Key takeaways
- Approve a physical sample, never a screen image; colour is not a specification
- Seal a golden (reference) sample and keep a copy with the supplier
- Record the acceptable tolerance for shade, grain, size and finish in writing
- Tie every production run to a batch / lot number shown on cartons
- Photograph and log each approval with a date and a code
- Handle changes after approval as a formal revision, not a chat message
1. Why a photo is not a sample
Screens lie about colour and finish. Lighting, camera white balance and compression turn a warm beige marble into a grey one, and a textured surface into a flat one. When the container arrives, nobody can prove what was agreed. The only defence is a physical sample both sides hold.
2. What to approve physically
- Stone: the actual slabs (in full), not chips; veins and shading change slab to slab.
- Tiles: one full tile of the chosen face, plus a sample of the shade variant range if the design varies.
- Wood and laminate: a board showing the grain and the join between planks.
- Veneer and panel: a sample showing the finish and the edge detail.
- Paint and lacquer: a sprayed panel in the actual dry-film finish, not a colour chip.
- Metal: a sample in the real finish (brushed, mirror, PVD colour) for hardware and trims.
- Fabric and leather: a swatch plus the foam and stitching on an upholstery sample.
3. The golden sample
Once approved, the sample becomes the golden (or reference) sample. Make two: one stays with the supplier as the production reference, one stays with you or your project manager. Label both with the project, material code and approval date.
4. Record the tolerance, not just the look
Natural and manufactured materials vary, so "identical to sample" is an impossible standard. Agree the window in writing:
- Shade: acceptable variation across the delivered batch
- Size and flatness: the tolerance band for tiles and boards
- Grain / veining: how much movement is acceptable in stone and wood
- Finish: gloss level or texture range
Without a stated tolerance, any variation looks like a fault.
5. Tie production to a batch and lot number
Ask the supplier to produce the whole order for a visible material in one batch wherever possible, and to print the batch/lot number on every carton. This is how you match a future repair and how you trace a problem back to a production run.
6. Document the approval
Keep a simple log for every material:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Material / code | Master bathroom floor tile — T-6001200-MT |
| Sample reference | Photo set + physical sample #3, sealed |
| Approved by / date | Client rep — 2026-10-04 |
| Tolerance agreed | Shade V3; ±0.5 mm size on rectified |
| Batch / lot | Lot 2026-10-A |
7. Handling changes after approval
A change after approval is a new revision, not a message. Re-issue the sample, re-date the approval, and confirm the cost and lead-time impact in writing. Suppliers who accept verbal changes quietly are the ones whose deliveries surprise you.
8. How VIGOHOME runs sample approval
VIGOHOME photographs and video-records candidate stone slabs with reference codes for approval before cutting, sends physical samples for finishes, records the agreed tolerances, and marks batch numbers on cartons for shade-critical materials. For a villa-scale example of the full sequence, see sourcing materials for a villa project.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I approve a material from a photo?
Because screens distort colour and texture through lighting, white balance and compression, so the photo does not define what will be produced. Always approve a physical sample that both sides keep.
What is a golden sample?
It is the physical sample sealed at approval and used as the production reference. Keep one copy with the supplier and one with the project so a delivered batch can be checked against the exact approved piece.
Do I really need to state a tolerance?
Yes. Natural and manufactured materials vary, so 'exactly like the sample' is impossible to meet. A written tolerance for shade, size, flatness and finish defines what is acceptable before delivery instead of after.
What should I do if I change my mind after approving a sample?
Treat it as a formal revision: re-issue the sample, re-date the approval and confirm the cost and lead-time impact in writing. Verbal changes are a common source of mismatch at delivery.
Next: plan how it ships with how to reduce breakage when shipping tiles and stone.