Did you mention it to them or were you out when this happened? I would be on the phone first thing in the morning.

The glue is really not a problem when it sets a solvent can get off the excess.

The pictures do not show what you mean about the seams. If you mean the image with the paperbag I would guess that the backsplash would cover that.

But the sink??? no no...that's gotta be changed.

I work for a contractor. Write a list of things that you are not satisfied with, have concerns or questions about. Stay calm, you will get more satisfaction and better feedback. Be assertive, not aggressive and be precise about what you need changed and why. A 10% holdback on the cost until everything is finished to your satisfaction is acceptable. You are free advertisement for this contractor as he is only as good as his last project and most contractors rely on word of mouth advertising.

Thank you both for your feedback. This is my first remodel and as a result, I wanted to be reasonable and fair with criticism I provide. The biggest concern I have is the sink. After talking with the contractor, she suggested cutting out the sink(!). Then flipping it around and reinforcing the wood underneath it. As a result, none of it would be visible.

My only thought is if I'm refinishing my existing boxes/cabinets, this may ruin the prospect of that.

I understand the last thing we want to be doing is ripping out the stone but I suppose this alternative makes sense.

Pat, as a contractor, would that be your first idea as well -- to cut it out and flip?

Any other feedback would be great, thank you!

Oops, Lucidos, sorry about not responding. I was out when this happened and when I got home, they were already gone. It wasn't until the next morning that I got a call back regarding my voicemail. Now they aren't available until next Tuesday to even come attempt to fix it... smh.

There is an advantage and disadvantage to that. When they do a bottom up install it makes it easier in the future should you need/want to replace the sink. The problem is with an undermount you want the tightest seal possible. Over time that method can be an issue with seepage and food collection and mold. I would want a huge credit if I agreed to that option.

When you say huge credit, would you mind pointing me towards a ball park number? 5 percent? 10 percent? 15 percent?

I would shoot for 25%. The option is they remove the counter and put the sink in correctly. Doing that they can cause a bunch of potential problems for themselves. I'm pretty hardcore when it comes to bargaining.
Consider this...you are 100% in the rights for having them put the sink in correctly. If they pull the counter off and it breaks or chips they will have to replace it. The likelyhood of that happening is pretty high.

Another thing to try is call the sink manufacturer. Perhaps they can offer a solution to leave things in place as they are now.

Instead of having the counter top go up the back wall a little install some kind of a back splash. Tiles are not that expensive anymore. I'm doing it in mine right now. Also tell them to turn the sink around!

The crack could be caulked.. as for the sink i would have them switch it around since that is what you paid for. If there is any damage then they should replace it because it was their fault for putting it in wrong.

I use to do counter tops.. So here is my advice:..
I'm also a little put off by responses automatically calling the fault on the company. The things you listed are suspicious to me. Stone counter top companies are very competitive and sometimes they are cutting it really close to their cost.. So asking 25% is asking them to take a hit on a job they might have done correctly.

1.) Unless they are cutting in a garage or out of the back of a van; their equipment most likely is cutting a lot straighter line then wobbly sheet rock... Also.. there is never a true 90* corner in a house.. I always recommend a backslash. Culk or grout on top of tile will hide the gap; but bare wall against counter top is never going to turn out right.
2.) I'm not too sure the logo is suppose to show.. is the drain centered? If not I wouldn't want to be showing a big logo in my sink.. It's not a tea cup.
3.) Your seams on the other hand.. The company I worked for either had clear or matched our resin (not caulk) to the counter top material especially if it was quartz. Some times a seam is a seam, it can be the type of granite or it could be the company. Some granite really shows seams.. Like a Verde uba tuba.. for some reason it chips along the cuts and the seams show like no other granite out there. However, you do have a counter top that is light and has what appears to be a consistent pattern so your seams shouldn't be as visible. Go to your friends houses and check out their granite.. before you know it you will be doing that everywhere you go and you might realize seams are just that wide.
4.) The glue; is it pouring out or is that residue from the previous back splash? There should be a work order signed. Was the tear out by the company or was it DIY. I always covered that with a customer.. I charged high for tear out because of potential PIA.. like glue from the previous back splash, I also made sure the new back splash was taller then the previous for just that reason.. Counter top companies are counter top companies not sheet rockers. I would send out my installers after a customer would tell me they were doing it themselves to save money and my cute little installers would show up to counter tops still in. My installers have made the mistake of helping and the problem is we hadn't covered ourselves in the liability of an accident.
If that is caulk seeping out I would call, they should be able to come out and exacto knife that off..

Thank you all for your responses. They ultimately flipped the sink around but to my dismay, here was what it looked like. Now, if the installer was paying attention he would have cut the holes relative and in line with the logo. Due to their initial oversight, the holes were also not cut in the middle of the sink. Thoughts on this? I don't want to be irrational or blow -up but these seem like such elementary mistakes.

Moreover, the installer claimed the "drain sink parts were missing" and as a result had to go to Home Depot to buy new ones. I get home and it appears as though the original parts are still in the box! Thoughts on this? Did not call to get an approval to use parts that were not part of the original box, nothing ... just simply went ahead and took initiative.

Oh my goodness I don't know what to say! I've been staring at this picture speechless for 5 minutes. I am so very sorry. I ...I'm still speechless.

The drain parts are not a big deal. You can take the ones you purchased at Home Depot back for a refund. The misaligned faucet would drive me crazy. The need to re-cut that slab.

It's not that they can't be replaced it just shows the ineptitude of this crew. After all that happened here you think they would have phoned and said we have an issue..

As far as the faucet..totally unacceptable. Did they say anything to you at all or did they think you wouldn't notice?

^^ Exactly my point. The more I think about this, the more I believe they are guilty of 1 of two things:

1) They made a mistake by putting in the sink backwards. Mistakes happen and I understand that. However, they compounded the mistake by cutting the holes incorrectly. If this is the case, I do have an inept and under qualified crew, especially if these are folks who are doing this for a living.

2) They made a mistake and then attempted to cover it up. The mistake I presume they made was they cut the holes incorrectly. They determined this when they aligned the logo properly. In order to cut corners and avoid the reality, I believe they flipped around the sink in hopes that I would not notice. A mistake compounded with a lie is horribly egregious in my opinion.

I'm leaning to the latter and quite frankly, do not know how to proceed. I've brought this up with the main contractor who insists we will take care of it. However, i don't know if this is enough.

Should I go higher and try to contact the company? Is it too early for this?

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated..

Lucidos, I was guessing that the new counter would be the only way to arrive at a clean resolution. He mentioned on the phone that "maybe the holes were big enough to move the faucet over". My jaw dropped to the floor...

Sigh :(

WHAT??? Do they not know that the faucet is over 1" off center? What did you respond?

You mentioned a "main" contractor. If this is his subcontractor, it is his responsibility to deal with your issues. If you hired the countertop/sink people separately, it's your issue. If it is a sub, just talk with your main contractor and have him work it out to your satisfaction. That's what he is there for, and he has more clout with the sub than you do. (He's repeat business, you're the one time deal.)

dekal35, what a nightmare for you with that poorly installed sink and counter. All the work needs to be completely redone and I would think not at your expense. If something looks like it was cut crooked, just get out a level and /or ruler and show them. And there should be no reason for any glue residue left over. One merely cleans up after an ordinary install. And the holes that were cut for the faucets, really?

Sub par work for sure and I would certainly be calling the owner and pitching a fit. There is a point where being polite just doesn't cut it anymore. And please report this shabby work to your area's Board of Contractors and the BBB.

One of the last things done when we remodeled our bathrooms were the counters, so I am puzzled as to why the rush to install them so hurriedly, especially if you say so much more needs to be accomplished.

Quite frankly I said that any solution should not create a new problem and that the only alternative I saw to remedy this would be a clean and new re-do. We will see the outcome tomorrow. This company had such fantastic reviews on Angie's List, smh.

The other crews are definitely subs and I do expect the contractor to handle it but as always (and this is a personal fault), I want to give people an opportunity to fix an issue without their "supervisor" being involved. So much for giving opportunities?

As far the timing, I can only speculate. I am doing two bathrooms and the kitchen. The "plan" was that we would start the main along with the kitchen and continue the work as various permits are reviewed/approved. The order of completion is certainly strange. The floor tile is completed but the baseboards are not. The initial layer of paint is done (why?! There is so much dust and work left to do that it is almost inevitable that more coats will be required), the countertops are being worked out yet the cabinets have not been refaced and/or stained (I was advised this would happen last).

As you can imagine, I am extremely frustrated with the process as I did have higher expectations given the wonderful reviews and feedback I saw.

We'll see what tomorrow brings... Thanks again everyone for the feedback.

Well that is a strange order in which they are doing the remodels. I can see the baseboards not being on yet as it will appear the tile is under them, I guess. And I have seen countless shows where the painting is done before the floors which seems backwards to me because of the dust issues. But, hey, I am not a contractor!

I certainly feel your pain as so much stress can build up from remodels and new home builds. Keep breathing and know that eventually you will have a nice home at the end of this process. But be firm with your displeasure at not only the work but in which the order of the work is being done. Ask about what is being done and why. Nothing wrong with asking questions. :)

I know we sometimes do jobs out of normal order because of the availability of the particular subs. Just stand your ground and do get to the GC in the morning to give him a heads up about the shamaygies doing this work. Let him know your concerned about clean up after this is done too.

Please don't lose sleep over this I'm sure it will get resolved.

Life is too short to freak out about a logo being a tiny bit off center. This work is done by humans. Nothing in life if perfect. When working with natural material one must expect imperfections. In a few months when your project is over and you have your home to yourself again, you won't notice the small inconsistqncies, your will notice your fabulous new kitchen!

I don't think the OP is freaking out. She is understandingly concerned about poor workmanship. Granite is imperfect but there is no reason for the faucet holes to be so.

decal35- Sorry for your nightmare. My advice is to make sure you recieve a lien release from each and every project. If this GC does not pay any of the subs they can attach a lien on your home for payment. With this type of work, I would make it a priority. It is just a simple form that the contractor should have on request;)

Well okay - I would not have cared that the logo was in the front instead of the back of the sink...because then it wouldn't show all the time. However, since you had it changed, the off-center thing would make me crazy. (I'm the person who sits in church and stares at the candle that's an inch off center when I should be paying attention to more important things.) That being said, are you sure the logo isn't what's off? Maybe the sink company screwed it up. I think I'd have to measure that to be sure.

Can the logo be removed?

I would ask them to make it right. They are extremely competitive and want to do good work. Don't be afraid to address your concerns, they are valid.
From my experience, I had to literally measure the faucet for our installer, otherwise he was going to just put it in on a standard measurement, however it would mean our water would of hit towards the front of the sink, which would of sprayed up terribly. I was surprised they didn't consider this, but they are human.
However, in your circumstance, I would address it. It really is poor workmanship.

The logo appears to be etched in the steel. Here is the picture from the manufacturer and the few examples I saw online show the logo as front facing. Although I probably would not have noticed if the logo wasn't facing correctly or did not exist, the reality is the measurements were done wrong. The fact that they were left wrong and were left for me to discover, makes me question the honesty and integrity of the crew. In any case, i'll update the thread if anything newsworthy comes up. Thanks again! :)

The logo and drain in the above picture are not lined up, either, so it may very well be the logo that's wrong. I would measure first, before you speak to the contractor. You don't want egg on your face!

What is the brand of that sink I can't put my finger on that logo.

Fortunately (or unfortunately?), the logo is perfectly in the middle. The sink is a Vigo undermount 30x18. The contractor called today with two options: 1) Move the hole slightly in the centered direction and "cover" the hole with a circular plate or 2) He offered to redo the whole countertop.

As much as I want to go with number 2, the human in me still wants to be considerate of everyone's time and money ... sigh. As a result, I proposed that if they can find a similar sink, with no logo (or otherwise items that can bring attention to a blemish) and if I approved on it, we could go that route.

Hopefully I don't end up regretting that scenario if it does in fact play out.. :/

I would not accept a circular plate;( The point of the undermount sink and the faucet is to have a nice clean look.

Let me be the devils advocate here. How much time did it take you to select the sink and faucet? Is your time worth less then theirs? If They install another sink of equal or better quality won't the holes still be off? If they Kinda move the hole over a bit (Including the vent and dispenser) won't it still be off? Additionally you will have a potential water breach.

OK so enough, you have calmed down over the situation and are being reasonable to a fault.

I suppose see what they come up with. But...no on the faucet move.

I would tell them the only acceptable solution is to replace the top.

This is a perfect example of why you need to be there to sign off on every detail. The logo on the sink..eeh.. no biggie I wouldnt want to see it but I dont like logos anyway... but if you wanted it turned around..and had been there when they were installing it would have been correct. Secondly .. if you don't tell them exactly where to put the faucet, air gap, sprayer, soap pump, etc.. then they will just put them where ever they would like... these aren't rocket scientist that are installing your tops!

Rococo....Sounds more like these guys flunked the basic ruler lesson in grade 2.

I had a similar issue with my faucet when we had our quartz installed. the holes were cut on center, however the supply lines for the faucet ran off one side causing the faucet to look off center when installed. I was extremely bothered by it. The counter company was able to widen the hole which was quite small to begin with, and now the faucet sits dead center, without a plate underneath. If your hole is also very small, they may be able to achieve this also. You could be surprised.

Start with that, and if you are still not happy, go the route of replacement. You paid a lot of money to get what you want, do not feel guilty about asking them to hold up to their end of the agreement.

New countertop, with sink and faucets the way you wanted it. That's the breaks when you are a contractor.

is that granite or quartz.. I really think that is quartz. I would have them cut a new piece out.. (sometimes the color can be off with different groups of quartz but if they have it in stock or if they kept the remnants it shouldn't be a problem.. When we brought in material for counter tops we always reserved and extra slab just in case.. This would be that just in case reason.
I personally wouldn't want the logo to show.. But to each their own..
The hole issue I would not re drill you would end up with a loose faucet.. dumbest idea ever!
the plate idea..
So did you go with the lowest bid?? how did you find these guys? Were they recommended?

^^ Recommended and had fantastic reviews on Angies List! Side note, can anyone speak positively or negative about Schon or Superior Sinks brand? I've found (now i'm doing their work!) two potential sink alternatives that don't have a logo and appear to fit the dimensions.

Same price point as the Vigo but I can't find ANYTHING review wise regarding the brands.

And yes, it is quartz.

Hopefully those were real people and not their receptionist or a workers wife.
They should just replace that portion.. Did you see how templates were made?
For quality on sinks or appliances, I depend on Consumer Reports although they bombed blanco composite sinks.. and I don't think the Blanco's are too bad.

all sinks have different radius in the corners.. so keep your sink.. Them shaving down for a different sink in your kitchen will be a huge mess. The tools in their shop should be better then an on the job cut.

I've seen the Schon same guage, I think it's deeper. No logo. You need to make sure it has the same radial configuration.

Hi everyone -- I thought I should update everyone that has kindly contributed to this point. Although the sink was fixed to my satisfaction, I was recently notified of a payment dispute between the subs and the general contractor. After further review, I noticed that the contractor's license was suspended just a few weeks ago with the Contractors State License Board. The General Contractor is indicating he will have a new crew come to finish the project but given the recent license suspension to due numerous Workers Comp complaints, I am hesitant to proceed.

Naturally, I am inclined to hire an attorney and proceed cautiously from there.

Has anyone ever experienced similar roadblocks and how did you elect to proceed?

You might want to check and see if any mechanic's liens have been filed on your property due to the payment dispute. This could be a roadblock for you, should you decide to sell your home down the road.

I read that in order for that to have been placed by the subs, a 20 day notice must have been given. As a side note, boy do these clauses all seem to weaken and hurt the consumer.