That is unacceptable if they said they would be gone after honing. If they said "most will come out" or something then perhaps that is what you recieved. I would not want those on my countertops but I haven't thoroughly researched marble enough to know if that is typical. Another question is can you live with them? Even if you were aware of them, now is the chance to change your mind before install.

We are not " before install," installation is happening right now. The installers say this is common with marble. I am not pleased. Can these be buffed or something?

Pits, fissures, mineral inclusions, and other natural features ARE common with natural stones, including marble. It's part of the patina that it will form. A little on site rubbing with a Scotchbrite pad should make them blend in better. You should learn how to do it yourself, because you will get the same or more marks in the coming years. Every time you have a glass of lemonade sit on the counter, or drop a metal spoon, you will have an etch or a small chip. Practice on these so you can handle those.

So I shouldn't worry that the pits will get bigger? They are chalky and pure white while the rest of the counter is smooth and so they are very obvious.

Sorry, I misread that they were not yet installed but were to be later today.

I think that if it's showing up now, that it is a characteristic of the marble and you are going to end up with a lot of patina. Pits, dings, scratches, edge wear,,,it's all going to continue.

That said, since you are building a period-referential house, dinged up counters could be part of the overall esthetic.

I've seen outdoor mare steps at museums that are 100 years old and have no pits. Why do my counters?

as always, hollysprings hits the bullseye in a plainspoken and accurate fashion.
right on, holly

I think it will vary by the type of marble, but also isn't your point of reference quite different?

When you are looking at old marble steps, they are really pretty rustic and scratched up. They are outside and you are walking on them. But you aren't examining them the same way as you are a piece of marble above waist height inside your house. I think if you went back and looked at those 100 year old marble steps in the same way you are looking at a marble counter, your conclusion as to their condition would be quite different.

Most marbles will ding like that. Even dropping some keys can produce little white fleabites.

Doesn't mean you should start with them like that of course! But they probably won't get bigger. They will just blend in when you get more. And HSprings is right about sanding them in a bit--they won't look quite as stark if you buff 'em.

"They will just blend in when you get more."

Yep... and you will get more!

Think, too, that you are also using a lot of unlacquered or antique satin brass, have rustic beams in the next room and are installing antique stone floors in the front part of the house. If you are going to have patina in all those respects having a countertop that ages shouldn't be too bad of a thing. It would be different if you were building something slick, but you are building a revival house and patina is one of the aspects that will help the house look like you want it to.

Sadly, there is also the possibility that her counter fabricator was as clueless as the floor subcontractor and tile subcontractor. Lots of marble counters installed at GW and I don't think many start out with pits all over them.

There were pits on the slabs when I bought them. I asked the fabricator salesperson ahead of time if they would come off when honing and she said yes. Had they said no I would have continued looking for other slabs. They said they'd use the best slab for the island no matter what. My main issue is the area show in my first picture. This is a very obvious area in my kitchen on a smaller size of marble. Surely they could have used another piece without a big pit in it. My worry with asking them to replace that piece is that they will ruin the cabinets more. They made a large scrape in one area and a series of scratches on another area. I covered the cabinets, but they pulled the coverings off because they were in the way they said. Any suggestions as to what I should do?

Is this the same installer and fabricator who told you that your soapstone was more "granite-like" and so couldn't be oiled, sealed it instead and then leathered it against your wishes? And could only tell you that it was some sort of granite-like Brazilian stone?

If they told you that the pits would be gone before installation, then I'd expect them to be gone.

How many pits and dings are we talking about? One every three feet, every 18 inches or only two in a whole island? It makes a difference.....

Nope, this is a different installer from the people who did the Soapstone.

There is a small pit in the island that I can live with. The second photo is a series of pits in about a 15 inch long area on the long run of counter on the sink wall. The first picture is a very visible large pit on a counter that projects out from a unit that has cabinet doors above (They slide away) and cabinetry below it. I can't believe they didn't think to put the part with the pit inside the unit instead of facing out. That's what I'm most annoyed about because it's the largest pit and very noticeable.

Nope, this is a different installer from the people who did the Soapstone.

There is a small pit in the island that I can live with. The second photo is a series of pits in about a 15 inch long area on the long run of counter on the sink wall. The first picture is a very visible large pit on a counter that projects out from a unit that has cabinet doors above (They slide away) and cabinetry below it. I can't believe they didn't think to put the part with the pit inside the unit instead of facing out. That's what I'm most annoyed about because it's the largest pit and very noticeable.

Can the pits be filled with anything so they are less noticeable? Also, what are they saying about scratching your cabinets?

I told them to be careful not to scratch my cabinets and they said it happens sometimes. Should I contact the owner and tell him? I'm not sure if the pits can be filled. The installers said no, but I've got a call into my sealant contact to see if they have any options.

Scratched cabinets?! I just read that!
NO, you shouldn't contact the owner. Once again your fearless GC should finally step up and handle something.

Stay out of it and make your GC deal with the subs and oversee the job.

The simple question regarding the pits is if you saw them during installation and they bothered you why didn't you stop the install? I mean I can see this discussion if you came in after they were all gone for the day but it sounds like you were there and could have said stop?

I brought up the pits to the installers, emailed the salesperson, and complained to my builder. They all vehemently suggested it was normal and that nothing could be done. I was outnumbered and had my toddler with me. It was a very stressful install for many reasons. I'll email the owner about replacing that small piece with the large and prominent chip.

But you didn't TELL THEM TO STOP. It's too late for this advice now, but I think the basic problem all along has been your concept of being "outnumbered" (outvoted, whatever) by others. The point is, it doesn't matter how many of them there are. You are the owner. YOU make the final call. If you don't like the way something is going or how something looks, YOU STOP THE PROCESS until it is resolved to your satisfaction. I know that is easier said than done, but it is seems to be at the core of much of the trouble you have had with this entire build (that and having an entire crew, from builder and maybe even the architect all the way down the line, who seem WAY over their heads with your project). They don't get to overrule you. You don't like the way it looks: TELL THEM TO STOP. Then worry about what to do. If they get pissed off and walk, fine -- get someone more competent. It is their job to ensure you are satisfied. They don't get to decide whether or not you SHOULD be. That's your call, not theirs.

If the slab had chips in it when you viewed it, it will have chips in it when installed. Honing won 't sand it smooth. It won't take off 1/4" of material. It takes off barely any.

You can fill it with an epoxy fill, no problem, but really and truly, it would be much better to accept this as only the first of many that will be in your future. An epoxy fill runs counter to building a "new-old" house. Many people in your position would actually beat it up a lot more so that it didn't have the taint of newness. Distress it to what it will become over time.

If you don't like the chips and dings, then perhaps marble was not the correct surface for you to choose for your home. Because it will only get more chips and dings and etches and other signs of use.

If you have a GC, he is the only person you should be contacting. If there is and issue you tell the workers to stop and contact the GC and only the GC. The issue of you emailing the fabricator or anyone else is not the correct procedure. That's what the GC's job on your project is and what your paying him for. Your contacting anyone else is just going to muddy the waters and make things more convoluted.

Pits will happen and you will get more. Also chips. I have a chip above one dishwasher and a couple of small chips by the sink. Also those sorts of pits, particularly to the right of my stove which is a landing spot for the microwave.

I have found no way to blend them in, etc. A scotchbrite pad does work on etches but not these. I had a couple very small ones when the marble went in and they rehoned in place. They are still there, and now I have more.

You really have to let go of any perfectionist tendancies with marble in a kitchen - which has been hard for me! Thankfully we have a walnut island which gets most of the prep action and the perimeter countertops aren't very visible unless you are working behind the island. . .

I agree that most natural stones are going to get little dings and scatches with use. I have beautiful soapstone and it is getting a bit of "patina'. However, I don't mind because they are what I put there, while cooking delicious meals for my loved ones. I was informed that this would happen with use by the company we purchsed the stone from.

However,when they were installed they were perfect. Absolutely perfect. I would not have accepted slabs with the patina already started for me. Not considering the cost of them.