HA! I totally hid! I peeked out when i heard them go back out to the truck though ;)

I stayed in the LR and watched tv. Every once in awhile I would take a peek-usually when they left to go back out to the truck to get another piece or when they were in the garage cutting out the faucet hole. I felt totally intimidated. When they carried in the last piece-huge section going over my peninsula that had 4' of open space underneath-I held my breath when they placed the granite down. DH had made a table like brace for underneath with 2 legs at the end but still-that's a lot of weight!!

I'm still hiding and I saw my husband just drive off to "check the cows" i.e. he's hiding too. Lots of drama this morning as we had a small snow storm and the power company just showed up to go through our pasture to get to the power lines. So granite guys had to move their truck for the power truck. Lots of trucks. Lots of guys in cold weather gear. Lots of maleness. Only me and the cows to balance out the guy thing. So I'm blogging here.

oh, hover! I was there to greet them, hold the door, took pix of them working, complimented them as they worked (our intallers were great), asked lots of qeustions. They are my countertops afterall and a huge chunk of money. so hover away.

L

You guys sound like my cats, who are afraid of big objects moving!
I would be there watching make sure they didn't scratch or mar up anything!

OK. I'm on my way to video. I'm usually very brave. It was weird.

I hovered, after reading a thread about not using Acetone on a quartz countertop. So what happened? The installer brings out this large bottle with big black letters spelling out ACETONE and sets it right on the counters. Keep in mind, I was already stressed to the max when they got there from other situations with the kitchen. When I told the installer that I had read that one shouldn't use acetone on the counter, he looked at me like I was crazy! I had him move it, and went to phone the Ceasarstone company. I guess in a way, both the posting and the installer were correct. It was okay to briefly use a small amount, but "could" damage it if a puddle was left on it.
I probably should have stayed in another room!!!!

when I, saw the truck, out side, I, peeked out the window, like a spy. And once in awhile would go down the step's real slow so they wouldn't notice me, so I, could peek. maybe I, should been a detective, instead of doing my kitchen.Lol sharaz

I hid at first cause I was so freakin nervous...at times through this reno I've wanted to go jump in the lake and just end it all. HA! Then, I just had to see my granite cause I really didn't know if I was gonna like it.....but, I DID!

Gotta go, guy is coming to measure for carpet. Wonder if I will like it? We are already calling it, "old yellar."

Good luck to you!
pup

Hide? heck no! I wanted to go stroke and caress it!! It was all I could do to stay out of their way so they could finish! lol!

I did a lot of hugging when they installed my soapstone and marble. A lot of hugging. They were probably so relieved to get out of this house. Couldn't help it-I was beyond excited, thrilled to see it going in.

The Misty Carrera Caesarstone looked different than I had remembered the sample. My contractor thought it was the wrong stuff or he had remembered it as having a little brown in it. So that's when I was had a moment of doubt. But it looks great. I will definitely need the red backsplash though to break up with light brown and white.

I let them into the house, but then retreated to the dining room during the install. Wish like hell I hadn't! While I was innocently computing away in the dining room (probably checking out you guys on GW) my Rohl Shaw's sink was getting murdered! Didn't find out until the job was done and the c-tops were already installed. Fabricator came into the dining room and asked me to the see the finished work . . . and something else. Apparently, someone let a power tool slip, idle on the rim of the sink(who knows). Bottom line is that is my lovely brand new fireclay sink ended up with several deep gouges on the rim. Now, I was stuck with an already-installed soapstone countertop on a mammoth undermounted sink and custom-scribed base cabinet. The rest of this story is so long and convoluted that it is deserving of a whole nrew thread (It's also another reason why you have yet to see fully completed photos of my kitchen!) But I do not wish to hijack.

Bottom line is this: Never again! Although I have no desire to hover, In the future I will always be clearly present, whenever really important work like this is being done. Although accidents do happen, I keep thinking that, had I been more on the scene, a bit more care would have been taken on the install. Sigh.

Oh, no. I had to see. I met them at the door and probably hovered like crazy, taking pics, etc. I tried to give them space to work by ducking into the den, but it was like Christmas morning when I was six, but better because I got what I wanted!
It is a fine line between being in the way and making sure nothing happens! Martha, I am so sorry that your sink was damaged. Don't blame yourself - accidents can and do happen like you said. It's hard to say if you being there could have prevented the damage.

I showed them where the bathroom was and told them to help themselves to beverages, then I went into the office, which is right off the kitchen, and was on the computer--probably even on GW. I was nervous, after all they did drop and break my first slab a few days prior, but I didn't want to hover or get in the way. I did take a peek after about an hour and a half or so, and was really pleased. They had changed the location of the seam so that I had tiny little seams by the cooktop, instead of a large one by my sink. I was so happy.

It also looked so much more amazing than it did in the showroom, and it was MINE!

I hid. I was so nervous that it would look terrible, or not fit. Some expensive mistake. As it happens they did make a couple of mistakes, although most mistakes we made in the shop, not by the installers, and happily I didn't have to pay for the mistakes. Anyway, the corrected slabs are to go in this Friday. The big question is: will I hide this time? I don't think so. I'll try to be brave! :)

They wanted me to be around to confirm where I wanted the holes around the sink (& they called the GC as well). It was also good that I was around to tell them NOT to seal the soapstone and that I wanted the leftovers.

Hide? NO way. I took a day off of work to be there. I wanted to see how they installed it and watch over the newly installed cabinets at the same time. My DH was there too. Good thing because there was a 1-inch problem at the end of an 8 1/2 ft granite run and a quarter size problem in the marble for the hutch and they immediately offered to take the slabs back with them and return with new ones that were perfect. We took them up on that offer.

If I had not been at work during the remodel, I would have enjoyed watching the progress. There's no way I could have retreated to another room. I'm too nosy for that.

I was lucky in that my cabinet maker insisted on being here when they came for the templating as well as installation.
I went in and out.
i had a problem with t he seal and spoke with my cabinet maker after the installer had pretty much told me that he is the expert and my opinion is worthless, but because i had been in to see (and had read the advice here) i was able to do something about it right away - ie call the rep i had dealt with and an appointment was made for their mr fixit guy to come and sort it out.

I was definitely hovering. Partly because I couldn't wait to see the finished product and partly because I was reminding them every two seconds that my cabinets are BRAND NEW and my sink is BRAND NEW and EXPENSIVE and I LOVE it. I was a little obnoxious but they all got a good laugh at my expense but it came out perfectly with no issues. I don't regret being there. It was the only way I could handle the stress!

I took pictures of every step...even the one where they realized the sink hole was cut about four inches too far to the left! Oops!

I had to work most of the time Joshua was here templating and installing my soapstone, or I surely would have been hovering the whole time. It's probably for the best that I was busy, though, as I'm sure I would have driven him nuts.

Oh, I watched - and took photos. DH even helped them carry the big island piece in! I have pics of him looking like he's just one of the guys! Mine was one that went well, with no hitches or mistake, but I was really glad I was there to watch. It's one of those exciting moments!

Hide? I was so excited I rushed to take pictures and watched the whole process. Fascinating! I loved my fabricator!