I don't know if you have other options for stone in your area, but if it were me, I'd go elsewhere. I would be so turned off by being misled that I wouldn't want to do business with these people.

Thanks Rachel. I agree! I just hope that the install of all my other counters goes well on Friday (same supplier). Even if I “like” the cut slabs they show me today, at the root of it, it’s not what I was sold. All the other counters are quartz/Han stone so I know what to expect. The whole point/fun of granite is that it is so personal and you get to hand select.

I am sure the sad truth is, Your carefully chosen, much-loved slabs are already gracing someone else's kitchen. Having them held a whole year is an awfully long time, and we're living in a time of shortages -- someone else saw /wanted those slabs, and the company took the money right then and there. No, that doesn't make it right, but it is what's happening.

Do they have your deposit? If so, you're stuck doing business with them -- even though they're kinda scoundrels.

Do you have pictures to prove these new slabs aren't "your slabs"? Do you have a contract that says they would hold THESE SLABS? Not that I doubt you, but knowing isn't proving in the business world.

Realistically, you're going to have to choose another set of slabs -- probably from these people, if they have your deposit. It's the only way forward. However, they broke their word; if they weren't willing /able to hold the slab a year, they should've said, "Our time limit for holding a slab is ___." You should get a discount off your new slabs.

A 9' x 10' island is just poor design.

While I feel bad for your dilemma, I have been on this forum a long time, and have never heard of stone slabs being held for a year. And even moreso Fantasy Brown which is much in demand.

Did you tell them on the day they tagged your slabs that you would not take them for a year?

It is bewildering to me that you would have expected a stoneyard to hold onto slabs for a year. Is there even any seller of any type of merchandise at all that would hold onto inventory for a year? In a fast-moving market with a lot of demand?

Bottom line is if you don’t like the slabs they have, either go to a different stoneyard, or wait for more slabs to come in. Just move on. You cannot blame this stoneyard for your expectation they would hold onto Fantasy Brown inventory for a year.

I am a fabricator. I won't hold slabs for a year for a very good reason. Consider a 2 or 3 slab kitchen. In the event there is a problem during fabrication (like the sink run broke on the CNC for no particular reason) it will be impossible for the fabricator to find a matching slab for stone picked a year previously. At that point the fabricator is faced will paying for TWO ot THREE new slabs that match while working with an unhappy customer who's mad she isn't getting the absolutely most perfect slabs on the planet she picked for her new kitchen. I have some high end builder customers that regularly work on 6 month plus time lines. In that event I just add an extra slab to the pricing of the job to guarantee I have enough matching stone when the times comes to fabricate. Your fabricator should never had agreed to hold stone for a year. I would go elsewhere.

"it’s a multiple counter job (8 counters total + island)...the actual slab 1 of 2 that I purchased"

I feel that there is info missing from the OP story. You purchased just 2 slabs for 8 counters + island? That does not add up. Or did you need more slabs for the 8 counters + island and they do not have them available a year later? And did you purchase the 2 slabs paid in full a year earlier? And it sounds like 2 of the available slabs do match, is that correct? I do not understand then, if you purchased 2 slabs, and they held 2 matching slabs for a year (which is amazing), why you are accusing the place of a bait and switch. That is a serious accusation, and from what you said, it does not appear to be the case.

The way I am reading the OP, it was 8 slabs for the entire new build. Not just the kitchen.

I certainly understand your disapointment. The original slab was more interesting. Won't repeat questions asked by others.

You need 2 new slabs, just for the unusable continent. So, for 8 counters, there needed to be a LOT more stone on hold than just 2 slabs. But unless you had fully paid the costs for the slabs, and you were paying a monthly storage rental, and you visited them once a month when you dropped off the storage fees, holding 2 slabs for a year isn’t a reasonable expectation at all. There’s obviously no knowledgeable kitchen designer involved here, to guide you to the realities of the construction industry.

Good thing that FB is very common. It is EVERYWHERE, and easily found at any distributor. There are more slabs out there than any builder knows what to do with. It’s the new Uba Tuba. You’ll have thousands of new choices available. Now, fix the continent mistake in the middle of the kitchen before you go buy new stone.

All the other counters are quartz/Han stone so I know what to expect.--OP's second post

Are we sure the 9' x 10' is not a typo? I can't imagine an island that size.

I was thinking the same thing - hopefully 9X10 is indeed a typo! That's the size of my first dining room that I had in my first home!

The slabs are all beautiful to me - lovely stone.

From the original post:

It is two slabs book edged as the island is 9’x10’ - so essentially two full slabs.

I don't think it's a typo.

Probably an L-shaped island!!!

The photo in the original post shows two bookmatched slabs in a square shape. I don't think it's l-shaped, but I could be wrong.

Wow, you're right Kristin. Hoping 9x10 was a typo.

The other counters are Hanstone, as she mentioned.

(CMSteph, do yourself a favor and check the Hanstone before installation. They can vary a bit too from one batch to another and even so, I wouldn't put it past these guys to sell you one color and deliver a different one saying the original was discontinued.)

It is not your fault that they said they'd hold the slabs and that they would continue to hold them even after it became a long time. You are not the one at fault. You were misinformed and treated badly. It might not have been intentional but it's not cool. You should have been told when it grew too late that it was too late. I bet Oldryder would have told you that instead of selling your slabs!

Well, the new slabs are nice, too. If you're stuck with them, it won't be bad. I'm not sure I liked the uterus you were getting with the original slabs anyway. :)

That's a big island. It'll make the major statement in your space. I'd begin fresh. Look at everything available. I would not just look at the two slabs they have. You wouldn't have done that a year ago. Find two slabs that, when bookmatched, make the picture you'll be happy with for time going forward. And I believe doing that can get you something you'll really like. Plus no year wait this time.

Thank you all for your feedback. It is indeed a very large island, in a very large kitchen, and I am extremely happy with my decision.
The fabricator did indeed make an error and tagged the wrong slabs. They are correcting the error, I have chosen a new set of slabs.

Good to know there is a satisfactory resolution. I hope you'll share pics of the finished kitchen--I want to see the island!