Can you remove the 4-5" granite backsplash and do the entire splash in tile? I'm sorry you don't like your countertops :( Which granite did you use?

Often the backsplash is made from the same piece as the countertop unless you ask for something different. If you have a granite with a lot of movement, it's even more necessary to use the same piece. So if you bought 2cm granite, you get a 2cm backsplash, 3cm, same. It sounds like you have 3cm granite and a 3cm backsplash from the same piece. Some like the look, some hate it. I didn't like it for our kitchen so I went with just countertops and will do a coordinating backsplash but my bathrooms are marble (3cm) and I had the option of both 2cm or 3cm backsplash since it's a very simple marble and easy to match. I actually prefered the 3cm so I have that little ledge for a perfume bottle collection I plan on collecting :)

Have your granite guy take the backsplash off and then have someone (sheetrocker) work on your walls and correct what they can. Then do a tile splash. You will notice the wall problems less with tile (depending on which one you pick...choose carefully!). Also they are not as thick as your granite splash which should give you more clearance. Good luck!
Susan ~

Remove back and side splashes, cut out drywall so the backsplashes sit against the studs: you'll pick up half an inch of clearance, and the wall imperfections will be disguised.

Only work if the splashes were applied with a reversible adheasive. If it was epoxy, you're probably hosed.

All of us reach the point where we put so much time and effort into the search for perfection that we loose perspective. Live with it for a while, try and see them with fresh eyes.

tsherman-- Are these new walls in this bathroom? If so, I'd be raising all KINDS of hell with my contractor about those gaps. There's no excuse for that.

On top of that, I'm surprised nothing was said to you when the granite people came out to template. A 1/2" bow in the wall in that short a space would certainly have been seen.

I'm not sure what the granite guy was smoking when he templated. This is actually a 2nd color of granite because our first (reminent of a special order) slab was ruined when he put the sinks in the wrong place.

We talked about tiling instead of the backsplash originally, but there isn't tile on that side of the room and we thought it would look odd. I'm not sure if it would look odder than this.

I was getting ready to call the granite place to ask about the removing the sidesplashes when I realized I have another problem. When they recut the side wall of one of the vanity banks to allow for the sink (hidden under the countertop), they obviously removed the drawer completely. This wouldn't normally be an issue but these were self closing drawers that had tracks that should lock into the drawer. They broke the part of the drawer where the glide should lock in, and now the drawer doesn't close properly. This is especially frustrating because we reinfored all the glides before we installed to make sure they wouldn't be an issue later. I can't image the force they needed to use to get them out. I know I need to calm down, but I can't even see straight at this point.

I'd consider removing the backsplashes and running the mirrors down to the top of the counters if that is possible with your configuration. The wall gaps will have to be filled before the mirrors go up. Then install clear caulk at the seam where the granite meets the mirror.

With the wall that wavey, I'd float the wall.

Leave the backsplash as is, and build out the wall with drywall compound so that it covers the gap behind the splash.

You'll essentially be skim coating the wall to bring it out in plane with the straightness of the backsplash.

It will take mulitple coats...first just fill some of the lowest/most recessed areas...then on the next coat feather it out over a wider area...with the final coat being a skim coat of the entire wall so that the wall has equivalent texture on the entire surface.

Au revoir,
Mongo

Ah - the overly thick granite backsplash problem! You really have to wonder why contractors and granite people are not more explicit in pointing out that standard granite thickness is *very* thick for a backsplash, and unless you design for that thickness, you really do lose a lot of clearance on a standard install. Granite tile is thinner and works much better in terms of clearance - but doesn't look the same. Since it's granite you're using and not tile, you could do something funky and notch out the framing behind the drywall/cement board and reduce the thickness that way. At the same time, you could remud the wall and get it straighter (as suggested above).

If you've got standard drywall behind the backsplash, you could use cement backer board that's thinner than standard drywall and gain yourself maybe a quarter inch there. But a quarter inch less in the drywall/backer board and a quarter inch less on the studs will give you a half inch deep backsplash - much more normal looking and that half inch makes a big difference in cleaning/operating a faucet.

Believe me, I know.

I'm actually going to use a very thin substrate for our backsplash if it comes to it - I'm learning a lot about using the space inside of walls in creative ways. Planing off the studs even more than one-fourth an inch is easy and solves the whole problem - although, if you've got a licensed contractor, they may refuse to do it themselves.

There are times to DIY and this may be one of them (or hire a handyman who isn't licensed as a construction contractor). Your bathroom isn't going to fall down if you shave say 3/8 of an inch off the studs or use thinner backer board behind granite - it's granite.

BTW, they should have fixed that wavey wall in some way before they installed it - our granite guy absolutely refused to install until the wall was reduced in waviness, which we accomplished with sanding and filling (it wasn't more than 3/8 of an inch total in most places, though).

Moving the blacksplash back a little means that it doesn't rest completely on the countertop, so you might want to epoxy it or something like that.

You could also have that backsplash piece reworked to be thinner - any good granite shop can do it, I don't know how much it costs.

About your drawer: they who broke it need to replace the hardware - I can't quite picture your situation but it sounds like it's a tight fit. Still, perhaps they can remove some other fixture temporarily to fix it?

It is so infuriating to know how things are supposed to be done and not be able to get someone to do them the way you want. I'm interviewing plumbers right now, and communication is very important. I *know* I don't want a wide deck on my whirlpool tub and I *know* I don't want a step - nor do I want granite in my bathroom - but two plumbers came and started saying, well, I'll put this here to leave room for this or that, just in case you want a stair into your tub (!) or you want to use granite (both then gave me cards for a granite guy they knew - but I'm using glass tile that is *way* thinner than granite tile - and in a very small space where a half an inch will actually matter, at least to me).

Good luck with solving it - don't lose hope. It will feel so good when it's finally done - even if you have to force your contractor to rip things out and basically start over. It is hard to be firm with people in this situation and not lose one's temper altogether - but that's what this forum is here for - keep venting!

I'm putting in a limestone countertop. I will already have limestone tiles behind it as I am running the limestone to the ceiling behind the vanity. I am still getting a backsplash to "catch" any splashed water. After reading this post, I am going to have my fabricator file down the backsplash so it's 2cm instead of 3cm.
Thanks,
Donna

I guess there's some good in this situation if I can prevent someone from making the same mistakes.

I will say my granite company has been very nice and seems to be trying to do everything they can to "fix" things. The depth of the back and side splash stays, but they are bringing someone to remove it so I can move the outlet as well as a plumber (since I had to cancel mine due to the prior mistake) and a cabinet person (to fix the drawer). I need to get my own plumber, but I'm OK with that at this point. I'm reconsidering my mirror and going with a bigger frameless (not 80s - modern! :)) that will sit on the granite and make make things look a little more built in. The $700 price is giving me pause... but maybe after a bottle of wine tonight it will sound better. Thanks for your council!

tsherman, just make sure that mirror doesn't sit right on the granite. If water gets between the mirror and granite, the mirror starts to deterorate at that edge

Unrelated but not off-topic :)

bigger frameless (not 80s - modern! :))

Could you explain what you have in mind?

The bathroom wraps around a closet so the vanities actually make a right angle against the interior wall (with the sinks/vanities being on the outside of either side of the "L".) That being said, there are also walls right next to the ends of the vanities.

We had planned to put framed mirrors over the sinks and leave the side walls bare. (We considered medicine cabs but they either stuck out too much or looked cheap. There are so many angles there we can't have anything sticking out.) At this point,we are considering 4 mirrors - basically over the backsplashes and the sidesplashes. The mirrors would go to under the lights, not to the ceiling. What do you think?