I’ll save the moral of the story for the end
Mentioned a while ago in another thread that one of my sources of constant work comes from a cleaning / mold remediation / flood damage outfit. Last job was from them.
Conversations during pricing, owner says you know, I’m gonna try and save these folks a buck and just one stop shop at Menards, so just give me a labor only cost. I’m like, this makes me uneasy, but . . . (how bad can it be?)
So everything, oddly enough, goes pretty well. Get down to paint on the walls. I’m looking at this bucket and saying here goes. I’ve never in my life used Menards paint, and I’m leery, to say the least. I open up the 5 and think oh, you win! It’s just white. White paint on white primed walls. It can’t go wrong, no matter how crummy the paint is. So I start cutting and rolling.
Second day, I’m looking at the bucket and the remaining space and said to myself no way no how am I going to get two coats out of whats left. Moreover, it’s really really bad paint. White on white and theres almost no cover. You can see right through the stuff. I need to make a phone call.
So I call the guy, I said hey look, first, we’re short, second, there’s that line in the contract about 2 coats, and this stuff you bought, that isn’t going to cut it. It will need 3 at least. He’s incredulous. Can’t believe that it isn’t covering. I said basically I sympathise and I’m surprised myself, white on white and all, but I’ve always used Sherwin and dang if it doesn’t cover better than this stuff.
He says “whaddya mean white?”
Yeah.
They forgot to tint it. So I spent a day and a half rolling out pastel base and thinking it was just the cheap paint.
Moral of the story, supply your own materials. Right now he’s going to eat a decent chunk for the repaint, and you can bet Menards isn’t covering that. I guess if theres a bright side the walls ought to be sealed up real good by now.
“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think — there are no little things” – Bruce Barton
Replies
Coulda happened to anybody ;)
'round here Menards sells a few brands of paints and stains. Seems to be one of those 'basic, upgrade, or deluxe' deals. For our interior wall paintings we've had decent luck with Dutch Boy from Menards. Don't get me wrong, I like good quality as much as everyone, but for the money and frquent color changes, etc, I'll settle for a mid grade wall paint. Heck, even Wal Mart's in the paint biz. How hard can it be? ;)
As for the tinting, same story of help quality, etc. Your guy should try to go back. They might even have some kind of time stamping on their mixing program that could be crossed referenced. Worth a try. Bottom line- Get what ya pay for. He did!
Neither cold, nor darkness will deter good people from hastening to the dreadful place to quench the flame. They do it not for the sake of reward or fame; but they have a reward in themselves, and they love one another.
-Benjamin Franklin
I had a batch once long ago where the machine effed up and didn't put in enough pigment. Came out very pale compared to the chip. ;-)
-- J.S.