Have them put aside $10K in an escrow account to be released to the builder when the problem is fixed properly or do not close tomorrow. He who has the gold makes the rules ... you are about to hand them the gold tomorrow!

^chispa is right. Once you close, the builder has no reason to fix it correctly. He didn't even do a proper fix and you haven't closed yet.

If you take the big bucks, hard line as suggested above, be prepared for fireworks, outright refusal, or for them to walk from the deal. I am of the opinion that a competent stone countertop firm could do a matching epoxy repair that would be essentially unnoticeable and structurally sound. You may be able to make better progress on this problem by getting a written commitment from the builder to pay for a firm of your choice to do a professional repair, and to also get a modest purchase credit (say $1000). The idea of expecting the counters to be replaced or to have them give you a huge credit is likely to be a non-starter. But good luck. And let us know how this was resolved....

Betcha' the down leg of the waterfall was installed tight to the floor and normal seasonal movement of flooring/ frame exerted upheaving pressure and the stone cracked along a fragile miter. Multiple fracture lines. Not a stone worker but, as a sometimes woodworker, I'd say there is no good way to fix that. Exhibit A on why waterfalls are a bad idea.

Another possibility is that the overhang support is insufficient.

The only remedy that would satisfy me is removal and replacement. No waterfall.

Stone counters often have little fissures and weak spots. I think that there just happened to be one at exactly the wrong spot: the very tip of that miter. I'm not sure that crack resulted from poor installation or abnormal pressure. Just my 2 cents....

Don't settle at your closing. Have a firm resolve to get what you want before you sign anything. Hoping that this all works out for you in a fair way. ~boxer

While I'd have to see it in person to be sure, I'm betting on fabricator error here. ci_lantro probably isn't far off. There is inadequate support at the cantilever which is causing the engineered stone to self destruct. Surprisingly, the adhesive at the miter joint is stronger than the material, but mean ole' Mr. Gravity's relentless pulling from the center has caused the end to fail naturally starting at the outermost point. Gravity pulled then hit a stress riser in the miter cut, causing the perpendicular crack in front of the glue joint.

See any percussive marks that could have caused that? Me neither. You could theoretically make this disappear, but you can't stop the laws of physics. It's a do- over.

sherylnery, without a properly designed and fabricated replacement, here is your future:

Probably the same thing, only the adhesive failed first.

This is exactly why Cambria contacted me when they saw this.

I can't find DuPont's fabrication instructions online, but this is from page 22 or so from Caesarstone and it's all the same stuff:

• The use of 3⁄4” material requires the use of a minimum 3⁄8” thick plywood sub top if the edge detail is 1 1⁄4” or greater. Some types of cabinets may require the use of 3⁄4” plywood for European-style frames and supports.

I'm betting you've got 2cm with a mitered edge larger than 1 1/4" and no required support.

The builder or you are replacing this top. It'll be you if you don't escrow the money.

This is not topically repairable, even with decontamination which they didn't even do.

Your top has a fundamental design flaw that must be addressed.

If they set up an anti-gravity machine in the basement, pointing upward, everything will be fine.

Good luck getting a fix with even a written promise. Did the written promise say it had to be fixed to YOUR satisfaction? Did you hold any funds back?

As cpartist wrote, best of luck attempting to get them to replace. The reason why escrow accounts exist - not just for real estate closings - is to make sure that funds are available to perform contractual obligations.

What does the language say in terms of replacement if you aren't satisfied with the repairs. Also you completely ignored the advice of very experienced counter experts like Joe who told you that there are construction issues that aren't going to be remedied even by a repair that looks cosmetically okay.

People hear what they want to hear. You can document and substantiate until you're blue in the face. It is mildly frustrating. At least I got my thanks in advance.

Yeh. Brand spanking new house with a beat up countertop with a crummy looking repair that is guaranteed to fail.