Stolen from a previous post

I think it dropped off this past week or so...the last post to it was 10/31. I have it saved. Here's a summary of it:

When deciding on a fabricator:
- See the installer's work, especially the seams;
- Talk about what they do to make the seam really tight and smooth.

Before Fabrication
- Mock up the location of the faucets, soap dispenser, air switch, air gap, etc. before they come to fabricate. Be sure to account for clearances behind the sink as well as b/w each item.
-- Make sure you have your sink/faucet templates (all sinks & faucets!)
-- Make a list of all your appliances and the required clearances (sides, back, front, top). This applies to both appliances w/cutouts (e.g., cooktop, etc.) and stand alone (e.g., refrigerator, range, etc.).
- Make sure you have enough of your lighting installed and functional
- Make sure you have everything that requires a cutout before they fabricate. You want to have all of these on hand when they come for templating.
- Post pictures for the TKOed of your slabs!

Fabrication/Pre-Install
- Be present for the template process.
- Be there when they place the templates on your slabs, but if you can't be there then have a lengthy conversation about seam placement, ways to match the movement, and ways to color-match the counters that will be joined at the seam
- Double check the template.
- Make sure that the measurements are reasonable.
- Measure the opening for the range.
- Be sure you test your faucet for clearances not just between each fixture, but also between the faucet and the wall behind the faucet (if there is one). You need to be sure the handle will function properly.
- Make sure the cabinets are totally level (not out by more than 1/8") before the counter installers come in. Saves big headaches.
- Make sure they have the sink/faucet templates to work from.
- Check how close they should come to a stove
- Make sure you have your garbage disposal air switch on hand or know the diameter

Installation
- If you have wood floors--especially if you're in the process of staining or finishing them--make sure they don't spill or drip granite sealer on the wood floors. Apparently the sealer interferes with the stain or finish process. Possibly consider brown kraft paper to protect your floors.
- Make sure your appliances are protected during the installation process.
- Make sure you have a pretty good idea of your faucet layout--where you want the holes drilled for all the fixtures and do a test mock up to make sure you have accounted for sufficient clearances between each fixture.
- Somewhere you will have a seam by your sink because they cannot carry the small pieces after cutting out for you sink without breaking. Ask them to show you where it will be and if you are ok with it. Should be covered in the appropriately colored caulk.
- Check the seams for evenness and smoothness.
- Make sure the seams are neat and clean.
- Make sure the seams are not obvious.
- Make sure there are no scratches, pits or cracks
- Make sure the granite has been sealed
- Ask which sealer has been used on the granite.
- Make sure the sink reveal is consistent all the away around
- Check the gap of the granite at the wall junctions.
- Keep an eye out for inconsistent overhangs on the counter edges
- Make sure all your edges are identical
- Make sure the laminate edge (if you have it) is smooth.
- Check for chips. These can be filled.
- Make sure the seams are butted tight.
- If a cut-out or a seam is worked on OVER a drawer, be sure to remove the drawer and tape the glide. There have been instances where the granite dust destroyed the drawer glide.
- Make sure that the top drawers open and close
- Make sure the stove sits up higher than the counter
- Make sure you can open your dishwasher
- Make sure you have proper clearances for all of your appliances.
- Make sure you have the appropriate clearances for your appliances.
- Make sure all your cabinets are still in the right place.
- Watch when they apply the sealer, so that you know how to do it later.

Post Installation
- Post pictures for the TKOÂed
- Enjoy your kitchen!

Good Luck. The above list is a great one. When dh called to tell me the granite fabricator was at our house Monday I was a little apprehensive. I hadn't done all my research and after meeting with him I ran back home and posted in a panic. My biggest concern was seams but it turned out my stumbling block was edges and overhangs. What granite did you pick?

We have one called Silver Pearl or Black Pearl (the stone yard keeps calling it silver but the slab I tagged said black) whatever...I know what I tagged and my silver pearl looks more like what I find online for black pearl. So whatever it's called I can't wait.

as i said in other thread, that is a great list. i may have to trust them on seaming, if needed. they told me that they will not have to seam at the sink (issue was elevator height), which of course made me happy. then, reading the above list, i remembered when i reserved the slab, a different guy there mentioned the need to seam so it wouldn't crack when being carried. so, depending on who wins out at the shop, i guess i could end up with a seam. which is okay - other than not having input into the "where". of course they could not seam it and it could crack..but i choose not to think about that now!

I have a seam at the sink and am so worried based on info here, but so far that's the only place I don't worry about. The template had 2 seams elsewhere but when they arrived, I was told that the sink seam was best for what they had to do. They did tell me that it should be OK. They also told me that most people have sink area chips so I'm extra careful with my large pots.

I think the list posted above is all inclusive. After they left, I actually sat down and wondered why i was so worried. It was so much fun, picking and chosing, and of course changing things in the middle of the ballgame.

Best wishes!!

it was really interesting. The granite guy and the cabinet guy were talking and the granite guy was telling the cabinet guy how impressed he was that everything was so square. The cabinet guy was "well of course its square" lol. Anyway, he (the granite guy) walked me around showing me how the overhang was perfect, how the angles were perfect, how this worked and that worked. He was really really nice. I thought it was a lot of fun (of course, it's always fun when things work out right)

just to update, i was able to get away without a seam at the sink!
also, while i did check if drawers opened, i did not check the tilt out - it hits the granite, so it won't open. i'm probably going to let it go, since i didn't really care about having one and the trays are pretty tiny. i just opened it now to check to see if they left the trays in; they told me they if they obstructed the sink, they would. but, just wanted to mention this for others to think about.

Any tips on front apron farm sinks. What to look for?