Do you have pictures of the templates laid out on the slabs or pictures of only the slabs you chose?? There may be a very good reason why they didn't use the part with the quartz chunks but I would think they should have told you if there was to be a change. Could you post pics of how it all looks now?

They made some changes with ours but only because I had mentioned how much I liked a particular area so the pieces they templated from our 2 slabs reflected more of that color/movement.

Hope everything will work out for you.

Hope things work out for you. So sorry to hear this, after all the hours of planning.

I don't know if I would be heartbroken or steamin' mad! I'm sorry this happened to you! I don't have any advice as I'm not even close to that stage yet, but know I feel for you.

Thanks everyone. I have pictures of the two slabs but not with the templates attached. The slabs have a lot of movement and are unique, not uniform anywhere. We have two curved pieces of counter that were each to pick up the big quartz chunks that were in both of the upper left corners of the two slabs. Instead they used the upper left corner for one curved piece and the bottom right corner for the other curved piece. It is very obvious from the pictures and what is installed. When we laid out the templates I made a big deal to the owner that I wanted the quartz chunks on both slabs and he taped up the templates where I wanted them. I am trying to not freak out and will see what the owner says Monday. He may know nothing about this or he may prove me wrong (I would welcome that actually) but I'm not wrong. Will let you know the outcome on Monday....

Lisa, sorry to hear of your disappointment--hopefully you will hear great news from the owner on Monday :-)

do you let these people keep the pieces they don't use for your counter tops? you paid for them! I'd demand to have the pieces - why should they get paid for them twice? you can resell them or use them another time in a bathroom, laundry, etc.

I called the owner this morning and explained the wrong sections were cut. He immediately explained that one of the quartz area's cracked during fabrication. I told him I was shocked he hadn't called me to let me know or offer to let me pick out a different area on the slab. He was very apologetic but didn't offer any recourse. I explained how I had agonized over choosing my slabs and did they think I just wouldn't notice? I told him I felt because he hadn't called me that something wasn't on the up and up. These slabs were so unique. He wasn't offering anything and after a loooonnnggg silence I said "aren't you even going to offer me a credit"? He said if that would make me feel better so I said "It won't, I really want my slab". He said he would check the file and call me back. When he called back he offered to do a powder room top but I said I didn't want that, I wanted my slab, that everything went very well through the whole experience until they tried to cover this up. He said the slab cracked and I could come see it. He asked how much I wanted and I said what did he think fair because it isn't about the $$$. He is going to give me 10%. I paid $3743 for Delicatus granite for about 53 square feet, I'll get a $375 refund. I am still amazed at this. They have an A+ BBB rating and great reviews. You always own up to your mistakes. If they had I wouldn't have this bad feeling and would have recommended them in the future without hesitation. Lesson learned: Take pictures of your slabs before fabrication and WITH the templates on. They are still beautiful but not what I selected or was expecting and I am disappointed. Thanks for listening! :)

For the record regarding BBB. We did some checking on a couple of appliance stores. If you read all the way through the BBB reports you'll notice they're not always on the up and up either. Why do I say that? In our area, one store had something like 1500 complaints, and maybe 2/3 were resolved satisfactorly and they got an A rating from BBB. Why? Because they responded to BBB 100% of the time. Another store had only 100 complaints and had resolved 99% of their complaints but got a D rating. Why? Because they didn't respond to BBB on 7 of their cases. What does that tell you? (I assume that the customer told them that things were resolved which is why they had a high resolution rate.)

That the first store was a member of the BBB. Second store was not. Funny thing? In all our reading of customer satisfaction, second store always ranks at the top while first store always ranks near bottom.

He should have owned up to the mishap and let you know, if he thought the layout on the slab was a sticking point with you.

However, things happen, slabs crack, you didn't get exactly what you wanted, but there really isn't anything that can be done besides an appology.

regarding the discount, I don't think he particularly even owes you that, since there is really nothing wrong with your counters.

in my area you don't own the slab, you are contracting for your kitchen counters, the fabricator gets the slab, and fabricates. I'm sure part of his business model factors in selling the waste.

if he changed the layout to get a bigger cutoff that is a different story, but for a break in fabrication, what do you want him to do glue it back together?

I agree with you that he should have called you when the slab cracked. That is weird that he didn't.

But unfortunately, that slab is gone. I hope you will soon post pictures of your counters so we can all tell you how wonderful they look. I am sure they do!

I know it is disappointing. We had a slab dropped/cracked in three spots and, because of the *deal* we were getting, were limited in choice to what they guy had at the yard. But at least our men called us.

Nonsense, you're not buying just a functional countertop, you're buying a unique slab laid out just how you want for a unique look.

And if you have to purchase an entire slab, you are PAYING for the waste, so you're entitled to it. If they charge exact square feet regardless of how many slabs need to be cut, then you're not entitled to the rest of the slab.

If you actually sat down to template the exact placement of areas with movement, it's inexcusable that they didn't call you if the slab really cracked. I bet he had someone else see and love that same slab and sold it to them. Otherwise, knowing how much you cared about the exact slab and placement, he would have called you.

I used a fabricator that sold by the yard. I had also used a granite that was tricky to cut. While I was being shown the template layuut, I asked what would happen if a piece cracked. Their answer-they would replace the cracked piece as best they could out of the remaining part of the slabs. While my slab lot # was in my contract, the exact layout was not specified or under my control. In my case, the contract would be considered fulfilled if the counters installed came from the specified slabs. I would not be surprised if your contract was similar. I didn't get a bargain, either-I paid about $85/sq ft.

The other way to buy granite is to purchase the whole slab from a yard and have it hauled to a fabricator. Then you would have absolute control over the template layout.

Even if you had taken pictures before fabrication and with the templates on, the slab still would have cracked. I agree that he should have called and told you about it, however it seems that he is trying to make you happy by offering the vanity top or 10% refund. Unfortunately the cracked portion of the slab is not an option now. I know that you are disappointed, but we tend to obsess about these things and blow them out of proportion. When everything is done, I'm sure that it will be gorgeous. Please post pictures.

I don't think the OP is blowing anything out of proportion. The owner was wrong to not contact her and didn't offer anything until he was pushed to. I would be quite angry if this happened.

Unfortunately, more and more there is the attitude that if the person doesn't complain then its ok. Did you think I wouldn't notice?

I dont know how many times I have said this on this forum (and I dont mean to pontificate) but ...
1. Supervise
2. Supervise
3. Supervise

What?
1. Supervise - Buying the slabs (take photos, get the slab numbers, write your name on the edges, take DNA samples (anything that identifies it as yours)
2. Supervise - The templating so that you see what and how they are measuring, where the seams will be, what the overhangs will be and so on
3. Supervise - The placement of the templates on the slabs. Take photos again. I they allow, stay for the cutting of the slabs.
4. Supervise - The installation, seaming and polishing. Check everything while the installers are there. Once the job is done, it is hard to get contractors back to 'fix' problems.

If I were the OP I would scream! However, the most practical solution is to take the discount..

Pharaoh-The OP's supervision wasn't going to prevent that slab from cracking. If even one of the counter sections had been cut successfully, the fabricator would have wanted (and most likely had the right) to fulfill the contract with the remaining sections of the contract-specified slabs. The only one that is really at fault is Mother Nature for making such imperfect material as Delicatus too beautiful to resist.

For the bottom line... I'd propose that you'll take the $375 and powder room countertops as compensation and then go enjoy your beautiful new kitchen and counterops. I'm sure you'll discover many beautiful new spots in your stone and great function in the process. Sorry your frustrated!

So sorry that your counter didn't turn out how you originally planned but try to take a fresh look at the counter you have.

If you're honest with yourself, is it less attractive than what you had planned? Or just different?

'that slab is gone'

so she is told... I wouldn't believe it unless I saw the cracked pieces.

and I'd check the contract to see if you paid per slab or per footage.

EVERYONE needs to be taking more contol. that's a TON of money to put out for something you want but might not get.

I'd consider the 'left over' slab they used (after the part you wanted and pd for cracked) damaged goods.

"so she is told... I wouldn't believe it unless I saw the cracked pieces."

all i have to say to this is WOW people trust nothing they are told.

from the sound of it, she knows the slab and knows that it was used on the install, just it wasn't exactly in the spot marked during templating.

I'm sure if he could have done it the way it was laid out he would have.

so now she deserves a refund for the b/c there are less left overs?

the situation is disappointing that you can't get what you planned for and wanted. Unfortunantely there is no remedy for this since the slab is cracked.