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mrsgreatguy

Granite Disaster

7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

I had a partial install of granite a couple of days ago that is absolutely horrendous IMO. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. They cut so many pieces and there are so many seams that it looks like a puzzle. I’m sick over it. I don’t think I’m being picky so much as I want it done right and this is not acceptable. I don’t know a single person who would want this in their house. There are also visible cracks around my sink, they measured my island sink wrong so I’m without that all together, and they want to install two more pieces the the left and right of the windows and the pieces are so hacked up they don’t flow at all. What should I do?





Comments (39)

  • 7 years ago

    I can't see hardly anything in the pics with that color of granite. I hope you haven't paid for it yet. Talk to the contractor and let us know.

  • 7 years ago

    You're right....that's awful! Like beyond awful!

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Evidently you didn't go to the layout of the template at the fabricator's. That is a must-do step. Had you gone, you would have seen where the seams would be, and how your counters and backsplash would be laid out. Also, how did you get this fabricator? Did you check references, and years of experience?

    The granite itself is gorgeous.

  • 7 years ago

    wow, so sorry.... hope u get it resolved.

    how are u going to finish the top of the b/s between window and cab? imo, that should have be rounded off/bullnose to complete the look. now u need something to 'finish' it.

  • 7 years ago

    Absolutely no way! I'd want a full refund of any money paid and use another vendor. Have you paid them already?

  • 7 years ago

    Was this from one or several remnants? If not, how many and how large were the slabs? Not good.

  • 7 years ago
    I did pay for it and have recently filed a dispute against the charge hoping to get the money returned until it’s done right.

    I was never given the option to look at the template layout with the actual granite, however, I did go to the yard a pick 5 huge slabs out which were all cut from the same lot and were consecutively numbered. There is no excuse for this besides poor workmanship and laziness.

    My biggest beef is the transition of pattern between the backsplash behind the sink. Not even close!!!
  • 7 years ago

    Oh, my, it's like a patchwork crazy-quilt.

  • 7 years ago

    Did you actually pay for 5 slabs? I can’t tell how big your kitchen is from the photo but that seems like quite a lot, even counting the backsplash.

    Do you have any photos of the ones you chose? Do your counters appear to be those?

    It looks to me like they did the whole job with remnants and kept your slabs.

    Not that there’s any excuse for this mess, but have they given you any explanation for cutting it into so many pieces?

    Im so sorry this happened. I hope you can get it resolved, but I wouldn’t let those contractors back in my house.

  • 7 years ago

    It can’t be 5 slabs in your kitchen. Something is missing in the communication.

  • 7 years ago
    Yes I did pay for 5 and I didn’t buy them through the company that fabricated. It is the same stone and yes, I took photos of each slab I selected! But you’re right and I totally agree it looks like they used remnants! These are 4 out of the 5 I picked. They used a whole slab for my island which is 4’ x 8’ and cut the sink hole way off center so they had to take it away!
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Even a HUGE kitchen will not need more than 2 or 3 slabs. Or, are you also using this granite in other rooms in your home?

  • 7 years ago

    This sucks, OP! Something is definitely not right here...


    You have photos of your slabs - have you been able to definitively match any distintive markings on the slabs in the photos to markings in the granite that was actually installed in your kitchen? I can't help but wonder if it's the same stone at all.

  • 7 years ago

    I'm sorry - the granite slabs you picked are beautiful and this just doesn't look right. I too, was never given the opportunity to see how the slab was going to be cut up and didn't even know you could do that. I have "L" shaped counters with one leg 12' and the other 8'.
    Fortunately there is only one seam in the entire 20 foot run and it matches pretty well. My 48" x 90" island is all one piece. I think I only purchased one slab, at least I only picked out one slab. I agree with shead, something's definitely not right in this situation.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Somebody picked the wrong stone for having seams match. It is not a disaster, it is a natural material. This is more of a granite disaster:

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Regardless of the material selected, there are other parts of the kitchen they managed to match. There are actually pictures of this same granite on this website that look beautiful because someone did their job right.


    The fabricator called and they are having me come down to do a layout appointment and my slabs magically appeared! I imagine it's because the charge was disputed and their payment is being pulled back...$18,000. That will always get somebody on it to make it right.

  • 7 years ago

    Now I am really confused. If your 5 slabs have now appeared, what was used in your kitchen?

  • 7 years ago

    They originally they said they "didn't know" if there were any left. I told them no possible way they used all 5 of those slabs. They "looked" into it and have found the remaining. It honestly looks like they used 3 MAX, and that was including the island they had to take back because they didn't measure correctly. I was never originally invited to a layout viewing so I'm glad they are taking the appropriate steps to make sure it will be right this time. And just to be clear, I know exactly what material I selected and chose it because of the unique variation in the stone, however, they got sloppy IMO. I can guarantee the person who did the fabrication would NEVER allow this in their home.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    mrsgreatguy -

    Something is not adding up here. As others have said, it is virtually impossible to use 5 slabs of granite in a kitchen. How many square feet of counter backsplash do you have? Can you post a layout of your kitchen?

  • 7 years ago

    What perplexes me even more is why YOU decided to spend the $$$$ on five slabs of granite that surely you realized wouldn't possibly be needed in your kitchen. If they'd done everything perfectly the first time around, what did YOU plan to do with 2.5 slabs of leftover granite? I guess you should now be glad that you had them but the fabricator has wasted YOUR material to correct HIS mistakes. He needs to reimburse you for what was wasted.

  • 7 years ago

    Oh boy , please post an update when this is all resolved and let us see those beautiful (correctly cut and installed) counter tops!

  • 7 years ago
    Wow. That workmanship is unbelievable. I cannot imagine paying 18,000 for that. You are completely justified to expect them to make it right. I am curious though how big your kitchen is. 5 slabs is a LOT of granite. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
  • 7 years ago

    I suspect the fabricator wanted to save as many of your slabs as possible so they could be resold again; thus your terrible mismatched, seamed pieces when seams were not needed.

    I suspect you live in a part of the country where remaining stone left from slabs belong to the fabricator since fabricators will say they only charge for the stone used. When they quote a job, fabricators in my part of the country will not breakdown slab and fabrication costs. They sell the slabs and do the fabrication; stoneyards will not sell slabs to the public. The quotes are one lump sum so there is no way to know except by getting multiple quotes from different fabricators if quotes are inline.

    Good luck!

  • 7 years ago

    @rantoontoo, the OP said previously that they purchased the slabs independent of the fabricator. That’s what is odd because the way you stated is how it’s generally done here as well.


  • 7 years ago

    Besides the question of 5 slabs, $18,000 seems like a LOT to pay for fabrication alone! We bought our stone from the fabricator and didn’t pay near that much for the stones and fabrication combined!

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    This what happens when Granite comes from a different "lot"... If you have 2+ slabs they must come from the same "lot".

    The reason why this is important, is because each slab is cut consecutively from the same block so there is minor variation in "veining" and color and it's much easier to make a transition from one slab to another.

    If granite is purchased at different times or taken from different "lots" you will end up with a huge variation in color and veining because the slabs came from different sections in the quarry and probably from different depths as well.

    This why when granite is selected you have to make sure its from the same lot and granite distributors don't usually mix "lots" and the more slabs a customer needs it becomes harder to find, because if a distributor got 10 slabs from the same lot and he has 3 slabs left and a customer needs 5 slabs, the other 2 slabs will come from a different lot and you will never get a match and end up like the pictures above.

  • 7 years ago

    GN Builders - in the comments she said these were all from the same lot and were consecutively numbered slabs of granite.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    This fabricator is stupid, greedy and a cheat. If it were me I'd choose another fabricator and remove my slabs and remnants including the miscut island. Have the new fabricator pick them up. Be totally upfront with all the info when you talk to another fabricator. I wouldn't let these guys back in my house and I'd do everything I could to get the word out online so other people can avoid them. . . .I wouldn't meet with them. And I'd file suit to recover the cost of the slabs.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    @GN Builders - read the thread please. The OP said “I did go to the yard a pick 5 huge slabs out which were all cut from the same lot and were consecutively numbered.“

    Furthermore, you don’t address that there are also too many cuts and seams, if you look at the OP’s photos, it looks like the fabrication was done from remnants not from the large slabs that she also pictures.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Could be a slab or 2 that were leftover from a previous lot which never got separated from the new lot. I've seen that happen before when guys in the warehouse mix them up.

    What ever they did or what they used is not acceptable, this be my job or my house, they be taking this out as fast as they installed it. I don't know what were they thinking when they did the layout.

  • 7 years ago
    GN Builder, I completely agree. Here is the layout of my kitchen. Please excuse the mess lol but we are clearly not in a place to organize anything until they make this right. I don’t really want them back in my house!!!
  • PRO
    7 years ago

    I am a fabricator. Your kitchen looks like it could require 5 slabs due to the curving pieces which consume a lot of material. The full height splash also adds considerable sq. ft. to the material required. Your fabricator, if he did his job right, would have reviewed seam locations with you at the field measure and, if he was excellent, would have also reviewed the grain transitions all of which assume you were available. Additionally, the splash grain transition can usually be minimized by cutting the countertop and splash as adjacent pieces. With 5 slabs this should have been possible although I'd have to lay the part out on CAD to know for sure given the high waste from the curved pieces. My 2 cents.

  • 7 years ago

    Is the photo you posted distorted by the camera? Is your kitchen curved on the left and the island curved as well? Pardon my concern for the microwave oven (?) that is stationed above your double ovens. It appears very tall, especially for my short self...lol.

  • 7 years ago

    I suspect that’s distortion from a panoramic photo

  • 7 years ago
    Yikes that microwave IS high!
  • 7 years ago

    Panorama picture warps things. Assume all is straight. There is still a lot of stone with the backsplash all around and all. Is that a 2nd sink in the island?

  • 7 years ago

    Yes, you're correct, the photo was my attempt at panoramic! It is "L" shaped and very straight-forward

  • 7 years ago
    Why did you buy 5 slabs? Who told you that you’d need 5?