You should have specified you wanted "book matched" slabs. This would have been discussed at the stone yard when you selected your slabs. Book matching is the only way to achieve a "seamless look" at the seam. Non-matching seams are normal in anything other than book matched slabs. Most consumers are unwilling to pay for the multiple slabs needed to achieve this look.

Yes, the installer has this fancy software that shows the slab with my countertops prior to cutting. Unfortunately he didn’t share those photos with me until after the install. I knew another piece would be required but had no idea it wouldn’t match. It would be nice if the super dark vein lined up in the least.

Yes, he shouldn't do any cut before having your consentiment about the non matching veining.

But in some cases, we do need a extra whole slab to make the veins to match, and sometimes the client is not willing to pay for that, so he just need to accept that fact that he doesn't have enough material to play with the veining layout.

Can you share some photos with us?

I’m not sure why the extra piece wasn’t installed in the corner anyhow. Why would you put this right on the end?

It’s noticeable even from the other end of the counter.

omg, I'm sorry... They did a very poor job. In that case, the company should be responsible for it

I just looked at the seam in my kitchen and it’s near the corner. You can see it, but it doesn’t jump out. I’m sorry, I’m sure this is very disappointing when you were excited for your install.

Would you have paid the extra 3K for a bookmatched seam? If so, pay it to them now to fix that. If not, then there is only so much stone yield out of a slab. You can’t stretch it. You have to expect less than perfect seams when budget is the most important criteria.

I just would have gone a different route with the surrounding countertops. The island actually looks great. If they would have told me how awful the seaming would be I would have just done black or gray for the perimeter.

I feel for you. Something similar happened to me. I cried because I wasn't told this would happen. It is not as bad as yours if this would have happened I would have told them to rip it out and choose another material because I don't think I could live with it that obvious. Mine was easily hide able( with a toaster and place mate) and I was lucky it matched where I needed it to.

So budget was more important than the seam quality. In that case, put a cutting board over it.

I do not think you found a quality place to do this job. This is unacceptable in many ways

Budget was important but you shouldn’t have I sacrifice quality work because of budget. The contractor could have come up with the solution of putting a different perimeter countertop prior to making this huge mistake of mismatched seams on this beautiful stone. It’s a shame really. There are 2 places (see pictures). A cutting board? That’s kind of cheesy in 2 places don’t you think?? Should I really be expected to just cover it up? I want people to come into my kitchen and say, “Damn that looks good” not “what happened here and there??” I would think the installer would want someone to say that about their work as well. It’s not easy confronting them because I know it’s a huge and costly mistake. But if you want your business to get good referrals you gotta make it right. That’s the way it goes.

If Sophie is right and your budget was the problem you should have been warned of the possible problems. But judging from other comments from pros, it’s just shoddy workmanship. No matter which way, you are not at fault, unless you were warned.

So pay the upcharges and change it. What you don’t get to do is to upgrade the result on your original low budget.

You don’t buy a Chevy Spark and gripe that it’s not a Cadillac Escalade. And expect the dealership to give you an Escalade. You do expect the dealer to take the Spark back and credit that money towards the Escalade. But you still have to come up with the price difference.

Not if the price difference is $11k according to him. Book matching was never even explained as an option until after the fact. I would have paid before they cut the whole thing up. Think about it. Of course everyone wants to save money if possible. Would you wear a plaid shirt that wasn’t matched down the middle? Or a pair of striped pants not stitched up right? No matter what you paid for it.

I was told there would be an extra piece but never warned that it wouldn’t match. This mismatch can be seen from across the room.

Would you be ok with these countertops in your house? Is this normal procedure? Should I rip it out and put leathered black around the perimeter as the island is fine. Thanks for the advice!

I like the idea of ripping it out (what a shame ) and installing a different material.

I know this is going to drive you crazy, so replace it , you won't be sorry. when we renovated we made a few costly mistakes this happens sometimes but what I have learned if it is really going to bother you...get it re-done.

You will have to change the counter top piece with the sink completely. It is hard to fix up. For other counter-top, use uneven part as cutting board, then you can ask fabrication shop to re-fabricate the L shape counter-top and make it straight, then have a piece joined at the corner. So the seam is less obvious and you can also add a corner cabinet on top of counter-top, so it can cover some of the seam. If you want to go with different counter-top, check the size of slab. Anyway, this is fabrication shop's fault. Ask them to fix it.

Thank you for your comments. The installers are not wanting to take the blame for this at all. They claim that no one in North America could have done a better job than them??

"They claim that no one in North America could have done a better job than them??"

True in the sense that the seams look to be excellent quality. False in their ability to set customer expectations.

I would finish the kitchen, because it’s nearly finished anyway, decorate and live in it for awhile. The countertop may become less prominent when normal kitchen items are catching your eye.

If that's the case, place some kinds of countertop organizer right on the seam for the sink side countertop. For the side, buy another cabinet that can sit on the the uneven seam and partially cover them. Cabinet siting on the countertop

Oh no! That’s awful...you need to reach out.

Also, a huge fan of leathered black! But the accent island, accent island counter, then different perimeter counter and cabinet can get pretty busy. Here’s a pic of an incomplete house we looked at that did 4 different colors between counters and cabs (plus backsplash). If you go that route, stick with a super simple backsplash!

I'm so sorry...the customer should not have to pay for a professional's failure to volunteer information. They know (presumably) what details to think of, while you as the customer don't. Putting it back on you and telling you that "you should have asked for that" is a cop-out. We haven't had countertops installed yet but we weren't given all of the information by our cabinetmaker, so we got features we didn't know about because he never told us and we wouldn't have known to ask for something different. I know it's been 3 years but I hope you posted a scathing review with photos of what they did. Bad press may be the only thing that makes them clean up their act. Did you ever get them fixed or replaced?