On April 5, at 5:26PM, Artisans of Stone received an email from [redacted] stating she was interested in Absolute Black Leathered Granite counter-tops for her kitchen and her new cabinets were to be installed on April 20, [redacted] contacted her on April 6, 2017, by phone to talk to her about her project, but had to leave a message [redacted] then emailed a layout of her kitchen and I responded with several questions pertaining to the job before sending her a quote One of the questions was whether or not she was interested in 4" backsplash or was she planning on putting up tile Her response to that was, "Can you quote both ways with the splash and without? I am thinking of just going white walls with white cabinets so the extra black on the "u" walls might be nice I am so tired of digging out tile that I may just leave the walls for a while." I then sent her quotes on what she was asking for The total amount quoted was $ On April 7, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know she would be putting a check in the mail and that she had decided against the 4" backsplash for now, which made the cost of her job decrease to $ We also scheduled her template for April 27, and her install for May 4, On April 13, 2017, we received her deposit in the amount of $ On April 27, 2017, [redacted] met [redacted] at her house and made a template of her cabinets On May 10, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] a contract to sign and return On May 15th, 2017, we received an email with a signed copy of the contract On May 16th, 2017, we brought the slab in to be cut and [redacted] had [redacted] take a picture of where her seams would be [redacted] emailed the picture to [redacted] to have her approve the location of the seams She then talked to her and [redacted] approved them At that time, her counter-tops were cut Then they were moved to the fabrication area of the shop and the edges were detailed On May 17, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] to let her know her counter-tops would not be installed on the May 18, and she would continue to keep her updated on the progress On May 24, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know her cabinets were not correct and her cabinet maker was going to have to fix them and she would let us know when that was completed [redacted] explained to her that her counter-tops had already been cut and if the cabinets were moved, the template we originally did would not work [redacted] assured [redacted] that the only change would be the sink center line Our thoughts were that it was perfect timing for her to call and let us know because it happened to be right before we cut out the sink On June 15, 2017, [redacted] emailed us to let us know her cabinet maker was finally finishing up her cabinets the following morning She also stated that [redacted] had mention to remeasure , but she could measure from the right wall over to the center of the sink and that should work She then said if we felt more comfortable coming out, that was fine She then said, "I can't wait to get my granite!!!" [redacted] emailed her back and told her that she appreciated her offer to measure to the sink center line, but we would feel more comfortable coming back out there [redacted] explained we would be out of town the following week, so the soonest we could get there would be the week after we got back [redacted] also stated she was worried this would happen, as in she would be ready for her counter-tops while we were out of town On June 26, we recieved an email from [redacted] asking us when we would like to remeasure along with some questions about her dishwasher and stove [redacted] emailed back and explained that while we were on vacation we had gotten very behind and at that moment we were playing catch up and that she would continue to keep her posted We had communication by telephone as well On July 5, 2017, [redacted] emailed asking how the week was shaping up [redacted] emailed her back and told her we were shooting for her install to be Friday or Saturday of that week and that she would keep her updated On July 7, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] and explained that unfortunately her install was not going to happen that day or the following day and that we were were doing our best to squeeze her job in our already jam packed schedule along with playing catch up [redacted] also said the next week looked a lot more promising and that she would update her again on Monday Between July 10, and July 18, 2017, there was constant communication either through email or by phone about the install After receiving the new sink centerline information, which was a change from 5/to 7/we were able to place the job back in the fabrication cycleAfter getting the job back up on the tables, [redacted] began grinding off areas of the stone that had been highlighted as "heavy" after placing the template over the jobHe then fine-tuned the seams to make a tight fitThe next steps were cutting out the sink and then finishing the edge profile on the stoneUpon finishing the edging, Mrand Mrs [redacted] walked in to the fabrication shop around 6PM or 7PM, it may have been just a little later [redacted] stopped fabricating and began to have a conversation with them [redacted] stated she wanted to come by and see if we were a real business because she had no face to face contact with us as she was handling everything online [redacted] assured her that we are real business and have been a real business for yearsShe then asked if the stone was really absolute black [redacted] assured her that it was absolute black and that he could show her the purchase order and receipt for the materialShe declined the offerShe noticed that he was doing a dye and darkener test on the freestanding peninsula that had already previously been fabricatedShe said that the stone should not have to be dyed or sealed because it's absolute black [redacted] told her that slab has already been treated by the company that produces the slabsHe then went on to explain that all slabs are treated in some various way from dyes, resins and epoxiesAlso, not to forget fill and groutHe then told her that all he had left on your job was to run the remaining diamond bristles on the edging and then treat itThen he wished them a good night, they left and he returned to polishing the job with the diamond bristlesHe then allowed the job to dry overnight and planned on treating it in the morning [redacted] called [redacted] first thing in the morning and stated that she did not want any sealer applied to her job, but she wanted olive oil on her stoneKnowing that there are issues with enhancing sealers on absolute black [redacted] was steering away from those products and using something that was formulated for those stonesHe mentioned to [redacted] to the speak with [redacted] and inform her that she could not use a vegetable-based oil on her counter-topSo [redacted] went out and purchased a food-safe oil for her counter-top and then proceeded to break down the entire jobs finish to remove any sealer placed there by the fabricator of the slabsThen he dried the material thoroughly with heat guns and spent the next couple of hours thoroughly cleaning the job with solvents to make sure that nothing would interfere with any further processesHe then applied oil with a micro dye additive and let the job sit overnight allowing for good penetrationIn the morning he scrubbed off the excess and applied another coat of oilThis process is recommended to be done at least five timesAfter the 4th time the job was loaded into the truckWe arrived at at the job site around lunch timeThe first sections brought in were the inch run and part of the inch runThey were to be seamed togetherIt was an exact fit and there was no room for expansion to do the seam [redacted] explained to Mrs [redacted] that there was window trim on one side and a wall on the otherIf he was to trim the pieces, there would be a gapHe then channeled a groove in the drywallAfter checking the measurements of the final piece and the measurements of the area that it had to go into, he then realized that the layout was now slightly differentKnowing he had already checked it against template he then referred to the paperworkThe tops measured exactly what the paperwork notedHe then measured the stove opening which was 7/He then asked [redacted] in front of Mrs ***, "Do you remember the opening size that you had measured before?" He said, Yes, it was 1/4"In order for the job to work now it had to all be shifted aroundMr [redacted] arrived at 7PMUpon Mr***'s arrival [redacted] informed him that the cabinet layout had changedThe last piece was trimmed in order to pull the section around [redacted] told him that his stove opening was rather tight nowIf there was an issue he could adjust the cabinets to the right of the stoveWe then completed the jobWe had Mr [redacted] review every square inch of the job according to our checklistMrand Mrs [redacted] stated that they were extremely happy with the quality of the jobThe only thing Mr [redacted] said was would it be possible to put a coat of epoxy on the left seam againHe said that the seam did look good, but it didn't look as good as the right oneMr [redacted] also stated that he and his wife would now like splash [redacted] asked him what height and what thickness would they preferHe told him to email the information when the decided and we would get started on it right awayThe next morning, [redacted] called to talk to [redacted] about the splash and she said they did not want it anymoreThey wanted us to come over and caulk the jobWe send [redacted] over to the ***s and he caulked the area where the stone meets the wallWhile he was there he also addressed the seamAgain the ***'s were very happy with the outcomeA day later she called and said tear out the job I want a new oneBecause of the gap between the counter-top and the wall, which was due to the cabinets being moved, the initial bead of caulk sank which is what happens when there is a gapWe then offered to come back and place another bead of caulk and explained we could use a grout caulk or the customer could sand the area to make it dullBased on the facts I have stated, what about this is a painful and expensive nightmare?The customer is making it sound like it took us from April 6, to July 18, to install her job when in reality the timeline had nothing to do with Artisans of StoneThe drywall was cut by [redacted] because he had to expand the seam in order to glue it together and it was exact fit.In regards to her comment about "red flags"...When [redacted] and [redacted] first talked she told [redacted] her cabinet maker used a fabricator out of Eden, North Carolina [redacted] wanted to use someone local [redacted] explained that she has heard from several people that the company in Eden does good work, but there is a language barrier with the install crew.As you can see in previous emails, the idea of not having backsplash was not out of the question from the get goWe offered to cut backsplash at a discounted rate or supply tile at our cost to help the customer outThis is no way shape or form says that we are at faultWe just believe in doing everything we can to help the customer.On August 3, 2017, [redacted] called to speak to [redacted] in reference to her unhappiness with her counter-topsShe demanded we replace the job and kept saying we were only giving her one option [redacted] kept trying to explain the three options and [redacted] continued to talk over her [redacted] in no way became belligerentShe did raise her voice because [redacted] continued to talk over her [redacted] did not rage inappropriate remarks either [redacted] did repeatedly say that Artisans of Stone was not at faultWe are not blaming her cabinet makers for this problem eitherThe problem arises when the customer was not honest with her cabinet maker and told them we had not yet templated her job, when we had [redacted] has spoken to the cabinet make in reference to this and this was confirmedThe last comment [redacted] made when talking to [redacted] was, "See you in court."At this point we feel the courts can settle this
I just showed the pictures to *** He can not believe his eyes and said something is definitely going on there to have even caused the stone to break It could be the house settling, cabinets moving, etc He is confident that he can fix it The problem arises when there is only a week out of the year we can come Please find out from the customer when the next time they will be there will be and we will see what we can arrange.Thank you, [redacted]
To begin with, this customers complaint is concerning a job that was installed in April of Artisans of Stone has a year warranty I was not here in but find it very hard to believe there were problems right at the time of install We would have never left the job without the counter-tops being perfect After looking at their invoice there is no mention of radius corners, which is why the corners are square and not rounded I am not sure what they mean by "cracked seam", but without seeing pictures (which I have asked for and not received) I imagine that means the seam has come apart That would be an issue with their cabinets not being level or house settling Yes, the customer has contacted us to schedule a time us to come out and take a look at their job The issue arises when our window of opportunity to do so is only a few days a year We did schedule for June of this year, but unfortunately was not able to make it due to being held up on current jobs We tried to work with them by asking if someone else could meet us there at another time, such as a neighbor, family member or contractorThat was not doable for them We were more than willing to take a look at and address their concerns, but once again it is very hard to do so when they will not allow anyone else to meet us because they are only there a few days a year
By accepting this response, I am in no way stating that this matter is resolved Artisans of Stone has made it very clear that they think they are not at fault They do not even care enough to revisit their granite installation job-----much less attempt to repair their poor workmanship The resolution will take place in court.I will keep you updated as to the outcome.Thanks for your time.*** ***
I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Here are the pictures which show the problem with the kitchen countertop installed by Artisans of Stone Since the original request for repair, the problem continues to worsen Complaint ***Please let me know if you need additional information.Regards,
*** ***
On April 5, 2017 at 5:26PM, Artisans of Stone received an email from [redacted] stating she was interested in Absolute Black Leathered Granite counter-tops for her kitchen and her new cabinets were to be installed on April 20, 2017. [redacted] contacted her on April 6, 2017, by phone to talk to...
her about her project, but had to leave a message. [redacted] then emailed a layout of her kitchen and I responded with several questions pertaining to the job before sending her a quote. One of the questions was whether or not she was interested in 4" backsplash or was she planning on putting up tile. Her response to that was, "Can you quote both ways with the splash and without? I am thinking of just going white walls with white cabinets so the extra black on the "u" walls might be nice. I am so tired of digging out tile that I may just leave the walls for a while." I then sent her quotes on what she was asking for. The total amount quoted was $4921.25. On April 7, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know she would be putting a check in the mail and that she had decided against the 4" backsplash for now, which made the cost of her job decrease to $4287.50. We also scheduled her template for April 27, 2017 and her install for May 4,2017. On April 13, 2017, we received her deposit in the amount of $2200.00. On April 27, 2017, [redacted] met [redacted] at her house and made a template of her cabinets. On May 10, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] a contract to sign and return. On May 15th, 2017, we received an email with a signed copy of the contract. On May 16th, 2017, we brought the slab in to be cut and [redacted] had [redacted] take a picture of where her seams would be. [redacted] emailed the picture to [redacted] to have her approve the location of the seams. She then talked to her and [redacted] approved them. At that time, her counter-tops were cut. Then they were moved to the fabrication area of the shop and the edges were detailed. On May 17, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] to let her know her counter-tops would not be installed on the May 18, 2017 and she would continue to keep her updated on the progress. On May 24, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know her cabinets were not correct and her cabinet maker was going to have to fix them and she would let us know when that was completed. [redacted] explained to her that her counter-tops had already been cut and if the cabinets were moved, the template we originally did would not work. [redacted] assured [redacted] that the only change would be the sink center line. Our thoughts were that it was perfect timing for her to call and let us know because it happened to be right before we cut out the sink. On June 15, 2017, [redacted] emailed us to let us know her cabinet maker was finally finishing up her cabinets the following morning. She also stated that [redacted] had mention to remeasure , but she could measure from the right wall over to the center of the sink and that should work. She then said if we felt more comfortable coming out, that was fine. She then said, "I can't wait to get my granite!!!" [redacted] emailed her back and told her that she appreciated her offer to measure to the sink center line, but we would feel more comfortable coming back out there. [redacted] explained we would be out of town the following week, so the soonest we could get there would be the week after we got back. [redacted] also stated she was worried this would happen, as in she would be ready for her counter-tops while we were out of town. On June 26, 2017 we recieved an email from [redacted] asking us when we would like to remeasure along with some questions about her dishwasher and stove. [redacted] emailed back and explained that while we were on vacation we had gotten very behind and at that moment we were playing catch up and that she would continue to keep her posted. We had communication by telephone as well. On July 5, 2017, [redacted] emailed asking how the week was shaping up. [redacted] emailed her back and told her we were shooting for her install to be Friday or Saturday of that week and that she would keep her updated. On July 7, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] and explained that unfortunately her install was not going to happen that day or the following day and that we were were doing our best to squeeze her job in our already jam packed schedule along with playing catch up. [redacted] also said the next week looked a lot more promising and that she would update her again on Monday. Between July 10, 2017 and July 18, 2017, there was constant communication either through email or by phone about the install. After receiving the new sink centerline information, which was a change from 84 5/16 to 81 7/8 we were able to place the job back in the fabrication cycle. After getting the job back up on the tables, [redacted] began grinding off areas of the stone that had been highlighted as "heavy" after placing the template over the job. He then fine-tuned the seams to make a tight fit. The next steps were cutting out the sink and then finishing the edge profile on the stone. Upon finishing the edging, Mr. and Mrs. [redacted] walked in to the fabrication shop around 6PM or 7PM, it may have been just a little later. [redacted] stopped fabricating and began to have a conversation with them. [redacted] stated she wanted to come by and see if we were a real business because she had no face to face contact with us as she was handling everything online. [redacted] assured her that we are real business and have been a real business for 7 years. She then asked if the stone was really absolute black. [redacted] assured her that it was absolute black and that he could show her the purchase order and receipt for the material. She declined the offer. She noticed that he was doing a dye and darkener test on the freestanding peninsula that had already previously been fabricated. She said that the stone should not have to be dyed or sealed because it's absolute black. [redacted] told her that slab has already been treated by the company that produces the slabs. He then went on to explain that all slabs are treated in some various way from dyes, resins and epoxies. Also, not to forget fill and grout. He then told her that all he had left on your job was to run the remaining diamond bristles on the edging and then treat it. Then he wished them a good night, they left and he returned to polishing the job with the diamond bristles. He then allowed the job to dry overnight and planned on treating it in the morning. [redacted] called [redacted] first thing in the morning and stated that she did not want any sealer applied to her job, but she wanted olive oil on her stone. Knowing that there are issues with enhancing sealers on absolute black [redacted] was steering away from those products and using something that was formulated for those stones. He mentioned to [redacted] to the speak with [redacted] and inform her that she could not use a vegetable-based oil on her counter-top. So [redacted] went out and purchased a food-safe oil for her counter-top and then proceeded to break down the entire jobs finish to remove any sealer placed there by the fabricator of the slabs. Then he dried the material thoroughly with heat guns and spent the next couple of hours thoroughly cleaning the job with solvents to make sure that nothing would interfere with any further processes. He then applied oil with a micro dye additive and let the job sit overnight allowing for good penetration. In the morning he scrubbed off the excess and applied another coat of oil. This process is recommended to be done at least five times. After the 4th time the job was loaded into the truck. We arrived at at the job site around lunch time. The first sections brought in were the 107 inch run and part of the 165 inch run. They were to be seamed together. It was an exact fit and there was no room for expansion to do the seam. [redacted] explained to Mrs. [redacted] that there was window trim on one side and a wall on the other. If he was to trim the pieces, there would be a gap. He then channeled a groove in the drywall. After checking the measurements of the final piece and the measurements of the area that it had to go into, he then realized that the layout was now slightly different. Knowing he had already checked it against template he then referred to the paperwork. The tops measured exactly what the paperwork noted. He then measured the stove opening which was 29 7/8. He then asked [redacted] in front of Mrs [redacted], "Do you remember the opening size that you had measured before?" He said, Yes, it was 30 1/4". In order for the job to work now it had to all be shifted around. Mr. [redacted] arrived at 7PM. Upon Mr. [redacted]'s arrival [redacted] informed him that the cabinet layout had changed. The last piece was trimmed in order to pull the section around. [redacted] told him that his stove opening was rather tight now. If there was an issue he could adjust the cabinets to the right of the stove. We then completed the job. We had Mr. [redacted] review every square inch of the job according to our checklist. Mr. and Mrs. [redacted] stated that they were extremely happy with the quality of the job. The only thing Mr. [redacted] said was would it be possible to put a coat of epoxy on the left seam again. He said that the seam did look good, but it didn't look as good as the right one. Mr. [redacted] also stated that he and his wife would now like splash. [redacted] asked him what height and what thickness would they prefer. He told him to email the information when the decided and we would get started on it right away. The next morning, [redacted] called to talk to [redacted] about the splash and she said they did not want it anymore. They wanted us to come over and caulk the job. We send [redacted] over to the [redacted]s and he caulked the area where the stone meets the wall. While he was there he also addressed the seam. Again the [redacted]'s were very happy with the outcome. A day later she called and said tear out the job I want a new one. Because of the gap between the counter-top and the wall, which was due to the cabinets being moved, the initial bead of caulk sank which is what happens when there is a gap. We then offered to come back and place another bead of caulk and explained we could use a grout caulk or the customer could sand the area to make it dull. Based on the facts I have stated, what about this is a painful and expensive nightmare?The customer is making it sound like it took us from April 6, 2017 to July 18, 2017 to install her job when in reality the timeline had nothing to do with Artisans of Stone. The drywall was cut by [redacted] because he had to expand the seam in order to glue it together and it was exact fit.In regards to her comment about "red flags"...When [redacted] and [redacted] first talked she told [redacted] her cabinet maker used a fabricator out of Eden, North Carolina. [redacted] wanted to use someone local. [redacted] explained that she has heard from several people that the company in Eden does good work, but there is a language barrier with the install crew.As you can see in previous emails, the idea of not having backsplash was not out of the question from the get go. We offered to cut backsplash at a discounted rate or supply tile at our cost to help the customer out. This is no way shape or form says that we are at fault. We just believe in doing everything we can to help the customer.On August 3, 2017, [redacted] called to speak to [redacted] in reference to her unhappiness with her counter-tops. She demanded we replace the job and kept saying we were only giving her one option. [redacted] kept trying to explain the three options and [redacted] continued to talk over her. [redacted] in no way became belligerent. She did raise her voice because [redacted] continued to talk over her. [redacted] did not rage inappropriate remarks either. [redacted] did repeatedly say that Artisans of Stone was not at fault. We are not blaming her cabinet makers for this problem either. The problem arises when the customer was not honest with her cabinet maker and told them we had not yet templated her job, when we had. [redacted] has spoken to the cabinet make in reference to this and this was confirmed. The last comment [redacted] made when talking to [redacted] was, "See you in court."At this point we feel the courts can settle this.
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. We will notify the business as soon as we have dates available for the repair.
Regards,
[redacted]
I just showed the pictures to [redacted]. He can not believe his eyes and said something is definitely going on there to have even caused the stone to break. It could be the house settling, cabinets moving, etc. He is confident that he can fix it. The problem arises when there is only a week out of the year we can come. Please find out from the customer when the next time they will be there will be and we will see what we can arrange.Thank you,[redacted]
To begin with, this customers complaint is concerning a job that was installed in April of 2012. Artisans of Stone has a 1 year warranty. I was not here in 2012 but find it very hard to believe there were problems right at the time of install. We would have never left the job...
without the counter-tops being perfect. After looking at their invoice there is no mention of radius corners, which is why the corners are square and not rounded. I am not sure what they mean by "cracked seam", but without seeing pictures (which I have asked for and not received) I imagine that means the seam has come apart. That would be an issue with their cabinets not being level or house settling. Yes, the customer has contacted us to schedule a time us to come out and take a look at their job. The issue arises when our window of opportunity to do so is only a few days a year. We did schedule for June of this year, but unfortunately was not able to make it due to being held up on current jobs. We tried to work with them by asking if someone else could meet us there at another time, such as a neighbor, family member or contractor. That was not doable for them. We were more than willing to take a look at and address their concerns, but once again it is very hard to do so when they will not allow anyone else to meet us because they are only there a few days a year.
On April 5, at 5:26PM, Artisans of Stone received an email from [redacted] stating she was interested in Absolute Black Leathered Granite counter-tops for her kitchen and her new cabinets were to be installed on April 20, [redacted] contacted her on April 6, 2017, by phone to talk to her about her project, but had to leave a message [redacted] then emailed a layout of her kitchen and I responded with several questions pertaining to the job before sending her a quote One of the questions was whether or not she was interested in 4" backsplash or was she planning on putting up tile Her response to that was, "Can you quote both ways with the splash and without? I am thinking of just going white walls with white cabinets so the extra black on the "u" walls might be nice I am so tired of digging out tile that I may just leave the walls for a while." I then sent her quotes on what she was asking for The total amount quoted was $ On April 7, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know she would be putting a check in the mail and that she had decided against the 4" backsplash for now, which made the cost of her job decrease to $ We also scheduled her template for April 27, and her install for May 4, On April 13, 2017, we received her deposit in the amount of $ On April 27, 2017, [redacted] met [redacted] at her house and made a template of her cabinets On May 10, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] a contract to sign and return On May 15th, 2017, we received an email with a signed copy of the contract On May 16th, 2017, we brought the slab in to be cut and [redacted] had [redacted] take a picture of where her seams would be [redacted] emailed the picture to [redacted] to have her approve the location of the seams She then talked to her and [redacted] approved them At that time, her counter-tops were cut Then they were moved to the fabrication area of the shop and the edges were detailed On May 17, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] to let her know her counter-tops would not be installed on the May 18, and she would continue to keep her updated on the progress On May 24, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know her cabinets were not correct and her cabinet maker was going to have to fix them and she would let us know when that was completed [redacted] explained to her that her counter-tops had already been cut and if the cabinets were moved, the template we originally did would not work [redacted] assured [redacted] that the only change would be the sink center line Our thoughts were that it was perfect timing for her to call and let us know because it happened to be right before we cut out the sink On June 15, 2017, [redacted] emailed us to let us know her cabinet maker was finally finishing up her cabinets the following morning She also stated that [redacted] had mention to remeasure , but she could measure from the right wall over to the center of the sink and that should work She then said if we felt more comfortable coming out, that was fine She then said, "I can't wait to get my granite!!!" [redacted] emailed her back and told her that she appreciated her offer to measure to the sink center line, but we would feel more comfortable coming back out there [redacted] explained we would be out of town the following week, so the soonest we could get there would be the week after we got back [redacted] also stated she was worried this would happen, as in she would be ready for her counter-tops while we were out of town On June 26, we recieved an email from [redacted] asking us when we would like to remeasure along with some questions about her dishwasher and stove [redacted] emailed back and explained that while we were on vacation we had gotten very behind and at that moment we were playing catch up and that she would continue to keep her posted We had communication by telephone as well On July 5, 2017, [redacted] emailed asking how the week was shaping up [redacted] emailed her back and told her we were shooting for her install to be Friday or Saturday of that week and that she would keep her updated On July 7, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] and explained that unfortunately her install was not going to happen that day or the following day and that we were were doing our best to squeeze her job in our already jam packed schedule along with playing catch up [redacted] also said the next week looked a lot more promising and that she would update her again on Monday Between July 10, and July 18, 2017, there was constant communication either through email or by phone about the install After receiving the new sink centerline information, which was a change from 5/to 7/we were able to place the job back in the fabrication cycleAfter getting the job back up on the tables, [redacted] began grinding off areas of the stone that had been highlighted as "heavy" after placing the template over the jobHe then fine-tuned the seams to make a tight fitThe next steps were cutting out the sink and then finishing the edge profile on the stoneUpon finishing the edging, Mrand Mrs [redacted] walked in to the fabrication shop around 6PM or 7PM, it may have been just a little later [redacted] stopped fabricating and began to have a conversation with them [redacted] stated she wanted to come by and see if we were a real business because she had no face to face contact with us as she was handling everything online [redacted] assured her that we are real business and have been a real business for yearsShe then asked if the stone was really absolute black [redacted] assured her that it was absolute black and that he could show her the purchase order and receipt for the materialShe declined the offerShe noticed that he was doing a dye and darkener test on the freestanding peninsula that had already previously been fabricatedShe said that the stone should not have to be dyed or sealed because it's absolute black [redacted] told her that slab has already been treated by the company that produces the slabsHe then went on to explain that all slabs are treated in some various way from dyes, resins and epoxiesAlso, not to forget fill and groutHe then told her that all he had left on your job was to run the remaining diamond bristles on the edging and then treat itThen he wished them a good night, they left and he returned to polishing the job with the diamond bristlesHe then allowed the job to dry overnight and planned on treating it in the morning [redacted] called [redacted] first thing in the morning and stated that she did not want any sealer applied to her job, but she wanted olive oil on her stoneKnowing that there are issues with enhancing sealers on absolute black [redacted] was steering away from those products and using something that was formulated for those stonesHe mentioned to [redacted] to the speak with [redacted] and inform her that she could not use a vegetable-based oil on her counter-topSo [redacted] went out and purchased a food-safe oil for her counter-top and then proceeded to break down the entire jobs finish to remove any sealer placed there by the fabricator of the slabsThen he dried the material thoroughly with heat guns and spent the next couple of hours thoroughly cleaning the job with solvents to make sure that nothing would interfere with any further processesHe then applied oil with a micro dye additive and let the job sit overnight allowing for good penetrationIn the morning he scrubbed off the excess and applied another coat of oilThis process is recommended to be done at least five timesAfter the 4th time the job was loaded into the truckWe arrived at at the job site around lunch timeThe first sections brought in were the inch run and part of the inch runThey were to be seamed togetherIt was an exact fit and there was no room for expansion to do the seam [redacted] explained to Mrs [redacted] that there was window trim on one side and a wall on the otherIf he was to trim the pieces, there would be a gapHe then channeled a groove in the drywallAfter checking the measurements of the final piece and the measurements of the area that it had to go into, he then realized that the layout was now slightly differentKnowing he had already checked it against template he then referred to the paperworkThe tops measured exactly what the paperwork notedHe then measured the stove opening which was 7/He then asked [redacted] in front of Mrs ***, "Do you remember the opening size that you had measured before?" He said, Yes, it was 1/4"In order for the job to work now it had to all be shifted aroundMr [redacted] arrived at 7PMUpon Mr***'s arrival [redacted] informed him that the cabinet layout had changedThe last piece was trimmed in order to pull the section around [redacted] told him that his stove opening was rather tight nowIf there was an issue he could adjust the cabinets to the right of the stoveWe then completed the jobWe had Mr [redacted] review every square inch of the job according to our checklistMrand Mrs [redacted] stated that they were extremely happy with the quality of the jobThe only thing Mr [redacted] said was would it be possible to put a coat of epoxy on the left seam againHe said that the seam did look good, but it didn't look as good as the right oneMr [redacted] also stated that he and his wife would now like splash [redacted] asked him what height and what thickness would they preferHe told him to email the information when the decided and we would get started on it right awayThe next morning, [redacted] called to talk to [redacted] about the splash and she said they did not want it anymoreThey wanted us to come over and caulk the jobWe send [redacted] over to the ***s and he caulked the area where the stone meets the wallWhile he was there he also addressed the seamAgain the ***'s were very happy with the outcomeA day later she called and said tear out the job I want a new oneBecause of the gap between the counter-top and the wall, which was due to the cabinets being moved, the initial bead of caulk sank which is what happens when there is a gapWe then offered to come back and place another bead of caulk and explained we could use a grout caulk or the customer could sand the area to make it dullBased on the facts I have stated, what about this is a painful and expensive nightmare?The customer is making it sound like it took us from April 6, to July 18, to install her job when in reality the timeline had nothing to do with Artisans of StoneThe drywall was cut by [redacted] because he had to expand the seam in order to glue it together and it was exact fit.In regards to her comment about "red flags"...When [redacted] and [redacted] first talked she told [redacted] her cabinet maker used a fabricator out of Eden, North Carolina [redacted] wanted to use someone local [redacted] explained that she has heard from several people that the company in Eden does good work, but there is a language barrier with the install crew.As you can see in previous emails, the idea of not having backsplash was not out of the question from the get goWe offered to cut backsplash at a discounted rate or supply tile at our cost to help the customer outThis is no way shape or form says that we are at faultWe just believe in doing everything we can to help the customer.On August 3, 2017, [redacted] called to speak to [redacted] in reference to her unhappiness with her counter-topsShe demanded we replace the job and kept saying we were only giving her one option [redacted] kept trying to explain the three options and [redacted] continued to talk over her [redacted] in no way became belligerentShe did raise her voice because [redacted] continued to talk over her [redacted] did not rage inappropriate remarks either [redacted] did repeatedly say that Artisans of Stone was not at faultWe are not blaming her cabinet makers for this problem eitherThe problem arises when the customer was not honest with her cabinet maker and told them we had not yet templated her job, when we had [redacted] has spoken to the cabinet make in reference to this and this was confirmedThe last comment [redacted] made when talking to [redacted] was, "See you in court."At this point we feel the courts can settle this
I just showed the pictures to *** He can not believe his eyes and said something is definitely going on there to have even caused the stone to break It could be the house settling, cabinets moving, etc He is confident that he can fix it The problem arises when there is only a week out of the year we can come Please find out from the customer when the next time they will be there will be and we will see what we can arrange.Thank you, [redacted]
To begin with, this customers complaint is concerning a job that was installed in April of Artisans of Stone has a year warranty I was not here in but find it very hard to believe there were problems right at the time of install We would have never left the job without the counter-tops being perfect After looking at their invoice there is no mention of radius corners, which is why the corners are square and not rounded I am not sure what they mean by "cracked seam", but without seeing pictures (which I have asked for and not received) I imagine that means the seam has come apart That would be an issue with their cabinets not being level or house settling Yes, the customer has contacted us to schedule a time us to come out and take a look at their job The issue arises when our window of opportunity to do so is only a few days a year We did schedule for June of this year, but unfortunately was not able to make it due to being held up on current jobs We tried to work with them by asking if someone else could meet us there at another time, such as a neighbor, family member or contractorThat was not doable for them We were more than willing to take a look at and address their concerns, but once again it is very hard to do so when they will not allow anyone else to meet us because they are only there a few days a year
By accepting this response, I am in no way stating that this matter is resolved Artisans of Stone has made it very clear that they think they are not at fault They do not even care enough to revisit their granite installation job-----much less attempt to repair their poor workmanship The resolution will take place in court.I will keep you updated as to the outcome.Thanks for your time.*** ***
I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Here are the pictures which show the problem with the kitchen countertop installed by Artisans of Stone Since the original request for repair, the problem continues to worsen Complaint ***Please let me know if you need additional information.Regards,
*** ***
In response to their allegations, we will let the courts decide the outcome.
On April 5, 2017 at 5:26PM, Artisans of Stone received an email from [redacted] stating she was interested in Absolute Black Leathered Granite counter-tops for her kitchen and her new cabinets were to be installed on April 20, 2017. [redacted] contacted her on April 6, 2017, by phone to talk to...
her about her project, but had to leave a message. [redacted] then emailed a layout of her kitchen and I responded with several questions pertaining to the job before sending her a quote. One of the questions was whether or not she was interested in 4" backsplash or was she planning on putting up tile. Her response to that was, "Can you quote both ways with the splash and without? I am thinking of just going white walls with white cabinets so the extra black on the "u" walls might be nice. I am so tired of digging out tile that I may just leave the walls for a while." I then sent her quotes on what she was asking for. The total amount quoted was $4921.25. On April 7, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know she would be putting a check in the mail and that she had decided against the 4" backsplash for now, which made the cost of her job decrease to $4287.50. We also scheduled her template for April 27, 2017 and her install for May 4,2017. On April 13, 2017, we received her deposit in the amount of $2200.00. On April 27, 2017, [redacted] met [redacted] at her house and made a template of her cabinets. On May 10, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] a contract to sign and return. On May 15th, 2017, we received an email with a signed copy of the contract. On May 16th, 2017, we brought the slab in to be cut and [redacted] had [redacted] take a picture of where her seams would be. [redacted] emailed the picture to [redacted] to have her approve the location of the seams. She then talked to her and [redacted] approved them. At that time, her counter-tops were cut. Then they were moved to the fabrication area of the shop and the edges were detailed. On May 17, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] to let her know her counter-tops would not be installed on the May 18, 2017 and she would continue to keep her updated on the progress. On May 24, 2017, [redacted] called to let us know her cabinets were not correct and her cabinet maker was going to have to fix them and she would let us know when that was completed. [redacted] explained to her that her counter-tops had already been cut and if the cabinets were moved, the template we originally did would not work. [redacted] assured [redacted] that the only change would be the sink center line. Our thoughts were that it was perfect timing for her to call and let us know because it happened to be right before we cut out the sink. On June 15, 2017, [redacted] emailed us to let us know her cabinet maker was finally finishing up her cabinets the following morning. She also stated that [redacted] had mention to remeasure , but she could measure from the right wall over to the center of the sink and that should work. She then said if we felt more comfortable coming out, that was fine. She then said, "I can't wait to get my granite!!!" [redacted] emailed her back and told her that she appreciated her offer to measure to the sink center line, but we would feel more comfortable coming back out there. [redacted] explained we would be out of town the following week, so the soonest we could get there would be the week after we got back. [redacted] also stated she was worried this would happen, as in she would be ready for her counter-tops while we were out of town. On June 26, 2017 we recieved an email from [redacted] asking us when we would like to remeasure along with some questions about her dishwasher and stove. [redacted] emailed back and explained that while we were on vacation we had gotten very behind and at that moment we were playing catch up and that she would continue to keep her posted. We had communication by telephone as well. On July 5, 2017, [redacted] emailed asking how the week was shaping up. [redacted] emailed her back and told her we were shooting for her install to be Friday or Saturday of that week and that she would keep her updated. On July 7, 2017, [redacted] emailed [redacted] and explained that unfortunately her install was not going to happen that day or the following day and that we were were doing our best to squeeze her job in our already jam packed schedule along with playing catch up. [redacted] also said the next week looked a lot more promising and that she would update her again on Monday. Between July 10, 2017 and July 18, 2017, there was constant communication either through email or by phone about the install. After receiving the new sink centerline information, which was a change from 84 5/16 to 81 7/8 we were able to place the job back in the fabrication cycle. After getting the job back up on the tables, [redacted] began grinding off areas of the stone that had been highlighted as "heavy" after placing the template over the job. He then fine-tuned the seams to make a tight fit. The next steps were cutting out the sink and then finishing the edge profile on the stone. Upon finishing the edging, Mr. and Mrs. [redacted] walked in to the fabrication shop around 6PM or 7PM, it may have been just a little later. [redacted] stopped fabricating and began to have a conversation with them. [redacted] stated she wanted to come by and see if we were a real business because she had no face to face contact with us as she was handling everything online. [redacted] assured her that we are real business and have been a real business for 7 years. She then asked if the stone was really absolute black. [redacted] assured her that it was absolute black and that he could show her the purchase order and receipt for the material. She declined the offer. She noticed that he was doing a dye and darkener test on the freestanding peninsula that had already previously been fabricated. She said that the stone should not have to be dyed or sealed because it's absolute black. [redacted] told her that slab has already been treated by the company that produces the slabs. He then went on to explain that all slabs are treated in some various way from dyes, resins and epoxies. Also, not to forget fill and grout. He then told her that all he had left on your job was to run the remaining diamond bristles on the edging and then treat it. Then he wished them a good night, they left and he returned to polishing the job with the diamond bristles. He then allowed the job to dry overnight and planned on treating it in the morning. [redacted] called [redacted] first thing in the morning and stated that she did not want any sealer applied to her job, but she wanted olive oil on her stone. Knowing that there are issues with enhancing sealers on absolute black [redacted] was steering away from those products and using something that was formulated for those stones. He mentioned to [redacted] to the speak with [redacted] and inform her that she could not use a vegetable-based oil on her counter-top. So [redacted] went out and purchased a food-safe oil for her counter-top and then proceeded to break down the entire jobs finish to remove any sealer placed there by the fabricator of the slabs. Then he dried the material thoroughly with heat guns and spent the next couple of hours thoroughly cleaning the job with solvents to make sure that nothing would interfere with any further processes. He then applied oil with a micro dye additive and let the job sit overnight allowing for good penetration. In the morning he scrubbed off the excess and applied another coat of oil. This process is recommended to be done at least five times. After the 4th time the job was loaded into the truck. We arrived at at the job site around lunch time. The first sections brought in were the 107 inch run and part of the 165 inch run. They were to be seamed together. It was an exact fit and there was no room for expansion to do the seam. [redacted] explained to Mrs. [redacted] that there was window trim on one side and a wall on the other. If he was to trim the pieces, there would be a gap. He then channeled a groove in the drywall. After checking the measurements of the final piece and the measurements of the area that it had to go into, he then realized that the layout was now slightly different. Knowing he had already checked it against template he then referred to the paperwork. The tops measured exactly what the paperwork noted. He then measured the stove opening which was 29 7/8. He then asked [redacted] in front of Mrs [redacted], "Do you remember the opening size that you had measured before?" He said, Yes, it was 30 1/4". In order for the job to work now it had to all be shifted around. Mr. [redacted] arrived at 7PM. Upon Mr. [redacted]'s arrival [redacted] informed him that the cabinet layout had changed. The last piece was trimmed in order to pull the section around. [redacted] told him that his stove opening was rather tight now. If there was an issue he could adjust the cabinets to the right of the stove. We then completed the job. We had Mr. [redacted] review every square inch of the job according to our checklist. Mr. and Mrs. [redacted] stated that they were extremely happy with the quality of the job. The only thing Mr. [redacted] said was would it be possible to put a coat of epoxy on the left seam again. He said that the seam did look good, but it didn't look as good as the right one. Mr. [redacted] also stated that he and his wife would now like splash. [redacted] asked him what height and what thickness would they prefer. He told him to email the information when the decided and we would get started on it right away. The next morning, [redacted] called to talk to [redacted] about the splash and she said they did not want it anymore. They wanted us to come over and caulk the job. We send [redacted] over to the [redacted]s and he caulked the area where the stone meets the wall. While he was there he also addressed the seam. Again the [redacted]'s were very happy with the outcome. A day later she called and said tear out the job I want a new one. Because of the gap between the counter-top and the wall, which was due to the cabinets being moved, the initial bead of caulk sank which is what happens when there is a gap. We then offered to come back and place another bead of caulk and explained we could use a grout caulk or the customer could sand the area to make it dull. Based on the facts I have stated, what about this is a painful and expensive nightmare?The customer is making it sound like it took us from April 6, 2017 to July 18, 2017 to install her job when in reality the timeline had nothing to do with Artisans of Stone. The drywall was cut by [redacted] because he had to expand the seam in order to glue it together and it was exact fit.In regards to her comment about "red flags"...When [redacted] and [redacted] first talked she told [redacted] her cabinet maker used a fabricator out of Eden, North Carolina. [redacted] wanted to use someone local. [redacted] explained that she has heard from several people that the company in Eden does good work, but there is a language barrier with the install crew.As you can see in previous emails, the idea of not having backsplash was not out of the question from the get go. We offered to cut backsplash at a discounted rate or supply tile at our cost to help the customer out. This is no way shape or form says that we are at fault. We just believe in doing everything we can to help the customer.On August 3, 2017, [redacted] called to speak to [redacted] in reference to her unhappiness with her counter-tops. She demanded we replace the job and kept saying we were only giving her one option. [redacted] kept trying to explain the three options and [redacted] continued to talk over her. [redacted] in no way became belligerent. She did raise her voice because [redacted] continued to talk over her. [redacted] did not rage inappropriate remarks either. [redacted] did repeatedly say that Artisans of Stone was not at fault. We are not blaming her cabinet makers for this problem either. The problem arises when the customer was not honest with her cabinet maker and told them we had not yet templated her job, when we had. [redacted] has spoken to the cabinet make in reference to this and this was confirmed. The last comment [redacted] made when talking to [redacted] was, "See you in court."At this point we feel the courts can settle this.
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. We will notify the business as soon as we have dates available for the repair.
Regards,
[redacted]
I just showed the pictures to [redacted]. He can not believe his eyes and said something is definitely going on there to have even caused the stone to break. It could be the house settling, cabinets moving, etc. He is confident that he can fix it. The problem arises when there is only a week out of the year we can come. Please find out from the customer when the next time they will be there will be and we will see what we can arrange.Thank you,[redacted]
To begin with, this customers complaint is concerning a job that was installed in April of 2012. Artisans of Stone has a 1 year warranty. I was not here in 2012 but find it very hard to believe there were problems right at the time of install. We would have never left the job...
without the counter-tops being perfect. After looking at their invoice there is no mention of radius corners, which is why the corners are square and not rounded. I am not sure what they mean by "cracked seam", but without seeing pictures (which I have asked for and not received) I imagine that means the seam has come apart. That would be an issue with their cabinets not being level or house settling. Yes, the customer has contacted us to schedule a time us to come out and take a look at their job. The issue arises when our window of opportunity to do so is only a few days a year. We did schedule for June of this year, but unfortunately was not able to make it due to being held up on current jobs. We tried to work with them by asking if someone else could meet us there at another time, such as a neighbor, family member or contractor. That was not doable for them. We were more than willing to take a look at and address their concerns, but once again it is very hard to do so when they will not allow anyone else to meet us because they are only there a few days a year.