ComplaintsforGranite Transformations of East Orlando

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  1 Dec 2021 hired Granite Transformations (GT) of Orlando to install granite island with waterfall and three countertops. GT gross incompetent installation, bait and switched materials. Island installed is a min 3/8 "off level (Please see pics) which resulted in the entire waterfall (the centerpiece of the kitchen)-edges uneven, cracks, huge gaps, chips, unsightly offset to one side. Attempts to repair failed- and now there is a huge 1 ¼ inch gap between the waterfall and the cabinets. The sink cut out is horrible, it waves back and forth by over ½ to ¾ inch. Rough sharp edges, jagged, chipped, gouged, unpolished. repair attempts failed with compounded errors i.e. even larger gaps between, out of plumb, (Pic) the waterfall edges are uneven. Paid $7300, $94 per sq ft (top dollar for any for current countertop surface.) GT (Granite Transformation) deliberately and with intent, deceived customers by using a bait and switch tactic in order to take advantage of seniors during the Covid pandemic. GT gross incompetent installation of bait and switch materials unacceptable. The combination of cheap bait and switch materials and incompetent installation. Several weeks of calling GT went unanswered. It was only after posting a negative review on****** that GT called me. I stated that I want to speak to a - "A decision maker" after failed requests for an inspection of the unacceptable work. The owner visited. One minute into the inspection - after seeing the island stated, "This level does not lie, I have to take the waterfall off and try to repair it." I said you can't repair an improperly installed, out of level-it makes the error increased with every effort to affix the attaching surfaces." The owner said "I need to try and fix this." The owner had to use my tools-another example of being ill prepared. Even to be willing to allow a repair lacks faith when the owner of the company is ill prepared to correct his own companies work.

  Business response

  06/14/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/05/12) */ Good Afternoon the customer is stating that we bait and switch our customers by showing a "thick" sample and installing 1/4" thick granite. our company is a franchise that sells only 1/4" thick material that overlays the counters and no other products,Also Material and installation is covered by warranty that the customer keeps refusing they are demeaning 50% refund based on the thickness of the material which they were aware, when it comes to the installation concerns wee have gone out to the customer home multiple times and addressed their concerns after the last visit in January they simply reached out asking for 50% back and we informed them that if they have any installation concerns we are willing to addressed them but the insists that that we can't come out and want 50%back. PS. also about the unleveled counters, the customer has installed the cabinets by him self and that is the reason why the counters have small variations because the cabinets that support the counters are installed on the floor without been leveled. The main reason this customer is upset is because they are blaming that we showed them something that we dont offer at the time of sale, again we are a franchise network that sales only one product. Thank you Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/05/14) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) ________________________________________ In response to Granite Transformation (GT) Materials: Granite Transformation own marketing material clearly conveys a material that is much thicker than 1/4 in. The material promised is no way near the thickness or quality promised. Never did the sales representative state, imply or show a 1/4in thickness is the sample. I would have never accepted a subpar quality product if I had been shown the a sample of what I was delivered. The sales representative emphasized that the end product will look just like granite-but better, with the only exception is that there will not be able to give a beveled edge. I know why the bevel edge was not possible-because the material is so poor and so thin that the material that cutting a bevel is impossible without the entire material crumbling. This was bait and switch or materials with Granite Transformations own marketing materials disputing that they were honest when I feel that GT deliberately misled, made false representation and false promises - my countertops look nothing like the brochure nor do they come close to the sales reps promise of same as granite quality materials. GT statement that they only sell 1/4in material. That means nothing to a customer when you show them the brochure and promise them that their Island will look like the picture-and you get a horror show as a deliverable. "Your installation will look as good-or as better as that Claiming after the fact the GT only sells 1/4 in material means nothing to me. Never did you tell us that the material would be 70% less than the brochure. Please consider: Immediately after the installation, I called GT to express my displeasure with both materials and competence of the installation. Cindy, the Office Manager asked me to take photos and send them to her. I did. I sent 19 photos and 2 videos' showing the poor quality and unacceptable installation. After two weeks of not hearing back from GT the installation I reached back out to GT demanding that a decision maker to come to the house to inspect the horrible installation for themselves. Cindy, the Office Manager, for 2 weeks refused to schedule a visit. So troubling was Cindy refused to give me the manager's phone number. I was told the manager will contact you. He never did. No response from G, I contacted ***** ****, the source of how I found GT. I wrote a negative review. Only after the negative review did GT call mew to schedule a supervisor's visit. Please Consider: GT claims I am responsible for the island being out of level. What? ****** KraftMaid cabinets were bought at******. Installation was by****** specialists '********* ************' install the cabinets and the island. They were perfectly level. In fact, Before GT even started the install, I stated "These cabinets were installed by****** cabinet specialists. If you have any issues whatsoever, here is the installers phone number. If you have any issues with the cabinets and the install-call him. No what GT screwed the installation they want claim that "I installed the cabinets and that it was the reason for the island not coming together. GT ruined my kitchen and now they try to blame everyone else. Incompetent installation: GT stated that a 2-day install would be required. Never got a 2-day installation. Orlando is a 2-hour drive. GT rushed to install in one day. It showed. The arrived-on site at 1 PM in the afternoon and finished at 9:45 pm. Who does this? The day 2 install never happened. I believe that GT did not want to drive the 2 hour distance for a 2 day install and attempted to cram the install into one day to keep from having to come back. All the while one installer -who destroyed my window sill, kept complaining that he had to go home. The installers did not have the longer levels, did not have the cutting tools to do this level, of work. Example: The installer cut out the sink pattern by hand on my front lawn! -You wonder why the edges are so badly off being straight? This incompetence in cutting material on site was so clearly unacceptable that the entire sink cut out is destroyed with the cuts uneven, gouges, chips, offset and crooked-completely not straight, the symmetrical cut out of the sink let alone a top end Kitchen Island Install. ***** ****: I researched granite vendors by ***** ****. On ***** **** I requested referrals of only granite. I was very specific in the query that I only want granite. Both prior to the installation and after, I revisited ***** **** to learn that despite GT claims that they only sell 1/4 material, GT continues to appear as a Granite provider. I discussed this with ***** ****. ***** list did contacted GT after I complained that ***** allow GT to market themselves as a Granite provider. If one queries ***** for granite GT will appear. GT does not disclaim that they do not offer granite-granite even though the specific request for granite and NO other material is requested. It's deceptive and misleading-GT never dispute the claims Query for granite where does GT dispute any claim that they do not offer granite. Still, after the installation, GT continues to market themselves as a Granite solution provider. I made screen shots of the query process and the results where GT appears. I believe that this is an intentional misleading sales practice. I have made screen captures of GT claims on ***** list despite me clearly a bait and switch. Even when Cindy called me to schedule the sales appointment, I stated to her again, "I am only interested in Granite." Cindy knew of my Granite only product and she held back the fact that GT does not sell granite. This bait and switch tactic by GT is something they no doubt discussed and came up with this marketing strategy of deception and bait and switch. GT efforts to mislead the public on *****'s **** was made know. Knowing the mis-representation of their product-they continue to market their 1/4in material within the umbrella of Granite Like-it's granite like, it's not! I believe that this is a deliberate bait and switch tactic for which I intend to also file a police report and a complaint with the Marion County District Attorney's office. I have attempted to recover $3500 for the incompetent installation and for the subpar materials and GT has refused to accept. Only after the negative review on ***** **** did GT reach out to me to schedule a visit by the owner. Attempts to repair: Only after writing a negative review on ***** list did the owner agree to inspect the installation. As per the photos that I sent to GT and they did nothing. Did I contact ***** ****. The owner did visit. The first comment he made was when he saw the level on the Island and there was a min of 3/8in off level. He stated, "The level doesn't lie" I walked the owner through every thing wrong. When we looked at the waterfall, I stated-This has to be redone. The owner did agree. He said, "Let me see if I can fix this" I said Ok let's see. Even then, the owner did not have the tools with him to remove the waterfall. He had to borrow my tools. This alone demonstrates the incompetence and total ill prepared skills and materials used were so subpar for the money paid, we were doomed from the beginning. to remove the waterfall edge and take it back for refabrication. I tried to explain that the island is not level. You can't fix this it has to be replaced. Two weeks later the owner returned the waterfall-it was worse! (See photo's) There is a huge 1 inch gap between the waterfall and the cabinet-it's horrible. Every cut that the installers touched-they destroyed or made worse. I believe that paid top dollar for materials and competent installation and did not receive either. I requested a 50& refund as an acceptable breakeven point. GT disagrees which leaves me seeking relief through the courts. Despite the claims by GT, they lied, mislead, incompetent installation and failed 2nd attempts to repair and make right failed. Gt is ready to move on. Refund me $3500 to removed their junk and I will move on. If not, I'll see you in court. Certified Letter: I sent GT a certified letter of offer for a refund of $3500 for the island. I was willing to accept the three counter installs. However, the window sill GT destroyed beyond repair. The sill has to be rebuilt-it's unacceptable. I offered the owner: Just bring me the material I paid for and I'll cut it myself, and I will release you from that part that is project-he refused. Why? Because he knows the flimsy material cannot be cut like a quality product. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/05/16) */ Good Afternoon Below is a link directly from the website as we mention before we provide only one kind of material in many colors but only one kind. As we mentioned we are a franchise and we are not allowed by the franchisor to provide any other product. https://www.granitetransformations.com/about-us/our-advantages/ We are in business for over 15 years and for all those years we have sold only one kind of product as we are required by the franchisor. Its unfortunate that the customer feels that they received a subpar product but in reality they received a much better product that doesn't require any meitnance as most natural stone. As for the level of the counter we explained to the customer that the counter sit on top of the cabinets if the cabinets are not leveled then the counters will not be leveled. Thank you https://www.granitetransformations.com/about-us/our-advantages/

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Tuesday, 3/29/22, Granite Transformations installed a new sink and countertops in my kitchen (installation was completed at 9pm that night). The following day, our plumber returned to reconnect the water to the sink. He pointed out visible gaps in the countertop (where you can see my old countertops behind the overlay). He also expressed serious concern that the sink was a) not installed properly (he has concerns fall into the cupboard below and break my water line, causing the house to flood), and b) it was not sealed properly (there are gaps where water can easily penetrate, causing mold/rot). In addition, the sink itself already has scratches on it. Since 3/30/22 I have reached out to Granite Transformations numerous times. I was told that a manager would call me. No one is returning my calls, and now I can't even reach anyone at Granite Transformations when I try to call them. I am requesting that the sink be replaced, and the sink and countertops be installed properly.

  Business response

  04/12/2022

  Consumer Response /* (2000, 6, 2022/04/08) */ As of 4/8/22, Granite Transformations has fixed my tabletops. I wish to withdraw the complaint please. Thank you.

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