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kwscook

HELP!!! Granite installation mess up!!!

kwscook
11 years ago

I had to work at the office when the fabricator came to template, although I had talked with him extensively about how we wanted things done. He was referred to us by the folks where we bought our granite, with great recommendations/reviews. Now I wish I was there to coach him.....

One side of our kitchen is about 1" longer than the other - the old laminate countertops weren't even, but rather were even with their respective walls (if that makes sense). Well, apparently this granite fabricator decided that the countertops on either side of the galley kitchen should be the same length, despite the length of the walls behind them. See these pics:

What do we do? Can they come out and cut down that one side after it has been installed? Or will be have to build out the wall 1" to accommodate that overhang? I don't really want to do that, as we've just recently installed all new baseboards and doing so would require us to change those out.

I'm totally lost. Having 1" extra counter space is fine and dandy, but not at the expense of looking good / normal!

Anyone have any thoughts on how to rectify this?

P.S. - These pics are horrible, I know, but I hope they can show what is going on. Also, don't mind the old cabinets and unfinished walls - thankfully that is going to change this week and will be done correctly!

Comments (20)

  • bahacca
    11 years ago

    I have my installers here RIGHT NOW. Let me ask them.

  • bahacca
    11 years ago

    They looked at the picture and said "Why does it hang over the wall like that?" They said it will be messy, but they should be able to cut it, grind it and then polish it where it is since it is hanging over the edge of the wall.

  • kwscook
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oh my gosh, you are a life saver! I will plan to call them tomorrow morning and have them fix it. I'm so upset I couldn't be there today either - my husband is essentially useless when it comes to this stuff. He just let it happen. Ugh.

  • poohpup
    11 years ago

    I'm so sorry! They need to fix it!! I hope they're able to fix it quickly and painlessly. What on earth would make them think you'd want the counter hanging out beyond the wall like that? Duh!

    It is so important to be there when they do the template. Right now my BS tile is going in and I'm trying to hang out at home as much as possible. Every so often I get a question asking "How do you want me to handle this area?" Past experience has taught me that I want to be the one making those decisions!

    BTW, my hubby would have been just as useless making decisions if he'd been there. Good luck with the fix!

  • User
    11 years ago

    Did they do the standard 1 1/2" overhang, regardless of if the cabinets were so near the end of the wall? Would you actually be OK with having zero overhang on that counter run? (I wouldn't, as it protects your cabinets against damage.) Frankly, there doesn't look to be a good solution to this as the origination of the problem is the cabinets that are too long and too near the edge of the wall. I might ask them to clip the corners a bit to keep them from being obstacles to be bumped into, but I wouldn't want to go without an overhang on my counters at a high traffic point like that.

  • Fori
    11 years ago

    Did they really think that was okay?

    It's not an ideal spot, sure, but that's gotta be something where you stop work and make a phone call while templating! Of course, if hubby signed off on it, you might have to pay for it...the overhang (or lack of it) didn't bother you before so it won't bother you now.

    Other than hanging some sort of googah on the end of the wall to sort of disguise it I'm not sure what else you can do.

    (I also don't think it'll really be an issue either way once you get used to it. I've seen much weirder in older homes and just thought it quaint.)

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    11 years ago

    I have one of those quaint older homes, and the same type of counter 'overage.' I did it on purpose to eke out another inch of counter space beside the sink--I lost part of the old counter to an opening to a new addition, and didn't want to relocate plumbing. It really isn't an issue. We have frequent, large family dinners where everyone walks through that opening into the DR, and no one notices the overhang. I did something similar with the opening between the kitchen and LR, but I don't want to freak you out with that picture. ;)

  • robbcs3
    11 years ago

    Don't let anyone cut, and polish where it is. You will be cleaning up after that for months. Have them remove the piece and take it outside. There may be an issue with the cabinets being to close go the end of the wall to allow sufficient counter overhang but I cant tell from the pics, could have something to do with me viewing it on my phone.

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago

    I realize this isn't what you want to hear, but I don't think it's horrible.

    I've seen that, yes, in older homes, but I've also seen it in newer ones. One friend wanted to be able to hang her little step stool under an overhang. Another just wanted to protect the cabinets.

    If they're going to ruin the granite and have to start all over? I'd let it be and ask them for a concession of some sort.

  • cakelly1226
    11 years ago

    I know you are upset but I agree with Christine and don't think it looks bad either. Like others have said that overhang will protect your cabs and I would have never noticed it:)

  • caryscott
    11 years ago

    Be cautious sometimes the fix is worse than the problem. It looks fine to me and I wonder if it isn't one of those things where it wasn't what you envisioned so at first it seems very off putting (been there) but once you get past your initial surprise\disappointment maybe it won't be a problem. Your house your call. I would lay the ground work for the fix (building out the wall should be off the table) but not pull the trigger until you have lived with it for a bit.

  • kwscook
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you everyone! It is very confusing as to what to do. The issue is that they did a standard 1 1/2" overhang even though the cabinets are very close to the wall.

    Seems like it would be a mess to fix in place - they'd be shaving off about an 1", which doesn't seem like it would be all that easy. Taking it off and doing it in the workshop 45min away doesn't seem that easy either.

    I think, perhaps, that once we have "moved back in" to the kitchen, it might not be as apparent. It is very similar to mama_goose's picture (which I thank you for, by the way!). There will be things to distract your eye from it, maybe.

    So, I guess we'll live with it and see what happens. I may call the granite fabricator and just see what they could do, should we decide to have them rectify the situation.

    Thanks again - your ideas and thoughts were helpful! Glad to hear that, while it isn't totally right, it isn't the worst thing!

  • Gracie
    11 years ago

    One idea is to wrap a chair rail around the corner and onto the adjacent wall at the same height as the countertop.

  • camphappy
    11 years ago

    I am no expert in this by any means but I think robbcs3 makes a good point. I hear that granite dust can destroy wood floors. Before they begin cutting the granite find out how they are going to control the dust.

  • advertguy2
    11 years ago

    Doesn't look strange at all. If they provided the standard 1.5"or so overhang, then it's fine. No overhang would look even worse in my opinion. If that wall was part of an archway that was trimmed out, then it might look weird, but since it's just drywalled I think it's fine.

  • denali2007
    11 years ago

    I have no ideas for you other than talk with the fabricator about it. As someone else said, sometimes the fix is worse than the problem. I'm sure this overhang really bothers you but I bet no one else will ever notice.

    When we had our granite installed I was working and DH was in charge. We had talked about and I said I didn't want a 3 inch backsplash. When I got home, there it was!! I was furious. Two months down the road, it is not as infuriating as it was when I got home. I was afraid to have them remove it.

  • mrsjoe
    11 years ago

    Have you spoken with the installer yet? It looks like really the cabinet should have been shortened there to allow for the overhang, so I would be surprised if he didn't say it wasn't his problem to fix.

    Honestly though, like everyone else is saying...I think it looks just fine. It would look strange to me to have the counter end exactly at the cabinet.

  • weedmeister
    11 years ago

    I thought it looked normal. But I'm a guy and what do I know?

    I think lengthening the wall would be easier than cutting the granite. A couple layers of drywall, tape and paint and voila!

    But that depends on the moldings above and below.

  • loves2read
    11 years ago

    so what did you decide?
    I had one section of granite that was not cut just right and my contractor cut piece of 3/4 round, stained like cabinetry, and got it to fit to finish the seam...
    it is not perfect but it does not call the eye to it like it would have otherwise...

  • kwscook
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    loves2read - You know, we just left it. And guess what? Doesn't bother us one bit. In fact, I don't notice it and no one else does either. It is amazing how those little things seem so big, and then in the end, it is nothing.

    I need to post pics of the finished kitchen! We're about to embark on the next project so I've been totally preoccupied - from one project to the next. Thankfully this is it.