[Kevin Padden]

I had the pleasure of working with a client in Sana’a Yemen of all places in June of 2009.
My client took me to see one of their “competitors” showrooms that featured Solid Surface
and Granite as their main stay for their business. While the Solid Surface didn’t look too bad by American Standards, I was completely MORTIFIED when I saw this competitor’s
“example” of a “finished” Absolute Black Granite countertop application. It was a good thing that I had not eaten breakfast that morning (The food in Yemen is UN-Freakin-REAL – WAAAAAAAAY GOOOOD – Yum Yum)……

Anyways…… per Joe “Kowboy” Corlet’s (sp?) urging, I’m sharing these pictures with teveryone here at The Fabricator Network.  (Joe my Brutha, sorry if I mis-spelled your last name)

DISCLAIMER: I did NOT do this work. Had I done it, I’d have slashed my wrists in udder shame. Also, My client did NOT do this work either. I think that either Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder did the “Fabrication” shown in these pictures, or someone that had NO sense of quality, and does not know that something called “polishing” exists…..

OK…… here’s “Nightmare on Mogidesihu Street”

This is the kitchen vignette that has the Absolute Black countertops that are supposed to be “Standard Quality” …..  Note the cabinets – they are ALL made out pressed Aluminum in Yemen – wood cabinets are VERRRRRY Expensive there, so they make ALL of their cabs out of aluminum……

Here’s a little closer look at the counters…..

OK… here’s what almost made me get the dry heaves……..

People in Yemen actually PAY MONEY for this kind of work….. they must be as blind
as the guy that fabbed this abortion.

Sadly, the people that do business with this company do not have a clue how real Granite work should look. I’m going back to Yemen in September to do some
advanced training for the same client of mine that I was working with in June, and I’ll post pics of some really NICE looking work when I get back in October.

kevin

[Michelle Goetzinger]

when you fix the granite…. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THOSE CABINETS?

[Un-Authorized]

Kevin:

 

Thanks for posting this here. I wouldn’t insult the hacks of the world by elevating these guys to hack status. That is off-the-chart bad.

Joe

[Gene McDonald]

Kevin….do you have work in progress pictures of that fab job…it would be a cool industry undercover type story…I just want to see the part where they are all standing around looking at it and calling the head boss…and they all say

“Damm Im good…llook at this polished top i just di everybody”..and then everyone claps and awaits the balance The same people will then be staring at the phone trying to figure out all the referral phone call from that outstanding job…

Kevin…your work out there in the world is not finshed…

Joe do you think they rodded it…youd make a fortune in that part of the country with your polishing and repair magic

[Steve Mehan]

Thats to obvious to overlook. However after looking at several photos from that area I’m wondering if they really dont care about the details. Granted there are several areas that look really nice in Sana’a Yemen. But many homes and buildings look as though they have been in distress and I bet if there granite countertops look that way, OH WELL!

[Andy Graves]

Which is worse, the edge polish, the overhang or the silicone. I swear my 6 year old son could do better. Funny Stuff and you should raise your rates, cause you gonna be in Yemen for awhile.

[Kevin Padden]

Andy –

Fortunately, MY client was NOT the one who did this “example” of work – THIS was
one of their chief competitor’s offerings.

The folks there in Yemen are REALLY COOL people – I think that we as Americans don’t
know squat about them and their country (I know that I didn’t, and was totally amazed
at how friendly and hospitable everyone was). I was there for two weeks and not once
did I ever get any kind of confrontational experience or anything negative. I was even
out on the street at night in the heart of Sana’a – and people were very polite and courteous to me.
I know I must have stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone was so friendly, and the
people that did speak English ALL wanted to know “What have you heard about Yemen?”

I can’t wait to go back – yes that’s right – I said “CANT WAIT TO GO BACK“!!!!!

The people are all WAY COOL – The Scenery is AWESOME, and the FOOD IS – OMG!!!

Kudos to the “Yamal Alsham” Restaurant in Sana’a !!! Whoa… like on a scale of
1 to 10 = I’d give it a 15!!!!!

The FOOD there is unbelievable!!! IF you like Middle Eastern/Lebanese style cooking –
you’ll think you’ll have died and gone to heaven!!! I have been craving their flat bread
and this very simple salad called “Fah-toush” (sp?) every day since I left!!!!

OK – enough with lamenting about the food – it was SOOOOO GOOD though!!!!

I made some REALLY GOOD – Dear Friends while I was there, and I’m just counting
the days down until I can get back there, get ’em trained on Natural Stone techniques,
have ’em to the point where they are just obliterating their competition…

and of course go to lunch again at “The Yamal Alsham” Restaurant!!!!!

kevin

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