Picture? Our countertop gurus can let you know if a repair is feasible.

If I spent that much on cabinets (Quartz is expensive!), I'd want it all perfect even if I had to wait.

Oh geez sorry I thought I added pics

from the side

from the top (not as noticeable)

I think the biggest problem is this Quartz is more transparent than some and they filled with something more solid. Also seems to be more noticeable at night with kitchen lights on and less in daylight not sure why?

Can it be repaired? They did leave 1 1/2" overhang can they just take off another 1/8th off or grind that whole edge down past it?

dan I don't have any more material for another piece and that's such a pretty piece! Can it be repaired to where it's not visible? Trimmed?

Joe might be able to make suggestions. I personally would not accept it that way. That is very noticeable.

Ravencajun yes hoping he chimes in. I've not had a countertop that has been less than perfect not sure how to handle this. If I reject it. I'm wondering what happens?

That's a terrible repair. Definitely would not accept that as is.

If a do-over wasn't acceptable, and that's a tough color, I'd rip off the edge, re-profile, and polish on site. The overhang may be off a bit, but that's much less noticeable than that.

If I made the chip after a few years and had it repaired, I would be much better about accepting it. But in a new kitchen, I would have a hard time with that repair. I hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.

Joe, can polishing be redone on site? I know someone who has swirl scratches in their quartz and a few scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail and didn't discover until 3 months after install when the kitchen was still being finished. They hadn't even used it yet (all DIY). The counter people were not willing to re-polish. Said it couldn't be done. Can it?

Joe what does it mean to rip off the edge? Is that possible to take off say 1/8"? I wouldn't mind one bit if one side were an 1/8" different. I agree this is more noticeable than that would be. Can it be really be done? When you say on site ...in the house? I'm not oppose to that ...I would be willing to clean a mess to have it fixed. I might have to pay for you to come and fix it! How much would you charge to do that?

Make your installer that damaged it pay for Joe to go fix it not you!

Ravencajun your right!

I wouldn't accept this. Quartz is way too expensive. Your countertop is beautiful though. Can I ask what brand and color?

Maybe they can even shave off 1/4" and reprofile it like Joseph recommended and then if you have a backsplash, that would hide the small gap if they had to space it out from the wall - or - as he mentioned, just have the overhang be slightly less with a clean edge.

I will say this.

Remember perspective and context. When you are installing counters, you 100% focus on counters. If there is one imperfection, you will be drawn to it. Who you put a picture on Houzz to highlight the flaw, that's all we'll see and it will be SO OBVIOUS we'll say it has to be redone.

What we do not see, and what everyone else will see and you will soon see is the "entire product" - of which the counter is a smaller part of the whole. So while it might be 20% of the counter that isn't perfect, the counter is 20% of the kitchen, so we're really talking 4% of the kitchen.

Deep breath.

MaWizz:

In carpenter terms to "rip" is to cut along the length. To "cross cut" is to cut across width. So I'd be "ripping" your edge off.

It's possible to rip off 1/8", but you need to make sure you're taking enough to remove all the damage.

I'd cut that with my Festool rail saw with vacuum. There would be more dust from profiling and polishing than from cutting probably, but it would be tolerable. Probably not enough to bother getting out my ZipWall.

I'd let them try another repair first. Removing the chip would probably be less than $500.00, depending on drive time.

This is Corian, but you get the idea:

In finely particulated quartz, this is about as good as these get:

"Joe, can polishing be redone on site? I know someone who has swirl scratches in their quartz and a few scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail and didn't discover until 3 months after install when the kitchen was still being finished. They hadn't even used it yet (all DIY). The counter people were not willing to re-polish. Said it couldn't be done. Can it?"

Top polishing quartz is difficult but can be done. It's easy enough to polish, but it's matching the factory finish that's the hard part. It'd be much easier to polish an entire island than to polish a leg of an "L". I use Quartz Renew from Regent Stone Products.

Thanks, Joe. On the picture you posted, what caused that? It seems like the more I read and see, quartz is not without its own problems.

Mawizz, I hope you got good news from the firm today.

Edited to ask: Joe do you have corian in your own home? You are swaying me here!

Customer abuse. People are a lot more accepting of repairs when they screw it up than when someone else does. She had a real humdinger to go with that one:

Joe, what caused the hazing on the black countertop?

I have no idea, but there are teenagers in the house. While correlation is not causation, almost every mystery etch I fix has them.

The tops were nearly a solid gray. I made the guy send me a text acknowledging the tops were ruined before I would work on them. He was glad he did.

No no no... I would not accept!

As you know I just had quartz installed last week, and had my own issues, but they were addressed on site to my satisfaction.

First, I too, discovered a surface chip, but they repaired right there. That chip disappeared completely when they were done. I couldmy even find it, but for that I had taken a "before pic. I do have a pattern (bellingham) so It was probably easier to blend in than yours. But no way would I have accepted it had it looked like yours.

Second, I have a breakfast bar that sits partially on a vertical backsplash but mainly on a half wall. initially it was not sitting correctly because the backsplash was not cut right, and the installers were proposing shimming under the majority of the piece to make it level. I insisted that they instead correct the vertical backsplash piece, which they had to cut onsite, but it was resolved and the breakfast bar now sits properly on the half wall.

If they had not done that, I would have asked for a supervised to be called to the job.

Quartz is expensive and you have every right to expect it to be undamaged upon installation.

I will say this.

Remember perspective and context. When you are installing counters, you 100% focus on counters. If there is one imperfection, you will be drawn to it. Who you put a picture on Houzz to highlight the flaw, that's all we'll see and it will be SO OBVIOUS we'll say it has to be redone.

What we do not see, and what everyone else will see and you will soon see is the "entire product" - of which the counter is a smaller part of the whole. So while it might be 20% of the counter that isn't perfect, the counter is 20% of the kitchen, so we're really talking 4% of the kitchen.

Deep breath.

jannicone After reading everyone's comments to reject etc. I started to get all stressed out, panicky and so focused on the issue. It seems silly to get so worked up about little things but when you put so much time and energy into something and it falls short of your expectations it sucks. I think the way my kitchen group has dragged this reno out is really wearing on me and at times I just want to be done no matter what and enjoy my kitchen. I just wanted to tell you how much I really appreciated your words above from last Thursday it helped me calm down and I really did take a deep breath...that helped Thank you : )

As far as the counter top goes your right the GC came to look at it and said almost exactly what you said and Joe recommended as far as taking some off the front edge, re profiling, and moving slightly away from wall and covering with backsplash or just less on front. Either way he said no problem and that the fabrication supervisor was on vacation but that he would set up an appointment asap upon his return. He speculates that they used a bridge saw to cut my pieces since they were pretty easy and straight forward and that the blade coming across the slab cutting another piece just nicked this area which was perpendicular to it.

Joe thanks for the clarification and the great pics! I showed my DH and he said "Wow Ok!" Stay tuned you might have a job : ) I'm not sure they have a fancy tool like that but I hope so! That work is impressive! I can only hope they can do the work and it will look that good. I wanted to ask you about re profiling too. The GC and I realized that the edge the guys gave me is pretty straight barely eased and we had both agreed an 1/8 round over edge. In light of having this little damage I feel re profiling to what we had originally discussed with the 1/8 round over edge is a good preventative step. He said that's no problem either they can do when they come. Is that true? am I opening up to more issues, damage? I've been to the fabrication shop its a mess! Is that what my kitchen is going to look like with all that water and dust everywhere?

mobuddy thank you, my GC said no problem but Im still waiting for the fabrication supervisor to see it this week. Crossing my fingers!

jill your right I just didn't want to drag it out especially since I'm doing dishes in my laundry room utility sink, but I do want it corrected. Yes it was a big expense. So glad you got all your issues addressed :) I was going to post that I was catching up to you but that is far from the truth right now! Yours is looking awesome! Hoping for a resolution on this soon!

" I feel re profiling to what we had originally discussed with the 1/8 round over edge is a good preventative step. He said that's no problem either they can do when they come. Is that true?"

Yes.

"Am I opening up to more issues, damage?"

Unlikely.

"I've been to the fabrication shop its a mess! Is that what my kitchen is going to look like with all that water and dust everywhere?"

No. Open the doors and windows and do it dry. They've just invented new pads for polishing quartz dry; I haven't even tried mine out yet.

@MaWizz - I am right there with you - the words of calm were as much for me, as they were for you. LOL!

All of these things are being done to make our lives "better" - and to have them take away from our joy seems such a shame. True, there are real ugly / awful / substandard things worth getting worked up over (like that poor lady whose house was filled with mold in a new build) but overall - keep your eye on the prize and the forest, not the trees.

Happy that it helped you.

Jannicone I don't think I could keep it together with your big project! Your exactly right tho you have to look at the forest not the trees! Your doing great : ) Did you decide on a countertop?

Mawizz, perhaps I understanding your original post wrong. Were these tops already installed or just delivered? If they have not been installed, could they take them back to the shop and re-profile? It sounds like you are getting somewhere with the fabricator and that is encouraging.

no countertop yet - I'll do that once I am ready.... I am really worried that I will tire of something that is too "now" - like marble look Dekton or quartz. I want something crazy. (but as close to indestructible as possible as I look at how I just trashed my kitchen for a simple dinner!) LOL!

MaWizz, You are definitely ahead of me, overall - my kitchen is coming along but the rest of my house is a disaster still. The way things are going we probably won't get back home until September!

It sounds like you have a great plan for your situation, but allow me to share some perspective... 5 years from now, doing dishes in your sink for an extra month will seem like a small price to pay to not have to stare at a flaw you can't live with.

I made a decision today that cost me a ton of money and a 3-4 week delay in my move-home date. I designed the layout of our guest bathroom and after the cabinets were installed, I discovered that I made a mistake in the cabinet configuration. The mistake resulted in the sink being too close to the adjacent wall (completely outside of NKBA guidelines) and the cultured marble top (not yet installed) was already cut to accommodate that sink location. I was able to preserve one of 3 cabinets, but ultimately had to order 2 new cabinets and a new marble top. My husband and I debated just leaving it, or dealing with it after we move back home, but in the end, thinking about the long-term big picture, I bit the bullet and decided to do it NOW. I knew I could not live with it the way it was.

Not sure if that helps you in your decision and prioritization, but you have to live with the result every day of your life, so just make sure you make yourself happy!

mobuddy to this day I don't quite understand it myself, all I can tell you is that some of the counter top pieces were delivered but not installed. It was late in the day so maybe that is why?? They literally brought them in and set them on the cabinets. I haven't done a ton of renos but I have never had that happen. In some ways it was a blessing they were not installed! There have been so many stories of counter top issues and bad installs... I don't want that, no one does. I was really able to take time to look them over once they were delivered. I had intended to do that at the shop before the delivery but it didn't happen. Fortunately, it sounds like they can do something about these couple things I'd like to address and yes they can easily take out if needed. Yes, I too feel like I'm getting somewhere, but I told DH I still can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm trying to stay positive. If we can get past this and I can please have my sink installed I think I'll see a glimmer of light. As jannicone says look at the forest not the trees :)

Jannicone I hear you regarding choosing counter tops. So many choices! Quartz and marble are the hottest thing going here. I really wanted marble but no chance... I have it in my bathroom and it wouldn't work for me in a kitchen. So quartz it was. A lot of great choices. Like you I didn't want something too trendy. I'm pretty practical and want to enjoy it for many years to come. I started wanting a more plain quartz and the more I looked I liked the marble look alikes at one point almost pulled the trigger on a calacutta look alike and then decided that in a few years that might just be too flashy and standout as a trend from now. Also, because I have a lot of counter top I decided that would be too much everywhere and I'm not a do one thing on the island and another on the perimeter kinda gal. I'm kind of the same thinking as Anglophilia the counter top can be like a nice white blouse and go with everything. My mom agrees. She got Alaska White and dislikes how things look on the "busy" pattern counter. Said if she does again she will go more subtle like mine next time. Good luck it's a big decision. I'm enjoying your process.

Jill I thought for sure you'd be nearing the end. I hope I have it under control. Your right about 5 years from now! I'd probably be kicking myself for not having it fixed. I hope it all works out. Wow sorry to hear about your guest bath dilemma and more money Ugh! Sounds like you have it under control too. Geez I don't know if I could ever build a house with all theses ups and downs. I told DH I'd have to buy one finished so I don't see what's going on during construction. Lol. Thanks for sharing your story it does help hearing others going through bumps and just doing what needs to be done to finish and doing it right now! Yes I'm trying to make sure I love every little thing and that I'm happy :) Gotta stay focused :)

Update:

Finally got fabrication supervisor here to see the quartz. He said yes it does look like the edge was nicked by the bridge saw when coming across the slab to do a perpendicular cut. Not a problem to fix. Also, he agrees the edge was not done as I requested with 1/8 eased round over so that too can be fixed. He highly recommends taking all 3 pieces back to the shop. He feels that the material will be so much easier to work with there where they have access to equipment, tooling, water use etc. so that's the plan. He said it would be a huge mess in the house. He has guys coming to pick up in an hour. I think it's the right thing too but I just am so nervous about them moving it now and doing damage :(

MaWizz, that is the start of the good news!

I'd be nervous too! But hopefully things work out and they fix it correctly. Keep us posted. Good luck.

Mawizz - glad you have a decent resolution plan. Don't be nervous unless you have a reason to be. I was very impressed with how the guys lifted and moved my quartz pieces, as if it was easy. They do it every day!