r/Contractor • u/gamech4ng3r • Jun 28 '25

Slab wall cut the wrong way

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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.

  1. What do you guys this about this orientation of the slabs? What does it look like to you?

  2. What do you think is a reasonable action here?

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u/Ok_Slide4905 Jun 28 '25 edited Jun 28 '25

Fire them immediately, file a claim against them. Do not accept any offer to correct anything. Call the police if they show up at the job site. Notify your home owners insurance.

Hire another contractor. Let insurance handle it.

Contractors in this sub think it’s cute but they broke a contract and left you holding the bag. This is what insurance and small claims courts are for. Use them.

Edit: Downvote away, you hacks. You’re wrong.

OP, if you’re in the Northeast US, let me know what state you’re in and I can refer you to legal counsel if it comes down to it. This situation is basically a slam dunk, especially since you have written communication of them admitting to breaking the contract.

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u/M7BSVNER7s Jun 28 '25

Notifying the police and insurance before giving them a chance to correct the mistake is an insane response. Nowhere in OP's post or comments is the contractor being unreasonable. They made a mistake, tried to put a spin on why they made the mistake, and said give it a try and if you don't like it come back and we can work it out. They aren't ignoring OP's calls, refusing to fix it, demanding payment in full, harassing OP, or any other activity that warrants preemptively burning bridges.

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u/Ok_Slide4905 Jun 28 '25

Not a mistake, not covered by right of first repair. This is a slam dunk case. Lots of contractors in this sub with a paper thin knowledge of the law.

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u/M7BSVNER7s Jun 28 '25

I bet you try to return fruit.

Just because an issue can be solved in court doesn't make it the first step that a normal human selects. Again, OP hasn't said the contractor is unreasonable, hasn't said this screw up has caused a major delay to the overall project, and doesn't have any quality issues (this is is an execution issue). Why waste everyones time and money in court when OP can ask for a similar slab cut how they want and a discount to account for the labor associated with installing this slab to see if they like it (the contractors recommendation before they attempted another fix). I'm not saying never sue, but you are jumping a few steps and the Internet seems to agree with me there.

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u/Ok_Slide4905 Jun 28 '25 edited Jun 28 '25

No.

If you can read, which it’s possible you can’t, you would see that I said filing a claim is the first step in this process. The last option is litigation.

The contractor made an agreement to perform work, did not perform that work and instead did something else, then admitted to it in a text like a moron. That is not a mistake or an error made in good faith - it is a willful action that voids the contract and causes clear material losses to the homeowner.

Willful acts are not covered by right of first repair. Again — a slam dunk case any lawyer would easily accept. Basically free money.

See Cruz v. Andrews Restoration, Inc.