Ohhhhh...noooooo...I don't blame you for being upset! That sucks! Hate to say it, but if it were me, I'd be changing fabricators not my granite choice. Whenever I have my heart set on doesn't work out, I can still hear the words of my mother, "don't worry, it didn't work out because there is something better waiting for you". DON'T SETTLE, granite lasts forever so it's a once in a blue moon chance. There are so many choices, find something you love!

How awful for you. Such a disappointment. I agree that you absolutely should not compromise or settle. "OK" won't make you happy. Go after you heart's desire -- and if this company doesn't have the right slab, or cannot get it for you post haste, then let them know that it won't be through them.

That's awful!! I don't think Bianco Romano is all that rare. Make them get it for you! If you don't like the slabs that come in then it's worth thinking about a different stone, but why should you have to redesign your kitchen around their mistake?

What happened? If they sold your slabs to someone else, I'm not sure I'd want to do business there anymore. If it was an honest mistake and you feel they are the best fabricator in the area and you still want to use them, I would ask them for a list of their suppliers and call to see if any of them have it. Beware - the fabricator might try to charge you extra for a special order, but sounds like you could make a case against that , especially if you had a deposit down and it was their fault. I wouldn't compromise if I were you - I saw plenty of gorgeous bianco romano recently. It's not hard to find in my area.

That is terrible. Truly dreadful news. Can you have your
installer call around so you can find a new slab?

Don't fret keep telling yourself this was for a reason.
I know it may not seem like that but just maybe
you will find one you love even more.

Sending (((web wishes))) your way.

"What happened? If they sold your slabs to someone else, I'm not sure I'd want to do business there anymore."

BINGO - This happens all the time.

You shop for granite early, fall in love, pick out your slabs, design your kitchen around it -- maybe even PAY FOR these slabs.
Then, while your kitchen is being ripped out and rebuilt, someone else wanders into the slab yard.
Someone who needs granite NOW.
Someone who loves YOUR slabs and nothing else. (You know the allure of that which you cannot have...)
And the stone yard removes your name and slaps it onto some other slabs and sells your two to that other buyer -- the one with cash now.
Odds are you won't remember 'exactly' what your slabs looked like. And you SURELY won't be able to prove it.
Or they'll have something vaguely similar and you'll settle for those slabs instead.

This is why I advise never to select specific slabs until you're ready to template. And if for some reason, you DO find those 'no other slabs will do' pieces, to physically get them picked up and REMOVED from the stone yard, because otherwise, there just aren't any guarantees.

It's possible that it was some customers who moved your signs.
But I'd feel NO OBLIGATION to buy your slabs there.
And if they give you a hard time about it, I'd let them know that you intend to let everyone in your large Internet forum know exactly which stone yard tried to pull a 'slab switch' on you.

Thank you all for your support, I am sure I will find it! I will think postive thoughts.

Eastcoast mom, where do you live, I live on the east coast also.

I did a quick web search....looks like this link will at least get some locals to quote on what you want (see link)

And there are quite a few yards that advertise Bianco Romano.

Here is one in SC: http://www.eastcoastgranitetile.com/products.html

and another in Maryland:
http://www.ecstonemd.com/ecGraniteGroupE.asp

and one in NY:
http://www.eastendgranite.com/granite.php

Hope that helps!

Here is a link that might be useful: granite

Vakitchen - I looked at granite places in the NJ/Philly/PA area, although I called down as far south as Frederick, MD (Bramati). I mention that because I'm taking a wiid guess you are from VA!

Oh my goodness! How awful!!! I've had bad dreams about this happening. I go to my fabricators in the morning to lay out the templates on my chosen slabs. At least I hope they'll be my chosen slabs!! Oh my... I guess no sweet dreams for me tonight... But Vakitchen, I must go along with lukkiirish. My mom always said the same thing. So sorry for the unnecessary trauma though!

Eastcoast mom, yes I am Virginia, good guess (: I will go to Fredrick MD after I check out the local granite stores today.

faleash, best of luck to you today with your slabs.

What a nightmare scenario! I feel so badly for you because I remember how excited you have been leading up to having your Bianco Romano installed. Yes, do try to hold out for the slab you really want! It will be worth the wait!!!!

gulp, I am in Va, can you hint who this was??? How awful!

Well, now I know why we had to put down a 50% deposit to hold our slab. (Bianco Antico) Did you put a deposit down to hold it?

I don't know where you live, but you say you checked in an area that is around where I live. I am in southern Chester County. If GW allows it, I would be happy to give you the name of the place I went. They are absolutely great. Besides the stones they have in their yard, they pull from other local places too. I haven't had mine installed yet, but I visit it to "pet" it and hold up color samples next to it.

I think good things will happen for you. In my case they had 5 slabs of Bianco Antico. Two were sold, then we were deciding on if we wanted to go with it or not, we left the showroom only to receive a call that someone walked in and purchased the next two slabs. There was only one left--as soon as it was uncovered, I went over to see it. Quite frankly, even though they are all supposed to be alike, this was by far the prettiest one. So it worked out for me. Needless to say, I gave them my deposit!

Let me know if you want me attach a link to their website. They don't have all their slabs listed on there.

Putting down a deposit doesn't guarantee that they will hold your actual slabs - people on this forum have reported paying in full and still having their slabs sold out from under them. Next time write down the numbers on the slabs and take pictures.

I found more Bianco Ramono today, thank goodness! I took a picture of the slab and the numbers on the slab. The company will deliver to the fabricator next week. Three of the four slabs are in Pennsylvania, they are all from the same lot. (I hope.)

I was working with a KD, she had gone with us to the granite store, we picked the slabs, she reserved them on a Saturday, the wrong ones were shipped to the fabricator on the following Monday. I don't understand how it happened, I should have checked earlier instead of waiting months. I will be at the fabricator the day these slabs arrive this time!

If all goes well I should have my counter tops installed by the end of next week!!

Thank you all for your support and kind words.

Weissman is right --
Putting your money down doesn't seem to mean anything other than that your price won't go up. Paid-for slabs seem to disappear just as often as 'Reserved' slabs.

I'm very happy to hear this! Sounds like the mixup might have been the supplier's fault in that case, not the fabricator's (but who really knows). At any rate, you have your granite and you are going to get the look you really wanted - hooray!

My trip to the fabricators today was, thank goodness, uneventful! Now I only have to hold my breath until they come to install next wednesday!! Glad you found more slabs, VA

I am glad all went well, keep me posted on your kitchen update!

I went to a granite place in chantilly today and they had 3 different typles of the BR. The gold/white one was gorgeous. Email me if you wish to see it.

Peytonroad, I could not locate your email. Would you please send me the information in Chantilly?

PeytonRoad...your email is not turned on. I am also curious about who you found in Chantilly...in particular, was it Granite Source?

Our granite yard wrote our name on the underside of our granite slabs in fat black Sharpie. Sold, date, name and phone number. It will double as a little history for whoever renovates this kitchen next time.

I agree about carrying a Sharpie pen with you the day you purchase your slabs...."sign" the backs in your own signature so they can't just re-write your name on the back of another slab. Write your name and something else--street address?

I have worried about this before too. Today I saw beautiful, perfect granite slabs that were all taken and when I asked to see them, they wouldn't let me move/touch them. I considered that a GOOD thing and placed my order for the next lot of the same type to be delivered next week.

It's hard enough picking counters--but to have the whole switcheroo is a TRUE NIGHTMARE! Good luck!

signing your name on the back is a good idea. You can write the numbers down and take pictures, but if the slabs are sold to someone else you really have no recourse. It is always the other persons fault, i.e. the fabricator said it was the granite distributor and the distributor said it was the fabricator. I did find my Bianco Ramono, but this time I went directly to the fabricator was soon as it was delivered! All came out well and I love my granite, it was just extra worries and time.

So happy to hear you found another slab you love. Pics? :)

The finished kitchen with the Bianco Romano granite!

Here is a link that might be useful:

vakitchen - i don't see a kitchen there...

Sorry, I'll try again!

Here is a link that might be useful: New Kitchen!

still can't see any pics. It's just the front page of photobucket.

Real sorry this happen to you. The same thing happen to us. When we, did our bathroom. I, had gone to the place where they were cutting our granite. When I, got there it was the wrong granite. And they already were starting to cut it. I, told them this is not my granite. I, flew/ drove over to where we had bought our granite. Said I, wanted to look at the granite in back. Went to the back and our granite, was still there with our name on. Went in front and said our granite we, paid for is still in the back. And our people were cutting another slab. They tried to act shocked. But I, think what they did is took the one that was easy to get to. End of story we got our granite no charge. For our Kitchen, we went to a place called Arizona Tile. They said the slab you put your money down on is what you will get. And we did.Just try to go with a good co. That does play these games, and respects their customer,s. sharaz