Drilled too many holes in new countertops

[eina15]

Sorry for the medium-long rant...

We're building a new house, which is scheduled to be finished in a few weeks. We upgraded to granite countertops in the kitchen, and they've already been installed (they look great). We got rid of the breakfast bar on the island, so now its just one big slab of granite, with an undermount sink.

A few months ago we chose our plumbing fixtures. The vendor charges an arm and a leg, and didn't have exactly what we wanted for a lot of things, so for a few items (including the kitchen tap) we chose standard-ish items as we can replace them ourselves later. The kitchen faucet we chose requires a single hole to be drilled in the granite. We had several discussions with the vendor and our builder to ensure we only had a faucet with one hole.

They just went in and installed the plumbing fixtures......and instead of drilling a single hole in the granite for our faucet, they drilled three holes. The faucet only requires one hole, there's no separate vegetable spray or anything like that. The other two holes are for bolts to hold the faucet surround on. It is the right faucet, but they have two versions - a one hole and a three hole.

We've already ordered a new faucet which we love (separately), and it also only has one hole, with no surround. The way it looks now, with the surround, looks absolutely terrible.

So.........we don't know what to do, or who is responsible. I just talked to the vendor and apparently the builder sent them an incorrect list of things to order for us (from before we had made changes with them). The change order we signed for the one hole faucet has a model number on it that apparently doesn't exist (we said to them "we want a one hole faucet" and they said "perfect, sign this")

Anyway, now we've got these three ugly holes in our granite and we don't know whether to make a big deal about it, or what they can even do about it now.

Anyone in the industry or building a home ever have this happen? Or, care to just indulge my rant? The builder's not open until Tuesday so I just get to sit here and stew over it

[frozenrice]

Wow, that's really too bad. I'd have to say with granite, this is the most common error that happens. It's surprising how often it happens to be honest. I don't know why the plumbers and granite companies can't meet in the middle somewhere to prevent this from ever happening. A lot of times it's left to the granite company to drill the holes because the plumbers don't want to take the liability of damaging the granite. That's fine if the granite company is given 100% accurate information, but a lot of times, this is where the the breakdown occurs. The plumber gives the info to the builder, but because the person working for the builder doesn't understand the information being passed on, it get's missed or messed up when forwarding to the granite company.

At this point, short of replacing the section of granite, you can see if the particular faucet you ordered has an optional eschutcheon plate. To some people it may not look as nice but most people don't really even notice or care. I'm sure the granite company/buillder will be very appreciative if you accepted an eschutcheon plate in lieu. You can also see if you can get a credit for the original upgrade on that particular faucet and re-select one that will fit for free. I'd say this would be the fairest for all parties involved.
Which builder/granite company if you don't mind me asking?

EDIT: I it looks like you've looked at the plate thing already.

[Kona9]

Shitty deal man! I used to be in the stone industry. We had every single faucet and sink delivered to the shop itself, or the templater would pick up the sink and faucet from the customer themselves. It should also be the templaters job to write right on the template on or near the center line of the sink, which holes to drill where. That way if fabrication drilled the holes in the shop the proper info is there and inexcusable to miss. With the sinks and faucets on hand the installers can actually physically meaure the hole(s) with the product rather than just drilling singles, or multiple holes. We generally cored the holes on site at install as sometimes the cabinetry can be in the way. I would suggest speaking to your builder about a replacement top. Provided the color you chose can be replaced from the same block and not have color differences from one top to the next.

If it is not what you asked for why take it?

Frozen Rice has valid points but IMHO escutcheon plates look terrible when spending the money on single hole faucets.

Take it up with your builder and request a replacement. You could always put another strip of granite over top of the holes with a nice bevelled or profile matched edge on it, then again that looks hoaky and covered up!

Good luck.

[mikestang]

Whoever went and installed the plumbing fixtures are the ones who cut the holes... they are the ones responsible, and they are the ones liable for the backcharge..

(I work for a homebuilder managing new home building)

Since you weren't doing sweat equity (installed the fixtures yourself) it's not at all your responsibility... and technically that isn't your house until you take possession, which is why you can be kicked out/not allowed in your house.

When you take your house over you'll do a walkthrough and you put things on a list as deficiencies which have to be fixed before the builder is free and clear of you. It will be fixed, don't worry... I've had WEIRD shit happen in some of my houses that noone will ever know about.

[FiveFreshFish]

For the extra holes, get two soap dispensers. One for hand soap and one for dish soap.

[Impreza]

^I agree. Super useful!

[Phuqu]

Get one with soap and the other with one of those instant hot water taps.


Maybe a beer spout?

[mikestang]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
For the extra holes, get two soap dispensers. One for hand soap and one for dish soap.

That's what one of my homeowners did - I actually thought to myself "what a rich bastard, who needs soap dispensers in their countertop". He also has a heavily sound deadened bonus/theatre room with plexi-viewing glass... so yeah, I was jealous.

The cabinets in that kitchen alone were almost 30 grand..

Oh yeah! My house I'm building one of my countertops has a deep gouge and theyre replacing it before I take posession... in a few weeks.

[eina15]

Hahaha, thanks for the suggestions (especially the beer spout, lol!!)

We just really don't like the look of the soap dispensers etc., and it looks like the holes are so close together it would look funny. Maybe if it was an 8 inch spread, but they are like right next to one another

We'll definitely be talking to the builder on Tuesday; they've been really good about fixing mistakes so far so hopefully this will be no different. Glad to read these posts and know I am not totally crazy, and that it has happened before.

I really just don't understand - if you are about to drill into granite, and you aren't 100% sure....why drill three?!?! Somewhere down the line, someone passed on some really incorrect info....

[mikestang]

because the majority of fixtures are 3 holes, and trades get paid for a job - not hourly.. so they'll fly through jobs, usually without even looking at the part they're about to install, unless its in big bold letters on their work order "LOOK AT THE FIXTURE BEFORE DRILLING HOLES" they won't... and im not kidding.

IE: I had 1 house that we had to replace the tub 3 times because of a mixup between the builder, the supplier and the trade... each time was someones fuckup...

first we ordered the wrong tub, then the supplier shipped us the wrong tub, then the plumber drilled 3 holes IN the tub, even though it was a tub deck mounted fixture.

[eina15]

OMG! You'd think it would be in the builder's best interest to try to mitigate mistakes like that, fuck ups must cost them alot of money! I guess they do what they can, given the labour available....

[cressida_pimpin]

do you have a garb? you could get a garb air switch and put a
R/O spigot in the other hole. if you dont have a Reverse Osmosis in your house then just hook it up to the cold supply. if you need anything let me know via pm, im a finishing plumber.

[mikestang]

That's why houses cost so much... if you only knew how much houses really cost and how much you're paying, you'd be disgusted... They factor in fuck ups - besides, most fuck ups aren't our responsibility, it's the trades.. so we back charge them. The builder itself rarely loses money due to a mistake, if we lose money it's because people like me screwed up.

[eina15]

Garb is a good idea, option we hadn't thought of..... We have filtered water through the fridge already tho.

Interesting ideas - if they aren't going to replace it or ... something... we may be able to make it work.

They are just rly rly close together, it looks so funny.

^ Good point, I keep forgetting they are ass-fracking us overall in the house price.....maybe they'll be more inclined to help us fix it, and keep a good reputation, if they aren't paying for it anyways

[mikestang]

If you have a good salesperson and they like you.. they'll do wonders for you.

I've had some homeowners get almost special treatment because of their friendship with the salesperson...

good salespeople = good relationship with higher ups in company = what they say get taken care of quicker.

[ZorroAMG]

They fucked up. They fix it. Period.

[HondaRice]

ur complaining you have two extra holes in your granite countertop! you should be lucky. put a water heater in one and a another device in the other, maybe a filter? maybe even a bluetooth device

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by HondaRice
ur complaining you have two extra holes in your granite countertop! you should be lucky. put a water heater in one and a another device in the other, maybe a filter? maybe even a bluetooth device

yes, he's a very lucky guy! I don't understand why anyone would be upset??

[Kona9]

I don't think you guys understand how shitty having 3" centered holes really is. No matter what you put in the holes it is going to look stupid. Granite is fairly common now a days, yet it is still a premium product.

If you spend the money to have granite it is supposed to look good. You are spending X amount of dollars on new stuff the way YOU want it....why piss around and McGyver someone elses mistake?

Every time you use your sink it will probably erk you knowing you wanted it one way and had to deal with not getting what you wanted every time you turn on your faucet.

Also get close to where the holes are cored and see if you can feel or see any fissures in the stone. Coring holes has a fair risk of cracking the stone, especially with what seems like 3 inch centered holes with a 1 1/2" core bit.

I say get it replaced. Homebuilder this homebuilder that....it's not right....get it fixed!!

I wouldn't be giving your builder any suggestions as to what could cover it up. Demand a new sink stretch!

[eina15]

^ Werd, thank you.

The holes are just so fracking close together, and the faucet we are getting has a sprayer attached, and filtered water through the fridge, so we really have no purpose for the holes at all....

If I had wanted extra holes, I would have asked for them - its not like its super expensive for them to drill (I think they said $80/hole or something like that)

The main point is its irreversible/expensive to replace and not what I asked for.....