We recently had Giallo Ornamental granite installed in our new kitchen. I have posted a link to an earlier GW thread that shows the kitchen design.

Before they fabricated and installed the granite, I asked several times about seam placement. I also asked about maintaining the flow/directionality of the pattern. The fabricator let us pick which slab to use for the large peninsula/table. In the L-shape part of the kitchen (with the cooktop and sink), he proposed putting a seam right at the edge where the cooktop begins, because the seam is smaller there (the cooktop overlaps it). He assured me they would match up the pattern.

After it was installed, I realized the pattern switches at the cooktop seam. When you are standing at the peninsula or at the sink, it flows horizontally. When you are standing at the cooktop, the pattern to the left of the cooktop runs vertically (perpendicular to the wall) while it runs horizontally at the cooktop and to the right of the cooktop.

When the fabricator came out to check some other problems, my husband mentioned it to him. He basically said he did not know why the guy cutting the granite did not turn it/maintain the pattern. My husband did not push him on it at the time.

I've been trying to live with it, and it doesn't bother me most of the time. But when I think about it, or look right at it, I get pretty irritated.

They haven't sent us the final bill because we are still waiting for estimates for some floor damage the crew inflicted. Part of me really wants to bring up this flow/directionality problem again...it's bothering me more than the floor at this point.

So, I guess my main question is whether the change in pattern direction is an obvious indication of sloppy or substandard work? Or am I being too picky? Knowing what is generally accepted and expected will help me figure out how much to push these guys.

I can post pictures of the actual seam this evening.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Layout