Wrong paint color - WWYD?

[vavet]

I had the inside of my garage painted. After much consternation, I bit the bullet and paid someone to do it because of a lingering back injury.
It’s supposed to be gray on the bottom, a narrow rd stripe, and white on the top and ceiling.
I picked out the paint colors and emailed and texted them to the contractor. I also left the paint chips out on the workbench in the garage. When I first saw it last night, I thought it looked a little browner than I expected, but I figured that was normal variation, different light, etc.
I looked at it again this morning with better light. Then I noticed the leftover paint can on the workbench. It’s the wrong color. It’s 1008-4 instead of 1009-4 and sure enough,glidden describes it as “greige.”
So now what? Ask for a discount? Ask him to redo it?
I don’t hate the color, but I don’t love it.
I went back and checked my text message to see what I sent him. I sent him the correct number and the correct name. The white and red are what I asked for.

 

[Movover]

I would Ask him to redo it, you asked for a color and you sent him the correct info. if you don't love it now it will always bother you that you didn't get it fixed.

 

[jd_1138]

If you can live with it, maybe ask for a partial refund. If not, have him re-do it. He f'ed up plain and simple. Person at the paint store may have messed up and handed him the wrong paint, but he should've double checked the #'s himself.

Not like he's painting some cheap apartment filled with builder grade cabinets and fixtures where it doesn't really matter what shade of beige/gray it is. He's painting some person's pride and joy -- their garage. He should've paid more attention.

 

[niget2002]

Have him come back and repaint it.

I'd just give him a call and tell him, "Hey, it looks like you painted the color as 1008-4 and the text I sent, I asked for 1009-4."

I've never had a painter not come back and repaint if they made a similar mistake.

 

[Bluedodge]

Bang his Wife.

 

[Justherbie]

Bang his Wife.

 

[Showkey]

Really pays to supervise the project .......start to finish..........best way to avoid these hassle.

 

[jetnow1]

This is why I have the customer buy the paint, if they do not like it they can
pay me to paint it again, at least they would not have to pay for the prep again.

 

[ard]

This is why I have the customer buy the paint, if they do not like it they can
pay me to paint it again, at least they would not have to pay for the prep again.

I had a painter come out and give me a bid. Big job.

They suggested I should buy the paint. I laughed, never called him back. Would not do business with such a painter.

 

[gungatim]

I had a painter come out and give me a bid. Big job.

They suggested I should buy the paint. I laughed, never called him back. Would not do business with such a painter.

I guess it depends on if you were hiring a painter or a paint supplier.

 

[ddawg16]

I would double check you gave him the right info.

If so....tell him to do it with the right color.

If you don't, it's going to bug the **** out of your from now on.

It's his mistake....not your's.

 

[Stuart in MN]

So now what?

Wait to see the painter's response. In the meantime ignore everything else you read here.

 

[ard]

I guess it depends on if you were hiring a painter or a paint supplier.

Sure.

I want a job with one person responsible for the outcome. You are free to do it however you think will be best for you.

 

[Strouty]

OP,

I agree, wait and see what the painter says, also report back to us please.

Sure.

I want a job with one person responsible for the outcome. You are free to do it however you think will be best for you.

I think they call that a general contractor. Besides, you would save money buying it yourself.

 

[bdbecker]

I'd call the painter and ask him to fix it. Looking at the color codes online, you definitely got brown paint when you asked for gray.

For anyone who may be curious about the difference:
1008-4
https://www.ppgpaints.com/color/color-families/neutrals/gray-by-me
1009-4
https://www.ppgpaints.com/color/color-families/neutrals/gray-stone

 

[ard]

I think they call that a general contractor. Besides, you would save money buying it yourself.

No, its called a painting contractor,

You may save money, but if there is a material issue, or a material compatibility, you (not the 'professional') are on the hook for it.

 

[ford33]

It's happened before. Have him repaint it.

 

[jd_1138]

No, its called a painting contractor,

You may save money, but if there is a material issue, or a material compatibility, you (not the 'professional') are on the hook for it.

Amen, I let the trades person pick their materials, tools, supplies. A lot of them will probably refuse to do a job if you provide your own materials, paint, supplies.

For all they know, you bought crappy low quality half dried out paint from someone's garage sale, so if it flakes off they can blame you and thus charge you twice for prep and painting.

Just not worth the hassle.

 

[Lassen Forge]

He got the color wrong, call him, explain (nicely) his royal F***-up, and ask him to redo it in the correct color. Looking at the 2 colors, I'd be not really happy if I wanted slate gray and got cappucino instead. Seeing the numbers are one series off, I wonder if he didn't tell PPG he wanted the 1009-4, and some flunkie kid misread the order and mixed the wrong stuff. Been known to happen...

Just be glad it wasn't the paint for your '67 Bel Air... and it'd have to be redone...

Either way, you shouldn't be stuck with it, or stuck holding the bag.

 

[joe_padavano]

This is why I have the customer buy the paint,

Also a guarantee to get into an argument when the paint peels or crazes or lifts or does something else bad.

"It was bad prep"

"No, you bought crappy paint"

Etc, etc. This is also why car repair shops won't let you buy the parts (well, in addition to the fact that they make profit on the parts as well as on the labor...).

 

[The Cobbler]

yup. mistake. ask painter to fix it. if he offers a refund in lieu, decide if it's worth it.

 

[Git]

yup. mistake. ask painter to fix it. if he offers a refund in lieu, decide if it's worth it.

Thats what I would do

It's not the end of the world. If you can live with the new color (assuming it was the painter's mistake) with some money in your pocket - go for it. If you can't, have him fix it.

ps - I am curious, post a pic of how well he did the red stripe (clean line?)

 

[67carl]

I'm here for pics. How about some pictures?!

 

[vavet]

Red line is nice and straight. There is minimal bleeding of the red onto both the white and the greige, but much less than I’ve had when I’ve masked things for painting, so I’m happy with that.
He mentioned the red stripe is perfectly level and not just a consistent distance from the floor or the top of the stem wall.

 

[MikeF2316]

yup. mistake. ask painter to fix it. if he offers a refund in lieu, decide if it's worth it.

+ another on this.

Overall the job looks good to me, I could live with it.

 

[tff]

Could just be the photo... but I think it looks real good - more grey than brown. But in the end, if you're not happy with the color I think you need to ask for a redo or some $$.

 

[slow84lx]

It does look real nice as it is. Just have to figure out if it grows on you or frustrates you. If you don't think it will grow on you then get it repainted now.

 

[58Yeoman]

I like it.

 

[Git]

I really like grey - most everything I have painted in my Garage is grey. But, I think what you have looks nice, but it wasn't my money... (stripe looks nice also)

(I think I would have sprayed the concrete blocks to match the wall)

 

[HotrodHR]

Looks good... paint the block with gloss in same color or darker gray, put your work benches, tool boxes against the walls and it will look great. Your friends and neighbors will be jealous and want your design advice!

 

[rockettgpw]

I think it looks good and you just know that the rework will be troublesome.

 

[bad_idea]

I would tell him he painted the wrong color and wait for his response. If he apologizes and offers a discount I would take it. If he offered to repaint on his dime, I would offer to take a discount over him having to do rework as I could live with the color variation. If he says tough cookies, I would be a REAL ******* about it.

 

[Strouty]

Honestly, the color you picked looks like *** and the color he used is a perfect compliment to the red and white. You should thank the painter, seriously.

 

[casmurbax]

Looks nice to me as well.

But it is YOUR garage, you have to live with it, we don't.

 

[vavet]

OP here: I talked to the painter this morning. He's sending out two guys to repaint today.
There was no talk of a refund or anything like that. He just asked me to verify the number on the paint can and he compared that with the text I sent him with the paint code numbers.
This way I can get at least partially moved back in over this weekend.
He seems like a stand-up guy. I can't ask for anything more than that.
Mistakes happen, I get it. It's how a business (or even an individual) handles their mistakes after the fact that really shows their character.
I agree that the greige is not a bad color. In the right space, it would be awesome. it's just not how I pictured my garage.

 

[gungatim]

Sure.

I want a job with one person responsible for the outcome. You are free to do it however you think will be best for you.

fair enough. If I pay a mechanic, I don't supply parts, but when it comes to something like painting or something with specific aesthetics, I prefer to hire someone who specializes in the labor portion and take care of the specifics myself. you don't get the screw ups the OP is dealing with.

for example, when I built my home, I hired a flooring guy, countertop guy, electrician, plumber, etc. I let the electrician supply the wire and outlets but I bought the fixtures, fans, can lights, etc. I get a better price and get exactly what I want. same with flooring, I bought the carpet, pad, vinyl, ceramic tile, he simply installed. plumber I just spec'd everything but a few of the faucets I provided. same with paint.

i'm not going to buy pipe, drywall, or lumber (although I did for the deck), no more than I would supply the painters brush. but if I want something specific like a type and color of paint, I would never leave that up to a builder to pick it out. that's why spec homes with "builder grade" **** are a waste of money, you just end up replacing everything with better stuff anyway...

 

[tonyciambrone]

I think the color you picked out is much better personally. Greige does not fit into the garage equation IMO. The gray red white combo is a staple.

Happened to me on an interior job, we gave them a kilz sample named cottonwood or some such and they bought sherwin williams cottonwood. World of difference. They repainted it, no questions asked.

 

[RStewart]

Sounds like a good resolution for you. To me both colors and the wrong color pic look good but you are paying and you should get what you want. Show us the finished product please and what are the plans for the block at the bottom of the wall?

 

[coljar]

I like it, but you don't, so my opinion doesn't matter. With that said, if I painted your garage the wrong color and you had given me the correct number, I would repaint it at no charge.

 

[_Stang_]

Looks good. Do you need any other painting done around there house? I'd ask him to do it for cost of materials assuming he can get it right.

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