There's a pretty good chance that if you replace everything, you will not like the slabs as well or the fabrication job will not be as perfect on the seams and mitered edges. Or something is going to get damaged in the removal and new install. Given that you know you are going to tile and he's willing to remediate, I'd think seriously about him footing the bill to add backer board. This solves the problem without creating MORE problems, and backer board is never a bad thing behind a tiled surface and will flatten the tile job if the wall is wavy (which may be the reason the granite fit was poor if it wasn't digital templating). I would not trade a thinner crack against the wall for a stone I liked less or a lessor seams job, personally. The LEAST noticeable element in the whole job is that crack, which can be covered and hidden by backer board thickness.

Errant:

You didn't post any pictures, but I'll bet his granite is cut straight and your wall is crooked. If that's the case, he could probably float a little 20-minute mud on your wall and be out of there in an hour, plus your crooked wall will now be straight and that's going to make your tile job look much better.

Thank you both. I will try to get a picture, Tre. The gap is on adjacent walls and travels the length of both fairly consistantly. He used luan strips to template, did the fab, then did another luan template when slabs were here to double-check. That is when he trimmed back that outside edge of the L-shapped pieces. I feel like it would have been perfect had he left it alone.

I'm liking the idea of using mud to fill it out, but don't know if that can be done w/o making it look like my walls are leaning out. The backer board idea seems like it will work, but it will be a pain going around all of the cabinets. There are also three openings that would have to get new corner bead (end wall, window and pass-through). Oh, and I just realized that will also bury part of the raised bar at one end :(

He's coming at noon today. Maybe I should just relax and see what he wants to do. I'm guessing (hoping) he knows more about this than I do. If it turns out backer board is the best way, should I suggest they handle the install? I was going to do the backsplash myself, but don't feel qualified to do the backer board with all if those openings.

Hmmm I just had an idea... Maybe some sort of Schluter edge? Something that sits on top of the granite, covering the rough edge, with the backsplash butting down to it? Since I'm using a split-face marble tile, this would give me a nice, straight edge when wiping down the counters.

Here is a link that might be useful: Schluter

They are sending out a drywall specialist to "float the wall." They took measurements so that he can come and get it done in one visit :)

I am a fabricator.

"They are sending out a drywall specialist to "float the wall."

this is a good approach given your current situation. If the fabricator knew you were going to use tile he should have cut the back side of the tops to follow the curves in the wall so no large gaps appeared. I would consider that normal practice and make the fabricator responsible for any added costs incurred.

Errant:

Only you and your fabricator know if he was provided with backsplash information. Either way, your splash is going to look much nicer as you sight down it because of this "mistake" than it would have if he'd cut it tight and you tiled over the waves.

It wouldn't be unfair for you to help him out on this one economically. At least a generous tip.

I don't think it matters what her backsplash plans were. If it did, he should have asked when scoping the job. SOP is to fit closely to the wall not leave large gaps that could limit backsplash type or impede any installation. Apparently they hadn't even ordered a thicker 4 inch stone for it. Some just use paint. Any needed leveling of the wall would have been addressed when tiling.

I see no reason to compensate them more for a templating error which caused the homeowner delays and wasted time with repeated visits. Those things are inconvenient and can involve taking time off from work. We all know it's a big deal and billable when the tables are turned.

The fabricator was aware of our BS plans, which is with a thick stacked stone (which he assumed would cover the large gap). While our BS is thick, it's still not enough to cover, and what happens if I decide to go with a normal tile in 5 years?

I also wanted to note the that gap is fairly consistent and caused by him cutting short, rather than wavy walls. The curious part is that he did a second template once he had the counters here, then trimmed those two edges in our driveway. I think the counters would have been perfect had he not trimmed them once on site. He goofed, but they are willing to fix it by sending out the drywaller.

While waiting on the drywall guy, we started getting nervous about his plans on a fix. IMO, the best way to handle this would be to hang a second layer of drywall on both walls. We were worried that he'd come up with some sort of half-assed work around to avoid removing cabinets, so we went ahead and removed all upper cabinets to make it easier on him. He will be here tomorrow, I hope it all goes well as I'm really anxious to get this completed.

If you paid for proper measurements and fabrication I would not accept "floating the wall" as an acceptable solution to a botched granite job.

What would you find acceptable, Eve? A complete reinstall would mean finding new slabs, and I absolutely love the ones I picked out (not to mention this stone is becoming increasingly difficult to locate).

Trebuchet is right - any tiled backsplash is just going to look better and more professional with a very flat wall underneath it, rather than a tiler trying to make up for that slight wall curve with mortar as they tile. (edit: sorry, hadn't read your last post. Never mind!)

I'd wait until you see how the drywall expert fixes the wall before panicking! You can always rip out the granite, but that would be a tremendous waste of resources as well as the great job the granite guy did. Save that nuclear option for a final resort.

--> one thing occurs to me just to make sure it's been asked: you are calculating in the 1/4" of mortar that the tile will sit in, right? I'm sure you have, but if not, your problem is solved right there.

Good luck!

This post was edited by circuspeanut on Wed, Mar 12, 14 at 15:07

Thank you, Peanut. Yes, we did account for the 1/4 mortar, but there's no way the BS would cover at one end where it's really bad. There is also a portion of wall that will not have BS, so no way of covering that up.

I'm really trying not to panic. It just feels like we are moving backwards in this project. We are also in a bit of a time crunch in that we are expecting guests in two weeks. I'm sure they'd be understanding of our unfinished kitchen, but I'd really prefer this were done.

We had two guys working on the walls yesterday, but they didn't finish. They put 1/2" hardiboard over the existing drywall, so the gap is now covered. They say they will be able to finish out the hardiboard like drywall, in the areas that don't get backsplash, but I have my concerns. Luckily, I'm not there today to watch ;)

Hopefully all looks well when I get home tonight. I really want to be able to paint afterwork, so that I can start on the BS in the morning.