Monday, October 15, 2012

Countertop


Four years ago we rebuilt our kitchen from top to bottom. Around Labor Day of that year we decided to get serious about replacing the kitchen hoping to have it done before the Christmas holidays. The remodel came with a thousand silly stories, including a cabinet maker who eyeballed instead of measuring (turns out he was a savant as well as illiterate).

The kitchen is one of the few projects we have undertaken which met all our expectations, and there is nothing we would have done differently. Except...

Last Christmas the quartz countertop to the island cracked, and the manufacturer wouldn't honor their warranty. They have lost a customer forever, and today a replacement granite top is being installed.


Have you ever gone to a fabricator to select granite on the hoof? It is an amazing experience. A huge room of slab upon slab of 1000 pound rocks, from which you get to select your very own piece. The experience ought to include marriage counseling, as the opportunity for disagreement is endless.


With luck the new top will outlive me.
Toad

7 comments:

Merry Wife said...

I'm sorry to hear about your quartz countertop - that is very disappointing.

I have ceramic tiles, which are actually great, except for the grout issue. They are so hard to keep clean. Every once in a while I consider upgrading to granite, but then I get sticker shock. :)

Toad said...

Mrs. T is the queen of bargains and found a slab she liked at a price she was willing to pay. Quartz is really not cheap.

Greg said...

As an Architect, I can assure you your issue with the quartz is a common one.

Toad said...

In retrospect it is easy to see how to avoid such cracks.

LPC said...

Yes, yes, I HAVE been to a place full of granite slabs and I agree. Impressive.

Pink Benny said...

Actually....I found selecting the correct piece of granite quite easy to do if you are handy with math. First, let the wife select. Then, figure the cost of alimony if you choose another. Case closed! [Hope you enjoy your new counter top ! ]

Danielle Watkins said...

As an Architect, I can assure you your issue with the quartz is a common one.