" I don't know why they don't do it differently but it probably saves on product and is easier. I was upset that they did it that way at my mom's." They did it that way because they had to. Where else are you going to get pattern matching material? You must make the miter out of the immediately adjacent material to get a match. Look at driftdown's drawing again. Even if you could somehow stop the miter cut before you get to the "should not have been cut" area, from what material are you going to make the small mitered edge for the "SNHBC" return? The matching material to make that small edge has been used to make the "L" miter. It can't be used twice or be in two places at once. Mitering the top from corner to corner doesn't solve anything either, for the same reason. The only thing that could have been done differently and may have looked better is to have run the seam with, instead of against, the grain of the stone, but you're still gonna lose the 2". It is impossible to avoid.

please post the name of the fabricator to keep someone else from making the mistake of using them. I have had three kitchens with granite done in Detroit metro area, two with big box store discount fabricators, one with a local stone artist who also installed counters. The big box granite contract shop had me come and do the template with their rep. She called me back a second time when she noticed a flaw in the slab the day of cutting. They held off cutting and offered me a different higher priced material for no extra charge, but I liked the flaw, and it is now a bath vanity top. We discussed all seams, and placement of seams, they told me what to expect. After our discussion, they had me initial on the slab with the layout taped to it and they photographed the signed slab. The artist did the most incredible job, and gave me almost full control over seams, etc., but I paid 2x the price per square foot for this luxury. What was done in your kitchen is a thin slice on the end to make up for a short run, likely to let the fabricator buy less material and make more money. It is important to have an agreement to pre-approve the layout to prevent such a thing. The fact that you are being offered $500 to shut up about it is interesting to me - they are at least aware that it is poor workmanship. I often wonder why a contractor of any sort would walk away from a job poorly done knowing your neighbors and friends would never use their services.

No extra support is needed. Cabinets are fine.

Seeing this in 2024 and that seam is TERRIBLE! Either the technology has completely improved or people saying it’s completely fine just have a very low standard. 😳I have never signed off a counter with seems like this, nor will I.