Yes, they should have done what they said they would do. Something seems odd, if the vein isn't on your counter, where is it? Have you seen what they have actually done? Do you have pictures of what it was that you liked? Have you paid them?

Agree with practigal, something seems wrong.

I went to fabricators shop and approved the tape-up; albiet my builder said he never had anyone ask to do that before (obviously no previous GW clients). The fabricator was great.

Stone doesn't disappear into thin air. They should be able to show you everything they promised. Veins don't disappear and where's the scrap? Unless you have a crazy shaped kitchen. Even then, there should be odd shaped pieces with the vein in it!!!

I wouldn't accept it. They screwed up, not you.

Should I assume you kept the correspondence? As per all GW and Crazy Kitchen People proclaim is important?

Thank you all. I asked about the vein, they said THEY determined it wouldn't look good! Really? I think this is what you get with Texas fabricators who have little experience with soapstone. Although they came highly recommended by Dorado and of the three I talked to, they seemed to be the most knowledgeable.

I have pictures of the slabs, and texts where I asked them to be sure and let me see where they planned to cut.

We paid them half.

Here is a picture of one of the slabs, maybe it's because it was in the middle? Both slabs are identical.

Wow, not acceptable to me. They did not fulfill their part of the agreement. I would either not pay in full or have them redo it.

while having our counter done at our last home, the fabricators wouldn't cut the stone until we saw and approved the layout.

Before losing any sleep over it, go look at it.

Ask them to explain and show you what happened. They should have had you approve the layout, as agreed. So that is on them. They should also have stopped the job if for some reason it could not be done as planned or there was some other problem like breakage.

I used Quartzite and only needed a slab and half. My fabricator held another full slab from the same lot for me ( just in case) until my kitchen was done. Both large slabs had a beautiful vein (one was a bit prettier though) and that's the one I wanted. I wanted the vein to go from the corner to front of my sink. It just so happened that before I templated it out with them we were going over the one I didn't want just to get ideas. I then went up and templated mine.

Well, she mistakenly forgot to erase the markings on the other slab. When it was delivered I noticed it wasn't the correct one with the prettier vein plus there was a weird white spot I did not want. I called her and told her, she looked outside and sure enough my slab marked out was still there! She said to have the guys send it back, apologized and cut my slab. She told me I should have what I paid for and what I wanted. Great service. Since I was putting it on my wall also she let me pick what I wanted from all slabs with no extra charge. I have the other pretty vein behind my stove and part of it on my other counter.

Because of such great service we used them three more times this past year. My boyfriends house and 2 rental property's

Your slab was so pretty. Part of that vein has to be somewhere no? Makes no sense. Your entitled to get what you want and what you paid for.

"They determined it wouldn't look good?"

Remind them who is paying. YOU. YOU determine whether it will look good. Hope get a satisfactory solution.

That sounds like a hokey line to me. Something else seems to be going on.

Sounds like they found another customer who also wanted soapstone so figured they could use the "extra" on someone else's job and make more money that way. I wonder if that other person also paid for 2 slabs. But then again, I'm a very skeptical New Yorker. Sounds too fishy for me that they suddenly used up two whole slabs and couldn't even use your vein.

Personally, I'd go down to the yard and ask to see every single piece of stone from both slabs. What they used to make your counters and what they were supposedly throwing away.

I think you need to go talk to them in person. As others have said, tell them you'd like to see what they've cut and what's left over.

Some do make more money by selling "left overs" to other clients - if they did, then you should only be paying for the square footage used in your Kitchen, not the entire slab (unless, of course, the entire slab was used).

If the job they've cut looks good to the customer, we're wading in unnecessary worry here. That is the first order of business.

Yes, fabricators make more money cutting for yield, not esthetics. We don't know yet.

I think looking good and what she wanted are two different things here.

I would wait and see - maybe you'll love it? If you don't, it sounds like you have the proof that they didn't allow you to confirm the counters. Don't freak out just yet, but if you get there and they're just not what you wanted don't be afraid to say so! You spent a lot of time and money doing this!! It really is their mistake.

" they said THEY determined it wouldn't look good!"

that'd be fine - IF it was going into their kitchen and they were paying for it.

It doesn't sound like that's the case tho!

Is something like this is IMPORTANT ... make sure it's in the contract! WRITTEN in the contract and in the work order.

Because unless that contract and work order says "CUSTOMER MUST APPROVE LAYOUT BEFORE CUTTING" ans provides a check-off or signature space, you are into he said/she said territory.

"not a scrap" Sounds fishy.. And, if you have the text of your desire and it was acknowledged ... Good luck and I hope the resolution (if one is needed) turns out well enough for you.

Was there any resolution to this?