If you paid with a credit card, call and cancel the payment now. If you didn't that's a bad thing.

That's probably the worst install ever posted here....really it's TERRIBLE!

we had to pay in full PRIOR to installation :(

I can see why you are upset. I would be too. In these types of situations I have to remind myself not to become emotional (when dealing with the granite person on Monday). Stay very cool headed and state the facts: you think that the notch was cut incorrectly and the gap between the granite and the wall should be fixed.

Truth be told I was warned about the granite not always laying straight up against the wall, specifically because the walls may be bowed a bit. I chose to go with the backsplash hoping that will aleviate the problem (mine hasn't been installed yet.) Maybe, just maybe, if you can deal with the granite guy....maybe he'll throw in a backsplash or get you one at a reduced price. Just remember if you lose your temper or start name-calling you will have to find another course of satisfaction. Like the previous poster said, you can always contact your credit card company and let them know you did not get what you paid for. Good luck. (((hugs)))

Oh, NO! This install looks really bad. I'm so sorry this took place. The good news is that the problems are so obvious that you will surely get some sort of repair or replacement. I agree that walls are bowed, not level, etc. but that is the whole point of the templating process and field measuring. I'm hopeful that your situation will get cleared up quickly--surely the company can't want this sort of work to represent their company in your neighborhood!

I would check the wall with a long level to see how uneven it really is, too. Man, that notch job looks terrible. So sorry for you :(

yup. real bad. no excuse for that. as someone mentioned, the walls being not level or bowed has zero to do with it, as that's the whole reason these things are custom templated and sized in the first place.

Igloochic obviously hasn't seen pics of my granite install (the first time), so if it makes you feel any better, that's not the worst install ever!!!

Looks like you're having backsplash put up, so that will cover the gap in the back- my KG is providing free backsplash cuz my gap was even bigger! You could ask innocently, what do I do about this large gap? If he doesn't offer, ASK specifically for a discount off a backsplash (but of course that only works if you want a granite backsplash, or if he deals with tiles also).

They could epoxy that crack- won't look good (will have to be covered with backsplash), but at least will stop water, debris from falling behind.

The notch around the door molding needs to be filled, if he's creative, can use more than one colour of epoxy to mimic your granite.

As for the feathering on the seams, I would like to know the answer to that too...I have definite visible feathering on one seam- they are replacing ALL my granite, so it's a moot point, BUT if they weren't, I know they can do some polishing using 'rouge' powder? But again, how much do you trust them not to make it worse?

Would like to hear from others, and from granite installers about the feathering marks.

Yep, NObody's walls are as bowed and funky and out of plumb as mine, but my countertops are flush against the wall everywhere. Then, again, I had the fabulous Florida Joshua installing mine.

I'm so sorry yours turned out like that. That job is inexcusably bad.

Oh my god...you have to fight this with the installer and get it fixed. This type of shoddy workmanship should not be accepted.

I am so sorry that you have to deal with this. Take a deep breath...call the owner of the company that installed this tomorrow. Call the credit card company too.

massagerocks,
Yes I'd like to reiterate that the walls bowed excuse does not cut it for one minute - that is what they template for. So when the guy comes tomorrow, nip that walls bowed nonsense right in the bud since you say that they did template. You can be assured that part of your price quote was for the templates they made so know that you have paid for it. When they template, they can mitigate most of these misfit ills, so be sure not to brook any discourse about uneven walls - that is a non-starter.

I don't know what you'd tolerate for the counter runs or the awful notch job by the door frame (I don't understand how you'd put granite backsplash against a door frame but then I must say I don't quite understand figures 1 and 2 either. I see the granite but I totally can't make out what the vertical surfaces are - what is the door frame? what are those 2 dark brown stripes, what is the light brown with black "stuff" in between, which is hte front of the counter, where is the door frame etc. ... ), but I would ask for the window shelves to be completely redone. Those should be a small enough piece of granite that they should be able to take this out and get you new granite for the shelves quite easily.

Good luck and hang tough.

raehelen...it sounds like you and I have been on similar paths of hell over the last year or so. I'm so sorry to hear that there's a worse job than this one....sheesh I hope you don't drink as much as I do now ;oP

Maybe the slab seemed to be too long because the person templating assumed that the drywall would be cut and notched for the granite to accommodate wall irregularity (a normal practice if the granite is not cut to exactly fit), but it wasnÂt. No matter--either a mistake in measuring or a mistake in installation, the notch you show is a botched attempt to fix the situation, and, to me, the mess is clearly the responsibility of the granite guy. Unfortunately itÂs too late now to cut the wall since the granite corner has been knocked off. He should at least remove that section and shorten it with a finished bull nose. I wouldnÂt accept a patch job. Of course you still have the problem of excessive gaps other places. And if he canÂt fix the slab, he then should replace it. And if everything was matched, you should expect it to be matched again, even if it means that all pieces have to be replaced. And for scratches at the joint, that too seems to be due to poor/inexperienced installers. Sometimes things like this happen. You will be inconvenienced, but in the end you want it right. However, be ready to expect that the granite guy will offer you a discount if you accept the job as is or with some level of repair. If you want it perfect, then demand that.

Who was your granite company? We had these same type of issues with out install. After the backsplash went up (we did a tile one) it does look great.....but we did get a credit from them because they had to notch into our wall due to our granite being too long. The gaps were covered by the tiles....and same issue-you can feel the seam-but there is only one seem and they were a couple thousand dollars cheaper then 3 other quotes we got...so I live with it-you can hardly see it-and how many other people will rub there hand over it to see if they can feel it?

Here is a link that might be useful: My Kitchen

Igloochic,

Yup, it's been quite a travail! (sp?) Funny you should mention hell...my KG said today that my DH and I have been 'saintly' in our patience!

massagerocks,

I was where you are, (Only my install was worse- trust me), last December. I couldn't sleep after they left (installed late one Saturday night- honest), and had to phone them Monday after spending hours and hours on this forum and on Stone Advice Forum. Long story short, they replaced some of the granite, only to find that of course, it didn't match the original- they are now going to take it ALL out and start from scratch- again! I'm actually going to change the granite, as it looks like the New Butterfly Blue is quite different from the OLD BB. The granite guys on the SA forum predicted this scenario, and though some of them were fairly harsh, they did turn out to be right... I really didn't want to hear it when they told me last December.

So, my advice, is, not to accept granite installation as it stands today- see if they offer some solutions to make it acceptable to you- and go on the SA forum (be prepared with a thick skin) and see what the fellows there have to say.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ask for more advice here

The walls are unbelievably bowed, funky and wacked out in our 100+ year old home. So when we did our template, we made sure we got it exactly right. Our stone fit was amazing!! I couldn't believe how easily it went in and fit so perfectly against the walls. We were total rookies in this process. Bowed, unlevel, funky walls are no excuse for poor workmanship on your counters. Be truthful and kind with your concerns and ask for the resolution that would best satisfy you. You may have to negiotiate but make your expectations known up front. Hugs and good luck.

thank you for all your comments. thank you raehelen for the link to the SA, i didnt know about it and i will post there also.

an installer came today, and said "this happens alot, we'll just caulk it. There needs to be some play in the counters". i cant believe they commonly cut countertops to extend over door frames. I told them to put the caulk away, because it's not an acceptable solution. What if i need to replace the door frame? I dont want a hunk of caulk at the end of an otherwise flush countertop.

He went outside, was on the phone for a long time, and then the fabricator calls. Same thing, he was insistent we are too picky. His solution is to come to the house and cut the side of the countertop off and redo the edge. As i see it, this would mean the front corner would have a different radius, the new edge would still stop short of the wall due to the molding, still leaving an unfinished edge, and granite dust would be everywhere! We got nowhere on the phone, he said he was coming over to see it, but never showed up. On top of that, his language was vulgar. He has not admitted this was a mistake, in fact insisting the countertops have to cut longer for "play". If they cut it like that on purpose, why didn't they take it outside and make it shorter and redo the edge before they installed it? What was the purpose of the detailed template? (he didnt answer my question).

oh, now this has gotten to be overly long. i needed to vent. i tried my best to be matter-of-fact and not emotional. I really just want it done right, but the guy was angry, defensive and vulgar. I'm calling the place in the morning to see if i can get a manager over here. These 2 guys are trying to cover their butts cuz they screwed up, i think.

thanks again for your support. They did say they'll replace the shelf, but they are really giving us a hard time about the notch, and we havent even gotten to the seam. I guess b/cus there isnt an acceptable fix, other than replacing all of it. :(

we had to make final payment to the installers UPON ARRIVAL in cash. Lesson learned. We shouldve ran away. They are a large company, been in business a long time and have 2 beautiful showrooms. I dont get it.

I am so sorry this is happening but I have been there so I know how infuriating it can be dealing with people who won't take the blame. 2 years ago we had our master bath countertops done by a place that gave us a great deal on remnant pieces so we gave them a try. The template guy didn't do a template just did measurements. That should have been my first clue. Then when they were ready for the install the countertop wouldn't fit. They scraped my cabinet while they were trying to jam it in. They had to take it back and cut another piece from a different slab. Then when they came back the holes for the faucet were off and didn't line up. Another phone call and they came back and redrilled. To top it all off they caulked in a big hurry and it was a real mess. I also noticed that the ogee edge isn't all that straight. They too said I was being too picky. Needless to say we are not using them for the kitchen. I am pretty nervous about it so I am going with a top fabricator in our area. No more bargain hunting on granite for me as I realized just how important the fabricator is. So I would rather skimp on the slab grade and use a better fabricator if I had to.

Good luck and don't give up. You are not being picky. No amount of caulk is going to make that right. They need to make it right even if that means they have to start all over with a new slab. I would try and get ahold of the owner or operations manager. If they have 2 large showrooms then surely the owner would want to retain their reputation.