Fissure/crack opinion needed

Kostya · 09-26-2007, 01:33 AM

We had a new granite countertop installed and have found some fissures/cracks. There are 3 total - 2 of them are smaller and not very visible, but one is quite big. They have also drilled the faucet hole about 3/4 inch off the center of the sink divider and incorrectly spaced the other holes. On top of that the installer was very rude and tried to blame us on the misplacement of the holes. The stone is Juparana Bourdeaux.
The large crack is about 18 inches long and can be seen at the edge. The bottom has some reinforcement, so it is impossible to tell if the crack is through. The installer says that it is only a fissure and will not affect longevity. They've also offered about a 10% discount. I've read many posts here and saw several comments that a fissure is OK as long as it is not felt with a finger. This "fissure" can be felt. Moreover it is in a place that reflects light from a window visible when you first enter the kitchen and we are not happy with this appearance.
I've included some pictures. Please advise if this is indeed a benign fissure or if we should pursue a replacement.
Thanks.

NuTech Floor Pro · 09-26-2007, 02:54 AM

I'm not going to be your expert on the fissure. I have definitely seen some that I didn't like and it is possible to be only a fissure. Did you pick the slab and the placement of the individual tops within the slab? I was under the impression many fabricators did this to prevent problems like this. I am a customer service expert and I was wondering how it is your fault that the sink holes are off? This is a deal breaker for me as a consumer (although for a price those holes can be amazingly well filled). I sure hope you owe them money.

cheesedog · 09-26-2007, 03:40 AM

im 99.9% sure thats a crack. as for the placement of the holes, thats on them. did you stand there and point at the exact spot where you wanted the hole right before he drilled it? i doubt it, how could it be your fault. there is a chance that its a fissure, but i doubt it, thats a big mother. and i havent seen any fissures remotely close to that big in that stone before, and we do a lot of work with all ofthe bordeaux stones. its hard to say for sure without standing in front of it.

cheesedog · 09-26-2007, 03:41 AM

fissures dont typically go sall the way through the stone like that either, cracks do.

glenn k · 09-26-2007, 04:41 AM

It is a crack. Definitely get your money back and have another company replace. Since he offered a discount, he acknowledged his mistake. Check with your local Builders Association, Chamber of Commerce, or Better Business Bureau for legal procedures. Let the installer know that you may pursue legal matters if the matter isn't resolved immediately.

cheesedog · 09-26-2007, 06:26 AM

im looking at the picture again, it looks like they tried to repair it. looks like epoxy in there.

Huligar · 09-26-2007, 10:12 AM

You need to stop all payment on this job. This was a crack that they try to repair and a sloppy job at that. They did not even try to polish the adhesive or break up the color. Look up stonebuddy, he will do a much better job at repairing this top if you decide to keep it.

As far as the wholes, did you give them the template?

Look bottom line, the fabricator that you used is a hack and should not be let any where close to stone. get your money back and find someone that takes pride in our craft.

Topshop · 09-26-2007, 11:24 AM

From what I see as a fabricator - the fissure (crack) was there in the slab before fabrication and should have been avoided in the fabrication process. This is the fault of bad stone choice. I see features like this in slabs all the time but NEVER put them in finished pieces without consulting the customer. To me it sounds like either your fabricator got a deal on some bad material or just plain does not care about his customers. Most slab suppliers discount slabs which have features like that or the slab is rejected at the dock.

Get your money back or have the fabricator pay for a proper repair. The fissures can be filled and re-polished if you find the right restoration guy (like Stonebuddy) but do you realy want these tops? It could lead to more trouble down the road if your house or cabinets settle. I would have them replaced.

F.Y.I. - next time you see mesh on the back side of the stone should be a warning to you that the material is not stable. I know the stone is pretty but you need to pick structurally stable stone too. This is the same mistake many people make so don't feel bad about it. Just learn from it. I always reject meshed slabs at the dock on my customers and make them pick a stable stone - no mesh. There are plenty of pretty stones without mesh.

P.S. - Jo, there is no such thing as a template for locating faucet holes - only sink cutouts. Faucet location is all up to the fabricator and customer. The fabricator should have measured before drilling. This is something that the templator needs to review with the customer when templating the job and should be drilled with wet tooling in the shop and not dry on the job site.

Kostya · 09-26-2007, 11:41 AM

The faucet being off center is clearly not our fault and that wasn't the original issue. We first asked them to drill 2 holes at 6" and 6" for soap dispenser and hot water dispenser. We then asked to change to 4" and 8" because once the hot water dispenser arrived it didn't quite match the other 2, so we wanted to move it a bit further. What they drilled was 4" and 4".
We purchased the sink from the same company as the countertop, so the faucet being off-center is clearly their fault.
I searched for StoneBuddy, and it looks like this is someone in Charleston, SC? Thats about 4.5 hours away, too far, no?
Thanks for the advise.

Huligar · 09-26-2007, 01:40 PM

That is him, Charlestons Best Stone Buddy.
If you are going to keep it and the fabricator is going to pay for the work, he will make the trip. Please note, this type of job is not cheap, and not one that the home owner should ever pay for on a fresh install.

Natural stone is a serviceable surface, bad craftsmanship is not. you need to get what you paid for.