They replace it and that caulking is not going to be the answer for sure and the damage is IMO no fixable on site for sure.

That is not normal, and will need to be replaced. That caulking in the first pic looks janky.

They replace the whole counter?

The owner just said that they will fix it when they come back to do the backsplash. Which is another issue. I’m wondering how they are going to place the subway tile on this. It’s a pretty deep gouge

Unacceptable. The entire counter needs to be replaced. And, no...damage during install is not normal.

Thanks guys-I wasn’t sure if this was normal. They are coming to do the backsplash tomorrow-so, I guess I need to resolve this before then.

I must be losing my grip on reality. I don't see anything that's a big deal. A $3.00 tube of black caulk and 12" of painter's tape can make those two small goofs all but disappear (maybe you'll always see it, but no one else will). The drywall can be patched--I just hope they let it dry before slapping on the thinset.

I don't see a pic of the chip in the middle of the counter; can you post one, or try to re-post? That might be enough to make them replace the counter, but maybe not, depends on their skill at filling.

The problem with the side they didn’t caulk is that I‘m not getting backsplash there. and the whole line against the wall just looks jagged with the chip at the edge. Plus-looking at how they ”fixed” the other chipped corner-I don’t see how it’s going to look decent.

Not at all a big deal, despite the panic mongers. A bit of epoxy fill on a dark color, and you’ll never know there was ever a chip. You already have repairs on that stone somewhere. Guaranteed. And you just don’t realize it.

This is there seam. I don’t think you can see the chip in the next pic-but you can definitely feel it as I already nicked my finger on it.

My camera is directly above the chip.

Their fix was bad, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved, by expending a little more time and care. If they are stoners only, your painter can probably do a better job on the caulk--or you might be able to do a better job yourself.

The seam looks as if the blade was not sharp or maybe the stone is prone to chip-out. It's not the best, but still might be within industry standards. I still can't tell what is chip and what is stone. I'd give them a chance to fix the problems. Getting a new kitchen is exciting--I'm sorry your countertop install is causing stress.

Thanks! It just seems to be one thing after another. Yesterday the plumber told me that they hauled away the top for the garbage disposal when they took the sink. I almost had to buy a new disposal-but the plumber was able to find another top. I really never complain-i know over time things will get chipped and broken-but, I’d like to start out with it looking nice at least.

that whole seam looks jagged. it looks like they didn't attempt to fill the seam yet, and that perhaps that's part of the plan for tomorrow.

sometimes installers are a little too short with their words. when they told you "we'll fix it", what they probably meant was "don't worry, we're not finished yet".

as for buying a new disposal: that would have been total bs and I'm glad you worked it out. one of the things that's awesome about plumbing is that so many specific little parts can be purchased individually.

The installers told me they were done and the tile department was completely separate. So, they definitely weren’t coming back until the owner said he would send them back. My plumber is my new hero. I had asked him to bring a new disposal in case he thought the old one was too old and he took one look at it and said my original was way better than his and he went way out of his way to find a new top!!

Honestly, no one even mentioned anything about needing a new disposal until the plumber called to schedule the time. The plumber said it looked like the old owner replaced the disposal before she sold the house as it was no older than two years based on the model. I received four quotes for this granite remodel and I actually picked the most expensive company because of their reviews and because they were great to work with during the planning process. I’m thinking my expectations should be to have granite that is not chipped when it is installed. But, that’s why I asked here.

Thanks wacokid! It really amounted to me not even thinking about the disposal. I’ve been so fixated on picking everything above the counter out-I didn’t think about what was underneath the sink. And I only kept the old one because he said it was way better than the one he brought. There really should be a guide book about what you need to know and pick out before you begin the process and questions you should ask. I had to educate myself on the differences in 2cm and 3 cm, edges, sinks,and types of backsplash. I didn’t know about the garbage disposal, ugly seams, and possible granite chips.

It's usually recommended that you replace a garbage disposer if it's older than 2 years old because plumbers won't guarantee against leaking. Nothing to do with privilege.... has to do with possibly having to hire a plumber twice.... so why not just get a new disposer and a better guarantee....not to mention having your sink base cabinet destroyed by a leak. You'd be surprised at the number of people that want to reuse their 15 year old disposers.

I had the plumber bring the most expensive model they have and he said the one already installed was better than his. At that point-it seemed wise to take his advice since he was losing money by encouraging me to keep the existing one. At this point, I’m really confused by why the garbage disposal being new or old has anything tondo with the fact that my granite was chipped and cracked during he installation?

I think you should NOT have them do your backsplash. Based on their quality of work, I can't see them doing a good job.

That seam is horrible Did they cut it w/a butter knife? a seam should not look ragged and jagged. the epoxy is ok, but they couldn't get a tight fitting joint because their cuts are so raggedy.

see the diff in the type of cut from yours to this one? see how nice and smooth this one is? I don't have a prob w/their epoxy color, as it seems to blend, but that cut is horrendous. Show them this seam

zoom in on this one. this is a proper seam.

as for the chips, just very poor workmanship. ditto the part where they caulked against the drywall. just messy, sloppy and poor measurement.

If this is having tile, you won't be able to see most of it. however, that chip on the corner may be visible. If it is, they're going to have to rectify it.

And again, look at the ragged cutting!!!

Tell them to buy a new saw blade!

I would not pay them any money until all of these things are fixed. If you accept it, I'd ask for a steep discount

For the backsplash, they should have skim coated that area w/some joint compound when they did the countertop. by the time they return for the tile job, it would have been dried and level.

You're dealing w/hacks here. If you let them move forward w/your backsplash, I can guarantee you that you'll have issues w/that too. find someone else

Thank you!! I didn’t think it looked right-but, since I’m new to this needed to know for sure.

I can't believe guys don't fix their screw-ups before the customers see them. I break stuff all the time and no one ever knows. Had a trainee bounce a diamond drill bit across a 8'x5' island a few weeks ago. No, you're not getting a new island, you're getting a fix you'll never find.

Couldn't hide this one though. Saw fence drifted and ruined my reveals. It's buy a replacement 5' x 12' island or switch a stock for a custom sink. They'll have to live with the tape covering the sink gap for a month until the custom is installed:

Hey, things happen.

Joseph it’s because your a professional! The rest just don’t care!!!

following

They caulked the end because they had not measured correctly. The caulking looks uneven or the granite is chipped there, too. You did not order chipped granite unless you ordered a remnant piece which already had a chip. The chips can be fixed if they know what they are doing, and they should bring the fixing materials with them. The wall must be filled evenly. The poor cutting will be hidden by the backsplash. Do not pay the final bill until you are satisfied.

The owner didnt come by yesterday so we cancelled the tile installation. Unfortunately, I paid the tile in full, so, he is actually overpaid for what has already been done. He is supposedly coming by at lunch. Of the four pieces installed, only one was not chipped. The one near the oven actually has two chipped ends and only backsplash at one end-so, I think that piece definitely needs to be replaced. I’m not sure how he can fix the other one that was poorly caulked or the seam-I‘ll follow up later. As I mentioned, he was the most expensive quote and recommended by a few people-hopefully, he will do the right thing. Thanks for the advice everyone!

This installation is a disaster. There are too many mistakes and the seam is just horrible. I’d ask for a complete refund or redo with a new piece of stone. And a different crew.

The chip is an easy repair for a qualified person- my counters snapped in half and they glued it together on my front lawn, buffed it, installed it, and you would never know. I assure you I am picky!

A skilled repair on that and it will never show. Many stones come from the quarry with some type of repaired damage. It’s only if they can’t make it look good that replacement is considered an option. There should be no reason that can’t be made to look just fine!

The first picture shows what they think a good repair looks like. Not too fond of the way that looks...

if they said they're finished with the countertop install, then they did a horrible job with the seam.

Owner came and made repairs. they look better from a distance than up close. He admitted the guys also didn’t properly wipe off the sealer-so, he’s sending them back to do that. This is the corner that had the white caulking .

This is the chipped edge.

This is the repaired seam.

The chip that was in the middle of the counter is completely gone.

It's much better! Pretty stone but it might be prone to chipping. Be careful with heavy things... :)

(I think it's absurd to throw out functional stuff just because you redo a kitchen. It's not like you can SEE a garbage disposal and it has to match! And it's not like a garbage disposal isn't a simple DIY job anyway if it does fail. Sheesh. Why wouldn't you use up your garbage disposal before buying a new one??)

Are you satisfied with the repairs?

The chips are gone and the cracked edges look better. The seam is still pretty ugly, but, I don’t think it’s enough to ask them to start over. I have a really good painter and he says he can blend everything in better. I’m hopeful once everything is done-it will look ok.

I'm sorry you went through that. Renovations are so stressful.

///\ yes that.

Finally finished-thanks for all of the advice!!

Looks great!