Blotches On Granite
We are purchasing a new home. We did our walk through today and I was unhappy with the granite countertops. There are two very large imperfections which look faded out. Our builder has assured us that this is mother nature and is actually a more enduring quality of the stone. My husband is not sure what to think. Is it normal procedure for the installers to intall the granite with not just one but two imperfections like these. One is 8-10? long and apprx. 4-6? wide and the other is smaller. I am very upset since it is so noticable. Can you give me some advice as I plan to address this with builder but need some back up.
Thank you for your feedback,
Laurie Spartano
Hello Laurie,
Your issue is a common one and unfortunately it was very preventable. In my article, “The Homeowner’s Checklist“, I write about how to avoid this specific problem. Unfortunately, it is too late for that.
Although the granite you chose is the granite you got, there is certainly a degree of acceptable quality for the “Residential Market”. Whereas Giallo Napoleon Granite, with the large blotches, might be suitable for the wainscot of a commercial building it is not a generally accepted quality for homes.
I would appeal to the Contractor as follows: Present my Homeowner’s Checklist and ask if they feel it is reasonable to expect this level of care when buying a new home. If the contractor is reputable, they will say yes. Then follow-up with the fact that this was not done and that if it was, you would have obviously rejected the slabs. You could also ask quite simply, “Would you want to see this in your home everyday?” If the contractor does not side with you and you still want to pursue it, you will have to get a local consultant.
By the way, the granite you mentioned is generally uniformed. Slabs that have large botches like the one you mentioned are heavily discounted if the botch is near the center and unavoidable with normal fabrication. Let me know how this turns out.
Best wishes,
Tom Cordova
