Wellllll… I’m one step forward & two steps back with this kitchen renovation! I am so disappointed: my beautiful stone counters will be getting removed.
As you know, after they were installed Hubby and I were a little disappointed as the stone cutter had made multiple mistakes. We were brushed off when we raised our concerns immediately after installation, so we tried to live with it. But once we started to use the kitchen, the huge discrepancy in the overhangs and the off centre faucet hole were just so annoying to look at every day!
The really deep overhang to the left of the stove actually makes it difficult to find the cabinet pull. But I didn’t know what to do. I knew this stone slab, which I waited 6 months for, was sold out and I also worried that removing the counters could damage the new cabinetry. The fabricator only focused on fixing the off center hole, which would have meant drilling it larger and adding some sort of deck plate. No other solutions were offered. So we just figured we’d have to live with these counters, as-is.
I posted a video on TikTok, curious if others would be bothered by the mistakes – basically to see if I was being overly picky. At that time, I was still committed to keeping the stone counters. I think that, after so many delays, I was just relieved to have counters and to be moving forward. And the stone I chose is really stunning. I had kind of decided flawed teal stone counters was better than perfect plain beige/grey stone counters. My obsession with teal really skews my view sometimes, lol.
I was blown away by the TikTok feedback! Across a couple videos I posted, I received over 1,000,000 views and thousands upon thousands of comments from people absolutely livid on my behalf. It turns out other people had their stone counters replaced after far fewer mistakes. Overwhelmingly, people were furious with the counter installation. Still, I sort of pushed back against these comments because I didn’t want to give up this beautiful stone.
In the process of trying to make the counters work, I asked BOCCHI (who had provided me with a beautiful faucet) to send me a different model, with a flared base, which I thought might help draw less attention to the off centre hole. This was my first faucet, and this is the faucet design with the different base. It did help a little, for sure:
But as we installed the faucet, we noticed that the crack by the hole had changed. I had pointed this out immediately after install and the fabricator had said it was a natural fissure, not to worry – but “keep an eye on it”. It was smooth to the touch on the surface at that time, but we could catch a nail on it along the front of the sink. Hubby was convinced the crack happened during drilling. When a TikTok commenter, who does this for a living, said that was definitely a crack (he knows this because it’s happened to him to) I took a closer look. The crack had changed. Now, the crack feels rough on the top of the sink too – my nail now gets caught it in. So it’s shifted, perhaps from the faucet installation (which is only finger tight and not actually fully installed yet) or just settling/shifting. Either way, I was warned that this crack could cause major issues down the road.
This, for me, was the final straw. I wasn’t happy with all of the issues and, as I had lived with the counters, even more things had started to bother me – like the reveal around the sink, which also wasn’t done correctly because it is uneven and shows way too much of the sink. So, in total, all of the mistakes: the gap at the back, the huge difference in the overhangs, the off center faucet hole, the faucet hole crack, and the sink reveals were just too many things done incorrectly. But the faucet hole crack worried me the most, as the crack can be seen from the top and underside of the stone, all the way around the front where the sink is. Beyond my aesthetic concerns, I worried that this could literally just split one day.
So I finally made the difficult decision to start from square one. I didn’t make this decision lightly for a lot of reasons: it’s a waste to see this beautiful stone scrapped. I’m sure parts of it can be used, but parts of it are just wasted. I also love this stone so much – it makes me SO happy! It sparkles and it’s teal and I literally sit in the kitchen every day and admire it for a few minutes. It’s silly, but I love rocks and stone and anything teal/aqua/turquoise/green – so this is my dream counter. I also didn’t want to risk damaging anything in the removal process, like the brand new cabinetry. And, if I’m being honest, I’m tired! I just want my kitchen to be done..
That’s why I waffled a lot about what to do. Ultimately, the stone fabricator didn’t want to (or couldn’t) fix these issues – other than drilling the faucet hole larger and adding a deck plate. She did eventually just offer a refund – which at first made me angry. Other people who have had issues had their stone fabricator source a new slab and REPLACE a poorly cut stone counter. I spent SO long sourcing this stone and in the time it took for this fabricator to get it shipped and installed, it had sold out. So I was annoyed she refused to help me source another slab because I didn’t really want to commit to spending countless hours searching again – it’s so much more difficult to do this as a customer because many suppliers don’t want to deal directly with a consumer. I am grateful she brought this slab in after I sourced it, but I am annoyed I had to do the sourcing myself in the first place – and that, because of her dawdling, it’s sold out now. I should note that she also offered me a discount of about 28% – but it was only valid for two hours, lol.
Frustrated, I called the company who installed the cabinets. They had noticed the stone counters weren’t done well, but hadn’t want to hurt my feelings by pointing it out. They kindly agreed to remove the stone to avoid any damage to the cabinetry and they will also help me source and install a new slab. After I got off the phone, I felt so relieved. The crack had literally kept me up at night!
I don’t know for sure if I can get this same stone, but I am going to try. In the meantime, I am permitted to keep and use these counters so at least I am not without a kitchen – although my plans for a backsplash and kitchen “reveal” are put on hold. I’m definitely going to try and earn the title of longest darn kitchen renovation ever. I will admit that part of my reluctance to start from square one was not being able to share my kitchen reveal online in a timely manner. My work running this website/socials and my personal life/home really blur together sometimes. I really want to create content that is either interesting/educational/informative/entertaining/inspiring – and I know that waiting another 100 years for me to finish this kitchen (which I started in the fall) isn’t exciting for you, as a reader. So I’m sorry! I know this is annoying. But at least you know I’m sharing renovation realities on a real life timeline!
And while the kitchen is on hold, I’m going to redirect my focus and give the laundry room a little makeover. There’s always a project on the go around here…
KITCHEN RENO PROGRESS TO DATE:
- My Kitchen Design Plan
- Drywall & Tile Samples
- Subfloor Installed
- Cabinets Installed & New Appliances
- New Flooring & Sink Progress
- How to Install Plywood Underlayment for LVT
- How to Install Luxury Vinyl Tile
- Kitchen Light Installed & Counter Update
- Teal Quartzite Counters Finally Installed
Can you use the counter in the laundry room or elsewhere? Or can you keep the swirl portion and have it be made into a side table for use somewhere?
Just wondering.
Author
That’s an excellent question. I have to return the stone to receive my deposit back. I need to re-order stone for new counters, so my budget is allocated to that. Once I’ve gotten my refund, I guess technically I could re-purchase the stone from the fabricator to use elsewhere, but I don’t honestly know that I trust them! They might cut it incorrectly, again. And I doubt they’d work with me, honestly! But there’s a risk they may not be in business by the time my new stone arrives and we remove these. If I’m then stuck with these pieces and can’t get my deposit back, I’d definitely make use of them. But to have something fabricated from the scraps would cost a lot and possibly not be done correctly so currently I do not plan to re-purpose them.
That is so disappointing Tanya. I will happily wait for your new new kitchen counter renovation. I know things don’t always go smoothly but you seemed have had bad luck with this fabricator. As always,
Ann
Author
In hindsight, when this fabricator ordered the wrong slab, I should have asked for my deposit back and started the search with someone else. That was already a sign that they were careless – the # was printed right on the slab and I had warned them that the supplier kept mixing up the slabs and asked that they double check the lot # and they never did. Lesson learned!
Hey Tanya!! Any update on the kitchen. I waffled about asking this since this project has been such a bear for you, but we are invested and want a happy ending!
Author
Oh you’re so sweet to worry about asking. I honestly didn’t have an update for so long – nothing was happening for months and months. I couldn’t get this stone through the cabinet company, even when the exact slab suddenly became available. So I was going to give the original fabricator another chance, but she ghosted everyone! Just last week I paid a deposit with a new local fabricator who is able to bring this same slab in. I was so lucky someone who had it on hold didn’t need it. I just have to wait now, again, for it to get here, which might be a couple of month. I am so scared to jinx it, lol. But hopefully soon I will get this counter replaced with the same stone, just cut properly. Fingers crossed 🙂