I am a fabricator. I don't believe any of the things you are concerned about are real issues. Many natural stones have fissures. It's VERY common to notice features in your installed countertops that you didn't see in the slab when you picked it. (This even happened to me and I look at stone every day.) The gap in the back is very acceptable assuming it'll be covered by splash. The sink cutout variation you see is very likely the sink, not the cutout. Most shops today have CNC's that make cutouts that are accurate to very small fractions of an inch. Overall it sounds like you have really nice new counters that you should enjoy. FYI Bianco Antico is a very chippy stone that takes extra fabricator skill and effort to finish well. Sounds like you had a good fabricator.

Mine was sealed when it came. I received a little bottle of sealer, to apply to it later. I remember asking redroze about hers since she had hers for awhile, and she hadn't done any additional sealing to hers since it was installed. Mine will be in for a year in July, and I will probably seal it again with the stuff they gave me. (Not the "have the fabricator come out and spend hours re-sealing it" package). I am having no trouble with the "water test", I see no dark marks if water is left on it. (Although with this granite, they could be there and I wouldn't be able to tell anyway!) You are going to absolutely love this stone. My fabricator never mentioned any problems with this stone. In fact I believe it is one of their favorites--it's on display in their showroom. I would imagine when templating, and laying out the templates they might want to avoid cuts where there are large chunks of mica. Of course, I have no idea if that matters or not. I'm sure one of the pros on here will chime in. Maybe your fabricator could call other fabricators who have worked with this stone to get some tips. Can't wait to see your pictures.

i totally agree with everyone's advice here. i went to several granite yards and really liked alot of slabs, but i just felt i had to keep looking. then i went to a yard, saw this beautiful slab of granite and just knew "this is it"!! we had a couple more places we could have gone, but i said "no, i don't want to go to anymore places, this is it, i'm done" i made my choice then and there. when you feel there is "no comparison" between what you previously pick out and considered and the "it" slab, you know your search is over i knew it was the slab because i wanted to "throw it on back" and take it home then and there! it really is true, and i was doubter, you really will know when its "the one". you don't want to see other slabs and you know your search is over. i also agree with the "name of the slab". don't get caught up in it. each yard can call slabs by different names so just look for the colors you want and then everything will fall into place from there. my is called "sedna" and when you google it, there is nothing like mine on the web. so they might have used that name, but another yard can, and they do, call it by another name. get what you love, not what you think evveryone else will love or what you "should" you get. best of luck.. when you do find "it", you will know, and all your searching will be worthwhile because you will walk into your new kitchen every morning, and you will fall in love with it all over again.. HTH

Sounds like you are dealing with my builder! They say the offer zero allowances - so if you pick outside of their picks you pay full price and then some with no reduction in price. P*$$es me off. But, I've managed to get much of what I want - I can be persistent when necessary. As for the granite - I picked it out here where I live (in CA) and then asked to have it shipped to AZ (where new build is). Then I did the "What? I can't believe you won't let me ship the granite I picked out to AZ. After all, I selected it from the local yard of the chain you use in AZ. And, (luckily for me) they don't have any in AZ, so whatever was I to do?" I paid (only) about $4,000 for 2 slabs of Alaska White, including shipping, so they did end up giving me some allowance but I don't know how much. Just something else to keep in mind when dealing with a PITA builder... everything that can be easily changed out I will be changing out. Standard lights going in, standard faucets, no BS (you don't need one for CoO), standard paint, standard door hardware, you get the picture. I have all my lights sitting here in this house and will hire someone to switch them out after close. This is because they were going to charge me twice retail for the things I wanted. Nah. I'm not that dumb. Thanks guys. Cheaper to buy it and hire someone if necessary, although most I can do myself. But countertops I didn't want to mess with having to have them pulled out. I agree with you on that one. I won't even go into the appliance or paint color issues! :) I will say I did learn you have to have a range/oven for a CoO. But all the appliances will be pulled after close. And the already out-dated stainless ;o) will be going in. And I have a construction loan like Bee mentioned. Maybe that is helping me some? Not sure. Think it's more that the sales guy is trying to the best of his ability to help me achieve the look I want for the house. It's the builder who lacks some flexibility. Good luck. As others have said - go look at your slabs. I got AW, which looks a lot like BA, because the BA out here was slightly pink. Delacatus looks similar too if the BA is pink where you are.