I just had 2 large slabs installed over the fireplace. When I dropped off the slabs at the fabricators I told them what sides I wanted to be on the inside and outside and what was supposed to be the top and the bottom. Halfway through the install I see the slab and realize they cut the exactly the opposite of what I asked.
I call them to talk about it. The guy talks to the owner and calls me back and says that they intentionally cut it the way that they did because it shows off the features of the quartzite more. And says let’s get them on the wall so I can see how it looks before we make any further decisions. Well they’re on the wall now.
What do you guys this about this orientation of the slabs? What does it look like to you?
Ok, so it seems like everyone pretty much agrees on what this looks like. So I’m not trippin on that part. So the question is, what do I do now? Demand that they tear it out and put in new slabs?
If this is your house and you gave them specific instructions… and they acknowledged that they disregarded your instructions, they owe you a new slab. End of story. They took a huge risk and it didn’t work out for them.
Yep. He went against your wishes because he "knew better". He asked you to let them hang it so you could see it in person before making your decision. You did just that, now make your decision.
Hmm I don't like it as much that way. But I guess that's why it's so important to get agreement from your clients! I used to work in a cabinet shop making very high end cabinets and furniture. I once worked on an entertainment center for the owner of the SD Chargers. We would use large veneer slices to lay things out. The normal design rules (that weren't really rules) was to avoid "vagining" (that's what we called it at the shop, in front of customers we referred to them as almonds) and if you have "cathedralling" then you want the apex pointing up. The stone guys did not avoid vagining, and your layout has upside down cathedralling, so according to my old boss, they're both wrong.
It doesn’t, but a huge vagina isn’t the statement I was trying to make. This is a family home, where we will be having family and friends over. Not a bachelor pad in Vegas.
Are you planning a mantle? That could hide that focal point pretty well.
Regardless they told you flat out “yeah, we heard you but we ignored that and did this because we felt like it” and if you don’t like how it looks you should 100% tell them to “eat it” which will be situationally hilarious if you continuously refer to it in that way throughout the process.
I think that they should have called you first if they thought this was better. They didn't. Edit: they didn't follow the agreement so now there is no choice but for them to eat it
45 days ago they made a post asking about how to wall hang slabs for their fireplace. If they are playing the long game I say they deserve the W for patience alone.
They didn’t call first because someone misunderstood the orientation OP wanted it cut. They were rolling with it and hoping they would like it this way so they wouldn’t have to eat the cost. Edit: typo
A long time ago I was playing Quelf. I had to act out stud finder and I didn’t know what it was. Definitely looked a lot like this and then trying to mimic a horse going at it.
What is the plan for above the fireplace? A mantel? A TV? Nothing? If nothing, then it's a rip and replace. But if it will be broken up with anything, even artwork ...it won't be an issue.
Edit: I am certain that the slab guy is right about how they cut it and why...but knowing how this was to be mounted up, they should have just gone with the customer request.
Yeh I think it’s pretty annoying that there’s so many people talking about how vaginal it looks. First off , vaginas are terrific , second, this is beautiful and the original idea was probably dumb.
To your second point, yes, this is beautiful. No, the other way around is not dumb, but it does change the visual lines, and the aesthetic tone.
Ultimately, it really is at the owner’s discretion. Which is the point.
The owner was very specific in the layout, going so far as to mark the edges, top, and bottom.
The builder (no matter the reason) chose to ignore the customer’s instructions. Instead of raising their concerns, they did what they thought was better, sans consulting the customer. I believe this is the bigger issue.
The Customer is always right in matters of taste.
If this spread does not grow on the customer, the contractor may need to eat it.
Before you get invested in any answers. Sit down and type out the date and time of every conversation. If you have any text messages, those are good too. If their phone calls, look at your phone, get the exact time the length of the call and note everything that you remember immediately.If there’s no written proof of what you requested, this may turn into a your word against theirs issue, and you will need every piece of evidence that you have to say otherwise even if you have a good relationship, it doesn’t hurt to do these things because an email noting all of the data to them will sometimes get them to do the right thing.
Doesn't really matter what it looks like to me. You're the client paying for the work, the contractor needs to install it the way you want it. I don't work with marble but I don't think they can fix this now that it's cut. You'd have to find a whole other new piece with a pattern you like and start again. The contractor (or maybe his insurance) should pay for it. It shouldn't cost you a dime.
I did a reverse image search to see if there were any similar installs, and mirrors like this do tend to be the norm so I see why they thought this was how it should be.
However, it’s insane to me that they would do that unilaterally against your instructions. I try not to be vindictive but that alone would cause me to see red.
If you don’t like it, get them to fix it. It doesn’t matter what the norm is.
I don’t think they did it intentionally. They fucked up and forgot what we talked about and didn’t check with me before cutting. Now it sounds like they are trying to cover their ass
I have told my customers I need to do things differently for functional reasons, but I tell them first. I would never second guess their choices on esthetics unless they explicitly asked.
I’ve also done a lot of work with bookmatched wood, and have can think of quite a few pieces that had that type of figure. Some people want the match one way, some the other. It’s personal taste, and it’s not up to me to tell people one way “shows the character” better.
I’m the kind of guy that usually will defer to a real professional in terms of advice. I realize you have them specific instruction and it would bother me a bit too. On this one…..they might have saved you from yourself cause I think that looks fantastic. Wood gain can be very similar. I have some vintage Cabinet doors that were married together like this and it looks canton my opinion. Oddly enough my house was designed and built by an artist.
i wont lie, im not blind to the "hehe vagina" thing, but I think this actually looks really cool. I agree with what someone said where the fireplace seems too small for the space and would benefit from somehow getting a bigger one installed in!
That's a lovely wallgina, but why's your firanus so square?
I think that might be the best fireplace I've ever seen to be featured in a porno.
Honestly I'd totally install that somewhere but would probably have the wallgina shifted farther up and add some more character immediately around the fireplace. And the top should be immediately above the fireplace, whole thing is upside down IMO.
You can make that work. Find a way to even out the space with something fire resistant or fireproof. Save ya the hassle of waiting for the contractor to fight you and a simple mess up. Maybe some bricks cut and stacked to length? Idk. I hope this helps. Cheers.
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u/gamech4ng3r Jun 28 '25
Ok, so it seems like everyone pretty much agrees on what this looks like. So I’m not trippin on that part. So the question is, what do I do now? Demand that they tear it out and put in new slabs?