Yes, fully. How involved is it to remove what is there right now and replace it with what would be a better solution? A DIY project for novices? A project for a total pro?

They could be Italians, but look identical to traditional Mexican tiles, which could be easier for you to find some related trim. Perhaps you can't find the exact green, but you can try some beige or sand that go with the other colors in your bathroom. Like these: https://www.google.com.mx/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fterracdn.terraart.netdna-cdn.com%2Fmedia%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fcache%2F1%2Fimage%2F62cf589d604175a525b01aea1278a5cf%2Fm%2Fe%2Fmexican_talavera_quarter_round_trims.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.terraartesana.com%2Fmexican-talavera-quarter-round-trim%2F&docid=HADKA1gKwuBN6M&tbnid=HOAiw0bFj0f2oM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwiip5Gvr5PnAhVSA6wKHX_KCNsQMwhSKAkwCQ..i&w=1200&h=762&bih=986&biw=2048&q=mexican%20tiles%20and%20trim&ved=0ahUKEwiip5Gvr5PnAhVSA6wKHX_KCNsQMwhSKAkwCQ&iact=mrc&uact=8

Have you asked him why he used grout over caulk? Do you have a comfort level that grout is not the only thing holding those sinks in place besides the plumbing?

That is totally unacceptable. Period. If those sinks did not fit properly they should not of been used. Hopefully he will remove all of it. Then go from there

Has he ever installed a vessel sink before? Perhaps he thinks it should be set into a mountain of grout, rather than surrounded by a thin bead of silicone. Maybe show him some pictures, as examples. Lesson learned, ask if they have ever before done what you are asking for, and photos of previous work. I was stunned when I asked the guy installing my apron/farmhouse style sink if he ever put one in before and he said no.

Don’t try to paint the grout to match the tile...it will just look like a pile of grout with paint on it. Maybe (just maybe) a real, experienced, tile installer can carefully cut out the grout with a sharp hand tool, clean the sink sides, and install a much smaller line of grout.
If you had been home when the worker was there, you might have been able to stop him from doing such an awful job, but this is exactly why I hang around to “watch” and supervise when workers are here.

The Contractor did a retro fit with sinks that were the closest fit. It looks like the sinks, due to the retro, could not be lowered enough to cover a “lip” on the sink? So the contractor built up the grout from the counter up to the lip?

I think that's what happened. Does that mean that, whatever I might do to address this, there needs to be something that high up against the lip?

I wish I could have been home, but we work full-time and neither one of us could stay home that day. It's hard to even get a hold of a contractor where I live, you book them when they agree to come . . .

That is an appalling amateur kludge job.

Grout can be removed. I'd use an oscillating saw with a tile blade (semi-circular with carbide chips). The sooner the better, as it takes some time to cure to final strength. Once you are able to separate the sink from the counter you can work on each separately (not with the saw) to scrape/chip the grout free.

Thanks, this is very helpful! Sounds like it is time-consuming and requires some attention to detail but feasible. But I should probably ask a pro to find a solution to the issue after the grout is removed. So hard in rural areas like mine!

That's a lesson in jamming a square peg on a round hole.

You have a lot of wood trim. You live in a rural area. Have a wood top made for the vanity, put that out at the road except the sinks.. The whole thing. Have him seal the daylights out of the wood stain top, In short? Do Over. It's .........it was a not great idea to start : )

How would that work with the tile on the back underneath the mirror? And to be honest, I am not a big fan of wood tops, which is why I tried to do it this way. I worked with a professional bathroom person here in town (at least he claims to be a professional, he has a store and sells that stuff, I didn't get these--or the idea to "jam a square peg on a round hole"--myself from some big box store, it was his recommendation after doing research, he said . . . who can you trust if not the pros when you are not in the business :( . . .)

I actually love that green tile. But I think what I would do is find a white tile that complements the sinks and the cabinets and grout in the green tiles and spend the $ to have the counter replaced with that. I don't think it would be too expensive and it would look as if it were planned to have a counter providing some relief from all the green.

What size of sink were you trying to replace? I know you said that you couldn't find one but sometimes someone on Houzz can surprise us and find that "odd" duck out there. Might want to post the size on this thread and then also post a new thread asking if anyone knows where you can get your hands on this size.

For a retro fit job for what you have and needed to be done, it is actually nice. You kept your tile, you have new sinks, you probably won’t even notice the grout in time. ”Tearing it out” is usually the solution on Houzz, and those posters are almost always wrong. Ask the contractor, when you get a hold of him, on why the grout build up? There was a reason. Good luck.

Frankly.............. a wood stained top would be a relief from all the SQUARES. And the continual cleaning of grout. Also a "sooner" fix, in an area of the country where getting help andmaterials is apparently an issue.

Toooooo many squares, and not enough size variation from floor to green tiles. The new sinks could be re used.On wood. Acknowledge the trim work.

You are not being too picky. The mounds of grout would raise my hackles each time I walked into the bathroom. Hope you get this resolved to your liking and post “after” pics.

Do you have a picture of just the sink. Before it was installed?

I like the green tiles too. having the grout removed and replaced with caulk will take some elbow grease, but is your most budget friendly solution.

I still feel like I don't understand: was the grout trying to cover up some cracks or gaps that extended beyond the footprint of the sink? are they small enough to patch?

"I still feel like I don't understand: was the grout trying to cover up some cracks or gaps that extended beyond the footprint of the sink? are they small enough to patch?" Good questions, won't know until all of that grout is removed and they can see what is going on with the sink, the counter, the hole for the sink etc.

Do you think you'd be able to fit a Spanish style sink on the countertop? Maybe get custom sized? I have seen them round also, this one pictured looks oval.

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You can trust your opinion on the finished job, it doesn't look nice. Even unfinished. I don't think the metal band will solve the issue either, just another patch up. IMO.

I had custom-made sinks in-there before, they developed a zillion cracks and eventually chipped; am now trying to stay away from such special items that are so hard to replace should the need arise. Why the contractor piled up the grout--I really don't know, I guess I'll have to wait for the sink to be freed from that mud pile to know.--Not on topic but fully on topic: I am so grateful for everyone's input here, what an awesome forum this is! Many, many thanks!

Jan Moyer--thanks so much for that visual, I can picture much better your earlier suggestion. Is this is custom-made (local?) or ready-made countertop (should you happen to know)?

If you're in a rural locale? Gotta be a carpenter somewhere??? I'd ask your contractor! Bet he knows one. Or can do the entire thing.

The reason I asked to see a picture of just the sink, uninstalled, is because the shape, profile of the bottom edge of the sink may explain why there is so much grout around it. The tiles are very pretty but they're also quite irregular which doesn't help matters.

There is no GOOD way to peck at remodel. :)

But a wood top would be salvation from an ill advised attempt at refresh. Live and learn; not the worst mistake ever made, that's for sure!!

following

I don't have a picture of the sink before installation--it didn't occur to me that I would need it :). It's a Kohler 16 3/4x16 3/4 vessel sink. I would think that the contractor thought it necessary to fill in gaps between the initial round hole and the new square sink and that, in order to end up with a consistent "trim", he piled it on high even in places where nothing but some caulking might have been needed.--Re. Carpenters: yes, there should be some around, finding a good one will be like finding a good contractor--hard to tell in advance. Not sure I would want to ask the one who did the job I posted about for a recommendation . . .

Truth: It just wasn't a great idea. You can only partially blame him for the design MISTAKE; Caulk cracks, yellows. It is just is too much fill, TO fill! in this application. I completely understand you needed new sinks. . But you needed a whole new TOP /more than just the sinks. Someone has to tell the truth. Were I the contractor? I'd not have touched it, and also warned you of disappointment.

A walnut top, stained to blend with the dark trim! In the meantime? Live with it You can brush your teeth , wash your face and shave,. : ) Right? Not a disaster.

I do appreciate your comments, but I would politely ask you to refrain from getting so aggressive. I never said that it was his fault, I said that I don't like it. This forum is for people like me who are not professionals. I sought and got professional advice to change the sinks and followed the recommendations since I happen to like the bathroom and tiles that came with the house I bought. Taste is obviously a subjective matter, but I would appreciate it if you could tone down your dissing me. Thanks.

would it be possible to have them flat/ plane and insert a (decorative) metal kind of band or border (to match the brushed nickel faucets that will be added) in the grout so that it looks more like a design element than a "necessary evil"?

No. You may be thinking of the metal rims from the past that were installed with drop-in sinks. Before sinks were manufactured to be 'self rimming'. Those separate rims were specific to the sink and sold with the sink.

This is a clean up the grout the best you can & live with it. Or salvage the sinks & replace the counter. Or start over with new sinks/ new counter, which is what I would do because vessel sinks are a PITA. Nothing beats an under mounted bathroom sink for ease of cleaning.

I love the green tiles and while the grout isn't ideal, I don't find it to be horrendous. Meanwhile, where are the faucets? I think once you get nice looking faucets it will distract the eye from the grout. And once you have a few bathroom countertop items, pretty soap dish, hand towels, etc., the grout will no longer be as noticeable.

The faucets are awaiting the plumber's attention :) (and appointments are hard to schedule here, everyone is so super-busy). They are Hans Grohe/ Metris--fairly sleek to match the more modern look of the sinks. Thanks for the encouragement!!! I guess I'll just look at my bathroom for a few days and see what I "see" after a while?

@beulma, keep us posted. Do show us what it looks like with faucets installed etc. Keeping fingers crossed :-)

Will do, many, many thanks, everyone!

"I would politely ask you to refrain from getting so aggressive."

just scroll past those and try to find the helpful comments. I know it can be so frustrating when your project didn't go the way you wanted.

unfortunately, Houzz is full of people who love to offer unsolicited advice that has nothing to do with the original question, usually insulting the original poster's taste. they also seem to assume we're all made of money and can just renovate everything in the room like it's no big deal. just try to ignore them. I do.

Thanks a bunch, I think you nailed that issue on the head. I chose to go this route because I don't have unlimited funds to spend on this thing. It all started with ONE sink that developed chips in the glaze, now I have to replace two sinks (double vanity), two faucets (the old ones wouldn't work with vessel sinks, too short) and possibly a new counter top--talk about snowball effect. I knew it would be tricky, but that's why I went to that specialty outlet/ designer guy to get help. Had I known what would happen next, I would likely have continued to live with my chipped sink. I really appreciate all the advice and help, just some people need to understand that we all have very different taste, priorities and abilities. Thank you!!!

I don't think it is fair to be so upset with the contractor about how he handled the impossible task. There isn't any good way to put in different shaped sinks without changing some aspects of the countertop. You did spend a significant amount of money which would have provided better value elsewhere

I would have suggested copper or brass sinks of the same shape as the previous sinks. Even if you had to get them fabricated, you would probably have been money ahead by using your existing faucets. Sometimes using the most expensive products leads to a smaller final bill

Or, I would have overlaid the tile with top made of Corian and used basic sinks and just lived with the backsplash tile being shorter than the rest. It wouldn't have been perfect but with a remnant or salvage piece of material, the price would be much cheaper.

I guess it's too late now :( . . . As I said, I am not upset with the contractor but with what the situation now is, I am aware of my part in this. I am trying to figure out what to do next, not what I should have done before. I thought I would get good advice from the pro whom I consulted, being a real novice in these matters. Not so.

Is this the sink?

I understand your disappointment. Unfortunately some service providers won't be honest and upfront about the issues expected. At this point, I don't know if there are any good options for you which don't involve spending lots more money.
For future reference, be wary of any projects where the scope is no, not that or that, JUST this one piece. The word just (or only) is a red flag

@mdln: Yes, that's exactly the sink! Lyndee Lee: Thanks for that piece of advice--saying "only this one" could also single that the person consulted did all the research, but I guess in the building industry, there is also always the custom-tailored option (which my original sinks seem to have been). I guess I live and learn as a house owner...

It is a very nice looking sink, I hope you can figure out a way to make it work.

Resources aplenty or a lack of same can equal EQUALLY unforeseen problems. So you shall be pleased to know it's 4: 00 am. and I am staring at a text photo of a BIG OL MESS. on a bath I didn't want to do at all. It was a great bath, but not en suite. Client was bound and determined to make it so. Construction drawings from a renovation eight years ago don't show any potential "issues" so against my common sense/stomp the foot advice? DEMO. Surprise surprise: major heat run issues. I will attempt to revise the plan after another cuppa. But I am annoyed that a perfectly great bath is now rather .................wrecked.

This is why we ask: What's the budget ? Or we say this MAY not work well, and if not, what then? If the answer is that is going to be a HUGE problem? You first do no further harm.

Houzz is a great site. Who knows? Had the OP said I have to get this chipped thing out of here, what can I do? A hundred people may have said, just replace the entire top. We'd have heard "not possible". Get two sinks? Can;t find one. Mmmmmmmm looks like porcelain repair kit may be the answer.

Ask and tell. Now back to my bath mess.........

ETSY AND color match the grout? They may be able to customize.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/511194378/grout360-st-martins-teal-sanded-grout?ref=similar_items-39&frs=1

I like the built up "concrete" look. You could chip that out and install a flexible quarter round molding. Color match the the paint to the sink color.

p.44 http://www.flexiblemoulding.com/flexcatalog.pdf

I realize you don’t like the look of the grout, but I for one am impressed the the symmetry and even application. Perhaps not the end result you hoped for, but it does look like the installer made a sincere effort to make it look nice. I agree w others, just live with it a while, make sure grout is sealed, and I think you will get used to it.
Love your turquoise tiles!!

I actually like the tiles and the sinks! I would ask the contractor if he had any ideas too- never know he might come up with some good ideas. I think you will get use to it once you start adding accessories etc. . See how you feel after a few weeks of using it.

In the pictures, I don't think it looks that bad. But...I'm not there in person.

It almost looks like the bottom of the sink is rounded from the Kohler pictures. Did he need to fill a gap because of the irregular texture of the tiles?