A client's 'quick paint job' request in Cincinnati almost cost me my crew's trust

Honestly, I got a call last Tuesday from a guy who wanted his whole office lobby painted before a big meeting on Friday. He said it was just a simple recoat, no big deal. We showed up Wednesday morning and the walls were covered in this thick, glossy enamel that hadn't been sanded at all. My lead guy, Mike, took one look and said, 'This is gonna peel in a week.' The client pushed back hard, saying the old painter never had an issue. We did a test patch anyway, and sure enough, the new paint beaded up and wouldn't stick. I had to tell him the truth: we either spend a full day prepping properly or we walk. He was mad, but we did the prep. That lobby looks perfect now, but it was a close call. Has anyone else had a client fight you on a basic prep step that you knew was wrong?

4 comments

4 Comments

carter.laura20d ago

Sounds like you made the right call but was it really worth risking the whole job? Sometimes clients just want it done fast and will live with the results. Did you try a bonding primer first or just go straight to telling him to prep?

cameronn6215d ago

Yeah, the "live with the results" part is what gets you. Had a client last year who insisted on painting over greasy kitchen walls. I used a killer bonding primer, told him it was the best shot. Paint still peeled in six months. He was mad, blamed my work. Now I just walk if they won't prep. Not worth the call back.

riley_miller2515d ago

Man, that's such a tough spot to be in. Cameron's story about the paint peeling later is exactly why it's so scary to just go for it, even with a good primer. You can do everything right and still get blamed when it fails down the line. Walking away feels awful in the moment, but man, so does a callback where your name is on a failed job.

nora_walker5720d ago

Been there, it's a tough call for sure.