*get it fixed. Good luck!

Hello - so glad to hear they are replacing it without a fight. It is gorgeous!! I will tell you that I had a beautiful quartzite counter installed that fractured when they set it. It was replaced with zero damage. They just cut the silicone and popped it out and slid the new one in. I worried about my cabinets getting dinged up but they didnt. :)

Cambria must be quaking in their boots now that Inspo Inspo won't be recommending them.

What was the "deplorable" part? The white spots? The fact that Cambria "...will be replacing the counters ASAP, no questions asked" one day after installation? The dealer who has "...been very responsive and willing to have this corrected"? How dare they respond that way to a customer!

Having "blobs" has been an ongoing issue for most quartz manufacturers, which is why many on these forums have been recommending, for 10+ years, to always look at your actual slabs before they are fabricated.

I am happy with the Cambria counters in my master bath, but they are plain white, so color/pattern checking wasn't as critical!

Glad that they are standing behind their product and replacing the counters right away.

I have Cambria roxwell, which is the same pattern, different color. I love the white blobs! I also have gray and black ones and think they add to the beauty.

We installed Shirebrook in our kitchen. First time using Cambria. We got some MASSIVE resin blots — some as big as your palm. Slabs that should never have been sold. That is when I learned. Still, it wears well. So we put Montgomery in a master bath redo, and took more pains. Perfect. A truly gorgeous stone. We just installed Crowndale and Beaumont together in a new kitchen and I chose each slab, photographed it, and approved every template. Gorgeous. I do like Cambria and I find nothing else appeals to me as much. But it requires as much buyer involvement as granite and it frustrates me that the people selling it will suggest it does not.

I am a fabricator (and an engineer). Your problem is due to extraordinarily poor process control at the Cambria factory in MN and a surprising lack of attention at the fabricator. To their credit Cambria is standing behind the product. You are due a considerable pricing concession given all the additional hassle you are going thru due a problem that is entirely their fault.

Oldryder-My wife said the exact same thing as you. Should a concession be requested directly from Cambia or the dealer since that’s who I’ve paid? And as a professional, what do you feel is an considerable percentage?

The concession will have to come from the party you paid. a 10-15% discount is reasonable PLUS whatever costs are incurred for plumbing or electrical. Good luck.

Hello Matt G, we are happy to see that you have discussed a solution with our Representative and your fabricator. If you have any further questions on this process please do not hesitate to reach out to our Customer Care team at (866) 226-2742.

Hello Cambria, and I'm pleased that you have been monitoring this thread. Just to provide you with an update - my wife went to view the 2 slabs at your NY distribution center this morning and they are much closer to the samples we've seen in person, and on your website. Again, I wish we would have been advised to do this previously and this mess could have easily been prevented.

I've left 2 messages today for the Cambria Rep I've been corresponding with and have yet to hear back. We would like to proceed with removal of the discolored counters, and fabrication and installation of the new counters. I realize there are other parties (dealer and fabricator) that need to be involved. Can you please pass this message along to Zach? From what I gather he's very busy today and I'm not sure if we will be able to connect.

Thanks again,

Matt

MizLizzie, how were you able to pick and view your Cambria slabs? I'm being told by my KD (whose countertop sales are 80% Cambria) that it's all but impossible to view slabs at Cambria, that the Cambria facilities are like Ft. Knox, no cell phones allowed for pics, etc. My KD said in rare cases slabs can be viewed in general, but you still cannot pick your specific slab, nor can you see what your countertops will look like until they're installed. (I've seen Cambria's display slabs at tradeshows, but none had our chosen patterns.)

I've seen multiple Houzz posts from people saying they've picked their Cambria slab or at least seen their slab during templating. I'm so confused.

I am so very happy I found this post. I have the same problem with my Oakmoor countertops that you had BUT Cambria is saying nothing is wrong with them. I had a rep from Cambria come out and assess the situation and they said this is a "normal" representation of the Oakmoor design. No it is not!! I as well had samples and visited different showrooms and there were no where near this many spots. It seriously looks like someone splashed white paint all over my countertops!! Cambria denied the claim and the place I purchased them is saying their hands are tied because our warranty is through Cambria. I am beyond outraged!! I was told today from the supplier to file a second claim with Cambria and ask for a supervisor this time. If Cambria is such a great company they should stand behind their product and give me new countertops that are not covered in resin blotting!! Mine look exactly like this!!! If they do not fix this legal action will be taken. I hope someone from Cambria sees this post! Here are a few pictures of mine..

lisay5472 , thank you for your post and we would like to learn more from you. Please reach out to our Senior Services Manager, Chris Donaldson, by calling Cambria Customer Care at 866-226-2742. Simply ask for Chris and they will connect you.

I am a fabricator but I was a process engineer in my life before becoming a business owner. THe process of creating engineered stone is such that sometimes the variation in the mix of the "dough" that eventually becomes a slab is going to produce slabs like yours. Ideally the manufacturer would reject these slabs but as you can see that doesn't always happen. Good process control in the manufacturing of the slabs would dictate improvements in the mixing of the "dough" to eliminate the problem or at least consistent rejection of the slabs so they don't end up in some unhappy persons home. This is particularly important if the end user is typically not given the opportunity to preview the slabs for their job which is quite common with Cambria.

Kudo's to cambria for replacing the OP's tops.

I called Cambria and left my name and number for Chris Donaldson to call me back. Hopefully he can help me out since my local Cambria representative will not call me back. I am beyond frustrated and just want my beautiful Oakmoor countertops and not these awful defective slabs that are currently here! picture of my breakfast bar for example, awful!

That is horrific. Hope they make this right.

Thanks, I agree-horrific! This has been a nightmare! And to think these are the slabs that were "chosen" for me- it's just terrible! I want what I paid for and I thank god I found this post because I now feel I may have some leverage. There's no denying my countertops look exactly like Matt's above that were deemed defective right away. The Cambria rep that came out acted like I was crazy, good to know I'm not!

Hi Lisay, and I know exactly how you feel. Like others have said these slabs never should have made it out to the fabricators and its unfortunate that we have to go through the trouble of getting this resolved. I was told by my dealer that the fabricator should have contacted us prior to fabrication since these were so far off. I don't even think the fabricators know what they are supposed to look like, or what we've been shown/promised in the showrooms so there is a clear disconnect there. The dealer makes the deal with the customer, sub contracts the job out to the fabricator and that's that. Slabs get ordered, fabricated, and installed. I can't imagine the fabricator having samples of every single slab that comes in to check for consistencies as compared to the original. They are simply provided a template, and get to work. Somewhere along the line, these slabs should be checked and clearly its not happening. Or, as I've stated previously the dealer should make us aware and agree to knowing in advance that our finished product could look nothing like the sample we were shown. Would you still purchase if you were aware of this? I know I wouldn't....

I would have had no problem driving out to the fabricator to view my slab. I'm not expecting to go pick out a slab from a bunch but just take a look at the one I've just paid a lot of money for, and make sure it resembles the one I was led to believe I've purchased. I've compared it to buying a red car, and ending up with a red car with pinstripes down the sides which we never ordered or discussed. Oh by the way, your new car may come in with pinstripes on the sides. We're in 2019 and this is unacceptable. Everyone has phones with cameras in their pockets/purses. Take a photo and send it to someone before fabrication. Is this too difficult??

Your slabs look just as bad as mine. I'm almost wondering if they sent you my slabs after they were removed. I'd like to think not the case but they closely resemble my originals.

Good luck with your situation. I do believe that once you speak to the appropriate person at Cambria, they will make good on the situation as they did with me. And hopefully some higher up at Cambria can see to it that this stops happening. It's not right.

I simply don't understand why Cambria and/or fabricators wouldn't require customers to sign off on digital pics of their actual slab at templating as part of the purchase process. It's simple, free CYA. Situations like this are clearly the exception for Cambria, but what a hassle for the company and customer, as well as the hit to public perception and word of mouth. This seems so easily solved with a few high-res digital photos.

This is EXACTLY why I could not buy Cambria quartz during my kitchen reno. I was at a yard and saw a slab that was 99% dark grays, browns, and blue-purple colors. It was pretty uniform in the color distribution with no swoops of color in it.

But ... there were probably 4 blobs of color the size of a finger tip that were pale wood putty color (aka - cubicle greige). I asked the sales person if that slab was a factory second and she said it was NOT, it was just that sometimes the resin can pool in one area more than others but the fabricators can cut around those areas.

I love the idea of a USA made product, loved a couple of the colors, but I went with something where I could see my slab ahead of time and make sure its the one I want.

Oh wow, I was planning on using Cambria in our upcoming renovation but these posts leave a bad taste in my mouth, especially considering that I had a horrible experience with my last granite (Kashmir White). I though quartz (Cambria) would be a safe bet against defects and discoloration. Formica sure looks more appealing every day....geez!!

"I simply don't understand why Cambria and/or fabricators wouldn't require customers to sign off on digital pics of their actual slab at templating as part of the purchase process. It's simple, free CYA."

I'll tell you why. Waivers don't work. You could have them signed in the blood of the customer's first born male child and customers would still complain that the material didn't match the sample/picture. And half the people on Houzz would take their side, despite proof positive that they approved same. It's the interwebby. It's nuts out here.

Years ago I had a customer sign a sample piece of stained oak twice. I cut the sample in half and gave her one with her signature on it. Despite this being the process architects use in the store fixture manufacturing business, she hated the stained built-in and refused to pay. I walked. Better to cut your losses with insane customers.

I know this doesn't help you but I actually LOVE the look of the white splotches!

Joseph - I understand what you're saying however, as a consumer who has experienced this I beg to differ. We're talking about a large counter top purchase of $5,000-10,000 which is a lot of money for most of us. When we purchased our cabinets, we had to sign off on something stating the cabinets may not look exact due to material, craftsmanship, etc....We were well aware there may be imperfections and thats OK. When we purchased our tile, there were imperfections and that's ok as well. There was no waiver but we were made aware, and expecting the variation. I would say with the cabinets and tile the imperfections were less than 10% which I was fine with, especially since it was brought to our attention in advance. Again, there was zero mention of this with the quartz purchase, and furthermore the dealer said the slabs all look the same because they are man made. I'm not sure if other dealers are saying this, but it makes sense. The slabs "conveniently" chosen to be on display kitchens in the showrooms should really have some of these resin blotches so people are aware this is what the counter may look like. The display slabs are perfect, just like the samples provided. It should be indicated somewhere along the buying process that there will be variations in the slabs, resin blotches, and your final product may not resemble the display or sample. .

Had I seen the slab, or even a photo of the slab prior I would have requested a different slab at that point, or perhaps even changed my selection due to the extensive resin blotching. On the second time around, my wife visited the local cambria yard and inspected the two slabs before they were sent to the fabricator. Since Cambria was well aware of the situation at this point, the slabs were hand selected by Cambria and shown to us at that point. They were much closer to the sample counter we saw at the dealer, and very similar to the 12" x 12" samples as well. There are still a few resin blotches and I'm totally fine with that. Again we're talking less than 10% which is much better than the 75% from the initial install.

I should also add that throughout my dealings with Cambria, it was admitted by a Cambria associate that this particular style "Oakmoor" is difficult and was offered another style. Why are we first being made aware of this at this point?? I also met with another Cambria dealer who included a template meeting which is done prior to fabrication. This is where you view the actual slab and choose which one for each section, as well as the pattern layout. Reason we didn't use this dealer is because he was significantly more expensive and felt comfortable with the dealer we ended up choosing.

I'm not an attorney and have no clue if this waiver would even hold up in a court of law. I can only say that if there was the opportunity to view the slab, or even a photo of the slab in advance I never would have approved this and saved everyone a lot of time, aggravation, and $$$. I think many of us would do the same, if they are provided a slab viewing or photo in advance so they know what to expect.

Basically, what i'm trying to say is that aside from the legal waiver stuff....A 15 minute meeting in person, or a few photos texted (which we all do every day) could save everyone a lot of trouble, and in turn make consumers more confident and comfortable with their large purchase.

The cabinet manufacturers seem to be ahead of the curve. Either that or the countertop manufacturers are behind.

All in all, Cambria stood by their prouduct and although it wasn't the smoothest part of our project it worked out in the end. Thank you again Cambria for standing by your product!

Bottom line, the two slabs I received were chosen for me- I did not get to choose. I want and deserve that opportunity because I paid thousands of dollars for something that is so wrong. Cambria is reviewing this again and I'm hoping for a positive outcome. Matt's countertops in this original post look just like mine and his were replaced no questions asked. Mine are IDENTICAL to his so there should be no reason to deny me what I deserve.

This has been a very interesting read. Will be in the market for Quartz in the next year. All info good to know. Had no idea Quartz can have pattern problems due to manufacturing process. With such a high end product, you'd thing there would be a quality control step before it leaves the yard. Thanks to everyone.

Brown Dog, there definitely is a quality control process for Cambria that reportedly works the majority of the time. But nothing is perfect and mistakes can happen.

Which is why a simple set of high-res photos of a customer's pending slab for approval would be so helpful. It wouldn't eliminate jerky customers but it would serve the rest of us immensely.

Hopefully in the near future this is a process Cambria can incorporate into the buying process. This would avoid the element of surprise while providing a sense of confidence to the consumer.

I got a call on Friday that my countertops are being replaced!! I'm so happy and thankful for this post, I think it played a huge part in this getting done. I will update once everything gets done!!

I read this post prior to choosing countertops for my old but great shape oak cabinets. I also had talked to a designer who raved about cambrias product. I went to a stone place and ultimately did pick cambria crowndale for my kitchen. They called me to view it once the slab came in which i did. It was installed and I am very pleased. I have had it for several months and remain happy. I will say that there is one area that has not a blotch but a 3-4 inch diffuse white area on the crowndale, inconsistent with the rest of the pattern, but it is close to my wall and where I put my kitchenaid. I did not notice that when I looked at the slab. I would bevery unhappy with the blotches shown in previous pictures and also recommend viewing the slab but all in all, I do love my countertop and the product.

Congrats on your new countertop! It's beautiful.

You were very lucky to have had the opportunity to see your actual slab prior to templating; many of us are denied the ability to do that!

@cambria why is the experience so inconsistent? The standard templating process should be like that of granite - that a customer has the option to at least see, and ideally select, their specific slab prior to templating. Why are so many customers denied this by templating companies? The general excuse is, "We get whatever Cambria sends us."

"I will say that there is one area that has not a blotch but a 3-4 inch diffuse white area on the crowndale, inconsistent with the rest of the pattern,"

This is probably a resin pool. It's a feature not a bug, at least according to Cambria:

" An inherent characteristic of many Cambria designs includes color blotches which are there to enhance the natural beauty and depth."

I love my Cambria, but we all know that's marketing spin to imply intention to a product element that isn't intentional and no one actually seeks. :-D

Hello DCF-Z6A, as the manufacturer Cambria ships our natural quartz surfaces to distribution centers all across the country. Our high-purity quartz and proprietary processing technology allows us to create stunning slabs that are unique, yet consistent in pattern for each design. To ensure the final layout fits the look you prefer we recommend working with your fabricator or installer. Should you require any assistance during this process our Cambria customer care team can be reached at 866-226-2742 to assist before, during, and after the installation.

Thanks for the reply @cambria. My KD - very experienced in general and with Cambria - worked with his authorized fabricator, yet I was told under no circumstances do customers pick out a slab, nor do they see their slabs once shipped to the fabricator. This is not uncommon, according to many Houzz pros and commentors. (At the time of my reno I posted in multiple threads here trying to get a handle on the process and attempt to clarify why some people were saying they saw their Cambria slab and others could not. There was no consistency to the experience.)

Can you confirm that authorized fabricators are allowed and encouraged to let customers pick specific slabs?

Can you explain why authorized fabricators provide varying installation experiences? (In other words, why each authorized fabricator doesn't allow customers to pick specific slabs or, at the very least, to see and approve their slab in person prior to templating?)

Yours is a beautiful but expensive product that should be seen and approved by customers every time to minimize surprises. My counters were installed sight unseen - I saw them for the first time when they showed up on my doorstep on installation day. Is this common and acceptable?

@cambria this thread demonstrates the confusion and inconsistency of experience, voiced by both pros and customers.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5690002/need-cambria-experts-is-it-possible-to-pick-a-specific-slab

Following .... about to make a very large countertop purchase myself

DCF-Z6A, thank you for the compliment on our product. Cambria's authorized fabricators are selected based on a shared value in highly skilled craftsmanship and commitment to customer service. As a manufacturer, we do not control how our partners operate their businesses or conduct project completion. Our dedicated customer care team is always happy to assist customers and partners should any questions or problems arise. If you would like to discuss your specific project please do not hesitate to give us a call at 866-226-2742.

Thank you! So every fabricator is different, every experience is different.

Now maybe those quick-to-criticize Houzz Pros will lay off berating advise-seeking OPs for not viewing Cambria slabs prior to purchase. Not every fabricator enables customers to do it.

(LOVE my Cambria, regardless!)

"As a manufacturer, we do not control how our partners operate their businesses or conduct project completion."

Ain't that the truth. I've got a thread on here somewhere about when I went to a new open house and saw 4' wide 2cm Cambria spanning 4' or so with no support framing. There was a waterfall holding up one end and unless someone sits on it first, gravity will pull the miter joint at the waterfall apart. It has to, it's physics.

So when it inevitably fails, the plaintiffs lawyers will still be able to read the big Cambria logo on the back when they reassemble the pieces. Somehow I don't think "As a manufacturer, we do not control how our partners operate their businesses or conduct project completion." is gonna hold up real well in court. Especially when they know that Cambria knew about it before it failed. Maybe you guys fixed it already. I hope so.

GOOD LUCK....WE HAVE A WHITE RING WHERE A PAPERTOWEL HOLDER SITS AND CAMBRIA WOULDNT FIX IT!!!!😡😡

Joanne:

Sorry, but a paper towel holder does not make a ring on Cambria or any other engineered stone. I'm betting what you have is a hot pot mark and a fibber. Picture please.

I got a callback on a $12,000.00 Zodiaq job. Customer alleged a candle had etched the top. His kids had leaked a battery charger that etched the top and they put the candle over the etch. Dupont flew a rep out twice; we got it fixed even though it was clearly customer abuse.

Hello Joanne, our senior services manager would like to connect with you to assist. Would you be able to give our Cambria customer care team a call at 866-226-2742 and request to speak with Chris Donaldson? Thank you.

I’m sorry to add onto a thread with more complaints, but we are in a horrible bind with our Cambria slab order and as a result have been displaced from our home and our entire kitchen remodel delayed over a month. We’ve had to incur all costs of housing and a rental car (we are out of town), and there is still no resolution in sight. We ordered two of the Britannica Warm slabs which were due to be installed prior to Thanksgiving. They arrived and were so far apart in color that our fabricator rejected them because they’ll both be used in our kitchen. No slabs were available so new ones had to be produced with a new arrival date of 12/11 (install 12/18)...now a full month delay and we have no sinks in our house since all countertops are being replaced so we couldn’t return home. Second set of slabs arrived and SAME problem AGAIN. fabricator returned slabs and told us that Cambria’s response was “you shouldn’t order this if you require two slabs in a kitchen.” Which our developer says is crazy because our kitchen isn’t even that big! Keep in mind we are now out thousands of dollars without any compensation. Cambria is supposedly sending some new slabs now from Minnesota...but no promises and the install date is now post Christmas (12/28). We now are potentially having to pay $700 to get plywood counters and temp sinks installed just so we can get back home and kids can be home for Christmas. But then we will have to leave AGAIN for them to do the install if and only if these next slabs work. And we can’t be in the house with the workers over multiple days because my husband is a high risk patient. And since all work has been delayed due to countertops (ie plumbing, tile backsplash, etc), we are looking at an additional time we have to find (and pay for) another home. I know these are first world problems but it’s unacceptable for Cambria to not take accountability and just say “you shouldn’t order two slabs.” Even our installers are over it and asking us to consider changing countertops away from Cambria, but we spent so much time finding what we wanted and now we've gone through so much trouble we really want the vision we had and not settle. We didn’t pay for this remodel to settle. Please help. What are our options? Our fabricator is saying Cambria is just throwing up their hands. And now 20 more days before new slabs! appreciate any thoughts on how we can truly get a resolution with the product we want as well as be fairly treated regarding the costs we have incurred. Thanks so much.

^This is what happens when people fall in love with a countertop. Love makes you irrational. Were I Cambria, I would be so flattered that no matter how much I break the hearts of the unrequited, they still wait and put up with my grief. You are smitten with your unemployed bad boy from the biker bar that's behind in his child support. He is behaving consistently with you. Love is great for countertop sales though.

Cambria had no control over who demolished the existing tops and sinks, and when they did so on this remodel. You don't need to pull tops to template.

Is it not normal to demolish the area prior in order to efficiently prep a remodel??

I love my Cambria but if they'd produced unsatisfactory slabs twice - especially in my KD's opinion! - I'd be re-envisioning my kitchen and shopping elsewhere. The reno gods are trying to tell you something. Listen to them! You've been out of your home far too long. Find a beautiful slab of available granite and GO HOME. (Here's hoping you find a resolution quickly. Living in limbo is MISERABLE.)

Thanks all! Heard back from Cambria and they are working to resolve quickly. Here’s hoping! But you’re right. Regardless, time to head home. Onward we go.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC, while I appreciate your detailed analogy (poetic :)) and agree Cambria isn’t accountable for when countertops are removed, we are doing a complete remodel and for it to be done efficiently, it assumes all providers and sub contractors will do their part. So to get kitchen cabinets updated, countertop had to be removed. In this case, Cambria IS accountable for an error twice (and they accept that). I don’t blame our GC for running a detailed and efficient project plan.

Always good to get the facts before assuming someone is so smitten they’ll make stupid decisions.