So, if you have been paying attention, you already know we have been doing some work at camp. Well part of that included new vanities for both bathrooms. The vanity for the upstairs guest bathroom was a standard size, so we picked up an inexpensive granite top with under-mount sink at Home Depot. All in all it was a good deal, and we really loved it. The problem was the vanity for our master bathroom was a standard cabinet size, but they do not make a standard granite top in that size. So we either go back to a laminate top in our bathroom, or order a more expensive custom top. We went with the custom top.
I called around, and on the recommendation of a friend found Granite and Marble Works located at 8 Commerce Park Drive, Wilton, NY 12831. Unfortunately it turns out they do crap work, and only seem to care about customers with big orders (our order was a relatively small counter top.) I would recommend that if you are in the market for granite or marble that you DO NOT select Granite and Marble Works.
. . . . . Let me give a little details about the ordeal that we went through with them. First of all I called just to get a general idea of price, and to make sure that they would be comfortable with me providing the template, and doing the install myself. Now making a template and installing a Granite top can be tricky, but in this case, it is a free standing straight cut small counter top with a sink and faucet cutouts centered in the top. Definitely not rocket science. They said they were fine with that, and they have done that with other customers.
Problem #1: We went to the showroom to look at the selection, and order the top. We were shown all through the workshop, we picked out the granite that we wanted, and we went back to the office to write up the order. I had my template with me, along with the faucet to make things easier for them. They wrote up the order, and the price was significantly higher than what was quoted on the phone. Some of that increase can be attributed to the grade of stone that we selected, and the edge that we wanted on the piece, but taking that in to account, it was still $150 more than they originally quoted. But it was what we wanted, so we ordered it.
Great, I can live with the price, it was ordered, and I was told it would be around 2 weeks to complete... Problem #2: If you tell me 2 weeks, you should at least follow up with a phone call somewhere around the 2 week mark. Instead I had to call them after a full 3 weeks, to be told first that the only person that does scheduling was not in that day, and I should call back tomorrow. When I called back I was told that it was being worked on right now, and should be done in a couple of days. A week later I got a call that it was complete. so it was a bit longer than 4 weeks to complete instead of 2.
Problem #3: Brenda and I took a couple of hours off from work so we could get to Saratoga in time to pick it up on a Friday night. We got there just in time, loaded it in the truck and headed to the lake. I placed it on the vanity just to take a look, and it was then that I immediately noticed the faucet holes were offset a bit. I got out my tape measure to see that one hole was off by 5/16" Not a huge deal, I can make up the difference when I mount the faucet. Then I try to mount the sink (which they originally told me they would have mounted for me) but I find that they didn't provide the mounting clips. Stop at the hardware store, pick up some clips, and try again. Now I see that the lip of the under-mount sink is going to interfere with the faucet mounting because the holes are not where they should be. I look it over a bit, trying to figure a good way to get it to work the way it is, and decide to just give them a call. I leave a message on their voice-mail, and wait till morning.
Biggest problem yet, #4: I get a call in the morning, that was a good thing, but it was the tone, and message that i was getting from the owner that bothered me. She was telling me that this is why they don't normally do self installs, and these are simple things that their installers could take care of easily, and it is because of this that they will NEVER do this again. So apparently it is my fault that they can't cut and drill the piece correctly. After a second call from the other owner (the husband Mike) I am asked to bring the piece back to them Sunday, along with the sink and faucet, and they would get everything installed and bring it back to me at home in Schenectady since Tupper lake is so far away. So we drop it off Sunday
Problem #5: Again lack of proper communication, and committing to things they have no intention to do... I have to call Thursday to check the status, and am told it will be done by the end of the week. Friday I get another call from the installer who tells me he will grind the lip off the sink so the faucet can be mounted, and he will make sure the mounting clips are in the box when I pick it up... first I was told they would mount it, and second, it is supposed to be delivered to me since I can't get there before they close. He agrees to mount the sink, and says I have to talk to Mike about the delivery. I wait, and call mike after work to find out what is going on. He is very rude, and basically calls me a liar saying he never agreed to any of that. That they can't install the sink, and won't deliver it to me.
Well the good news is that we have the top, it looks good, and we are happy with it. I am not sure it was worth the hassle, and I will not do business with Granite and Marble works ever again. Hopefully the ground off lip of the sink will not be a problem in the future.
If you have read all of this... you are patient... but please take my advice, don't go to Granite and Marble Works, 8 Commerce Park Drive, Wilton, NY 12831. They do shoddy work and will flat out lie to you.
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