"What could be the causes of each of the problems I described?"

Many marble slabs contain iron inclusions that can rust with exposure to moisture, and many black granites have non uniform more greyish sections. Those are completely normal for natural stone. What is not normal is placing those "features" in your kitchen. It makes me think that the fabricators were attempting cost cutting (lowest bid?) by not laying out the template around those areas. The template should be laid on the stone to avoid the oddball inclusions that stone typically has rather than placing those front and center----unless the client likes thosse unique aspects of their slab and requests them to be featured. It IS a more expensive approach to avoid areas like this, because more slabs are typically needed and thus would be more money.

Thank you for your response!! Is there any way to remove the rust mark in the Carrara with a poultice?

So the only way to remedy the absolute black problem is to remove and reinstall correct?

I would definitely complain to your fabricator. This doesn't appear to be something that can easily be "fixed." Don't worry about being a problem client. You paid $$ and didn't get what you should have gotten and what you expected. This is their problem, not yours. Good luck!!

If the gray streak is in the stone it should have been caught at the time the templates were laid out on the slabs. I think AB has been known to have whisps of gray streaks in some slabs that are less than premium AB. Were you present when the templates were placed on the slab - perhaps not since AB is usually very consistent. If you okayed the templatie placement there is probably little remedy for you.

However if the gray streak is excess sealer - which probably shouldn't have been applied to the stone anyway - it might be able to be removed. I'd ask your fabricator to come back and look at the counter and give his opinion.

"I would definitely complain to your fabricator. This doesn't appear to be something that can easily be "fixed." Don't worry about being a problem client. You paid $$ and didn't get what you should have gotten and what you expected. This is their problem, not yours. Good luck!!"

Thanks chris45ny~ That's what I was thinking too, however they sent out someone I have never even seen or spoken to before to look at the counters and she was poo pooing the whole thing and saying "Well this is a natural product it is in the nature of the stone to have these variances..."

I said , "Well Absolute black is pretty uniform in every piece I have seen and I don't think the person laying out the template did it correctly, they should have avoided the gray area and not placed it front and center of my sink."

She was trying to see "What I wanted to get." I said "I want it to look right, period."

She was then going to go back and talk to the boss and let me know what would happen... Meanwhile they wanted me to sign a paper that said everything had been delivered and was in fine condition which I said I would not sign.

I am sitting now with a sink that is not hooked up, a dishwasher that is not hooked up all because I am waiting for them to decide what they are going to do! Since last Friday...

Any more advice???
Thanks again

It's probably going to take a few days or so before you get a resolution to this. You shouldn't sign anything that states you are satisfied when you are not. Just hang in there. Hopefully someone will get back to you by the end of this week.

Follow up,

Now the 1st person that they sent out to look at it wants to have another person come and look at it. They wanted to come out in 15 minutes, which I was not at home and could not do, or at 7:00 am tomorrow morning those are my only 2 choices...really?

These people are driving me crazy!

But at least they are responding to your dissatisfaction. Others have had problems with various kitchen things going wrong and being ignored. It might not be convenient but someone is coming to take a look. Hope things work out for you!

Should black absolute change colors when lemon is set on it for 20 seconds and turn to a light grey color?

The sample black absolute piece I have does not turn colors no matter how long I leave lemon on the piece it wipes off and looks like new. However the "polished black absolute" counter just installed has a gray streak in front of the sink area and when I performed the lemon test on the rear of the counter it immediately turns the spot gray.

The installer contacted his supplier from "India" who told him it is not a doctored product and I quote.

"But I can guarantee that it not doctored or painted.
All the Black Absolute slabs ( including What MSI sells has Neroplus Epoxy expect the Warangal black. But Warangal black have white dots.

Regarding Lemon test - for any acid the colour will change. Even if you put in Madura gold any other. Granite the colour will change but in Black material it will show more."

HMMmmmm so all of his slabs have Epoxy resin on them and WHY? Because they are inferior products and need to be sealed and baked to be made sellable.

And why does my sample piece not turn gray when the lemon test is performed but the new granite that was substituted for the slab I chose does turn gray?

My granite seller/fabricator says there is nothing wrong with this slab and he is not going to replace it. What do you think?

So, have you gotten a resolution yet?