Not happy with new Quartz worktop 😢

zipee

Talk me in off a ledge here. My worktops arrived today. This is my one go at my dream kitchen. I LOVE the shape of it but it’s just not what I picked or expected 😢

I picked a worktop with little or no veins as I don’t like them. I know stone can differ but the sample is BS!!

photos attached of sample and actual. I know first world problems here. I am trying to like it but really sample is like false advertising!

lmk123

Completely different, sorry to say it but I hate what they fitted but that’s just me, I waited 3 months for tiles and they then tried to give me different ones, thankfully I noticed before I left the shop, they had a display up of the ones I ordered, the ones they were trying to give me were completely different, even a different size, spent an hour and a half arguing with the owner he eventually gave in and said they still didn’t know when the correct ones would be in, I’d bet any money that’s different quartz but sorry to say I think you haven’t a hope of any recourse, I’m guessing everything paid up front and signed a form saying that you accept there may be variations etc etc

lintdrummer

Not much help to you now, but we just had a kitchen fitted and we went to see the slab of stone in the workshop before we committed to it. We got Dekton, which is a man made product by Silestone, so there is no surprises in what you end up getting.

I would to talk to your kitchen supplier and tell them you're not happy, and that the sample doesn't represent the full product accurately. You've nothing to lose.

Sarn

Sorry, but I also wouldn't be happy. I’d agree that the sample is not representative. We also went for white quartz with a very subtle grain. As with lintdrummer, we just happened to view full slabs before choosing which helped make our choice. In our case the small sample reflected what we got.

awec

The way the marbling appears to run in straight lines across the stone really doesn't help, it doesn't look great IMO. Around the sink also looks terrible IMO.

I would also be very unhappy, and I would push this hard. The sample is not even a tiny bit reflective of what they've given you.

Duvet Day

I definitely wouldn't be happy with it, the back of the sink is the worse part imo, I think you'll have to go back and insist on a change, it's definitely not comparable with the sample.

You're kitchen design and colour is really gorgeous, I hope you can get this sorted without too much hassle. Stand your ground with them as I'm sure it cost a lot ,best of luck with it.

sydthebeat

i must admit, i quite like that, especially the "whoosh" shape coming up off the hob

it looks a lot more 'natural stone' than some of the quartz tops you see with thread vein like contrasts running through it. i much prefer the bigger contrasts which actually show the different layers of the stone

its natural stone, you have to expect some changes. but that being said, the contrast is very different from the sample which is more stippled than layered.

geotrig

yeah around the sink seems to carry the most of the marbling and its seems to be even more magnified by the splash backs being as bad or the same effect .Its a lovely kitchen and I can understand the frustation (i've looked at it from a perspective of wanting a plain finish) but if they company are really digging their heals in maybe a compromise on the splash-backs although the marbling around the sink might not look great next to a very clean piece either

893bet

Kitchen still looks well I would try putting your bits and pieces that are going to be normally stored on the surface in place (little, bread bins etc).

Hard to see them replacing unfortunate. It’s above the small claim court amount also. So difficult for you to get traction assuming you are fully paid which I assume you are already.

10-10-20

It's funny - it's divisive. I have to admit that I think it looks edgy and if I had decided on having that pronounced vein within the product then I would have been delighted with that end-result.

That is... except the sample does not represent the end-result. The vein is too strong, too directional and too contrasting. Not wanting to be sexist on the point, but I believe that my wife and many other wives would be in a similar position as she poured over the samples of a much plainer quartz for what seemed to be an eternity, and had the product arrived out with that level of variation from the expected image within her mind, then there would have been tears.

That aside, it's still a beautiful piece of work, but maybe just not to your liking.

HeidiHeidi

I got a granite worktop, and I wanted plain black (or as plain as I could get) - I went to the company and picked an actual slab that was used for the worktop. That's neither here nor there for you though.

I'm really not a fan of the "busy" stone look - but I really like your kitchen despite that! Agreed it's nothing at all like the sample you were given - but I wonder could you put that aside and look at it just as is and get to like it? It's very dramatic with the "swoosh" up behind the hob, and diagonally across the stepped bit of the countertop!

I wouldn't have picked it for sure - but I definitely think I'd be keeping it.

I would agree that it's very unlikely they'll replace it as that stone is now practically unusable unless they can find uses for very small bits.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121107321#Comment_121107321

I'd be fairly confident that it is not actually different. So I'll take that bet if you're offering 😁

lmk123

😂I’m broke so no, You could be right, might just be a poor sample or something, probably no way of proving it either way as the supplier will say it’s the same anyway

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058313620/not-happy-with-new-quartz-worktop

Samples for stone and solid surfaces are made by cutting up larger slabs into small pieces. If it's a consistent, homogenous material, then the sample is too. But when the material undulates, whether natural or artificial, the samples obviously will too.

The sample you picked has two colours that appear organically/randomly. That's a pretty good indication that the whole slab will have variation. Picking the actual slabs as suggested above is best, but at the very least it's critical to see photos of full slabs, and it installed if possible.

Jazz Hands

Looks terrible to be honest.

I'm not sure what you can do.

blackbox

If you don't like it, you need to replace it rather than have it annoying you for the next 20 years.

I don't think you can expect the supplier to replace it for free as parts of what was installed are like the sample.

I presume you have already told them you are unhappy with it. It might be worth asking if they'll negotiate a reasonable deal to replace it.

jonnybravo

Looks like a poor sample. The below is similar to what you got.

https://www.ocallaghansfireplaces.ie/product/ashford-grey/

ThreeGreens

For what it's worth, if I picked that sample, what you got is not what I would have expected.

What you got has two distinct areas. Some very dark and some very light. The sample is only very light so not representative of the final product in my opinion.

Someone mentioned that you'll be annoyed looking at it for the next 20 years. They are probably right. I'd go back and complain bitterly. If they don't agreed to replace it, then I'd speak to a solicitor to get an opinion on if you have a case or not. Probably worth a simple letter from the solicitor. At least they will see that you are seriously upset and not just disappointed.

chooseusername

Change the backsplash and maybe the upstand as well, and add a splash of colour. I think it links the dark base units and the light colour wall units very well.

skinny90

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121109892#Comment_121109892

yup id agree here...

If I was a manager / owner id take the hit or agree at a compromise figure as a lesson learned case.

Going forward, If customer wants to go with a similar stone again, reps should be warning customers about the likely hood of the stone changing...

At the same time they could lean back and say no

If I owned a kitchen company irrespective of whether it falls short on a legal issue to change it

I will not want any negative publicity of what you have experience.

Push the ball in their court and see what they say

Goldengirl

I like it .

As other posters said a) its natural stone so there will be variation in the slab and they do generally say this as a disclaimer. And b) it links the two colours of your units very well.

But you did not get what you thought you were ordering .

Don't know if you have any comeback here , sorry .

You can try , the sample is a very poor representation but is probably of a different part of the slab you got. They might change it for you , but it's a punt .

If not tell them you are taking it further and get on to the small claims if they don't oblige you , but they do say in the small print that the samples don't always match the full slab.

If not try and live with it ... its beautiful and might be much loved once you get over that first look/ feeling of loss for the worktop you had planned in your head .

Leg End Reject

It looks like mould growth to me. I'd be on to the supplier trying to get it replaced at a reasonable price.

Lovely kitchen otherwise!

legend99

As an aside, and without upsetting you more, that socket is very close to the sink? Maybe someone qualified could help out and confirm distance requirements but better safe than sorry with electrics...

RainInSummer

I like it a lot. Well ware.

Dav010

For me the difference is how light in color the sample is, and how dark the fitted top is, you are losing the desired contrast with the darker coloured wood units. Personally I wouldn’t be happy with it, I know the sample can just be indicative, but the sample and the fitted top are just too different. Like others have said, when we had a kitchen fitted some years back, the kitchen maker arranged for us to view the actual slab before it was cut, and sign off on it.

Out of interest, what is the shade of blue used in the units, I’ve seen a lot of this color recently in advertised homes.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121109056#Comment_121109056

It's very easy to prove tbh. I was able to confirm it in a few seconds be googling the specification of the finish. Was also posted above.

When you see the full slabs there is very very obvious veining like in the OPs kitchen.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121109342#Comment_121109342

That looks exactly like what OP got. And matches the spec on the sample. It's pretty obvious that when that 2000mm long slab is cut up into 100mm samples, there is going to be dark sections and light sections - neither of which represent the overall slab. The onus is on the person picking the finish to look at the overall.

@zipee , you've made an understandable mistake, these situations are an example of the value a professional brings. I've no idea how the conversation went, but find it crazy that you placed an order with out seeing the other images on the finish on the website -either through your own research or them sales rep literally pointing them out.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121112671#Comment_121112671

Reading some of the comments. I think there's lesson learned for the posters who are clearly not really aware of stone/surface samples work.

The company most likely provides images of the full slabs, as well as pictures of finishes projects. On commercial sample approved is a very specific and important stage. That obviously didn't happen here. He could of course chance his luck with getting it swapped. But he'd want to try prove the rep failed to be clear on what what he was selecting.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121123508#Comment_121123508

For the sake of accuracy, It's not natural stone. It's synthetic and made to have variation like natural stone.

The small claims court would be a very hard pathway. I probably wouldn't advise that, as it's more likely to cost more month and achieve little. there was a error made when researching finishes, very hard to put that on the company.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124460#Comment_121124460

Small claims court costs €30, no solicitor costs involved. It is designed to be a very simple pathway.

As I said above, kitchen maker arranged for us to go to countertop provider to view slab before it was cut, I’m not sure if op was instructed to do that. Certainly there is a vast difference between the sample and the fitted countertop.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124501#Comment_121124501

I'm aware the fees are minor. But there are other time/cost investment for the OP. If somebody needs to take a day off work to attend, get a report by a professional etc. These costs add up. When there is a valid claim, there smalls claim court is hugely valuable in recouping losses. But I struggle to see where the supplier is at fault here.

I always view the full slabs. For some stones, maybe from photos. For Marbles I select them in person. As I said above, a sample is a piece of a large slab cut into small pieces. There is never an indication a sample is representative of a whole slab - for obvious reasons. If the supplier sold the material based on only that one sample it's one thing. But that's not what happens.

Looking at a supplier of a similar stone, in the specification page they have photos of full slab as well as the below. This looks very close to the images .This is what their specification and advertising material shows. If the OPs supplier has anything similar, then they misrepresented the product is a tough sell.

chooseusername

@zipee , If you still have the sample, see if that or similar could be matched to any part of your worh-top, if the answer is yes then grow to like it, it is very nice. Also as you start to put "stuff" into the kitchen- taps, kettle, toaster, microwave, coffee machine , air frier etc. it will be grand.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124687#Comment_121124687

Mellor, SCC time taken literally involves filling out the claim form and paying the fee. At this stage there is no need for time off work or professional reports. The op appears to have the photo of the sample from the discussion with the sales person, and the photo of the fitted top. The additional info needed with the claim is the contract of sale, and any mention of differences between sample and fitted top, that will indicate exactly what representations were made at time of purchase,

You will also have to consider that the seller will need legal advice, which of course they will have to pay for, and will also have to take a day off work for attendance in Court. So if they are not helpful, there is very, very little time and cost associated with making a SCC claim.