Your kitchen renovation is underway, and you’re basking in the anticipation of cooking and congregating in this vital room. Cabinets are in and so is the flooring. At this point, the next item of business is those lovely granite countertops you have planned. As your counters go from just plans to actual reality, you may be wondering if there are any granite countertop installation problems to watch out for.
Life happens
Of course, you may already have experienced that construction or renovation projects don’t always work out as planned. Encountering obstacles of one kind or another just happens sometimes. However, getting a handle on possible problems ahead of time could help you prepare better for them. And if you know about potential granite countertop installation problems before you even choose your installer and select your granite slabs, you may be able to save yourself from some future headaches. That said, let’s look at some ways your granite countertop installation could go south.
1 – Countertop cracks
One possible issue is discovering a crack in your granite slab. While it could occur in different places on your piece of granite, one possible problem area is around the sink. You might find some variation in how seriously people view cracks in granite—with some pointing it out as an issue and others regarding some small cracks as somewhat par for the course.
Coping with them
If you do discover that your granite has a crack in it that seems to have occurred during installation, your first line of defense may be to call your installer and see whether they’ll take care of it. But, getting the installer to do it isn’t your only option. In fact, you might be able to find someone to do it simply by looking in the mirror. That’s right, you can give it a shot yourself with Meg Jernigan’s How to Repair Cracks in a Granite Countertop.
But if you’re not interested in taking on the task yourself, you may be able to find an experienced professional in your area who can do the job. And keep in mind that a crack could be a symptom of a larger problem. So find someone who can check that your countertop is adequately supported.
2 – Granite piece mismatch
Here’s an issue no one wants to discover when they get the first glimpse of their new countertop in place—granite slabs that do not match. Of course, if the color difference is slight, you may opt to overlook it. But if the difference in appearance seems too striking, you may end up looking to rectify the situation.
Where to go from here
Again, you can let your installer know about the problem and check to see if they’ll make satisfactory arrangements. They may be able to remove the offending piece and replace it with another section that matches better.
3 – Sad seam situation
Not all granite countertops will be one seamless slab. Sometimes, your counter will be installed in sections in which case the sections will need to be joined. In these situations, there will be a seam in your granite. But there are a couple of disappointing ways this could go:
- Your seam could be larger than expected.
- Your seam could have been filled with epoxy that doesn’t blend in very well.
- You could have been told that the countertop wouldn’t have a seam only to discover after install that it actually does have a seam.
Finding a solution
Obviously, none of these possibilities sound pleasant. However, don’t despair. As we mentioned earlier, if the product doesn’t meet your expectations based on previous conversations with your installer, then start by reaching out to them. But if it turns out you’re on your own and your seam needs to be filled, check out How to Repair Granite Countertop Seams.
4 – Installer drama
Another issue that could leave something to be desired in your granite countertop installation is having problems with the people you hired to do the installation. If you’re already experiencing issues like the ones above, installers who are rude or don’t take responsibility certainly won’t make the situation easier.
Remember to be calm and polite yourself even if your installer isn’t handling the issue well. You could consider taking pictures of the problems to document them—then you’ll have photos to share with the installer or others if necessary. Certainly, you hope the problem can be worked out well between you and the installer, perhaps by their fixing any mistakes or lowering your bill. Need a little more help thinking about how to handle your situation? Check out Filing a Consumer Complaint.
Head off granite countertop installation problems before they start
While it may sound like a doom and gloom scenario, keep in mind that just because something could possibly go wrong, that doesn’t mean it will go wrong. Head into your kitchen renovation with your antenna up. And try to avoid granite countertop installation problems before they start, perhaps in part by discussing with your installer what to expect and how any issues will be handled. And if you’re still in the early stages of your re-do, check out our 5 Things You Need To Know Before You Start Your Remodel.
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