That's nuts. We drove 300 miles to pick out our (soapstone) slab. I wouldn't personally like to be "surprised".

Agree with leela. I would find a different fabricator. Did you shop around?

Yes I went to 4 different places to look at mostly marble and quartzite. She has been very helpful from the initial meeting over a month ago, but I thought this was odd. She said she couldn't use the slabs I selected because they weren't big enough/had pink in them/had a crack. She said all three of those things. My husband said it sounded like she was making excuses.

Crazy

Very odd. I'd be suspicious that my slabs were sold to someone else. Don't settle until you find what you want. You should also be involved in templating the slabs before they actually cut them.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2465577/granite-template-being-done-today-many-questions

I picked my slab before I paid for it and the details were marked. I also took pictures.

I picked mine also. They tagged them with my name. I went to template them out (what part I wanted where). No surprise! Sounds a little fishy to me.

I had a new baby when it was time to pick out our slabs and the stone yard was an hour's drive away. I refused to go pick them out (they turned out fine) but they were practically in tears asking me to come pick them out myself as they didn't want to give me something I wouldn't be happy with later.

I'd agree with the others that it sounds pretty suspicious.

I picked out my own marble slab for my bathroom. Tagged it, then put some money down on it. It wore my name.

You don't want any surprises. Who the hell says something like that when spending your money?

Did you pick out the slabs at the fabricator's place or the stone yard? As far as I know, fabricators don't usually carry their own inventory. It's possible they showed you slabs that they were cutting for someone else and then got in more slabs for you, but that still sounds very strange to me.

The consultant at our fabricator was very charming and helpful, but she then became very formal and legalistic once we made our decisions. If you think about it, there's a good reason for this. Slabs are very expensive and you're into a legal grey area if there's a disagreement and no paperwork to back it up.

When we first visited the fabricator's shop, our consultant showed us samples in the showroom as well as a few slabs that they had in their yard (most a which were earmarked for other clients). We made a preliminary choice, and the consultant later emailed me pictures of actual slabs that were available at different stone yards. We chose one and the consultant then sent me details of the stone yard's location and encouraged us to go look at the slab ourselves, noting that there would be a $250 transportation charge if we didn't look at the slab and were unhappy with it once it arrived. Going to the yard was going to be problematic for us (as it was a long drive through an area prone to traffic jams), but based on the advice of other gw members my wife and I both took a day off from work and did it.

It was well worth the time to visit the yard, as we didn't like the slabs available in the granite we originally chose, and we actually found one we liked much better. We chose the 2 slabs we wanted, the yard marked them with our name and then had us sign a form showing the actual lot & series number. We were also informed that our fabricator had 3 days to make pick-up arrangements, or the slabs would no longer be reserved for us.

Once the slabs arrived at the fabricator's, our consultant asked us to come down for the templating. First she asked us to confirm that the slabs sent were the correct ones. Then we did the templating. Finally before we left, she produced several forms we had to sign, which basically absolved them of any legal liability if we were unhappy with the final result.

As a final step, the consultant emailed me a picture of what the final result would look like and asked me to reply that the seam locations and pattern matching (or lack of it) were acceptable to me. Only then did they actually cut the slabs and install it.

This was a rather long and arduous process, but in the end, it was worth it. If the fabricator had simply cut the counters and installed them, there are several things I would have been unhappy with (seam location, pattern matching, etc.). By providing the information up front and leaving the final choices to us, we were able to consult with our KD/GC, and get advice from more experienced GW members. This helped me realize that there were tradeoffs to be made, and there were no surprises when the counters were actually installed.

I know I've rambled on a bit, but I would be very suspicious if your fabricator doesn't have a similar process. If I were you, I would insist on seeing the slabs before they're cut and insist on being involved in the templating process. You should also approve the seam locations and ask if they have software available which will show you what the seams will look like.

Carolyn, it sounds like the the slabs you liked were sold to a higher bidder.

Thank you everyone for your advice! I am actually happy it ended up this way because I was more informed when I went to the stone yard today (armed with questions about fabrication and install).

Here's how it went down:

10am - met the lady who sold me the stone (I don't know if this is called the fabricator or the salesman, she's the one who picked new slabs for me without my knowledge and said "most people like to be surprised"). She also had the fabricator who had come out to our house twice to measure (and then re-measure) for the slabs. He is the one who is cutting and installing our slabs, so I'm glad he was there (he wasn't there the other two times I've been to the stone yard). Stone lady pulled out all white slabs she had available in the size we needed. I had quite a few options and the one I liked least was the style she had chosen for us. Go figure.

I picked two slabs of this pretty white quartzite. The fabricator asked me where I wanted the sink cutout and what part of the stone I wanted for our large peninsula. He actually drew on it with a white marker and confirmed everything with me! Then they put my name on both slabs and I watched as they loaded them in the fabricators truck!! I felt SO much better about this. I don't know why this isn't how our meeting went when I initially picked out the stone (and paid 50%).

I asked the stone lady "why do all of these slabs have peoples names on them, but you never put my name on the slabs I chose?" and she said "well the slabs you liked wouldn't work for your dimensions". I think this is a bit fishy, since they had measured before I picked the slabs... my theory is that they sold the ones I liked, as I didn't see them there today. Anyway, all's well that ends well. We got two slabs of 3cm calacutta quartzite and I love it!!

and here's a pic of one of the slabs she picked for me. You can see how different it looks from our choice. No movement on it at all. I am so glad I was able to fix this!!!

Wow, crazy saleslady! The slabs you picked are gorgeous!

You know, I'll bet your saleslady would just love to be surprised by the wedding dress some bridal shop assistant would be happy to pick out for her. What could be wrong with that?!

Agree - that whole thing is ODD, except for the stone you picked. It is beautiful! Looking forward to your install pics. Your slab choice is just beautiful.

Her pick was so boring - this was a blessing in disguise! So happy it all worked out for you. The slabs you picked are so pretty! This is the way the whole process should be - pick them, tag them, and template.

My advice in this situation is to make sure they watch you photograph your slabs. No funny business then.

Hope it all works out in the end. Your new slabs will be beautiful in the kitchen you posted in another thread. Great choices!

I picked out all three slabs (one was a remnant) and when I was looking for Black Galaxy 24" tiles, I asked the stone yard owner to please find the best (darkest w/ biggest flecks of bronze and gold) he could find. Took him two weeks and the tiles were primo! Surprise? No way!

I had slabs switched on me. I chose 2 princess white slabs from a wholesaler and photographed them. Thankfully the fabricator called to say they would not cut until I gave an okay because they had large rusty cracks running through them. The coloring and movement was clearly different also. I'm sure my original picks went to a higher bidder.

Your new slab is gorgeous - glad it all worked out for you.

Those are beautiful slabs you picked out! Nothing like her "surprise." I remember taking a picture of our slab with an employee of the stone yard in it, wonder if that might help jog memories? (He was helping hold it steady and was okay with being in the picture.). Just a thought for anyone picking out slabs in the future.

I'm sure many people do not choose their own slabs, but most of them are not on Gardenweb.

I do agree there are many people (not on GW) who don't pick out their slabs. They go to Home Depot and pick absolute black or whatever from the samples hanging on the wall and are done with it. (Perfectly reasonable depending on your priorities and level of obsession). But I don't think those people are actually visiting stone yards in the first place. So given the original poster's set up where she went in person and looked at actual slabs, I can't imagine that someone who has gone to that trouble wants to be "surprised."

I'm sorry, I meant to make an observation that was mildly amusing - but obviously it didn't come off like that. I just meant that when the stone yard apparently screwed up and tried to get away with it, they didn't realize they were dealing with one of us: the few, the observant, the choosy, the TKO.

I'm glad the OP found a slab she loves. When you're paying a lot for a counter you have to live with for a long time, I can't imagine not being picky.

I have a bit of experience with this ginny20. My first kitchen where we decided to get granite, I went to some granite place, saw 2x2 square of a dark green granite and said OK. When it came to being installed, I was shocked by all the "circles" in the granite (I think it was likely Verde Butterfly or something like that). It took some getting used to! I was fine with it in the end. But, when I built a house 6 years ago, I had found Gardenweb and things were very different! No choosing from a 2x2 square for me this time. I looked at granite for months. Finally chose Costa Esmerelda and helped template the slabs. I also personally chose slabs for may bathroom. Gardenweb has changed me forever!