Most people don't come by.
There are guys who try to use the worst product up first if they can get a good finished product out of a slab based on the final layout they work out. The customer won't know and the next person sees something easier to sell.
He may have been able to produce your job to acceptable in the trade standards out of that first slab.
On figured slabs you control for this by requesting layout control and approval.
You can do that with this slab if you want.

Wow, too bad you didn't run when the first signs were there at the start. I would cancel and start with someone else, since they "haven't cut it yet". Outside of that, all you can do is look at it in the shop prior to delivery for approval. If they wriggle out of that, then check it at your door and refuse delivery if it is not something you want. I would let them know that you will do that ahead of time, before they make the trek out.

Easiest just to bail now before more trouble arises. What does the contract say about cancelling?

Thanks, The contract says that I lose 50% of my deposit. The total for both pieces was $2300. One piece is 36 x 78 and the other is 17 x 75. About $80 per square foot with the edging.

They initially told me after the templator came out, they would call me to lay out the piece.

But after the templator left on Friday, I got a call about 30 minutes later saying they were going to cut the piece already.

I said okay, thinking that there would be no issues. I guess I could call them again to tell them I want to lay out the pieces before they cut it. It's black galaxy, so I didn't think it would be this complicated.

We decided to go Halloween costume shopping for my kids and since their warehouse is near a mall (Cherry Hill), my husband said lets just stop by to look.

I just don't like the feeling that I am not getting what I asked for.

I did call the company again and told them that I want to make sure they are going to use the piece that I picked and that I would come by to check out the final product before they come out on Wed.

I hate to have to double check on someone else who is supposed to be doing their job. I feel like it makes for such a bad start/ interaction.

I was eventually planning change out my kitchen and perimeter granite and was hoping to use them for that as well.

It doesn't seem that it should be like this, does it? I'd be uncomfortable with the interactions, too. Hope this works out well at the end...

Well, you know, you also contracted with them for that specific stone. The one with your name on it. So they are in breach of contract if they did a bait and switch. That is just so wrong. If they were to keep any money, take it to small claims court. Angies also helps to resolve issues but it might have to be with a company you found through them, not just join now. Not sure how it works.

Hope all is well in the end. Let them know your intentions in writing. Otherwise it will be a he said she said without any proof.

While there are some warning signs here, you're anticipating trouble that hasn't happened yet. The slab you picked out hasn't been cut, and you haven't gotten your counters yet. It definitely could be that one of the shop workers just grabbed the first available BG slab and put your layout onto it and cut it, but mistakes do happen, and that didn't show up at your house. They may have caught that error before they delivered it on their own without your visit. You never know. But, as of right now, you still have the chance to approve the template on the actual granite slabs that you picked out.

You should have been really firm that you wanted that, and NOT given them the go ahead to cut the stone without you having viewed the layout first. You still have time to correct your error there. That's your first call Monday morning. You want to view the template on the actual stone before they cut your slab.

Butterfly, you did nothing wrong. See what tomorrow brings with the templating but do listen to your gut and be cautious dealing with this company.

One lesson I learned along the way, don't let them put a sticker on your granite....write your name on sides and back in permanent marker. Stickers are easily pulled off.

Also, take a picture of your slab. My friend went to the stone yard when her slabs were being templated and they were templating the wrong slabs. She showed them her pictures and she ended up getting the slabs she had originally tagged.

Maybe they'll do what they're supposed to do now that they've been "caught". It's a shame that it happened this way tho. Way too common :( Unless you can get out of losing the deposit, what do you have to lose by letting them complete the job? If they don't use the right slab, you don't pay them and you lose the deposit. If you don't let them complete the job, you lose the deposit (from what I understand). Since they know you're on to them, perhaps they'll do the right thing. Black Galaxy....BIG difference in slabs! 11 years ago when I first started looking a granites, BG was breathtakingly beautiful with big flecks of gold and bronze and a deep black. More recent slabs (that I've seen) have tiny and fewer specks and the black isn't as deep. I was in the market for 24x24 tiles of BG a couple of years ago. I asked my fabricator to get me the BEST BG he could find. Not only did he find top notch tiles, he didn't upcharge me for the better quality. He had originally told me that he might have to pay more for the nicer pieces. If I had to settle for what I've seen recently, I would have made a different choice. So please don't settle!

I did not want any cutting done without seeing the templates on the stone.
I want to be in charge. LOL I lost a piece of Calcutta Marble out of the bone yard because I didn't do due diligence and keep on top of what might happen to it. I stopped by to pay for it and they had cut it for another job even though I had a hold on it that had not expired. They let me use a larger piece of Carrera, but it wasn't the same pretty design. In fact, when I went to see the template on it, it wasn't the same piece either. It was still a nice piece so I didn't argue. The blue pearl was sent over from the stone yard with three consecutive numbered pieces I had chosen, so no problems. Whew.

Karen