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dina_valko

Quartzite countertops owners. HELP!!!

5 years ago

Hello everyone! I really need your help and opinion. It's been a month since my dream kitchen nightmare has begun. Long story short, I was asking for a very durable stone, explaining multiple times that I am a professional cook who very often ending up cutting on the countertop surface, and in general very rough to the stone, and I was promised "bulletproof stone'' - the GABRU Quartzite. I fell in love with the stone. Since the fabricator was recommended by very professional house contractor, I was stupid enough to trust the fabricator. At the day of installation, installer installed island countertops and mounted undermount sink, but wasn't able to finish that job because they told me that the floors should be installed first, and only then the waterfall sides, They also installed the main part of the kitchen where the cook top will eventually be installed. And then the guys ran away from the house so fast that I didn't even had a chance to inspect the installed countertop in front of them. Upon my inspection, I discovered that the edges all around of countertops are full of 2-3 mm cracks, dents, and pits, that are flaking when I pick it with a fingernail. The sink cut out is very univen, and the lines are not straight. The edges are horrible, I will attach pictures. The surface itself has many dents and pits, and glass shine is inconsistent. I performed Quartzite test, and it didn't stane, but scratched in many areas easily. I contacted the fabricator right away. The owner came to the job site next day, and tried to convince me that that everything is fine, and they just didn't finish their job yet. And when they finish everything will look good. So my questions are:

  1. How the quartzite countertop edges should appear and feel. Mine is souper rough, very dull, and full of cracks, pits, and dents along of the edge surface. Is it normal for such a stone to be like that. And I just simply do not know how he actually can fix this. Literally, all edges are like that, and the guy is convincing me that is is ok, and after he finish his job everything will be ok.





  1. How is he going to make sink cutout straight without detaching sink from countertops. And to be honest, I do not want the stone being cut on my $30000 cabinets. Is it even possible?

  1. The cut out for cooktop is not centered, it is 1/3 in to the left. Yes, it is possible to move stone a little bit to the right, but then one overhung on one side of the cabinets will be 2 in, while another is going to be 1in.
  2. Please look at seam? Is it ok joining, for me it is super ugly, and it very noticeable that 2 pieces has different thickness.

  1. I attached pictures of waterfall sides. Please look at their edges, it it ok? will they be able to make nice mitered edge with such a uneven cut?


  1. Can they reprofile all countertops edges without removing them from cabinets? I am very concerned about it?
  2. Safety issues. The island is 9 ft long, and they did 16in overhung without any support. I asked multiple times if we need some kind of brackets, and I was told that due to waterfall walls no additional support is required. Is it true. Also, they just glued my huge undermount sink without any additional support.How is it acceptable?

And my final point, should I negotiate at all, or I better demant the countertops be removed and start with a new fabricator. I feel ripped off. I was asking very strong, maintenance free countertop, and I was promised so. And at the end I didn't get what I was requesting, and promised. Also, I can not afford to babysit the countertop. Any advaises please.

P.S. I haven't paid a penny yet. Fabricator refuses to take away his stone, and insisting that he would fix it. Sorry for many words and mistake, english is my second language. Tanks everyone!

Comment (1)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    "How is he going to make sink cutout straight without detaching sink from countertops. And to be honest, I do not want the stone being cut on my $30000 cabinets. Is it even possible?

    I've made thousands of perfectly straight sink cutouts over expensive cabinets with no dust or mess using a Festool rail saw with a vacuum. Yes, he's going to have to drop the sink, but that's not a big deal. The new raw cuts can be profiled and polished with the mess contained and no damage.

    "The cut out for cooktop is not centered, it is 1/3 in to the left. Yes, it is possible to move stone a little bit to the right, but then one overhung on one side of the cabinets will be 2 in, while another is going to be 1in."

    This depends upon how large the cooktop flange is. He may end up buying you a larger cooktop.

    "Please look at seam? Is it ok joining, for me it is super ugly, and it very noticeable that 2 pieces has different thickness."

    Stone comes in different thicknesses which is not his fault, however, not fooling your eye by tapering the thicker one with a cup wheel back a couple feet or so is his fault.

    " Will they be able to make nice mitered edge with such an uneven cut?"

    Absolutely not.

    "Can they reprofile all countertops edges without removing them from cabinets?"

    Yes, depending on the profile.

    "The island is 9 ft long, and they did 16in overhung without any support. I asked multiple times if we need some kind of brackets, and I was told that due to waterfall walls no additional support is required. Is it true?"

    No, it is not. 3cm quartzite cantilevered 16" over 9' will sag, I promise, the waterfall ends notwithstanding. Have them read the Natural Stone Institute's Residential Standards please.

    "Also, they just glued my huge undermount sink without any additional support.How is it acceptable?"

    It depends on the "glue". Some fabricators swear by Black Mamba. It must work or we would have heard of failures by now, however, I'm a fan of silicone and straps which are easily reversible and the sink is ready for the plumber instantly, not in 24 or 48 hours.

    " I better demand the countertops be removed and start with a new fabricator."

    I would, especially considering the scale of the ineptitude this fabricator has shown and your incredibly strong negotiating position. I'd pick a different stone next time too. That stuff's just too chippy.

    Dina Valko thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC
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