Every once in a great while, a job that's supposed to take 8 hours takes 17. My contracts are fixed price, and since I will not compromise on the quality of my work, I take the beating. It's a cost of doing business, just like the truck fuel bill, nothing more, nothing less. You have to look at it as tuition. Such is the case here:

The "swoop" in the left bowl is too deep to allow the installation of the new sink; the rear rail must be replaced. I've done this many times. Fortunately, the customer has remnant material, however, I didn't check to see if the remnant was the same thickness as the main top. It wasn't. That meant the bottom perimeter edges of the remnant must be ground down 1/8" so the new rear rail will be flush with the existing top and bottom. 20 minutes and a cup wheel dust storm on the deck later, we had our new rail. Ouch.

We got the cutout cut, profiled, and polished when the customer overheard me say "Dude, we're screwed." I'd never installed one of this brand before and the distance from the back of the apron to the bowl and the odd returned ends threw me off. The sink isn't going in unless we cut the back rail again. We have to remove and reinstall the faucet. Half of the time spent cutting, profiling, and polishing vaporized. Oh, and that 20 minutes on the deck in the dust storm? Gone. Now we have to rabbet the bottom of the rear rail while it's in place. Errgh.

My apprentice slipped and got some 60 grit marks on the deck. Of all the colors upon which to make a mistake, he has to pick black granite. Thankfully it wasn't dark estone or we probably would have to have refinished the entire top. We are setting time (money) on fire today. I got 'em out of course.

Fortunately there were kids in the house which lightened the mood.

Here's a close-up of the seamed and recut rear rail. Yes, bisecting the adhesive line elongated it, but a little black magic marker and excellent adhesive match mitigated. It was worth it to get the nice radius corners.

Finally the sink is in. They've provided a matching copper disposal flange, but it's too fat to allow the Insinkerator clamp. We ground the clamp for 20 minutes, the flange fit, but with the larger opening the clamp can't grab the ring. The clamp is ruined. I've got another in the truck. For some reason, this one fits without alteration. Who knew?

Fortunately, the customer went off. "It's so beautiful!" "I'm texting my mom!" "I'm telling the neighbors!" That ameliorates some, but my butt still stings this morning. lol.