Contact Silestone. Take lots of pictures and send them. Post lots of pictures here! Exposure of their actions here is a good start.

Perhaps continue this discussion on your other thread, so it's all in one place.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4687970/counter-top-dispute-with-fabricator

I'm so sorry that you had such a bad experience at small claims court.

I'd also contact the Maryland State Attorney office.

Thanks for the warning, sorry that you have had such a bad experience.

Terri_pacNW: My issue was with the specific Home Depot that I identified and their specific contractor M. R. Stone, LLC of Mt. Airy, Md. I'm so glad that you got a good job on your counter tops. I am sure that you know that Home Depot doesn't fabricate and install counter tops. They simply display and sell the products and use contracted fabricators to complete the order. Home Depot is just the facilitator with whom you have the contract. In exchange, the contractor gets a steady supply of work and legal protection from the customer. Maybe most people that used that Home Depot store and were assigned that particular contractor were fortunate and got good fabrications - I don't have access to their customer service records. I only bought the one counter top and I can only relate my experiences with that one job. I hope that my counter top is not representative of M.R. Stone's general capability but I think that it is because of their defense of this obviously inferior installation. No one would accept this installation without complaining. I am pretty sure that everyone that uses Home Depot's (and probably Lowe's) outside services signs that same agreement which includes a "Warranty" which does not give the buyer any rights because it is designed, written and executed to benefit Home Depot because Home Depot retains the final and only decision on quality issues. The warranty protects them - not you. You don't realize that you really don't have a warranty until you have a problem. I wonder if you read the contract that they insisted that you signed? They may agree to fix minor issues but will just deny any major complaint and force you into small claims court to get restitution and they have teams of lawyers on retainer to defend them but they really rely on the customer's reluctance to go to court. It's a cost issue for them - not a quality issue. What I probably should have suggested is to find a reputable counter top company, get references, read and understand the warranty and make sure that the agreement has some kind of customer satisfaction provision. Don't make my mistake. Don't buy counter top from a big box store like Home Depot or Lowe's - that's really the take away.

nosoccermom: I was hoping to warn as many people as possible.

This is not appropriate for a public forum, and you REALLY need to be talking to a lawyer before you get yourself in BIG trouble here. The 2000lb gorilla does not play around with libel. I suggest you email the forum moderator to have it removed.

There have been a lot of complaints and warnings here about using Home Depot and Lowe's for countertop installation because it's hit or miss with the subcontractor.

Sophie - I think the OP can delete his own post, and does not need to go to the forum moderator.

I didn't read the whole thing. I need paragraph breaks in a long post or my eyes get dizzy. I feel sorry for the OP. We have heard many stories on this forum about contractors doing a terrible job, many involving the entire kitchen--i.e. much worse than the OP's situation. The poor installation occurred in August 2016, and the OP has suffered a great deal of stress since then. It might be best to chalk up the $4,000 (from the other thread) to a "sunk cost", and move on, and get some stress relief.

I'm here to tell you that MR Stone has a great rep here in our area. It sounds like this was just a total screw-up and neither wants to "own" it.

You're now slamming them in two different posts, which can damage any hopes you have of legal accountability. Blasting on social media is frowned up. Why don't you just do it correctly and follow the steps to get this remedied -- past what they're not willing to do. Venting here isn't gonna get you anything but temporary relief from frustration that won't go away.

Its not libel if its true...OP has posted pictures of his issues in another thread. His only crime is starting another duplicate thread.

Have you got Silestone involved? They must have a stake in this.

If I may offer advice:

1. Ask your thread to be removed, especially the part of accusing witnesses of perjury and the judge; appeal may end up before him/her.

2. I consider myself reasonably educated, but I cannot evaluate your complaints because it's just too specialized knowledge. Ditto the judge in small claims court.

Unless it's super obvious that an installation is wrong, keep it simple, e.g. these are the written installation standards (Silestone?) vs actual installation of your counters. Provide numbers.

If there are really no codified standards, it gets more complicated because you need an expert who states what common standards are and what's wrong with your installation.

Have you contacted the HD CEO?

Looks like 1/16 for joint is acceptable (1/8"?), at least in Silestone training manual. I don't see specs for levelness.

I don't see anything on installation standards at all in

https://content.cosentino.com/silestone/documents-usa/For%20The%20Trade/Manual%20for%20Professional%20Use/Manual%20for%20Professional%20Use.pdf

except: "Where more than one slab is required to make the kitchen worktop, check that the slabs match in colour and appearance by putting them together."

However, I'd look at other quartz supplier, e.g. Zodiac (they have stricter requirements and spell them out; 1/64" level?) and ask Silestone why their competition has standards and they don't.

http://www2.dupont.com/Surfaces_Commercial/en_US/assets/downloads/pdfs/Installation_Information/Z-10-2004_requirements.pdf

I'd also make a summary of what the other quartz manufacturers state in terms of
standards, and by implication would argue that one should expect the
same from Silestone.

And is there some kind of association (marble institute?) for quartz?

Libel or slander only applies to false or "untrue" statements. Freedom of speech also applies and social media is often the only way to get complaints resolved.

Do think carefully about what is put out into the internet though as nothing is every really deleted completely.

From my experience, Silestone is only interested in selling more slabs, not defending their brand. They'll sell to nearly anyone and are quite unresponsive to poorly executed jobs. If that's libel, bring it, please. I've got the pictures, specifications, and unhappy lady who only got relief by some serious cage-rattlin'. That's exactly what's needed here.

How Do Lowe's and Home Depot Differ?

Good to know about Silestone.

Joseph Corlett, LLC: Thanks - I don't know how much more "Cage Rattlin" I can do. Did the woman in your reference have to go to court to get relief? Cosetino/Silestone's (The main company is in Mexico) customer Service manager Mr. Alejandro has not responded to repeated queries. I thought about having him served with a subpoena to get him into court but I am not sure how these things work - like, do I have to pay him transportation costs and expenses to appear in court? Regarding your question about Lowes - I try to do business with them instead of Home Depot and the only thing I know about them relative to my counter top issue is that they also use this same counter top fabricator. Also- Thanks for the Zodiac reference. In addition to the Zodiac specification that you referenced, I have also found specifications from Silestone, Wilsonart, CeasarStone, Viatera, and Cambria that support my contention that there is an industry standard tolerance. I am expecting the defendant to claim that there is no applicable specification for quartz counter tops just as he did at the first trial. I also filed a complaint with the MHIC and I also filed an appeal in small claims court - I am waiting for those hearings to be scheduled. I have low expectations of success but I will exercise all the available options. Thanks for the comments.

"Did the woman in your reference have to go to court to get relief? "

No. The licensed contractor she hired decided it was more cost effective to replace the tops than risk a formal complaint against his license. He probably got Silestone to kick in replacement material.

Silestone USA
355 Alhambra Circle, Suite 1000
Coral Gables, FL 33134
+1 281 494 7277
+1 877 532 6394
CS@cosentino.com
www.cosentino.com

Headquarters is in Spain, not Mexico... Family-owned, CEO for North America is Eduardo Cosentino.
You're responsible for paying for witnesses, but I doubt that the CEO will show up....
Specifications by Marble Institute re. seams, lippage)
http://www.marble-institute.com/default/assets/File/consumers/homeownersconsumer_countertop.pdf
Granted, they are natural stones but manmade material should actually be less variable.

I'd call Silestone and ask if they have any specs re lippage, seam width, etc. If yes, can they send them to you? If not, how come their competitors do?
Have you called MD state attorney office?

nosoccermom: Thanks - I agree with your logic however, I used the tolerances listed in "A Homeowner's Guide to Natural Stone Countertop Installation" in court but the fabricator testified that the "Homeowner's Guide to Natural Stone Countertop Installation" isn't applicable because it doesn't specifically name quartz in the scope. I don't want to say any more about the court on this forum but I'll say that I got a series of unfavorable (biased?) rulings.

Well, have you checked with Silestone/Cosentino?

Nosoccermom: Thanks - I have emailed their customer service dept. and Mr. Alejandro Padillo (Customer service mgr.) multiple times but no acknowledgement or response.

I'm shocked. Not.

Honestly, I am. I have never not gotten a response and resolution.

1. I'd just ask them whether they have specs or installation standards.

2. I'd go to the top and contact the CEO, Eduardo Cosentino, by snail mail. Keep it short and sweet, and polite. If they think they already have you lost as a customer, your letter will go in the trash.

How to write an effective letter to CEO