United Granite NJ — Local services in Hillsborough Township

UPDATE: UG responded quickly to my review and did a good job making it right. They apologized, delivered the corrected items the next day, and gave me a discount for my trouble. I appreciate the corrections. I would give 3.5 stars if I could.

Frustrated with my experience. The end product is good quality but it's expensive and I'm sure I could get better service elsewhere. I could not get even a ballpark of price per sqft without going in to the store so I went in and spoke with David. Nice guy. I felt rushed and like he wasn't transparent about pricing. Because I didn't have a check in hand, he wouldn't give me an itemized estimate right then and just told me a ballpark total price. When I called ready to give a deposit, I was handed off to Wasif who seems to be a new employee. He was very difficult to get on the phone and took lots of time to reply to emails. Lots of back and forth before I could get a full estimate and it didn't have all the details I mentioned from the start (shower niche shelves). I was told not to worry about it and I didn't because I had it in writing. When I had a templating appointment scheduled, they couldn't give me a window smaller than 9-5. They said they would call the day before but they did not. Who has time to sit around for a whole day? Took a bit to schedule an appointment to go over slab placement and details with Wasif. He called me the day before saying we didn't really need to meet because it was a pretty uniform slab and why don't we just save ourselves the time. I said I still needed to meet to go over the details (not confident he had them down) and for me to see the sinks. I left a voicemail and email that I wanted to keep our appointment. When I arrived, he was not there, but at their other location and didn't even apologize. Just expected me to leave the check without going over anything and I still did not have a correct invoice. I spoke to David and he took it me through it point by point. He also promised I would get a call before the install day so I would have a better idea of timing. I did not get a call again. He ended up calling this morning with an estimate of 3 hours later (ultimately they came 4.5 hours later). The installer was fine and did a nice job. However, my extra pieces were not as specified. They were long pieces to be cut for the shelves and sides of a shower niche. Since some are shelves and the bottom is visible, they need to be polished on the bottom and they were not. Mind you I had explained this in every email and we made a very specific drawing with instructions which I signed when I was there in person. I don't really mind that much that it was missed (it is annoying though because I was VERY clear when I spoke about it) as long as they just fix it. The installer didn't have time to do it right then, so he took it with him. I wasn't demanding about a timeframe. He suggested it would get done tomorrow, but I didn't require that. Then Wasif calls me and tries to tell me why I don't need this. And that this is the first he has heard of it. It's NOT. It was in the emails, I discussed it each time we talked and he wasn't even at the final meeting. He then proceeded to tell me how I didn't need it for all 3 pieces and they would just do it on one. No, that is not what was agreed on in the contract and he doesn't know how my contractor is cutting it. And then he says I'll have to come pick it up myself because they don't have installers coming to my area. I asked why because it was their mistake and I was willing to wait until they have a chance to drop it off. Finally, he said they would do the polishing and drop them off at some point. I think a more experienced staff member was telling him to handle it, because until then he was being quite rude and unaccommodating but eventually said he would drive them to me himself. We'll see how that goes. So if you have a standard job or aren't particular about details, you'll probably get a decent product from them. But you will likely get strung along and have to deal...

Update: They came back out to fix the seams that were coming apart. If you end up working with United, make sure to be heavily involved in every aspect of the process.

Consider other options before you use this company. For context, we contracted them to install granite on our outdoor kitchen ($10K+ job)

Terrible Coordination and Communication- The entire installation was very rushed and unorganized. They were supposed to start at 10am on a Friday. I called Friday morning to confirm, and they told me the installers would be there at 10am. After much back and forth, the 2 installers didn't show up until 1:30pm. When they did arrive, they realized they didn't have enough help to move a 4'x10' piece of granite. (How did they ever think they would move that with 2 guys in the first place?!) At that point they had to call for help and they sat around doing nothing for an hour and a half waiting for more help. After they told me they were going to get something to eat. They didn't return until 5:30pm. He said they also had to go to Lowes to buy Thinset, which is a 30 minute round trip. Who starts a job like this at 5:30pm? The entire installation was rushed and poorly managed. They didn't even have lights to work at night. How do you work in the dark like that? They left at midnight and still didn't finish. They came back the following week and rescheduled twice.

Understaffed and Sloppy- I had to be out there helping them the entire time because they didn't have enough hands to move the granite and level each piece. I spent 6 hours of my own time working with them because they didn't have enough help on the job site. Do all of your customers have to help with installs? They didn't use drop cloths or anything to protect the brand new paver patio we just installed. They tried for 20 minutes to clean it up but it's not coming out. I was not reimbursed for the damage to my pavers.

Poor measuring- The grill and side burner did not fit in the cut outs because their measuring was off. The installers asked me to call my contractors back to have them shave down some of the cinder block because their team didn't have the correct measurements. Meaning, I would have to pay more to have them come back since the granite was mis-measured. I ended up buying the tools to shave it down myself.

We were very disappointed with the installation and the nickel and dimming before installation. There's clearly a lack of communication between sales, the measuring team, and the installers. Needless to say, we would not use...

We couldn't be happier with our waterfall countertop from United Granite. The entire process was seamless, and the result is absolutely gorgeous.

Consultation, Selection, and Templating:

If you get a chance to work with Mutlu, you're in luck. She's a fantastic Account Manager, and we felt taken care of by her throughout the entire process.

Our initial consultation was helpful and informative. Mutlu helped us navigate United Granite's site, which boasts a variety of colors, patterns, and finishes. She guided us through the selection process, ensuring we picked a stone that complements the space's aesthetic.

Upon submitting a deposit, the company sends someone to take initial measurements.

Later, clients can view their stone during a templating appointment. It was a pleasure to visit their facility, view their selection, and especially meet Mutlu and the team!

Installation Process:

The installation itself was quick and efficient. The installers arrived on time and were highly professional throughout the process. They took excellent care to measure everything precisely, ensuring a perfect fit. The attention to detail was evident as they meticulously handled the seams, making them nearly invisible.

Craftsmanship:

The craftsmanship is top-notch. The counter has a beautiful, polished finish that adds warmth and elegance to the space. The mitered edges are smooth and even, and the overall appearance is flawless.

Overall Experience:

Mutlu is the best; the stone's quality is excellent, and the final product is exactly what we envisioned.

I highly recommend this company to anyone looking for high-quality countertop...