Counter Culture Plus

I am beyond impressed with the work and customer service provided by Counter Culture! They truly went above and beyond to ensure that we had a exceptional experience. We visited quite a few different granite/quartz showrooms in Lexington and found that Counter Culture had the best selection for white quartz and was reasonably priced. What really made our experience so great was that after the counters had been installed, that evening we realized we needed our dishwasher bracketed to the counters. We texted GJ (the President of Counter Culture) and he came out at 7:00pm that same night. We were not expecting him to drop everything and come out that night and were blown away by the level of care and customer service he provided. While the counters and workmanship is beautiful, I think our experience speaks volumes to the overall experience and attention you will receive as a customer here!

Great experience overall! I do a lot of research before doing anything and so ask a lot of questions and take a long time deciding things. This was NEVER a problem with Leslie. She was always happy to help, left me alone to look, answer questions and give good suggestions. Once I finally decided on some countertop, I was on the list for installation. Guys who showed up to install were quick and efficient. Unfortunately, the countertop had been sized incorrectly or a number transposed so the countertop had to be redone. This was not really a problem to me because the kitchen was progressing fine. However GJ insisted on giving me a discount on the re-install even though they were the ones that lost money. Thank you for that kindness! Great experience working with GJ on everything too. Once installed, my kitchen counter was and is beautiful! Perfectly matching the custom cabinets put in by Mike Sizemore, who was recommended by Counter Culture and who I also highly recommend. Overall A++ to all. In essense, I got an entire kitchen designed and installed for the price of materials and labor. Love my kitchen two years on. Ditto my bathroom!

Timely and beautiful work. We highly recommend this company. GJ and team are awesome!

Although I specified quartz, I was mistakenly offered an icestone remnant which required a second trip to the store to correct. A minor inconvenience and delay. We did find a suitable quartz remnant and it was installed two weeks later. The install crew was great and the finished product fit perfectly. I do think the overall price was a bit high for a 36"remnant/backsplash. Did not have time to comparison shop.

Great! We love it!

Leslie was very friendly and helpful when I first went in the store to look at samples. She had a lot of good suggestions when I told her what colors I liked. GJ was great to work with throughout the process and was very careful to make sure everything was done with excellence. I would definitely use them again.

The owner was professional.  The installation team did a wonderful job.  Professional and neat.  We are very happy with the final product.

G.J. and his team did an absolutely amazing job on our counters. We are constantly getting compliments on how great they look. G.J. was very professional, friendly, and responsive. He was able to do our counters without any seams (not something many other places gave us as an option) and the edge/shape was just what we had in mind. Very very satisfied!!

All at Counter Culture Plus went above and beyond to make this remodel a success. Emilie instantly greeted us upon entering and was so helpful. We found the perfect countertop within minutes! We were trying to accomplish quite a lot in a short period of time and they did everything they could to make it happen. G.J. and the counter installers were so nice and great to work with. We got our flooring through Counter Culture at an excellent price and had it installed by someone recommended by Counter Culture. They were excellent! We also had a kitchen island custom built by the person recommended by Counter Culture and are so pleased! We would highly recommend Counter Culture Plus!

This experience was an exercise in restraint, patience, and forgiveness, but we made it. Please forgive the lengthy review.

 We selected a product that was not in stock and Emilie was great about keeping us updated. She also came out to look at the project just as the installation was finishing up. I can't even stress enough how vital she was in keeping things afloat. Working with her was the only saving grace. She gets an A in responsiveness and professionalism, but the owners...

   The downsides:
   - GJ didn't show up and didn't call for a scheduled appointment, after I waited at home for hours. During the next scheduled appointment window, he hadn't arrived with only 15 minutes left. With the shop closing and not trusting him to show, I called the store. He hadn't even left yet, but assured me he had not forgotten AGAIN. He did show, eventually.

   - They knew that our materials were coming and it would need to be cut. However, before the install, they miraculously did not have the blade (?) they needed to cut it. Apparently, the materials "are h****** [their] blades.? How much planning does it take?
     Yes, they told us a couple of days in advance, but we had already moved our plumber around once. It disrupted other trades, as well. This seemed to escape their minds, because SEVERAL TIMES I heard about how much they had to pay to overnight something, how overtime labor had to be paid to get my materials cut on time (which it wasn't), and so on.  I say: It's the cost of doing business. Telling the customer everything behind the scenes is just unprofessional.

   - The install took two days, which was fine and I knew it might be a possibility. (Thanks Emiie!) Problem was, nobody could tell me when they would be back to do the second part of the job. 

   - During the removal, our drywall paper was torn, to which GJ's response was, ?Yeah, that sometimes happens because it would have looked bad if we cut it. You can just paint over it.? That would have made sense, except the drywall was cut, too! By cut, I mean multiple, unnecessarily deep cuts. Luckily, my drywall guy was here and I was able to PAY HIM to patch both places. I don't think that CC+ covers damage done during install/removal, since the owner was here to see it. 

   - Also, with the install...  
    Day 1:  The guys installed a section crooked.
   They left their drilled quartz plugs and other pieces of my old counter in the base cabinets. No, this isn't a dust-free process, but they should pick up the big mess.
   There were pieces of my old material left behind in my garage.    
   Drywall issue.
   Day 2:  They argued with me about the crooked top, but finally fixed it upon my insistence. (this was off by 3/4" over a 26" span - very visible)
   They installed pieces in a different order than what I asked, thereby interfering with other trades.
   When I went out to the driveway to ask a question, the guys were speaking rudely about me. Specifically referencing my home and me. Say what you want about a customer - AFTER YOU LEAVE!
   Finally, they didn't have the right hardener or something for my granite seam. (? Whatever that means.)  
     **Of note, the day 2 guys DID clean up after themselves.
 
I don't even know what else happened. I'm hesitant to leave this review, because there is one outstanding issue and it was difficult enough to get the job done in the first place. This should be sufficient to decide whether or not to use CC+. I won't be back.

Highly recommend working with GJ.  He started with a home visit to get measurements and recommend some styles of granite that would complement our existing decor. We then met him at the store where we could see examples of the different styles and narrow down our choices. Of course, we fell in love with a hard-to-find style. GJ worked diligently to try to find the best slab for us and was honest about the pros and cons of the slabs he found. He even created mock-ups of the cuts in the slab so we would know exactly how it would flow in our kitchen. 
GJ also assisted us in selecting a sink and faucet then set up the plumber to do the install. Great for people new to Lexington who do not already have a trusted plumber.
The installation went smoothly. The two gentlemen who did the actual install were very professional and respectful of our home. They even swept up the entire open-area, not just the kitchen when they were done. GJ stopped by during the installation and came back after everything was completed.
GJ has a laid-back and personable style which makes him easy to work with and he was great working with our decorator.

GJ was easy to work with, professional and friendly.  He gave me several suggestions for products - surface on the granite & tile backsplash (different than I would have selected but it looks great), new sink and disposal.  In addition I used the plumbers (Medyna Plumbing) and tile installers (Bluegrass Flooring) that he suggested.  I went with all of them and am pleased with quality of workmanship and their willingness to work with my schedule.  Bluegrass Flooring still had an afternoon of work on the backsplash when I had to leave for the airport.  They cleaned up and locked the door as they left. 

The product suggestion that I am happiest with is the Suede finish on the granite counter tops.  I did not want the typical flat and glossy surface of granite.  Had it and disliked how much even a water ring from a glass would show from a distance.  There are slight indentations on the surface with the Suede finish but not deep enough to hold dirt.  The swipe of a dishcloth will clean it with no problem.  The end result is that crumbs, water marks, etc. don't show from a distance.  LOVE that feature.  Red wine drips don't stain either.  Ferguson Kitchen and Bath (referred by GJ) has a counter with the Suede finish in White Spring granite.      

 GJ's crew was also professional and easy to work with and did a good job of cleaning up after each days work. One of their challenges was the unusual shape that I wanted for the island counter.  It was not symmetrical but they cut it to perfection. 

 My guests rave about how great the counters look.  I am thrilled with the easy of maintaining them and how much brighter the kitchen looks now.

Great service by a great guy! GJ was a genuine sales consultant that truly wanted the best for us as a customer. He has great products and a great staff that work for him. He also has a wealth of information on referrals for other work needing done in your house. Call this guy first to help fix up the heart of your home in the kitchen and point you in the right direction for any other work you need done!

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It went very well. The removal of the cabinets and the installation of the new cabinets on the bottom all took place on one day. The workmanship was even better than I had anticipated as far as the cabinets go. I had asked for the rope design to be inlaid in the cabinet doors along with glazing, which really accentuated the rope pattern. The rope design was also carried out on the edges of the shelves in the cabinets. The quality of the inlay was immediately recognizable after I went to a local home and garden show and saw a rope design inlaid on cabinetry by different company.

Along with the cabinets there was lighting installed, both in the cabinets with glass doors and underneath the cabinets. It turned out very nice. There was also lighting above the cabinets that could be turned on and off or dimmed as needed. 

The counter top was granite, GJ measured and supervised the cutting of the granite and did an absolutely perfect job. Another man, Irv,  made several suggestions that really enhance the cabinetry such as pull out shelves, a spice rack, suggestions as to the sink color and the faucet color, and raising the height of the counters.

All the work was done expertly. A plumber and electrician were also used in the installation of some appliances and floor hookups of plumbing that had to be disconnected for the removal of the cabinetry.

DJ and crew made our kitchen! The value of the service far surpassed the cost! It upgraded our home. When you walk in our front door, into the great room, the Kitchen will blow you away! Thanks so much!!

This review is not so much about what was done; it is, however all about how it was done.   

    Earlier this year 'another company' (that I did not locate via Angie's List- big mistake) installed new granite countertops in my kitchen.  (I was not aware of Counter Culture Plus at that time, and if I had been I undoubtedly would have avoided many problems and headaches.)  After the 'other company' initially sealed the countertops (and also based on numerous other problems I had experienced with them during the installation process), I wondered about the quality of their sealing process and opted to do some research online.  Unfortunately I learned that both the product they had used and the method of application were far less than desirable. 

    Being concerned about the countertops, and not wanting to have any more dealings with the 'other company', I went on Angie's List and located Counter Culture Plus.  After reading their many stellar reviews, I decided to contact them and see if there would be any chance they would be willing to tackle my very small job.  I went to their showroom (a most attractive place with numerous product samples and photos of design ideas) and was immediately and courteously welcomed.  I was introduced to Sales Manager GJ Gerard and Operations Manager Katie Holtz, who both patiently listened as I rambled on about some of the remodeling nightmares I had been through in the past few months; as well as my current concerns about my countertops.    

    From the outset GJ emphasized that his business strives to provide the highest quality work with exemplary customer service, regardless the size of the job.  He checked his schedule and said he could do the work himself later the same week.  I cannot tell you what a relief it was to find someone who truly knows what they are doing; and it was an even greater relief that CCP was willing to help me by traveling to Paris to do this quite small (but very important to me) task. 

    Two days later, and right on schedule, GJ arrived at my house. He completed the work in a most courteous, professional and efficient manner.  He also thoroughly explained my next steps related to care and maintenance of the countertops, which was much appreciated as these are the first granite countertops I have ever owned. 

    Having dealt with perhaps more than my fair share of remodelers who either did not know what they were doing or were not invested in the quality of work and service they provided, it is an absolute breath of fresh air to locate a business that takes great pride in the work that it does and that strives to deliver exemplary customer service.  Even though my job was very small, it is the attention to detail, the value placed on customer service and the goal of doing every job (both large and small) with the highest level of quality that was most impressive.  I have already been enthusiastically referring Counter Culture Plus to my friends.  After hearing about all the negative experiences I have been through it is so nice to be able to discuss a most positive business experience! 

    Thank you Counter Culture Plus for my early Christmas present!