Can't find a competent fabricator for the life of me

[mariopoli]

I live in the Los Angeles area. I have completely failed at finding a competent fabricator to install countertops in my home.
My project includes 3 bathrooms, wet bar, fireplace hearth and kitchen with highbar, waterfall, full backsplashes throughout and mitred edging everywhere. It will need 4-5 slabs.

The first fabricator I hired refused to furnish any drawings whatsoever showing what they intended to do so they returned my money. The second fabricator ripped out all my countertops a couple of months ago. They invited me to their shop parking lot where they threw up some of the templates on the stone slabs spending just a few minutes figuring out where to put them. I took pictures and when I got home after reviewing the pictures I realized many of the pieces including the water fall did not match pieces next to them (seams) in color or flow (veining). I know it is impossible to do this match perfectly but you can at least make an effort which requires all the templates if done manually or a program such as slabsmith and a competent operator who cares and has some time.

I have called Slabsmith multiple times and they have been unable to provide anyone in the Los Angeles area who uses this software. Calling around many of fabricators I could not locate one that has digital shop. Seems like everyone is making templates by hand and laying them on the stone. This is a big handicap if you have waterfalls attached to cabinets and full back splashes and lots of seams. I know this is stone work but all the fabricators I have found are in the stone age as far as tools. It does not have to be someone who has a digital shop. What I most care about is a fabricator that is competent and takes pride in their work. I have even contacted the Natural Stone Institute and the fabricators they put me in contact with do not do residential work or will not return my calls. Can some one out there help me find a competent fabricator please? The only thing I can think of is maybe natural stone is not for me.

I have an idea. Is there a Slabsmith user I can send high-resolution photographs of my stone with dimensions and a full set of counter measurements and they can deliver to me drawings or full scale slab templates I can give a local fabricator to cut the stones?

[wkluender]

If you are trying to have a slabsmith layout, the fabricator will need the slabs for photographing. There's a members directory here that should provide you with a list of fabricators in the area you are looking for. I don't know how many of them will have slabsmith, but it's a start.
https://www.stonefabricatorsalliance.co ... .php?p=map

[Mark Meriaux]

I have even contacted the Natural Stone Institute and the fabricators they put me in contact with do not do residential work or will not return my calls. Can some one out there help me find a competent fabricator please? The only thing I can think of is maybe natural stone is not for me.

I have an idea. Is there a Slabsmith user I can send high-resolution photographs of my stone with dimensions and a full set of counter measurements and they can deliver to me drawings or full scale slab templates I can give a local fabricator to cut the stones?

Here are some local Natural Stone Institute members that I'd suggest you try:

Block Tops http://www.blocktops.com/contact-us/
Residential Design Services http://www.resdesign.com/
Andrew Lauren Interiors http://int.andrewlauren.com/
Di Franco Stone http://www.difrancostone.com/

I don't know which fabricators use what equipment (including Slabsmith or other visualization systems).


Also, Slabsmith does not work with YOUR photos. The fabricator will need a digital layout (template) of your space, then they can overlay that information onto calibrated slab photos (taken on a calibrated photo station). That can give you a realistic depiction of how the tops will layout on the slabs and how they will look arranged in the shape of the layout.

[Ken Lago]

Having Slabsmith and being a competent fabricator is two different subjects.

[Stone Dude]

NOPE

[Mark Meriaux]

He can provide a 3D rendering of your project, for a fee, before any stone gets cut. No Slabsmith, no CNC machine, but there are plenty of examples of his work in the showroom, and many members on this forum can vouch for the craftsmanship that comes out of his shop. He has done plenty of work in the LA market, as well as Orange County and San Diego and surrounding areas.

If you are interested, the contact information is below:
MilleStone Marble & Tile, Inc.
760-341-7525
FrontDesk@MilleStoneMarble.com
72091 Woburn Ct. Suite D
Thousand Palms, CA 92276

Mark DeMille is a true craftsman with stone and his work can meet the expectations of any client willing to pay for his talent.

[dustinbraudway]

You would be lucky if you could get Milliestone!

Just because someone has a cnc shop doesn't mean they can put out nice work. There are many many shops with very age old tools as you say that have more experience with their hands and eyes than a digital new age shop (even with experienced fabricators).

[Dan R.]

No cnc here.

[Dan R.]

Shop mock up of hand cut miter. Vein matched manually from 2 consecutive slabs.
No digital, only experience and brain power.

[Dan R.]

We do not provide full size drawings. it simply is not done in this industry as a standard practice. A frank discussion should definitely take place, to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Slabsmith is a vendor to the industry, not a resource for retail buyers. I would not call you back, either. Give private info on their customers to a total stranger? Is this what you expect? If so, your expectations may be what are hampering the completion of the project.

Your assumptions and expectations are a little off base, imo. A great craftsman can out perform digital, in many instances. Digital is great, but it is tough to beat a true craftsman on a project by project basis, imo.

[Jeff H.]

I find it hard to believe there isn't a quality fabricator in the LA market. After reading the original post I probably wouldn't want to do your job either. I see too many red flags!

[mariopoli]

I imported my high resolution slab pictures to Powerpoint. I created digital templates from my measurements and laid out the slabs.What companies can fabricate the counters from my Powerpoint files or at least use them as a starting point?

[Dan R.]

The resolution is not the most important part of the photographs. The distortion is . If you took photos, they are distorted.

Why not let the fabricator do his job? No one likes to be told (especially by a novice) how to do their work.
Let the professional be the professional.

I am with Jeff. I would pass on this job. My view would be that there is not a qualified client, in this case. Money isn't everything.

[Humphrga]

+1 for Dan and Jeff on letting the fabricator do what he's trained to do. There could even be flaws in the stone that could be problematic during fabrication that you're not aware of that a fabricator would see which they have to work around. This affects yield.

[Mark Meriaux]

...at least use them as a starting point?

Your Powerpoint layouts will only be useful as a starting point to discuss the intended design, regardless of the equipment used. Per the above posts, skilled fabrication can be performed with simple tools. Craftsmanship and expertise come from experience.

[Stone Dude]

No competent fabricator would rely on a client's measurements or templates, perfect recipe for disaster. If you cannot step back and let the contractor do their work, the work will never happen.

[mariopoli]

No competent fabricator would rely on a client's measurements or templates, perfect recipe for disaster. If you cannot step back and let the contractor do their work, the work will never happen.
[

Stone Dude - I am in agreement with you and also with what the others have stated. Perhaps I was not clear. The power point presentation is just a concept. The fabricator should have his own measurements and use his own techniques for creating the layout. I agree with everyone that you don't need to have a digital system to do a good job. Its just a tool to help you do your job better and more efficiently. If you don't want to take advantage of the good tools out there over the long run its going to be a drag on your business.

[mariopoli]

Shop mock up of hand cut miter. Vein matched manually from 2 consecutive slabs.
No digital, only experience and brain power.
[

This is beautiful work. Thanks for sharring.

[Dan R.]

No competent fabricator would rely on a client's measurements or templates, perfect recipe for disaster. If you cannot step back and let the contractor do their work, the work will never happen.
[

Stone Dude - I am in agreement with you and also with what the others have stated. Perhaps I was not clear. The power point presentation is just a concept. The fabricator should have his own measurements and use his own techniques for creating the layout. I agree with everyone that you don't need to have a digital system to do a good job. Its just a tool to help you do your job better and more efficiently. If you don't want to take advantage of the good tools out there over the long run its going to be a drag on your business.
[

Not necessarily drag on your business. It may limit production, somewhat. But, that is hardly a bad thing for the craftsman/artisan. It is a little out of the norm to have the client arrive with pics and layouts in hand. Try a little more laid back approach, ask the fabricator how he would do the job given your parameters. Don't come in with a folder full of telling him what to do. Ask him.

[Dan R.]

Shop mock up of hand cut miter. Vein matched manually from 2 consecutive slabs.
No digital, only experience and brain power.
[

This is beautiful work. Thanks for sharring.
[

Thanks for the compliment.
Everyday stuff, really.
Many people here are capable of so much more than this. Quite basic, after you get the hang of it.

[mariopoli]

The resolution is not the most important part of the photographs. The distortion is . If you took photos, they are distorted.

Why not let the fabricator do his job? No one likes to be told (especially by a novice) how to do their work.
Let the professional be the professional.

I am with Jeff. I would pass on this job. My view would be that there is not a qualified client, in this case. Money isn't everything.
[

I went to the fabricators shop today and we re-did the layout placing all the templates on the stone and using tape for the ones we did not have. After going through this process I actually prefer it to doing it using software on a picture. The camera can not take a perfect picture for this task. You have to see the stone in person. You are correct about the distortion. This was a good learning experience for me.

[Humphrga]

Shop mock up of hand cut miter. Vein matched manually from 2 consecutive slabs.
No digital, only experience and brain power.
[

This is beautiful work. Thanks for sharring.
[

Thanks for the compliment.
Everyday stuff, really.
Many people here are capable of so much more than this. Quite basic, after you get the hang of it.
[

What saw do you have?

[Teef]

Send me the pics and slab sizes. I will basically do what slabsmith does with out the dfx file. This way you will see the cut plans and also the final layout with seams. it will not be 3d for the waterfall but will still have the vein match.
it will cost 250 USD!

[mariopoli]

Send me the pics and slab sizes. I will basically do what slabsmith does with out the dfx file. This way you will see the cut plans and also the final layout with seams. it will not be 3d for the waterfall but will still have the vein match.
it will cost 250 USD!
[

Thanks for your offer but I did it myself on Microsoft Office powerpoint.

[Dan R.]

Mario, It is not the same and unusable for a granite shop, unless you lay out it slab with cut templates.

I feel like the advice is not sinking in. You say I understand, then your next statement shows that you do not. I would not touch this job!