Bad caeserstone install - is a discount reasonable?

Hi guys,

We've gone through a very well known retailer in having our kitchen bench top installed and the experience has been really disappointing.. wondering what our options are?

We were shown in the showroom that the 40mm edges are fabricated from 2 x 20mm slabs laminated together and the joins are barely visible - you have to look real close to see them. We were told the finish of the L-shape would also appear as a lamination type join.

We were told that a contractor would come and measure up in a week. Then after the cabinetry has been measured up, the install will be 3 weeks after that.

One week passes and there is no communication, I call the store and hear that the contractor is a couple days away. Measure up is done and all is on track again.

Nearly 3 weeks pass and no communication. I call the store and nobody can take my calls and I don't get a call back. After calling 3 days in a row I learn we have to come in and sign the contract?!?!?

Fabrication of the bench hasn't started because no contract is signed.. Turns out nothing was done with our measure up for 3 weeks. Contract is signed and install is now 3 weeks away.

3 weeks comes close and there is no communication.. I get the number of the contractor and talk to them direct to cut our the retailer. The install is booked in a few days - I'm told for 10am-ish.

Install day comes 10am passes, I call at noon and hear we now have an afternoon slot.. that's ok I don't have a full time job

Bench arrives and is cut the wrong size, so they have to take away part of the L-shape. The sections they do leave contain a mitred join for the 40mm edges, and the joins are clearly visible.

The electrician is now cancelled for the oven/cook top install - no father's day lunch at our house.

After yet another setback with the install date they arrive this morning and start the install. The L-shape join is glued together showing a 1mm join. The glue and the stone are different colours and the cut of the new stone is quite rough (chipped). We were specifically told in the shop this join would appear as a lamination type join. The contractor tells me that ceaserstone can be installed with glued joints up to 5mm in width.

The install clearly isn't as per the advice from the retailer. I call ceaserstone Australia and learn the joins they have made could be considered acceptable, but depending on what we are told by the retailer and the skill of the stonemason an L-shape join appearing as a lamination join is possible. Caeserston also advise if i'm told that I'll get a lamination join for the edges, I shouldn't get a mitred join.

One one hand we are really disappointed with the finish and wouldn't want to put up with this for a long term PPOR.. but we don't want to go through the hassle of having another install.

We could put up with this if this house becomes an IP soon which is more likely.. so based on the misleading information, lack of communication and delays (8 week turnaround instead of 4), do you think a hefty discount is reasonable??

 

In situations like this I would be going direct via the retailer. This ensures that they are aware of all the issues you have been experiencing in the end, your paying them not the contractor. Hold of paying anything further, assuming you haven't paid in full (we learnt this the hard way, it is your only real bargaining power).
Also stay calm but be firm with them. Yelling or getting angry will get you no where. Tell them what you want, why its fair and issue them with dead lines, e.g. wanting a call back by noon tomorrow.

 

And throw in loss of rent due to their delays

 

Yep, I will follow this approach.

Fortunately we have only paid 50% so can hang onto the remainder until we are happy. We'll probably organise the sparkie to put in the oven/cooktop anyway as we are have been waiting so long to use it.. No doubt it will take a couple more weeks for this to be resolved..

 

It's not an IP just yet.. quite likely soon though.

 

how much did you pay?

 

They don't need to know every detail. Helps your argument.

What's involved to fix?
Labour to remove
re cut stone
Re instal

Not cheap for them

 

About $3100

 

What does the contract you signed say, in relation to liquidated damages?

 

$3,100 for the entire kitchen including 40mm stone?
That's a pretty good price!

Or is that just the stone+install? or just the install?

 

I will need to check the contract at home.. But specifically in relation to delays? I doubt there would be any recourse.

My main issue now is that the finished product is to a much lower standard than described in store. The joins are clearly visible and the cut of the new stone is rough and jagged.

 

No, that's just for the stone. It's typically 20mm thick, just 40mm for the edges.

 

Jagged edges on the join are what i expect from a cheapo chinese imported kitchen (not that there's anything wrong them at the price - got a L shape kitchen fully installed with poly doors and 40mm stone for $5.7k).

Paying $3.1k for a crappy install, i would be expecting them to redo it completely (unfortunately that means the appliances can't be installed).

 

^^^ this. It's not your fault that the company did a bad job. It is their responsibility to fix it.

 

$5.7k for the full kitchen + stone is pretty good. What kind of stone?

At the moment I'd prefer a big discount rather than them coming back to fix.. The current contractor's workmanship is bad and they aren't able to do the 2 x 20mm slab laminates - I don't think they can provide what was promised in the showroom. We are over the delays with the appliances and really want them in now.

To be honest I can probably live with the substandard work since it will be an ip soon, and it will match my workmanship with everything else.. gyprock, plastering, tiling.. But we didn't pay a bargain price.. we paid full retail.

 

The stone is some kind of man made stone. They charge $800 per slab of 600mm x 2400mm from memory.

EDIT: Attached some pics of the kitchen (drawings + actual).
Appliances and sink were extra. But were installed for us. Not actually connected though.

 

I had a rough time with my benchtop which I dug my heels in over and they ended up making it 3 times to get it to my satisfaction.

However the joins and workmanship are immaculate. Lamination is invisible and the join needs to be hunted for to spot

Moral of story, you paid money and deserve what you were shown in the showroom as representative of end product.

 

Fair enough. A possible solution is to highlight the product you got is not the same as what you paid for. Give the retailer the option of replacing or request a discount and tell them you would prefer a discount.

 

I agree with above. Do not pay them. Document every phone call, time of call, who you spoke to, what was said, what actions were agreed on and by who and by when, absolutely everything also any emails. As @Raydar said stay calm, just state your case and the outcome you want. There is no excuse for chipped edges, they obviously cut it the wrong way up or the diamonds on their saw needed replacing. i.e. new blade. Dig your toes in if they try and steamroll you just tell them you will take it to the small claims tribunal. Take photographs of your job and go into the showroom and take photos of the display product. Good Luck.

 

Insist on redoing to the showroom standard. You may plan to keep this property, but plans can change. A shonky bench top will be a turn-off if you need to sell.
Marg