree with laag on the management issues. By definition a cobblestone should have rounded edges. In an arrangement made up of different size stones I believe it should be possible to lay out any area without the need of cutting. However, if a stone needs to be cut I think it is best to do this by hand rather than by machine, if a machine is used, as sounds likely here, then the sharp edges need to be dressed.

I too thought that the patio should have been laid out without cutting the stone. This is one of the cases where you try as best you can to hire someone who knows what they're doing. In hindsight I would have asked specifically if he worked with this stone before and to show me pictures of that work...who knows what stone he was using when he won his "award", it could have been 12x12 precut stone for all I know. He was actually surprised I was complaining about it, "the grout will cover it" he said. No it does not as you can see in the photo. I've been chipping up the edges a little bit with a hammer, seems to be helping not draw the eye to the straight lines as much.

The reason I wrote this post was because I was curious what you folks though he should have done...for future reference if I should move one day and want to use tumbled stone again. I'm not going to pursue the matter with him further, what's done is done. I'm just monday-morning-quarterbacking right now. ;-)

{{gwi:9044}}

I don't have any problem with someone cutting a stone. However, it is imperative that it blends in with the consistency of the others. This is sloppy, don't-give-a-damn workmanship.

As it *appears* to me in this photo, it would be standard practice to distress the cut edges with a masons hammer by anyone who knows a lick about working with this type of material.

It is up to you how to best handle this. Your approach with a hammer seems on target if you choose to remedy this yourself. You might also find that a tapered punch will help with the job.

IronBelly

Some more food for thought: having flush mortar joints on cobblestone is a bit strange isn't it? Cobblestones are normally uses laid on a dry base making the surface permeable or flexible. Laid the way the photo shows makes it impermeable so that rain water must drain off the surface, it also needs a different sub-surface preparation. Are we talking about natural stone BTW or are these concrete pavers?

I am adding a paver landing from my deck to the grass using tumbled stone pavers. I have to cut pavers
in order to make curves. I will chip the edges with a hammer after diamond blade cutting and prior to installation to retain the tumbled look.

I think that you can do the same after installation with cold chisel or stone mason's hammer. If you don't like the way it looks or if you chip to big, you can add mortar to the damaged area.

It's tough to find any craftsmen these days. If you do, they are expensive.

Was your designer involved in the recommendation or hiring of the contractor? You might nudge him/her a little to get on the contractor if that was the case. The designer's work is degraded by it and so will be the pictures and the reference. The more people he hears it from, the more he may get the message.

This is Connecticut Bluestone so it's a natural material, not a concrete paver.

The contractor recommended the designer but she has her own design firm so she's not their employee and is therefore on neutral ground. This was as much of a surprise to her as it was to me, her experience with them as been very good up till now.

I'm relieved to hear that the color of the stone will return to it's natural patina in a short amount of time, I was beginning to worry that the lighter color where I hammered might be permanent and I had made a bigger mess of things!

In the future I will spell out not only the materials to be use but installation details in the contract. Assume nothing.

"In the future I will spell out not only the materials to be use but installation details in the contract. Assume nothing."

Is that a homeowner's job or a designer's job?

Hmmmm.