I would think that if they quoted you X amount and you agreed, then that is what you pay. Sounds like you paid a total price, that you did not go out and pick a slab that cost X amount of $$$.

For all the problems I had with my kitchen company- they also underestimated the amount of granite I'd need (their own plans)- and I never had to pay extra even though they were charging a separate sq ft price for product and installation.(Mind you, that could be one reason they ended up going bankrupt! :>)

Does your quote include any clauses that say this is just an estimate and actual costs may vary?

I think you're in the right here. Not sure what exactly you should do, but I'm sure someone will advise you.

it could be a trick! When I buy slabs: I know what is too big and too small or not enought or too much! we do a cut sheet: I have to find a slab that will work: If not: I have to tell customer to buy another slab or find a bigger slab that will work in their budget! Sometimes that means changing the type granite: ALL natural stone comes in different sizes. India granite is long and wide!

Don't give up hope. What granite is it: name: ??? (what is your granite allowance?)
If you do give them the money: tell them you want to see the slabs come off the truck. You want to watch them lay templates and you want ALL YOUR GRANITE! left over! ALL OF IT! make them bring to your garage: or buy back from you: anything 25" wide and up: they could re-sell for vanity top.

***a slab is about 110"x65" You only get 2 runs out of that: 110x25 and 110x25 left over would be 110x10. If you get a granite from India: BIG slabs! 128x 77 (you get three runs to work with them) one slab:
or they need to find you 2 small slabs: that will be less money combined together.

one slab: usually kitchen under 55 sf
two slabs: usually kitchen under 110 sf

ALSO: all depends on the lengths of your countertops! ?Can you post the lengths of your tops only? Don't need the width: unless you have bar or island too.

Kiwi, it is quite simple, really. Do you have a contract that says they will install "x" sf of granite for "$x".

If you have this contract then it is their problem, you owe them nothing else.

Forcing the issue is another matter entirely.

Please keep us posted how this turns out.

Blesings
James

1. call them now: ask them the size of the slab:
2.tell me the lengths on your countertops:
3. do you have upper bar?: size: L x W
4. Do you have an island? size: L x W
5. window sill? L x W

lengths on the rest of countertops:

do you have L shape in kitchen? or 45 turns? (takes up more granite)

if the estimate you signed says 60+ sf you need 2 slabs:

I have installed three kitchens last 6mnths: using only one slab:

55 sf kitchen(no granite splash): slab was 125x77 "Saphire Brown" India: and installed his bathroom: 45 x 22 with splash! all same slab:

66 sf kitchen: 35x77 "Amber Fantasy": India: NO SEAMS in her kitchen: My fabricator pulled it off! L shape: 74" wide with over hang 8" out on L shape in 1/2 moon:no seam: X (by) 85" on long part of L shape: her whole splash is granite up the wall: 18"x 85 and : had to buy second slab for that: she didn't care. 25 1/2 x 25 1/2 and 98 x 25 1/2. she would have only needed one slab, but she wanted splash all they way up wall! BIGGEST slab I have every seen:

54sf kitchen: 119x78 "giallo Antico Gold"(no granite splash) : 54 sf kitchen: 55x25, 53x25, 50x25, 43x25, 36x25, 60x14, 11x14, 49x14. worked: one small scrap piece left: 11x 28 scrape piece left!

what does the signed estimate say?????
if it says "granite" allowance then that wouldn't be good.
and the other poster is correct. If they agreed to give you granite " 3cm Ubatuba" installed 70 sf for $3750.00 then they have to give to you for $3750.00 even if they only quoted you for one slab: their fault!
You could ask for your deposit back. is that an option:

We eat price of granite many times a year! Depends if some customers are on a tight budget and that is the goal : target price to get them to sign. Lots of factors: (like if a customer says "I don't want seams!" well then yeah: they have to pay for extra slab if it's humanly possible to cut their kitchen with NO seams.)
Believe me: the owner knows by your drawings if it's going to be one or two or three slabs right away: if it's questionable: do cut sheet immediately!
So they may be pulling one on you! all you need to know is the countertop runs by sight to know it will take how many runs to install your kitchen.

What are they saying? sorry? we didn't know? Or is it the granite you picked that comes so small of a slab???

I know of no reputable fabricator who would give anything more than an estimate based on blueprints or a builder's plan. The number of square feet and the number of slabs needed wouldn't be ordered until templating, and at that time, the final number of square feet would be finalized. Too many things change from builder's plans to reality to base anything concrete off of that.

In other words, if they gave you an estimate, that is entirely different than if they templated and quoted you "X number of square feet". Estimates aren't binding. However, if they gave you a contract, contracts are binding.

OOps: the 135"x77"; : 3cm Amber Fantasy: was an Exotic Granite: and her slabs were $2400 for 2 slabs: and the slabs were: 135"x77"; biggest I've slabs I have had in warehouse in 2 years! (her goal in a slab hunt was NO seams in her kitchen: she spent 4 weeks traveling to about 6 different stone yards! then she wanted granite on walls 18" high at the last minute and purchased 2nd slab) We let her do whatever she wanted. She did the granite hunt herself. I got the slabs moved and she saw how much I paid for them! FYI

"We showed the store our kitchen plans from architect and they calculated our granite measurement. When slab showed up we thought it looked too small"

Poster: kiwihouse : never stated the estimate's sf ever changed: from the original drawsing. estimate based of drawings. Nothing changed from the drawings estimate or templates? correct: kiwihouse?

Templates usually match estimate: Unless bar tops get wider or islands get enlarged. for example.

You can look at drawings and right away know if kitchen will need one or two slabs. Estimate should reflect a granite allowance: and yes: if a customer turns around and wants an Exotic granite : NO WAY are they going to get an EXOTIC granite for same amt signed for installed out the door: Owner of company would be loosing money: You don't sign for level one granite and expect a level 4 granite installed. I don't think that is the issuewith Kiwihouse:

She signed an estimate and now right before fabrication: they are telling her she has to pay for another slab! Because they measured wrong? If I move a piece of granite that is too small for a kitchen: then I just wasted money on freight charges and that is my fault not customer! That causes install delays: customers upset: fabricator team upset. Fabricator does templates: he knows in his head: if he is very experienced: hey that is or isn't going to work with one slab: Most kitchens are obvious. Others need cut sheet: It's simple math.

9 x out of 10 drawings from a customer match templates. Even then if they don't: I would call customer up!
I would say to them "You made your island 5 sf bigger: now we need to change estimate/revise the estimate and invoice and X ____ sign change for the larger island. Also, Mr Customer due to the fact you made your island bigger, that jumps you into 2 slabs vs 1 and that was not a factor when you signed the original estimate. After templates were done your plans deviated from original plans: and now you need to pay for the second slab." This is hypothetical example. And you know that in those cases: communication is the key to avoid SURPRISES for everyone involved. Things running smooth in the construction busines is a blessing!

That is a big difference, from Kiwihouse being told: the granite that you picked is too small:you have to pay for extra slab! Especially if she is on a tight budget!
_____________________________________________

Kiwi: if you signed for lets say: 70 sf @ $3700.00 with 3cm ubatuba installed: and your Kitchen square foot "never" deviated from 70. Then you should get your 70 sf 3cm ubatuba installed for $3700.00.

That is my opinion based on experience.

As Raehelen mentioned, I suspect there's a clause in your contract telling you it's an estimate and that the final cost will be based on actuals. That's how ours was worded...and, like you, we had to pay more b/c the estimate was really based on basic, straight counters and did not include the bay window area.

(Personally, I think that was a cheap trick and there was no excuse for such a rough estimate since the bay was in the plan they used for the estimate, but I'm not particluarly surprised given the lack of expertise of our granite fabricator...unfortunately, I was stuck with them.)

THANK You for all the advice and responses. To give you some additional facts - its a shop that we found that also got ALL our tiles from and the owner pretty much told me he could give me a GREAT deal since it was a slow time of year etc so we went away from our kitchen designed who had spent a lot of time with us (feel bad but he was unable to match price)

I gave the owner my architect drawing and he slid it to his associate and said calculate square footage. Then called me with a price estimate. There was never a contract - only verbal exchange. When we saw slab it seemed too small to us novices (we are doing an L shape) and a separate counter between kitchen and dining pass through. I got a more detailed drawing from kitchen designer and went back to shop saying I think we will not have enough granite - please confirm you measured right -- sure enough they didn't and need an extra 8 square feet of absolute black for $500.

I don't want to not pay for what I buy but I'm a bit mad because I shouldn't be the one to pay a different price when nothing changed on my end!!

He said to fax him the architect plans tomorrow and he will take a look.

Want to do the right thing and get a good end result job too!

THANKS

Kiwi,

You are now in the grey area. With no contract and only verbal information, you must make decisions based on your ability to negotiate.

Many questions and IF THEN's come up here. Too many really to list.

Have you given him any money? If yes then $500 is fairly cheap for this lesson. If no, tell him you are going to get a few more bids.

and so forth and so on.....

This is not a reputable way of doing business on his part, but more than likely , this is the way he does business. I sincerely doubt he will be easy to negotiate with.

I can only say do your best to get an outcome you can stomach, and learn the warning signs from this lesson.

Blessings