Countertop guys screwed up!

[oldberkeley]

Countertop installation crew in our new kitchen yesterday, installed quartz countertops.

Everything OK except for the undermount sink. Completely skewed, way different-size border on all four edges. My wife did not notice it until this morning.

We are calling the company this morning. I know that they are expoxied in: can anything be done?

 

[eddiemeddiem]

On our granite countertop and stainless undermount sink, the sink basin is just clamped in place and sealed with silicone. I don't imagine it would be too hard to realign if necessary.

Hopefully yours isn't really epoxied... But my experience with these is a total of one.

 

[mrpizza]

They can rip it out and fix it!

 

[jonjon1]

normally just clamped and sealed, they will unclamp it cut the silicon with a piano wire, clean the silicone off and reset it, shouldn't be a big deal.

I no its a little late but I learned a long time ago with stone counters check before they leave, I run a my nail down all the exposed edges and seams, anything that catches I mark with the white paint pen, check all the drawers and cabinets make sure they all still open and close, and make sure all gaps are correct, islands especially, I had a house done and the island was 2 "s off on the top, you couldn't tell until you looked from the bottom and seen the top was angled...

Good luck I hope the company makes it right for you...

 

[oldberkeley]

OK, don't know where I got the epoxy notion from!

I signed off on the installation, was busy working on the outside of the house, it generally looked OK. My bad, I should have looked more closely.

When my wife got home she hit the ceiling. We are attempting to contact the company now.

 

[oldberkeley]

Well, it just got worse!

The sink appears to be supported by scrap pieces of 1" x 3", two in the back, two on each side, one in the front. They're all mounted at an angle, the top part against the underside of the sink rim, the bottom part screwed into the particle board cabinet base with one drywall screw.

This can't be correct!!!!!!!!!

 

[stikman56]

Make them fix it, no matter the cost, no matter their time. They fucked it up, they didn't care enough to do it right. Cut them no slack. Get what you paid for.
Almost EVERY TIME someone did any kind of work on my house, this is the type of **** I got. The cabinet installer for our kitchen did a ****** job, I had to re-do all the base cabinets, they weren't even straight. He screwed up the opening for the fridge. I let it be known he wasn't ever welcome back in my house. This sort of thing pisses me off to no end, and when they perpetrate this on me it feels like a total lack of respect. Lots and lots of people have no pride in their work now, this is the world we live in,it ***** but it's true.

 

[jonjon1]

Well, it just got worse!

The sink appears to be supported by scrap pieces of 1" x 3", two in the back, two on each side, one in the front. They're all mounted at an angle, the top part against the underside of the sink rim, the bottom part screwed into the particle board cabinet base with one drywall screw.

This can't be correct!!!!!!!!!

Yah, thats not right, that is hack...

My guys use toggles, they machine the granit to have these little bow tie looking recesses, then they put these toggles in the recess {sometimes for big sinks they dab some epoxy on the toggle end}, then they use the ss bracket/plates that pinch the sink up, you can adjust it by loosening them and moving the sink {before the silicone dries}.. then they run this tool/scraper around the inside to remove the visible sealant, after everything is tightened into place...

Its saturday so I am sure someone will contact you Monday, I wouldnt get nervous about it until Tuesday, leave a message. Unless you go thtem on c-list I am sure they would rather just fix the sink than have you cancel payments and bad mouth their company...


Good luck, dont get nervous yet, if your wife is anything like mine I feel your pain...

 

[davidlee]

They support the sink with scrap fur strips or what ever while the cement holding the sink dries. My sink had come loose from the granite a few times and the company came back and took care of it.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Well, it just got worse!

The sink appears to be supported by scrap pieces of 1" x 3", two in the back, two on each side, one in the front. They're all mounted at an angle, the top part against the underside of the sink rim, the bottom part screwed into the particle board cabinet base with one drywall screw.

This can't be correct!!!!!!!!!

Not even close to right. I've been thru horror stories like this too; since then I've babysat installers. Do they like it? Not even... Do I care? Even more not even.

It's worth the time off work to not have the drunken tweakers or 17 year old kids screw something up. I'd call them on Monday Morning, tell them to send their contractor (not the unstallers) to inspect this train wreck and make it right. I hope (for them) the countertop isn't borked or now ruined, but if it is, don't let them give you the "We're losing miney on this" sob story - if they hadn't screwed fido on the install and done it right the first time, they wouldn't be losing money.

And, um, until I knew they fixed the job, I'd consider at least holding payment on the check, tho if you already paid them it's probably long cashed by now.

Edited to add: If they were using the 1x3 as clamps until the adhesive set, which I guess is reasonable in some installs, they should have told you about it. I'd still be leary.

 

[oldberkeley]

I have a couple of bathroom sinks installed in what I think is one acceptable manner, and I've had kitchen sinks done the same way:

A hole is drilled in the bottom of the granite/quartz countertop, screw posts 2-part epoxied in, time to let them set, clips and nuts to fasten the top.

davidlee- I understand what you're saying. By "cement" I assume you mean epoxy. Even if the boards were there to support the sink while the epoxy dries (which I don't think they are) I'm not sure that I'd trust the integrity of that install. Fill a sink with water, you've got one heavy object!

Not looking forward to this battle on Monday. Supposedly, this is a good-sized reputable company, been in business a while. (But if that's true, how could they be installing countertops this way?) We paid by credit card many weeks ago when we bought the quartz. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this company would do something like this.

 

[TTA89]

We have ours getting installed on Monday... I was already worried even before reading this. We have a huge sink that they haven't seen before as well...

 

[Rosco]

Mine was epoxied in and I chose to leave the wood supports in place. You cannot see them unless you get almost inside the cabinet, and the little pieces of wood are a piece of mind. The toggles are great and a better installation, but I had not seen them until now

 

[Firebird 1]

And these guys are who im competing against. Beware of low bidders and box store installers!

 

[tcianci]

Don't get all fired up about it until you're sure that they have actually done shoddy work.
The sink obviously slid out of position, they will make good on it.

This is a classic example of why I sometimes come off a such a cranky ******* in some my posts: A member has a question, often legitimate about product or service that he doesn't understand. Then an entire cadre of "experts" chimes in, most of which have never seen the situation that the OP is describing, let alone have enough specific information on this particular posters concern.

Then of course it only makes sense to label anyone who you have hired in to do work as a tweaker or a crackhead or God forbid, a 17 year old.

Take lots of pictures, you will need them for the court case that will almost always result from these situations. And if you let everyone on here get you all cranked up, you will almost certainly look like a total ****** to the contractor, who just might be very concerned in making everything right for you and explaining what happened. That sets you up really well for the next time you may need his services.

 

[Wood'nMetal]

Don't get all fired up about it until you're sure that they have actually done shoddy work.
The sink obviously slid out of position, they will make good on it.

This is a classic example of why I sometimes come off a such a cranky ******* in some my posts: A member has a question, often legitimate about product or service that he doesn't understand. Then an entire cadre of "experts" chimes in, most of which have never seen the situation that the OP is describing, let alone have enough specific information on this particular posters concern.

Then of course it only makes sense to label anyone who you have hired in to do work as a tweaker or a crackhead or God forbid, a 17 year old.

Take lots of pictures, you will need them for the court case that will almost always result from these situations. And if you let everyone on here get you all cranked up, you will almost certainly look like a total ****** to the contractor, who just might be very concerned in making everything right for you and explaining what happened. That sets you up really well for the next time you may need his services.

I......love......you! Finally, a voice of reason in a sea of blustering!

 

[iminocca]

I......love......you! Finally, a voice of reason in a sea of blustering!

Amen! I've been a contractor for a long while and from time to time even the best tradesmen have a bad day....chances are good the company will be glad to have the opportunity to make it right.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Amen! I've been a contractor for a long while and from time to time even the best tradesmen have a bad day....chances are good the company will be glad to have the opportunity to make it right.

Agree..

 

[oldberkeley]

Countertop resolution:

This morning I first spoke to the sales manager and got nowhere. Her response was, "We always install them that way without any complaints." Well dear, you've got a complaint now.

Next moved on to the installation manager who was more knowledgeable and reasonable (turns out he's a former installer in the field.) After some hemming and hawing he more or less "diplomatically" agreed that using scrap wood to hold up the sink is not the best method--neither structurally nor cosmetically--and that the undermount alignment should be pretty-much even all around. He said that he has to do what the owners ask. He did however agree to send over an installer.

Got a real break here, as these days I'm never sure what skill level the tradesman is going to be at. The installer was a 20-year experienced pro (big tattooed biker and the nicest guy you'd ever meet) with a young helper. He flat-out agreed that the install was ****. Also pointed out that the sink hole was not cut 100% correctly.

He proceeded to remove the scrap wood supports and the sink. Spent over 1 1/2 hours straightening one side of the sink hole with various power tools. Very skilled! Meticulously cleaned every surface, reinstalled the sink with silicone in a perfect undermount alignment, and fastened it with 8 epoxied-in screw posts and clips.

Cleaned every surface in the kitchen to remove dust, including mopping the floor!

Pleasant, polite, hard-working, expert. IMHO, a vanishing breed. When he left I immediately called the installation manager and told him how great a job this guy had done.

 

[The Cobbler]

glad to hear a positive outcome.

 

[Stuart in MN]

And glad to hear you called the company back after the work was completed. Good results all around.

 

[Strouty]

Watch the sink fall out tomorrow night when the wife is doing the dishes.

 

[SatisTraction]

Watch the sink fall out tomorrow night when the wife is doing the dishes.

lol. that is what I was thinking

 

[cdeer001]

lol. that is what I was thinking

X2

 

[scottydosnntkno]

And yet all the old codgers on here who know everything about everything will still bad mouth is contractors for every little thing that goes wrong.

There are still people and companies out there who care about the product they put out and their reputation

My theory is along with a lot of the poeple on here thinking they can do everything, that one project that comes up they go with the cheapest or one of the cheapest companies or even side work employees they can, because "it shouldn't cost that much, I can almost do it myself".

It goes back to the saying of cost, quality, time. You can only pick two. When it comes to permanent, one chance things like granite, go with a reputable company that has been around for a long time.