Wow, what a sorry saga, however for those of us still in the consideration stages of bathroom renos, this has been a VERY useful discussion! Terrifying, but useful. @ lmoore - I am SO full of admiration for you: you've had a plan, and stuck to it through thick and thin, taking full responsibility for your tradesman's mistakes with grace and humour. And it looks like, fingers crossed, it'll all work out in the end. These angst-ridden renos can be so tough on a marriage - I don't know why, really - maybe it's because it's what one partner wants, and the other partner just wants to avoid any conflict? @ kmkane - avoid big box stores and go with tile specialists? Maybe in your area, but in our area the flooring staff at the big box stores, HD in particular, are VERY knowledgeable and helpful, with interesting stock, whereas the snooty madams at the tile specialty stores are consistently rude and clueless, with 0 knowledge of their (limited) product. I guess every area is different!

YEP ! I just installed Silestone Helix on a peninsula and Kensho on the sink/stove area. The Helix is fine but Im having the same problem as you on the Kensho. It must be a solid color problem. Im fighting with them now ! Wish I saw your article before installation :-(

Mine seems like the toughest plant. I have had mine maybe 20 years, it's quite large, and I don't even know if there's much soil left in the pot. It goes outside in filtered light when it warms up, gets watered sometimes, and then I bring it in in the winter. It usually dries out in the winter and the leaves might turn yellow and die. This winter it must be getting enough light and water from my cat's partly empty bowls that I toss on the plant. It is still green in a dim bathroom. My point is, once your plant gets established you might not have to fuss over it. I'm not sure how to advise you to get it to survive at this stage. It does look like kind of a fine, dark soil. I do not know what the 5 1 1 soil is but assume it drains better. I voted to pot up in your new soil mix now but have no idea how fast it'll dry out and that's a concern since you're going on a trip. I think the original potting soil I used was MIracle Grow.

the wax I got was from the place where I bought it. they also sell it. https://www.coppersinksonline.com/wax/renaissance-wax https://www.coppersinksonline.com/copper-sinks-maintenance yes, you will get the green stuff. no big. just scrub it. I do wonder why they left you such a reveal. you will forever be scrubbing that little lip area. Seems like they cut the sink opening too large. (but after seeing how they messed up the rest of your countertop, it's not surprising. you really should get a discount on that fabrication) when they did mine, I have no reveal. it's flush w/the countertop (this isn't mine) they should have done yours like this barkeepers scour cleanser will take off all of the brown patina and return it to new looking copper. if you don't apply the wax, the brown returns within 2 weeks or so. If you apply the wax at least once a month (or when water doesn't bead any longer) you will slow down the patina. Sometimes I leave it, and sometimes I scrub the heck out of it. my son always throws lemons in the sink so I get shiny patches where the acid hit it.