If all of your counter sections are small enough to fit on 1 slab, they *can* (usually) be done without seams.

No corners and only straight runs less than 9' and you can get by without seams. But, that's unrealistic. Your fears are out of proportion of the reality of seams. You just need to find a good fabricator and view the past seams that they've done. They are really not a big deal.

Edited to add: Sorry, I see you've already had a bad experience with a poor fabricator, so your fears are NOT overblown if dealing with that fabricator again. However, in the larger picture, well done seams are not to be feared. I have a bookmatched slab full height backsplash on one of my displays, and it's beautiful. You just need to find the right fabricator!

I know it's not a closeup, but there are 3 seams on the backsplash and one on the perimeter counters. They are all pretty nice!

This post was edited by live_wire_oak on Sat, Jun 22, 13 at 19:38

It also depends on how stone is handled in your area. Around here, I was quoted for the number of square feet in my job. I needed about a slab and a half, but the fabricator - who also stocked the slabs I wanted - used parts of two whole slabs so we could bookmatch around the seam, plus he went out back and found a remnant from the same batch of stone that we were able to use. I still paid only for the 65 sq ft or whatever it was, and he kept anything that was left from "my slabs." I realize that in many other areas, you buy the whole slab, so you try to fit all the template sections on that slab. There is not as much freedom for arranging the template to get the best part of the stone or to best match seams.

If you have a run of counter longer than about 110 inches, it may be hard to avoid a seam. It depends on the length of the slab, as kirkhall said. My fabricator said that he only does seams where he has to; it's usually easier and cheaper (in terms of labor) for him not to do a seam.

Depends- the fabricator I use will do whatever fits on the slab- including turning the corner, so 123 x 66 is not uncommon (with sink is ok too) They send 4 men minum always and often 6 to install. They offer viewing of the template on slabs prior to cutting which I encourage all clients to do. They are not the cheapest. I wiill not use anyone else, they are good, keep clients happy, use first rate stones, and follow up is great. I make pathetically little on counters but don't want issues.

We have a long straight run, a 90 degree section and 8'x 40" island. We played with the templates along with the fabricator, and with 2 slabs ( they were sequential) we were able to avoid any seams. Installation of the corner piece was a concern, but we were assured the appliances would be moved out and it wouldn't be a problem. And it wasn't. Hope you get resolution to your difficult situation.

Thank you all for the answers. I have a small kitchen and there were 3 seams on my granite. The one by the cook top is excellent. You would have to look very closely to know there is one there. The other one is not great but perfectly acceptable but the third one is awful. I wasn't given the option of book matched but would have gladly done that to avoid how awful the counter looks now.

Live Oak and Jakuval how do you handle an issue with a fabricator who does a poor job? Can my KD with hold their payment? I don't want to cause problems for either one of them but I am so very unhappy with the install.

I think the granite is so beautiful but the poor match just stands out like a sore thumb and I know I will be looking at it day in and day out, and I know I won't be able to keep it long term. I think that I should have had input into figuring out how to deal with it before they even templated it since he knew it was a problem. Am I being unreasonable?

Live Wire that display is glorious!

With who I use I pay half to bring in slabs and balance at template so no leverage. There are others where I would not haave to pay until install. I know of none who give terms.

I won't let my kd be on the hook for this. Dang I was hoping he could with hold payment to get them to fix the issue. I may have to go to the BBB and do a review on Angie's list. That will be the last resort though.

This is your KD's responsibility, IMO. You paid KD to give you a great kitchen. Yes, they should have let you know how that seam was going to be. An experienced fabricator - and KD, for that matter - would know that this would be a problem. No, you are not being unreasonable. That mismatch may fly with less TKO people, but it would always bother people like us who spend time on this forum. But they didn't contact you, so now you have to figure out what to do.

If they had asked you at template, you would have bought another slab. So if it were me, I'd have this piece removed, buy another slab, preferably bookmatched, and have a new piece cut, with me there at templating. I'd expect a deal on the labor to do this, if not comping it. And if they didn't make it right, I'd complain to BBB and Angie's List.

The more I read on GW, the more I appreciate my fabricator.

SOP for us is- client. Views template on stone and signs OR client signs a waiver indicating they "refuse" to view and waive all rights regarding layout.
Other than that the fab trlls us how many slabs, occassionally they suggest an extra- only when footage is very close and stone warrants.
A few time- at template client wanted extreme measures to get a "perfect" match. They will do that- at additional expense, clients have always decided to be satisfied without doing that. Not to say the matches were not great- just not necessarily bookmatched. As stated these guys are not the cheapest.

There is a lot of pressure from the public to have lower prices on counters. And it is seductive to the dealer, had one rep stopping in weekly for months to get my meager amount of business. Most dealers have caved to that. I simply won't.

Point is that part of the problem has been generated by US- the consumer.

This is the fabricator that my KD always uses. They do have a good reputation which is why I am so shocked at what was done in my kitchen.

I called the fabricator first thing yesterday to hold a slab from the same lot for me but I was told they are all sold. My point is that they never indicated the possibility of a possible mismatch and as DH said if there had to be such a drastic mismatch they shoud have attempted to put it in a location where it wasn't as noticeable. Because I am not a fabricator have no idea about what is possible and what isn't.

I would have gladly purchased an additional slab to avoid this issue. I didn't expect a perfect match but I did expect a good match. I will post more pictures of how bad it looks from the top.

My DH is a very non picky person, and he is totally blown away by how bad this looks. At first he didn't think it was that bad but the more he looks at it the worse it seems. it looks bad enough to him that he is getting involved in the process.

Holly Kay, If you are not happy, you need to pursue whatever remedy is necessary to reach a resolution. I am sure your KD wants a happy client and ought to step in to help. Please don't settle for something that does not meet your expectations. FWIW- all the KDs I visited quoted me for counters but I insisted upon choosing my own fabricator and working with the fabricator directly. I also paid the deposit on a credit card in case there were issues down the road. In my case, my kitchen is so tiny I don't need seams (thank heavens!) but I still wanted to be very involved in templating, layout, selecting my slab (delicious slab of Alabama White marble!!!) Bottom line- if it isn't right, the fabricator should make it right and the KD ought to act as your advocate since you purchased through the KD. Good luck! (Cabinets are lovely by the way... and the stone itself is also pretty.)