Sooner or later, as a fabricator and thus an "expert" you will be asked to take a look-See at a project that the customer will say is... Not right. Hopefully, the project in question will not be one that you are not responsible for.You will almost certainly be asked to perform this service sometime in the future, so be prepared to do things right.

Since I first started in the slab side of the Stone Industry, I have made my share of mistakes, and I have learned from each one. More efficiently-and easier on my wallet-I think have learned more from other people's mistakes than my own. I am asked do job inspections every month, and this includes providing a written report that outlines the customer's complaint, and responds to it with an objective analysis of the work and whether or not it complies with established industry standards.

Remember that I am emphasizing the work-NOT the company that installed the work. This is an important distinction if you are being asked to provide a second opinion on a project that for whatever reason is not being accepted by the customer.

As a person that is inspecting a project, and the quality of the work that has been performed, you must be OBJECTIVE and judge the work-not the contractor. I go so far as to emphasize that I do NOT want to know who did the work. I judge the work on the merits of the workmanship-not the personality of the installer or the owner, etc.

So how do you go about "zeroing in" on what the problem is, what the cause is, and what can be done to remedy the present condition of the work, if required.

I frequent many sites on the internet that help consumers learn more about the slab countertops that they are using in their home, and many times, a customer or end user will ask about an issue that they perceive to be "unacceptable" in their eyes. The thing that amazes me, is that a customer will ask a very ambiguous question about an issue with their countertops-not giving much detail as to what the problem actually is-and guys will start throwing solutions out to this end user-with no idea what the cause of the actual issue is! This may be more damaging to the industry than helpful!

With that said, I would recommend that when you are put in the position of figuring out what the appropriate solution to any given problem actually is, first you'll need to identify what the actual cause of the problem is. A doctor can't treat a disease when he has no idea what it actually is. You have to look at signs and symptoms first, and through a process of elimination, arrive at your best opinion of what's going on, and how to fix it (if applicable).

In order to accurately diagnose what a customer's problem is (especially if you are not the guy that made and installed the countertops in question) you have to find the actual cause. This starts with questions and pictures (if you can't actually get to the job site). Your first and primary goal is to identify what the actual "problem" or "issue" is.

Once isolated, you'll need to ascertain whether or not the "issue" is actually a problem or it's actually a normal occurrence. At this point, you are really having to be OBJECTIVE, and do NOT be afraid to tell your client that what they are seeing is normal (if it actually is).

Another thing that I have learned over the years: if I do know who actually did the work in question, I do NOT let that knowledge affect my opinion of the work. This has actually happened to me on a few occasions; I knew the guy who owned the company that did the work, but his crew really dropped the ball when it came to quality. Remember again that as a "third party" you are judging the quality of the work on it's own merits.

Here are some tips that I recommend you follow if you are ever called upon to render an opinion on quality or compliance of "the work:"

Be objective. You must look at the issue as it's presenting itself to you. Consider the customer's opinion of what they were expecting - versus what they have received.

Identify the complaint. What is the problem? Can you physically "see" or "feel" what the issue is? Don't go on a customer's verbal description of the "issue:" it's best to see things for yourself. You may be able to diagnose an issue using JPEG digital pictures, maybe not. You may have to perform an onsite inspection of the issue to fully reveal what the actual issue is. Don't be afraid to withhold your opinion until you have enough data to form a complete opinion.

Resist the temptation to give only one cause and remedy to the issue (unless you are certain based on the data supplied).

Remember that you are providing an OPINION - not a definite ruling on what's going on. Always use the caveat "In MY Professional Opinion..." as a prefix to your conclusions when writing your report.

Include lots of pictures for reference and use a diagram if required. Remember that your report could be used in a court of law - so being professional, fair and unbiased will be the key to having your opinion being admitted into a hearing, and it may mean the difference between justice being done.

I do Forensic Job Inspections and these are the learning experiences that have helped me over the years; hopefully, they will help you too.

Best Regards & Happy Fabricating!

Job Inspections and Forensic Reports is one of many services provided by AZ School of Rock. For more information, contact Kevin M. Padden at www.azschoolofrock.com , by phone at 480-309-9422 or via e-mail at info@azschoolofrock.com

Bad or poorly aligned seams is an example of a common customer complaint. These samples are on very expensive Blue Pearl countertops with chipped and badly-filled seams.

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