stop the check. We'll talk again later after that.

I'd still be in a hurry to stop payment. Let them sue YOU in small claims court! If you've paid and they've cashed the check, you have NO leverage to get them to fix the problem.

But billip makes a good point -- make sure you carefully retrace the situation in your mind so that you can accurately assess how a fact-finder would view the facts.

If the installer knew or should have known they were creating a problem with the sink, shoved a form in front of your face and said, "sign here" and didn't give time to read it, then I'd say you're in ok shape. If you inspected it closely, saw the crack and said, "I guess that's fine" and then had a change of heart, you'll have a little more difficulty. Also, check to see if you signed any sort of release (because you were using a sink not provided by them.) If you signed nothing at all -- it's your word against his and I'd say you're good.

In any event, they're saying that their installer said there was a crack BEFORE he installed? Then get him on the stand in small claims court, ask him if he recognized the crack ahead of time and then ask him why he installed the counter over a cracked sink, and banged the sink repeatedly after seeing a crack? Story doesn't hold up. Either he saw a pre-existing crack and was putting his work (and the further stability of the sink) at risk by installing, or he didn't really see a crack, but he took a calculated risk by banging the sink into place.

Note: this is why I irritate the heck out of everyone because I read every "sign-off" sheet and form that's put in front of me. (Even if it's as simple as "release subject to repair or replacement of sink cracked during installation, to homeowner's satisfaction.") I have even marked up release forms sent to us by our kids' schools (for field trips). I still remember our home inspector calling in to his office, "yeah, the homeowner won't agree to the forum for resolution of disputes". Yes, I was a lawyer before I was afflicted by TKO -- bless my poor husband and children.

That said, my comments are NOT legal advice. You may want to get some local legal counsel, though, especially if this is headed to small claims court. In the meantime, see if you can deal with them via email or letter so that you have a paper trail.
Good luck!

stop the check. that will facilitate the conversation you need to have. it's that simple. good luck.

"I have learned that everyone is "nice" when they are trying to get your business but that can fall apart when they need to take responsibility for mistakes." Truer words were never spoken...experiencing that right now with a cab problem. The guy was super-nice/responsive during ordering...now won't return my emails to fix a mistake. If it wasn't for the wise people on this forum, I'd probably just "live with it"...but seeing so many others refuse to roll over and let these "unprofessionals" win gives me the guts to fight too.

Thanks to influential forums like these, Angie's list and other media outlets, we have real power to make life a good deal more miserable for these folks than we ever could in the pre-internet past....and hit 'em where it really hurts...curtailing their new business. I've seen that yield results far faster and better than working through the costly, inefficient court systems.

stop the check in order to begin talk (not in order to wait for them to take action). Tell them another check is ready and waiting. Bait.

I know this may not be helpful now after the fact, but the soapstone installer who installed my counters around my Rohl Original Shaw farm sink told my contractor NOT to permanently attach the sink to the cabinet before the soapstone install. He wanted to be able to move it around slightly. So he did not install any plumbing into it before the counters were installed. If you do end up installing a new sink and counters, you might want to talk to the installers about this.

Thank you for all the responses, the advice and especially the emotional support and hugs. I don't know if I feel more stupid or more wronged by all that has taken place. The check was cashed the day I wrote it (Tuesday). I should have called the bank right away and I have only myself to blame for that.
I've talked to the owner. At this point I am not sure how this will get resolved. I will be sure to update you all.

Thanks again. I really appreciate hearing from each one of you.

Good luck - I too can relate on that weird feeling of powerlessness that can come over you faced with a supposed professional telling you "that's how we always do it!"

I'm going to print out what Marcolo wrote: "Shake yourself out of it, buck up and defend your home." and keep it in my pocket for whenever I am feeling worn down and tired of telling the contractor for the 10th time, "Yes, I'm particular," and "No, it's still not right!!"

Ohh Sayde, I have been away..just read your sad story. I do hope you get some satisfaction for your sink... on all counts.

Can't wait to see the Vermont Danby Eureka...am sure once your DH does the honing that it will look the way you dreamed it would.. You two have come so far on this DIY project....Sending many hugs and whatever support you need... Please keep us all updated....we are behind you every step of the way!

he check was cashed the day I wrote it (Tuesday). I should have called the bank right away and I have only myself to blame for that.

That does not mean the check has not cleared or that you cannot put a stop payment on it anymore. Call your bank.

I feel for you and am so sorry you are being treated like this. I had a bad experience recently with a fireplace installer/company owner. Nice up front, but then turned intimidating, rude, and downright scary. I was afraid of him too. They think they can bully you around. Usually it seems like its just with women. Your guy had the b@lls to do it with your DH there too.

Keep trying to work it out. The point about the guy saying he knew there was a crack and did his version of an install anyway is a good one. Make that clear with the owner. My fabricator has been very sweet and helpful, but it does make me wonder what would happen if her installer screwed up.

Good wishes to you for a calm resolution.

I'm so sorry! I hope that you can get it resolved.

I don't know if you have any recourse with stopping the check if they already cashed it. I think there were laws changed a few years ago that moved funds out of your account electronically instead of needing a paper copy, so it's more immediate than it used to be.

It's sad that people can try to intimidate and take advantage of people that way.

Sayde,

I am tuning into this late. Please do not feel badly, you
have indeed been wronged by all that has taken place.
And sometimes when we have been taken advantage of we
are so busy trying to be fair to everyone we forget that
others can take advantage of us.

You were being the good marble buyer. Kind, cooperative,
supportive, helpful and yet your insides had anxiety.
That anxiety was your mind telling you this was wrong.
But being the kind person you are, it was hard to be
objective.

Now you know, and can move forward. Don't beat yourself
up. You are not the first person to trust an installer
to be honest and fair back to you.
They know they broke it, I wish they would fix it.
You can still try to get the money back or some kind of a
discount. Maybe they will rise to the honorable thing.

Thinking of you and hoping you have some peace with this
and more importantly to forgive yourself. You trusted
and this installer did not deserve your kindness.
~boxerpups

sayde... i'm so sorry.

please don't beat yourself up, though. we had a similar experience with a carpet installer at our last house. man, he was a THUG. and i signed that paper at the end that it was all satisfactory because i just wanted him out. he ruined brand new baseboard molding and a new marble fireplace hearth. my dh was home, too.

it's REALLY hard under those circumstances to do the right thing. how can you do what you would "normally" while being intimidated? it's kind of like being held hostage!

i really hope this works out in the end. sending you hugs.

I can't believe that anyone with any level of competence would try to move a sink that was still attached to the plumbing.

Oh boy..........

Sayde, I was so sad reading of your experience. Hopefully this company will stand behind the damage and make it right for you, please let us know how it goes.

I do want to clarify a common misnomer mentioned above. A debit card transaction can only be reversed if you did not authorize the transaction, you cancelled the transaction(s), the transaction was incorrectly billed or in the case of fraud and/or compromise. A credit card will give you a broader scope of protection and imo is the best instrument of payment during a remodel.

This really was painful to read. I am so sorry. Please do something. You don't deserve this. Send a letter to the company, cc: the local TV consumer helpline. I am so sorry.

I can't add any advice that hasn't already been stated, but I can offer my sympathy. I went through a similar experience and haven't seen a resolution. But since it's not as major a deal as a cracked $$$ sink and badly honed $$$ marble, I'd rather just fix the mistakes myself and not have them back in my house.

My parents-in-law generously paid for our drywall to be finished in our master suite and attic room as a Christmas present last year. We weren't living in the house at the time so the crew had a key and was in the house without our direct supervision much of the time. Well, I caught the workers smoking in the house (did I mention I was 8 months pregnant and prone to migraines?), they ended up breaking two of the attic windows, their mudding was amateur at best, their punch list is a mile long, and worst of all, they still have a key to our house! Our only consolation is a new alarm system and an overfriendly dog who hasn't learned not to jump on everybody who enters the house. I can't help with your specific problem, other than offering service of a dog with painfully long toenails :)

"The check was cashed the day I wrote it (Tuesday). I should have called the bank right away and I have only myself to blame for that."

"That does not mean the check has not cleared or that you cannot put a stop payment on it anymore. Call your bank."

Marcolo, if you take a check to the bank it's drawn on, it gets cashed immediately and you're out the money unless it can be proven to be fraudulent (aka not signed by you, amount falsified, etc.)

We need to get out of the habit of thinking bank float is something reliable. Credit card rules are FAR BETTER for consumer protection.

This really was painful to read. I am so sorry. Please do something. You don't deserve this. Send a letter to the company, cc: the local TV consumer helpline. I am so sorry.

I was speaking to the head of US customer service of a multinational company yesterday (no naming names as I am hoping to work things out for a fair resolution), and it got to the point that I had to mention being an active member of a renovating forum and that I had been detailing my experiences and would feel honor bound to detail any new developments honestly. The conversation shifted a little after that. While your guy may not have a problem with GWers not using their services, they undoubtably have heard of Facebook, Yelp and Angie's list. I would not start the conversation with that tidbit, but make it clear that you have given yourself time to reflect on the situation and as it stands "it is not acceptable". I have worked that phrase to death in the past few months, way more than I ever expected needing to. I have done so in a firm tone and also with a smile. I have used it with a slightly raised quickened voice and a slow steady one. It is the one thing you need to remember going into a reno.
Even I, with my penchant for getting what is fair, let myself down on one point and I kick myself about it daily as it has made my work harder. I wanted to have the moldings left off the walls until after it was painted and to paint at least 1 coat over the primer before installation. The gc told me they do not do that. What I should have said was, "well, this is my house and what you have done for other people is their business. What I want done is to not have them installed until the right time chosen by myself and my dh." AND, if he had balked at that, remind him who is paying and who works for whom. I did not do that and there have been numerous hours wasted painting moldings next to walls carefully, and walls next to moldings. I have only myself to blame as I knew it clearly was a mistake to not press for that. I had been tired of all the other times I had had to insist with just about everyone at some point who was working on our house to do something the proper way, to fix something, to show up, or to just close the darn door to the outside completely in a NY winter instead of half latching it and having it fly open repeatedly. I am now at the point that I want to kick some booty because things are not going well and I should not have to nag or beg to get professionals to complete their work properly (or at all). If they hate me, so be it. Lately, I am a nag for wanting my heat and hot water to work, my ruined floor to be replaced, my faucet's leak to be stopped, my dw to be mounted to something (anything!), the ruined cover panel to be replaced (week 4 waiting) and to be able to use my stove that is just standing there....
But I digress....

If it is not in your nature to speak up strangers, speak up to dh and let him run with this. Not because you can't but because some people listen better to a man and he can be bad cop to your good cop. FWIW - my dh will rail about how things are being done with raised voice and colorful language, but no one but the kids or I see that. To the gc and subs, he is a sweetheart and I am a bee-atch. I know that I have to be the public meanie, and so I am when it is necessary. It is better to have someone do the right thing because you spoke up and maybe got on their nerves than to live with the resentment of having been screwed and then anger at yourself for allowing it to happen that way.

Oh I am so sorry. Do cancel the check until you can get the whole thing figured out. At the very least they should pay for the sink repair. I think that they owe you a new sink and re-do your cabinets and counters to fit the new Rohl/Shaw sink. That being said I am in a similar situation.

We used a well known (in our area) design/build firm to remodel the upstairs of our 2 story house with plans to continue with the main floor. It is a very high end job and will be 7 figures before we are done. :0 The designer and head/part owner of the firm made us feel like we were personally attacking them whenever we pointed something out or tried to get things the way we wanted, so I know how you feel about the intimidation.

Because of that we ended up with a goofy cabinet layout in our $90K masterbath! I could scream and cry. Everyone admits that the lay out is horrible. The questionable interior designer (president of the interior design association here) was so concerned with the tile work in the bath that she did not pay attention to what she was doing with the cabinet layout. It is awful but we are stuck.

I hope you get your sink repaired and new counter tops!

Most incredible? They actually think we might use them for the main level with the kitchen involved. Not a chance!!

Oh do I have empathy for you! I am going through something similar right now. This is not the time to go through my personal woes right now, when you are still stinging from yours. As far as the kitchen goes, I remind myself that bottom line, it is the food and the people, not the room that is important.( over and over and over again) My issue is that I have already given the same contractor a payment on outside work he began and I know that if I fire him now, I will be living with a missing front porch and my front door nailed shut.

Isn't it funny how some contractors are so accommodating and pleasant until they are in a position to hold you over a barrel. Arrrrrrgh! You can be sure that my experience will be shared on local internet forums once the job is complete....if ever.

I think another thing to write on the palm of our hands is this question, "...and who is paying whom?"

Sometimes the answer to why I want things done in a certain way, is because I want them done that way! It's odd, too. Of all the "weird" things I've asked for in this house I'm rebuilding MYself, not a single, paid person hasn't turned around to say, "Ah, that's cool."

Sometimes our vision IS good. Bullies get thru life with intimidation and won't hesitate to use it on a homeowner, obviously.
What would you tell your kids if someone were pressuring them to accept something they found unacceptable or just plain wrong? Say the same things to yourself.

Just really sucks.

Christine
Formerly C F Muehling

CEF is exactly right. Sometimes we need to act like our own best friend and do what we would tell them to do. I recently had a co-worker looking at our house while the counter person was trying to do something that was not right. It was terribly awkward and yet, I persisted in saying it was not ok to do it that way and in the end, it will be done the proper way. My co-worker told me that they were impressed I stood my ground, yet I felt so embarrassed that this went on in front of him and that I was coming across as so stubborn and unyielding (and wasted his time in what was supposed to be a happy progress tour). Goes to show you, you have to get over feeling icky and just stick to your guns. I don't have to live with the counter guy once this is done, but I do have to live with the repercussions.
We all hate bullies and would defend a loved one if we saw them getting pushed around. Why not defend our own rights?
Play some kick butt music before you go to their business or call them on the phone. Psych yourself up and then stand your ground. They won't know what hit them!

sayde, I'm so very sorry. Sending a hug. I don't know what else to say. I hope everything works out easily and quickly so you can enjoy your new kitchen as soon as possible.

Becky

Go back and reread dianalo's 22:09 post -- first paragraph. They've got your money and you've got there mess. That doesn't mean you are without leverage. Be patient but be persistent and don't take no for an answer. Get your sink replaced -- the honing on the marble is an easy fix. Don't lose sleep over that, but let's get your sink taken care of first.

I too am sending you big hugs and telling you to not give up. I know how defeated you feel and please know that each of us has been in the same position as you are.

At the end of the reno, with chaos and destruction before it's nice again, we each have so little energy left for these kinds of challenges.

Others have raised the issue of the crack in the sink before. If they saw the crack in the sink before they did the work, do you think they behaved in a NEGLIGENT manner by going forward with the install?

You said your husband installed the disposal successfully before the install. Would it have been customary and safe practice to uninstall the disposal before monkeying around with the clay sink? (I am only guessing on this one)

And the nice owners were not so nice b/c they honed the surface with resultant wipe marks, drips and varying patches. They are not nice owners. They are crooks. Please take pictures again and again until this shoddy work is accurately represented.

Now give yourself some time to rest from this ordeal- Give hugs to your husband. Hold his hand. Look around the kitchen at all the nice things you have done. Feast your eyes on what makes you happy. Verbally identify the tasks you completed satisfactorily. Pat yourself on the back for those.

Don't be ashamed that you were victimized. Don't be embarrassed that you didn't assert yourself and wrote out the check. You were intimidated. The owners were hoping for that.

Keep in mind that there were at least 2 sins here, the negligent sink install, and the poorly, sloppily honed marble. The poorly honed marble is indisputable. The owners of the small family business did that, clearly.

Other forum members have suggested avenues to complain and get restitution. JGS is a lawyer-reread what she said.

Don't blame the victim in this case-and you are the victim.

D- some time ago you offered words of wisdom and comfort
to me. I haven't forgotten. We are with you on this.

Sayde, I'm so sorry to read of your woes. Nothing to add to the excellent advice here but, as westsider said, you have friends here, no matter how it turns out.

You're close to the finish line - hang in there!

((hugs))
Eliz

Just want to say thank you again for all the support, advice, comfort. I cannot tell you how much it has meant to me to hear from each and every one of you. I am frankly amazed at the outpouring of good wishes from this community and I am deeply grateful.

I will update you all on this -- promise.

Sayde,

I just want to say how sorry I am that you are going through this. I totally understand that feeling of anger and disappointment when something brand new is either ruined or messed up by some incompetent moron who believes that it is no big deal and that you are just supposed to carry on as if is perfect. UGH! This pees me off and I am mad for you. In fact the more I type the angier I get. I have already had to make two phone calls this week because of incompetence and in one case greed. These were not related to home remodeling but have the same principal. Again, I am so sorry. I wish I lived closer or I would go let them have it for you because I am on a roll this week! Don't let it lie....

Shannon

Sayde-
Just want to offer my support; unfortunately I don't have any practical advice that hasn't already been proposed by this great community. I also have felt intimidated during my renovation, or made to feel silly when I ask lots of questions, so that struck home with me. But I also surprised myself by sticking to my guns, voicing my opinions, and saying no more than I ever thought I would/could. Going through a remodel, strange as it sounds, kind of gave me a backbone!

I agree with some of the above posters who mentioned social media if you can't get a satisfactory result from the company. Even international corporations have been shamed into action by youtube videos, twitter feeds, or facebook pages--and yes, this forum as well. You would think they'd want to make it right rather than risk the negative publicity?

Good luck to you, and I hope you are able to achieve a satisfying resolution.

typo: principle. Sorry.

typo: principle. Sorry.

Very tough, emotionally and practically. So sorry you must go through this added to all the previous woes. (((sayde))).

Lots of good advice and sympathy here. We have all needed and appreciated that support when things go wrong -- I found it indispensable in figuring out what to do and how when cabinets went wrong in K1.

Thank you again for all the support. You all have been the silver lining to this awful storm.

I contacted Rohl and sent a photo of the crack. Although I clearly explained the circumstances -- that the crack was caused by the installer hitting the sink -- Rohl has said that they are going to replace the sink. The man I talked to called it a thermal crack. I am totally surprised as I contacted them to seek guidance on whether it could be repaired or needed to be replaced, never expecting to be given a replacement. I had fully expected that I or the fabricator would have to bear the cost of the replacement. But Rohl said based on the photo they are going to replace. I just need to navigate the return process through the original seller.

I still intend to ask for compensation for the cost of redoing the whole front of the cabinet, the plumbing, etc. as well as the really bad honing job. There are wipe marks that are clearly visible, and some very rough spots

The cabinets are made out of original gumwood. We are going to have to find more old gumwood doors to get the wood to make the new front. My DH is not happy about this at all. And, the marble is now in, making the whole thing that much more difficult. Actually I don't even know if it is possible to get the new sink in with the marble in place. We will get someone here to give us some advice on whether and how to do this.

Thank you all for your kind words and support. I appreciate it so much!

Yay, sayde : ). I hope everything else goes as smoothly. And three cheers for Rohl!

I hope you're able to enjoy your weekend now...

Becky

wow, sayde!

at least Rohl was willing to help!

i'm glad something has turned out for the good.

and i hope you will get compensation for what needs to be redone. hope this means you can get back on track.

get some rest. this has been very draining, i'm sure.

more hugs to you. thanks for keeping us posted.

How Funny!!!

See? Just like my extra Kohler farm sink I now have in the barn. You never know what the manufacturer is going to do.

Hang in there, Sayde. Let this nice success (and great gesture on the sink people) give you heart in dealing with those weasels who crapped out your countertops.

What the heck do you have to lose by persuing some of the avenues suggested here. As the bug guy on the King of the Hill show said to a post office guy who wouldn't fix a stupid name problem, "You don't want to mess with me. I am unemployed & have a two line phone...."

I think, try some of the methods and since you don't get anything from the fabricators, the only thing you should do is copy them on every single complaint you file, everywhere. Watch 'em freak out and whine "that they weren't given the chance to address the issues...." And don't let them off the hook on the sink. The crack was a not before-there after thing.

As they ask, "Ya feel me?" [LOL]

Christine

The concern I have is that Rohl needs the number from the bottom of the installed sink. I have to take it out in order to be reimbursed for the new sink. I just don't know how we are going to take it out, with the marble over the top, and the cabinet below. We just haven't figured out how to do this. It means an entirely new cabinet front as well to conform to the new sink. The current one was not built to be taken apart, ever. I guess we need to take this one step at a time and figure out exactly what would be entailed in doing this.

Do you know a smallish child with a flashlight? How about taking a video of the underside with great lighting? You may be able to see the number once it is magnified up on a screen. Do they need to just know the number or is it something that will be cut out? Is it possibly noted on the paperwork that came with the sink? If you do take out your sink, how long would you be without until the new one came? I'd hope they'd rush it to you or let you pay for the new one and credit you back when you can prove you removed the old one.

Sayde - I only just saw this cause i've been gone a long time. I just want to say that I've gone through a lot of similar circumstances (especially the intimidating contractors). My last contractor most likely cracked my sink as well - same sink as yours. Rohl stood behind mine, too. My cracked sink (way more hairlines than just one, btw!) was under-mounted and very tightly hand-scribed around a sink that was pushed in almost flush to the fronts of the lower cabinetry (due to needing to reach a wall-mounted faucet). The good news is that the new contractor was able to safely remove the old sink in one piece without harming my easy-to-dent stainless countertop (although 14 gauge but still, it could happen with such a heavy sink!) and he also didn't have to hurt the base the sink sat on nor the cabinet doors of course which cna just come off. The face frame did have to be removed/replaced in that area but that was no big deal but the scribing had to be redone. However mine was very difficult scribing since the sink was pushed in flush and most Shaws sink stick out proud so it wouldn't be as costly to have any scribing redone. Then, we found another Shaws sink with similar dimensions (took a bit of looking but not long) and it's now in place, looking good. We have a much more beautiful scribing job now in fact cause the last guy did a pretty horrific job (new face frame too but that's cause he'd made other mistakes too so it was worth it).

So I wanted you to know that under-mounted Shaws sinks can indeed be replaced. Whether or not it's a durable enough sink - and won't crack again - is another matter but I'll just have to take it one day at a time!

How did it all turn out for you!?

Sayde, another option is to see if you can take a photo of the sink -- just get a camera in there enough to aim it, and then put it on your computer screen where you can blow it up. It doesn't need to be clear -- just enough that you can make it out. And you can try again if you need to.

Just wanted to post an update to all this.

We managed to get the old sink out. Once we sent the photo we were promptly sent a replacement sink -- which turned out to be one of only 10% that are right hand rather than left hand offset. We had to wait an extra week as Quality Bath was closed for Passover but once they reopened they promptly agreed to pick up the right hand sink and send out a left hand sink. This got delayed as they had to inspect inside and confirm it was a LH sink -- Rohl doest not label he boxes. All in all, though, both Rohl and Quality Bath were very good to deal with.

We got the new LH sink in under the marble. The reveal around the sink is not quite even, as the marble had been templated to the former sink. I guess the only way to address this now would be to slightly shave a bit off the marble on one side. I don't even know if this can be done. At the moment we are living with it as it is. We are just relieved that we were able to get it in there without damaging either the marble or cabinet. The scribing of the cabinet base to the bottom contour is not as perfect around this new sink as it was before. But I think this can be addressed with a piece of trim -- it is on our to do list.

I did contact Rohl as by now I had a nice dialogue going with the customer rep there -- I wanted to have their guidance about care for the sink, in light of all I have read here about boiling water, etc. The response came back that there is no reason to be apprehensive about pouring boiling water into the sink, and "cleaning the sink you may use any kind of abrasive."

So, this episode is pretty much concluded, unless we decide to see if the marble can be adjusted. If any one has any guidance on this it would be appreciated!

Ah but I won't let it be concluded as I'm still writing to you! ;)

This happened to me too (not sure if you read two posts up or not) but I did forget to mention that I got a sink with the hole on the right side too. I decided to install it that way and just move the plumbing because I was just happy the sink fit. Plus I'm left-handed however the hole on the left seems to work better for a left-handed person cause it felt better to me; I use my left hand to scrub and my right hand to hold the dish. My husband's right-handed and says he thinks it's easier with the whole on the right. So...go figure. Oh and with the whole on the right, I can use my left hand to scrape or brush all the food to the right and down the drain so I guess in that respect it does feel more left-handed but in the end if you have a tall swiveling faucet neck, who really cares - that helps a lot.

Our reveal was off a bit too the second time around but we just evened it out best we could and made do. I don't think most people would notice the discrepancies and since our countertop installer goofed up and they had to reinstall a new (stainless) countertop after the sink was already in place, the second countertop made the reveal slightly off on the first sink before it cracked so I guess at this point I'm used to imperfection. At this point I'm hoping people's first impressions will be of the beautiful faucet and the marble backsplash tile and they won't first notice (if ever!) the fact that the reveals are slightly uneven around the sink. Wish me luck on that one!

I know more than anyone (or at least as well) how disappointing it is to have this stuff happen. I'm so sorry you had to go through any of it (including the part where you feel like an idiot and a chicken/pushover - ugh) but hopefully it's mostly behind you now - or at least that the worst of the emotionally upset feeling has passed and you're now just kinda numb - ha. Fun stuff, huh?

Question, if you come back to see this: when you wrote that you were thinking about trim, were you thinking of a drip rail? That's what I'm going to have our new contractor add to ours. Not cause the scribing is a problem (the second scribing job came out much nicer than the way the first guy did it) but because water really does splash over the top and fall onto the lower cab doors!

Sayde, I'm glad to hear that the outcome is this good. I have no advice on the marble. Wouldn't you risk harming the sink if you tried to shave off some of the marble?

I can tell you, thought, that there are several small details that I thought we REALLY needed to address in our kitchen (like a varying-width gap between the wavy old wall and the cover panel on the end of the base cab run) that we put off... and guess what? We never notice them now. I'm not going to do anything about that gap... I never notice it and neither does anyone else. Perhaps your marble reveal will be like that...???

Hi Stacey and Theresse,

First, Theresse, it sounds like we are sink sisters! Except mirror image since I am right handed! You asked about trim -- what we are planning will be like a bib or collar that hugs the sides and bottom of the sink and sits against the flat surface that is already there-- it will project about a quarter inch above or out from the current piece and will be about an inch and a quarter wide all around. We will make it out of gumwood with a nice edge and it should look like it was intended as a trim piece (we hope). But now reading your post I'm wondering if we should be thinking about a drip rail. So far no problems with water splashing out but we are just getting started using the sink.

Stacey, you are on a point that I am really curious about -- the whole issue of these little imperfections and whether to do anything about them. Of course, those that can be fixed, like the trim around the sink, we will do. But I suspect the reveal is just going to be something we have to live with. I know that most people would not notice but I really only care about us -- and we notice. I am really glad to hear you say that over time, you notice less and less.

(((hang in there)))

What a drama! Glad it all worked out. I have been there with contractors.

I think I posted this in another thread but not here --

I did write a long letter to the fabricator asking for reimbursement for the bad honing job and for the cost of deinstalling and reinstalling the sink. I got a check from them for the full amount that I asked for-- which was about 28% of the total job. That did make us feel much better.

DH rehoned the marble with an orbital sander and we resealed it. It looks fine now! We are living with the uneven reveal-- I guess it will be a continual reminder of this whole process and everything we learned from it.