granite worktops badly fitted

Hi everyone

I hope someone can advise me, I've been lurking here for a while and you all seem full of information!
Basically, we had granite worktops fitted yesterday in our newly built house (haven't moved in yet). We went over there in the evening after the guys had left and were shocked to see how badly fitted they were. Most of the joints have been left really rough looking, I placed a cup on one of them and it wobbled to and fro so it's obviously not level. The slabs of granite seem to be of different thickness. Also there is a tiny crack in one area and the sealant (if thats what it's called) is clearly visible everywhere. They've done a really bad job with it.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and has any advice. I'd be really grateful. Thanks.

Sorry forgot to say we haven't paid them yet as they still have a little bit to finish.

Hi Jenna,

Welcome to AAM.

Sorry to hear of the trouble that you are having. You should certainly not pay anything for the worktops and put your complaint to these people immediately. Was it a company that you contracted to do the job or just 2 tradesmen? Granite worktops can be quite expensive so how much are you due to pay?

You may find that the sealant fades with time. If you are talking about the stuff they rub on the entire surface of the granite it eventually disapears, or else you can wipe it off yourself after a day or two, but you should get your installer to confirm this.

Wobbly cups? That's a different matter. If the joins are bad just insist on a replacement.

Hi,

Same (but opposite) situation as you - we got granite worktops fitted to our kitchen before we moved in and the quality of work was supreme. We have approx 12m of worktop with 4 joints and you really have to look hard to find the joints (even the joints in the splashbacks).

No sealant or anything visible afterwards - left the place ready to eat off !!

So my advice would be not to pay anything - all worktops should be taken out and replaced completely.
At the very least they should all be the same depth and level.
Worktop with crack should be replaced.

Check the sealing around the sinks carefully after they replace them.

Have you paid anything yet ? If not it might be time to tell them to stuff it and get granite elsewhere.

The granite is usually placed on a bed of mastic. After a relatively short period, I would say it is going to be a bugger to shift it. Possibly it's already a problem. Whatever you are planning, if it involves the removal of the granite, best do it immediately.

Thanks for the replies everyone. It wasn't a company, two tradesmen that quite a few people recommended so I was surprised how bad it was.
Re the joints, they are extremely noticable and the sealant or whatever it is is grey so alongside the black granite, well you can imagine!

I really would just like them to take it away, I fear if they start trying to correct it they'll just make it worse. It seems that some of the slabs of granite are of different thicknesses so I really don't see how it can be fixed without replacing it. I'm worried he won't be able to take it up again or if he does will he wreck my beautiful kitchen units in the process?
Thanks again for your replies! I'll keep you updated, hubby called him yesterday and he's coming back monday morning to look at it.