Hi guys, did an inspection on some granite countertops yesterday. Client is mad and doesn't want to pay because the contractor did a crappy job.
Some of it can be fixed, some can't. The bar sink is 1/2" out of square, looks really awful, overhang is different everywhere, chips, etc.
One of my biggest concerns, and this is what I'm looking for documentation on, is the sink wall seam. The guy joined two pieces of granite in the middle of the stainless steel sink, right down the middle of the faucet hole. With the stresses of pots in/out of the sink and people pulling on the faucet, I just don't see this lasting. He also seamed down the middle of the cooktop.
I've heard urban legend that these seams in the middle of appliances aren't allowed. Never seen actual doc's. Anyone know a reference to some standard?
Thanks, Markus

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Accurate Inspections & Consulting, Inc.
773/844-4AIC
"The Code is not a ceiling to reach but a floor to work up from"

I have seen that quite often.

I am not aware of anything which prohibits seams in those locations, however, those locations are also where the granite will crack if it cracks, because there is so little material left - thus having the seam there allows for a crack to form between to cut joints instead of through the granite itself.

When properly installed, there should not be any stresses on the front joint as it is fully bearing on sealant and the sink is sealed to the underside of the granite (presuming an undermount sink) which acts as reinforcing across the joint.

With the cooktop, the cooktop is not sealed to the granite but rather sets in a hole cut in the granite. The granite itself should be solidly supported and there should not be any problem there either, and, like at the sink, with little material left that is where the crack would likely appear.

I've never heard that.

Ours is seamed at a different location as ours is a 'U' shape and the granite turns the 'U' corner then there is a seam, then the sink a couple of feet down from the seam.

I've seen seams in many different locations, and I've seen cracks at those locations at the sinks and cooktops (probably from people standing on the granite during construction).

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )
www.AskCodeMan.com

I've done a lot of kitchens over the years. I used to fabricate and install formica and corian tops. It was always considered unacceptable to put a seam in the middle of a sink or cooktop. As time goes on, workmanship continues to slide. In this case there wasn't even a real need to put the seams there.
The installer claims that the bar sink is crooked because he wasn't supplied the paper template. He only took the sink back to the shop with him for the hole. I just had to laugh. If he can't cut the hole square with the sink, I don't think a paper template would have helped.
I'll search some more but if you don't know of a standard, then there probably isn't one. Thanks Jerry.

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Accurate Inspections & Consulting, Inc.
773/844-4AIC
"The Code is not a ceiling to reach but a floor to work up from"

There are a couple reasons for seeming at the sink, the small area remaining after the sink cutout will break if transported without proper support. We, and most high end cutters, use rodding so a seam can be placed were it isn't noticed. The other reason for the seem at the sink is the small area exposed to someone seeing a bad seem.

I'm sorry, but wile I love reading these posts, some of you go just way too far. Maybe work is just that slow that attention to cosmetics creeps in . . .
I don't know. But there's no law against ugly. There's no safety concern. No functioning as intended issues.
JLMathis

Jeffrey,

Or maybe some of the people do more.

From the first post, which you said you read, Markus stated the he "did an inspection on some granite countertops yesterday" ... which means that was the purpose for to inspect the granite countertops.

Is it possible that you are limiting yourself?

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )
www.AskCodeMan.com

Hey, today I was hired to look at a wood floor! Nothing more but just the wood floor and how it was installed.

Specialty inspection like this are a great way to fill in the day with work, especially when it is slow. Heck, tomorrow I will be looking at wood shingles on a roof. The owner says he paid for Shakes and the contractor installed shingles! Take the pictures and write my Opine and collect my fee!

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com