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rebe231

Am I being too picky??

ReBe231
9 years ago

My Sea Pearl counters were installed yesterday and I don't like the seam in the middle of the cooktop. I wanted a mitered edge but found I didn't have enough material, so I decided I could probably live with a seam around the edge instead. I was reassured that I would hardly notice it. In the end, I needed a seam near the cooktop. I told them, and was very clear, I didn't want a seam in the middle of the cooktop. I got a seam in the middle of the cooktop. I could live with a seam, but the two pieces the put together are so far apart in color and movement.

When I called them today and expressed my upset, I was told that they did the best they could with the amount of material they had. I understand the material was tight and would have bought another slab if they had told me about this issue but they only told me about the edge issue. The owner hasn't called me yet, still waiting. Am I being too sensitive?

Comments (41)

  • jellytoast
    9 years ago

    Can you take a picture from a bit further back? I'm confused as to what it is I'm looking at and from what angle.

  • ReBe231
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here is another view.

  • OOTM_Mom
    9 years ago

    Can we get a picture from further away please? I agree its a pretty stark difference. Wondering where it is in your kitchen if it will be noticeable in the big picture.

  • ReBe231
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here is one further back.

  • dcward89
    9 years ago

    How much of the front seam will be covered by the cooktop? It definitely looks better from farther away and if part of that seam is covered by the cooktop it might not be bad at all.

  • ReBe231
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Cooktop will only cover 1/2", or so. Not enough to really make a difference. We actually borrowed the display model to dry test the cutout and it didn't make it better. I don't suppose there is anything I can apply to darken the light area next to the seam?

  • JAAune
    9 years ago

    Just curious, why didn't you want a seam in the middle of the cook top? As DCWard observed, that's the most logical place to stick a seam if you want to minimize the attention it draws. Moving the seam elsewhere might have been more visible.

  • JAAune
    9 years ago

    Is the stone sealed? I've done repair work and fake veining on marble with sandpaper, a black sharpie and super glue. It's risky if you don't know what you're doing but it does work.

    I don't recommend attempting that though as long as you're still working with the workers. Mess things up and they'll definitely not want to help you anymore.

  • ReBe231
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I feel the seam would be less noticeable at either end of the cooktop. It is not just the location of the seam, it is that I would never have agreed to the color mismatch had they mentioned it.

  • schicksal
    9 years ago

    Call me crazy but I think it's fine.

  • isabel98
    9 years ago

    after seeing the farther away pic I would say it's fine too given the movement and color variation within the slab.

  • jellytoast
    9 years ago

    When you are very clear about not wanting a seam in the middle of the cooktop and they put the seam there without informing you, I don't think you are being too picky. I'm not crazy about the color mismatch, but I'd be more annoyed that they didn't notify you that they couldn't satisfy your request regarding the seaming before they cut the material. A seam in the center of something ... a sink, a stovetop, etc. ... is my least favorite place to locate it, especially when the two pieces that are fitting together there are quite different. More and more I find that ALL communications need to be in writing.

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    I think it looks fine. Maybe the match could have been better but I would be OK with it as is. Right now you have no cook top in an unfinished kitchen. Things like that will stand out now much more than when everything is done.

    The stone is beautiful.

  • CEFreeman
    9 years ago

    I'm with jellytoast. They should have been in communication. Easier to ask forgiveness than permission? Have you final-paid them?

    That said, in the more distant pictures, I was surprised to find it didn't look bad! And you're reading one of the most anal people you'll ever meet in your entire life.

    You have beautiful stone. I hope it's rectified to your satisfaction, since this is a forever thing!

  • OOTM_Mom
    9 years ago

    First I think they are gorgeous! I agree if you said no center seam there shouldnt be one there. However, I think the look from the edge is pretty good, its just looking top down that is more stark. Most people will probably not be looking straight down on it (except you of course). I doubt others will pick up on it.

    Do they have more slabs? I don't think I'd give up that stone if they dont.

    Off topic, do you have a backsplash picked yet? I bet Rixi Mandorla would look greatwith it. I have extras if you want me to send a few samples!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 years ago

    ReBe231:

    I'm not understanding why if there wasn't enough material to make mitered edges is there suddenly enough material to waste some making a better seam match?

    If you can live with the seams in the built-up edges, your fussiness over this seam seems misplaced.

    From a technical standpoint, it wouldn't be that difficult to replace the cooktop rail with a better match, but then you'd have two seams instead of one. It may be a worthwhile trade-off if this bugs you that much.

  • loyalandtrue
    9 years ago

    ReBe231, I had sea pearl installed about 6 weeks ago and yesterday the fabricator finally installed a piece he had to locate because he miscut the original slab. The good news is that it matches the other pieces well enough. The bad part is that backsplash couldn't be installed until this piece was installed which means my new BS range has been sitting in the middle of the kitchen for all that time! It is not the end of the world, but I am definitely ready for a home cooked meal!

    Your slab is beautiful. I think you would eventually not "see" the seam and it helps that you have the dark movement on the left side so that ties it together. Good luck.

    Are your knobs and pulls glass? They are really pretty.
    What is your backsplash going to be?

  • ReBe231
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I guess I need to clarify. We bought the slab and then found the fabricator. It took us just under 2 months to get it because it kept selling out so fast. So, there was only one slab. When we bought the slab we showed our plans and were told it would be plenty. We were surprised when we were told we didn't have enough. It isn't that there is "suddenly enough material", We would need to find and buy another slab. That is why we made the decision to be OK with the seam going around the kitchen. Had we known about the color variance in addition to the edge issue it probably would have pushed us to find more material. Sorry, we have never remodeled a kitchen before and did it backwards.

    OOT_Mom: Thank you for the offer, so kind of you, but I am leaning towards Brittany & Coggs tile. Not really sure how to put it all together so I am going to meet with a designer at the tile store.

    loyalandtrue: Yes, the pulls and knobs are glass with chrome. My kitchen is not very large so I thought they would not overwhelm the room as much as solid metal ones.

    I really do love how my vision is coming together, I guess I was just shocked when I saw that seam at the cooktop.

  • romy718
    9 years ago

    Definitely looks better in the distance shot. I don't think your being too picky. I'd pursue a remedy but agree that the stone is too beautiful to remove & start over.

  • crl_
    9 years ago

    I do not think you are being too picky. They did something you specifically requested they avoid. I don't see how it could be your responsibility to anticipate how a seam you specifically said you did not want would look. The fabricator should have communicated with you about this.

    That said, the match looks okay to me in the distance. Not, wow, that's an amazing seam, I can't even see it. But also not something I would notice if you didn't point it out. It is a beautiful countertop and I hope you get things resolved to your satisfaction.

  • Vertise
    9 years ago

    I don't think you are being picky either, especially since you specified how you wanted it done and they didn't follow through. Having the front rail replaced might be a good option if the coloring blends well. Maybe someone will have remnant pieces that could work. I can't imagine buying a slab for that.

  • lucillle
    9 years ago

    You are not being too picky, it is noticeable and they should have followed your instructions.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 years ago

    There are immutable parameters when creating a countertop out of one slab. You don't get to just order your fabricator where to place seams unless you expand the parameters by giving him more material to work with.

    This isn't my rule, it's mathematics. You don't get to order 2 + 2 = 5.

  • pigeen
    9 years ago

    But should you not be told "if we do it this way, the match won't be good"?

  • ardcp
    9 years ago

    i too did not like my seam. it matched in one place near the back but not so much in the front. i was hoping for a seam you really couldn't see. now after living with it for a month or so, i actually don't notice it at all!
    the sea pearl is beautiful but with a decent amount of variation it becomes harder to match. i see dark or very light stone with almost invisible seams but not so much for the tones in between.

  • robo (z6a)
    9 years ago

    From the closeup I didn't love it but from far away with all the movement in the stone I think it's not bad at all. Once the cooktop goes in, even though it won't cover the rail, the rail will be a LOT less noticeable. The way the darker vein goes down along the left hand side, it almost looks like it wraps under the rail and comes back up to the right of the seam.

  • ReBe231
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I think I am trying to say that had they talked to me there could have been more material. I wasn't asking them to do the impossible. I expressed my concerns and was told, "I don't know why you are so worried about this. They do it all the time, They know what they are doing. You won't even notice the seams". I understood there would be a seam but was told it would not be in the center. I sew a lot, so I understand the concept of needing enough material, but I also know how to match
    patterns and color. I feel, in my ignorant little world, they should have talked to me.

    I have been without a kitchen since January and don't want to prolong the completion if at all possible. I am wondering if there is a product I can use to "stain" the very light area a little bit near the seam? Of course they already sealed it.

  • jellytoast
    9 years ago

    "There are immutable parameters when creating a countertop out of one slab. You don't get to just order your fabricator where to place seams unless you expand the parameters by giving him more material to work with. This isn't my rule, it's mathematics. You don't get to order 2 + 2 = 5."

    Then shouldn't the OP's fabricator be explaining this to her at the onset, before he cuts the material? She spelled it out to him what she wanted, so if he couldn't give her that, he should have explained it to her. He's the fabricator, he knows what the limitations are, it should be his responsibility to explain those things to his customer. By the lack of communication, he set her up to be disappointed. It is just simple things like communicating honestly that can make the difference between a satisfied customer and an unsatisfied customer.

  • laurencp
    9 years ago

    I don't think you are being too picky - you asked no seam in the middle. However, I think that once your cooktop is in your eyes will not be drawn to the seam as they are now. The color difference is offset by the movement as others have stated, I think once you are fully functioning in your kitchen you won't notice.

    It looks beautiful, you have done a great job!

  • elizabeth714
    9 years ago

    i notice it. it's noticeable. it's your money, and you gave the directives which they ignored without consulting you. i'd be upset.

  • plumberry
    9 years ago

    I feel your pain. We had a lot of similar situations where we clearly and adamantly asked for one thing and got another. I don't understand it personally. Some of the things we really do not notice at all but other things my eye locks on when I walk in the room. This looks like something you may not notice as much once the cooktop is installed and if I were a visitor in your house I would most likely never notice.

  • plants4
    9 years ago

    It's natural stone. The idea that you can have natural stone and then have it look as if it's just one piece picked straight out of the quarry is asking too much of Mother Nature. I agree that they should have communicated but the outcome is good. It's the right place for a seam and there's nothing wrong with it. You can embrace the seam as a mark of the stone's naturalness and be happy that it's in the middle of the cooktop where it should be.

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    Your stone is beautiful. I don't think you are being too picky at all. The first photo, where all you really see is the difference in colors, looked bad. But as you pull back and see more of your room, this area becomes less noticeable, less significant. I do think that when your cooktop goes in, all the little details will recede.

    Regardless of what's possible with a single slab, you deserve to be informed. You didn't say, oh, put the seam wherever you like. You were quite specific in not wanting it in the middle of the cooktop. The fabricator needed to tell you it wasn't possible and why. You would then have the option of buying another slab or accepting the seam in the middle.

    Of course the stone supplier is going to tell you it will all be fine. They don't have to fabricate it.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    9 years ago

    Well, since the cooktop isn't in yet anyway, and you think you can find another slab, you could always buy another slab, and have a new piece cut so it is seamed on the two sides of the cooktop like you originally wanted (why I have no idea, I like the seams being as short as possible - front and back of cooktop, front and back of sink). Only you can decide whether its worth a) the cost of another slab and b) waiting for the fix.

  • PhoneLady
    9 years ago

    There is no going back of course, but were you given the opportunity to participate in the placing of the templates? I totally understand your disappointment. I too was very concerned about how our granite would be seamed. Hubby and I chose to NOT buy a second slab (we had one on hold) that would have made matching much easier, but we would have had that extra expense plus a lot of leftover granite and really no use for it. The fabricator agreed it was feasible to put a seam where we wanted it, but required we go to their facility to work with them on the the templating and sign off before they started cutting. IMHO, it was a win win all around. Your end result is gorgeous other than this one thing that is probably not going to be noticed to most entering your kitchen unless you point it out. But it is nonetheless understandably aggravating. Sometimes being right just isn't enough. I hope you can come to terms and enjoy your beautiful kitchen.

  • crl_
    9 years ago

    "There are immutable parameters when creating a countertop out of one slab. You don't get to just order your fabricator where to place seams unless you expand the parameters by giving him more material to work with.
    This isn't my rule, it's mathematics. You don't get to order 2 + 2 = 5."

    Fine. No argument. But it's the fabricator's job to say upfront, I can't do what you are asking for. Then the customer can decide whether to purchase more material or go with the best match that can be done with the material available. It's not okay to just ignore the customer's directions.

  • lisadlu
    9 years ago

    I think it looks fine and I wouldn't change it for something that "might" look better. It's always prudent to discuss (and discuss again) your expectations with the vendor before any work is done which it sounds like you did. It might make it easier to live with if they give you some discount on the price. A discount makes it easier for me to accept something that hasn't come out the way we discussed since I know I would not have paid full price for it if I'd known the outcome from the beginning.

  • greenhaven
    9 years ago

    I think the farther-back shot looks great, and I loooove your stone!

    I think you have been given enough advice here to make an educated decision on what to do next, and I hope you will be happy either way.

  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    I love the stone and it would be a shame to have to start over. Movement and layout are really nice. Real stone has variations and that's what sets it apart from man made. No comment on if you are being too picky. I can easily relate but I would also need to consider the tradeoffs of possibly not getting as nice a stone or layout the next time around.

  • sumac
    9 years ago

    Every kitchen project has snafus. I think once your cooktop is in you will probably not forget, but focus on other things that could have/should have been different. For instance, do the drawers to the left of the sink open without hitting the knobs on the drawers at a right angle to them? Or maybe that is a fancy inside corner drawer?
    One of my regrets is that my cabinets over/adjacent to my cooktop are not spaced wider than the cooktop. I also had a snafu with the countertop overhang. We got the island right but somehow miscommunicated on the perimeter overhang and is something I chose to live with. Doesn't bug me as much as I thought it would.
    I guess the point I'm trying to make is remods are a big project and even the best laid plans can go awry. Sometimes you have to choose to live with something and keep the project moving. Then again, now is the time to make that change if you think you cannot. In the end, most of us are happy with the overall finished product and often end up focusing on something all together different in the end.

  • ReBe231
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The drawers next to the sink are indeed corner drawers and I love them. I am still figuring out what goes where and will eventually add dividers/inserts. I have decided to wait and see what it looks like when the cooktop is installed. The fabricator came back and worked on the seams that it is smoother. It is not bothering me as much now. I think it was just such a surprise and I never thought it would happen. I am excited to start working on the backsplash. My kitchen is small so I have to be careful with what I put in there. That is one reason we chose the combo microwave-convection above the oven. Moving on!