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joseph_corlett

The Best and the Worst

Several days ago I saw one of the worst and one of the best countertop jobs I've ever seen in the same day. The first is in the home of a potential client, the second at Tampa International Airport:

Starting from the left side.

Previous picture close-up.

Left to right again.

Previous picture close-up. Of course the sink rails are broken twice in the front and twice in the rear.

This seam takes 3 credit cards to flush, it's worse the closer to the edge you get. Both seams have failed.

This is probably the saddest picture of all. This floor hasn't sunk. These cabinets were installed with the dip 16 years ago. The tile setter had to stay level and filled the gap with grout.

I refused to do any work except a complete reinstallation. The tile backsplash could really complicate matters.

Even after a glass of wine, I knew this was impossible as estone doesn't come in sheets this long. There is a seam at the back of the stack of napkins. I had to get off my stool to find it.

This is the same 3cm estone top with a 3cm stacked edge. If it weren't for the sliced particulates, you couldn't find the joint and it can't be felt. The edge finish is flawless. It doesn't get any better than this; much better than any miter I've ever seen.

Ironically, commercial construction standards regarding appearance are so much lower than residential. Architects, Project Managers, and commercial customers generally don't peruse countertop websites, educating themselves and raising industry standards, as do homeowners spending their own money. That's the reason why there's no Corian and other solid surface commercial warranty; the manufacturer doesn't need it once everyone's check has cleared. They'd be dead if they tried that with housewives.

Comments (12)

  • Amy Sumner
    9 years ago

    the homeowner's shots make me want to cry. How sad. Thankful for fabricators that take pride in their work like you, Treb, and the ones I had the privilege of working with.

  • jackfre
    9 years ago

    We installed about an acre (slight exaggeration) of soapstone counters last year in the re-model. The soapstone contractor said, " it is so nice to work on cabinets where everything is plumb, level and square. He was in and out in no time with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. A year later we had the cabinet guy over for dinner and he saw two doors that were about 1/32 out of line. He fixed it before he'd have a cocktail. He said it would bug him throughout dinner if he didn't.

    Anyway, in your case the problem was poor construction prior to the counter guy getting there. Unfortunate, and the consumer pays for shoddy work. You were right to insist on a total re-do. Otherwise, it will be your fault down the road. But, you know that;)

  • CEFreeman
    9 years ago

    I would say incredible, but crap like the 1st is not unheard of. Just so very sad for someone who had high hopes for a lovely kitchen. Do I understand correctly that you're going to make it right? Because I will be hoping for "after" pics.

    As far as that lovely commercial installation, do they do residential? They would achieve God status...
    It seems like they might even be someone you'd hire!

    I feel so bad for that homeowner.

  • MizLizzie
    9 years ago

    I still can't see the seam in that shot of your thumb. Amazing quality. Thanks for sharing.

  • lindanewc
    9 years ago

    In the first installation, were the cabinets the cause of seam failure or a poorly installed counter?

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    "I still can't see the seam in that shot of your thumb. Amazing quality. Thanks for sharing."

    MizLizzie:

    If my thumb were a clock, look up at about 1:00 and about 1/2 way into the edge. You can just see some shaved particulates. The picture shows more detail than the naked eye.

    This post was edited by Trebruchet on Sat, Jul 5, 14 at 15:33

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    "In the first installation, were the cabinets the cause of seam failure or a poorly installed counter?"

    LindaNew:

    Folks have heard me preach here about flat and level cabinets in plane ad nauseam and this is why. You can't build a wooden roller coaster of cabinets and lay granite, with little strength in tension, upon them without failure.

    Poorly installed cabinets can make for a poorly installed countertop. That's what happened here.

  • gr8daygw
    9 years ago

    My mother's granite was poorly installed and poorly fabricated. I'm so sick about it. She is in another state and the company she used is so insecure and sensitive to any questioning of their work it makes it impossible to deal with them. They go by the deny theory. They won't recognize there is a problem. A long seam in the corner failed. The butted joint cement failed because one side is higher than the other. They came out to fix it only after I insisted and they said that happens sometimes due to settling. The house is 50 years old⦠They did a crap job and left flaws in the granite that should have been cut around like craggy pits in the slab, crazing areas that feel like cracks. It's so frustrating because I don't live near her and have to fly up to be on the spot to help. It was a beautiful slab of typhoon bordeaux but it did have areas of defects and we did pick it out together. I had no idea they would leave those in when we picked it out but I wasn't there for layout and cutting. I thought they were better than that. I didn't appreciate their attitude toward my elderly mother when I wasn't right there either. Boo⦠I guess they wanted to re-sell as much as they could and so that is why they left the defects in and didn't cut around them. Whenever you wipe the counter down it drags across the areas with the craggy pits. My sister the germ freak told my mom it would collect bacteria and of course that took all the fun out of it for my sweet mom. Sigh...

  • ajc71
    9 years ago

    "Ironically, commercial construction standards regarding appearance are so much lower than residential."

    I think that depends on the commercial project, I have been involved in many commercial projects where nothing but the best is expected and anything short of perfect is to be ripped out and replaced immediately

    "As far as that lovely commercial installation, do they do residential"

    The fabricator (who is also the supplier in our case) that we have used for many years does mainly commercial work, we met up on a very high end commercial project in the mid 90's and have used him ever since on both residential and commercial projects....

  • chiefneil
    9 years ago

    I can totally understand how an inexperienced and lazy contractor could cause the screw-up in the first pic. I was DIY installing a long run of cabs in my den. Unknown to me, the floor runs at a slight slant.

    I just picked a side and started putting the cabinets in, which unfortunately for me turned out to be the lowest side. First cab was slightly out of level due to the slant in the floor. No problem, got it leveled. Then the second cab was also out of level plus higher than the first, so I had to go back and raise up the first. Then the third cab was higher than the first two, so I had to go back and redo them again. You can see where this is going; I had a good head-slapping "doh!" moment about halfway through.

    Anyway I could see a lazy contractor working against the clock saying "screw it" in a similar situation and giving up on constantly re-leveling the previous cabs, ending up with a huge dip in the run.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    " Do I understand correctly that you're going to make it right?"

    CEFreeman:

    I hope to, but it's a several thousand dollar job. They needed some time to digest that idea. That's still much less expensive than a do-over.

    Unfortunately there are Craigslisters that will epoxy and scrape the cracks and seams in place, dips 'n all, for a few hundred bucks.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    "I think that depends on the commercial project, I have been involved in many commercial projects where nothing but the best is expected and anything short of perfect is to be ripped out and replaced immediately."

    ajc71:

    I have to agree. I was speaking generally.

    There are conflicting agendas. A general contractor is more concerned about getting a retail store opened by the mall grand opening (punishing fines if you miss) than the perfect fit and finish of the showcases.

    Unlike a woman who's been studying here, has a loan to pay off, and has the time and inclination to make life hell for a contractor trying to pass off substandard work.

    I would wrestle a Zebra carcass from a pride of lions before I'd take her on.