Ask the painting contractor chickie.

Sometimes you just can't win. A rant.

Recently, for the second time in 27 years of painting, I lost my temper and walked off a job. In retrospect (and to be charitable) I think the lady had either weird agenda, mental problems, or both.

Lady calls for an estimate on painting the outside of her home. The first call is 30 minutes long, she goes on and on and on - I finally get the info, set up a time and get her off the phone.
Go look at house, big home, lots of work. I write up estimate - she also wants two bedrooms painted. Literally have to peel her off my truck so I can back out of her driveway. I am thinking, high maintenance client!
In the ensuing few weeks, she calls me several times. My estimate was higher then the others she got, she would rather have me do the job and is there a way to bring the price down. On and on she drones.
NO, there is not, if anything I should raise it because she's so annoying. I am considering not answering any of her calls at this point. I tell her it's getting too late in the year, I no longer have time to do the exterior because I'm booked up.
So now she starts calling wanting the bedrooms done. On and on she calls and drones with questions. Finally I figure the only way I'm going to get rid of this woman is either a: ignore her calls, b: tell her I died, or c: paint her stupid bedrooms.
So. I tell her, I will commit to next Sunday for you, but you must have the colors chosen and call me by Saturday so I can get paint. I tell her where to get paint testers, the whole bit. She lives 25 miles away, too far for me to do any hands-on help with choosing colors.
By Saturday afternoon she hasn't called, yippee.
4:10pm, she calls. Shit! She has chosen colors. But she is still not sure. Maybe the yellow has too much green in it, the blue might be too bright next to the drapes, blah blah blah on she goes - I can tweak the paint to make it work, I say - I promise we'll get the color you want but I must hang up and go to the paint store before they close.
Now, I am cranky. I promised a friend I'd help her move some stuff and do brunch Sunday morning. I want the day off, dammit. But OK, I'll make the best of it, it will be a tidy sum for a days work.
8:30 am Sunday, she calls to make sure I'm coming. Yes, I'm coming. 8:45 am she calls and says, is it too late to change my mind - I want flat paint, not satin. Yes, it is too late to change your mind if you want this done today. OK she says, satin is fine.
9 am, get to the job and decide to make a game of being very friendly and nice with her. As I'm unloading my stuff, I'm asking her about her garden, her cats, whatever. Chatting. Friendly. Fluffy, even.
Start tarping, caulking stuff, filling holes. She is 3" from me the whole time, and it's almost feeling hostile. Weird. Bring in wall paint.
"Is that all you brought?"
Yes.
"That's not enough paint."
Yes, it is.
"No it's not, I painted these rooms myself the last time, I know. And I want two coats."
This is enough paint, trust me.
She looks pained, oh well.
Start rolling ceilings.
"I hate to be a bitch...."
Shit.
"...but could you use a smoother roller? I don't like how that one looks."
Assuring her that the end result will be nice and smooth isn't working so I get another roller cover and hope she needs to go to church or something. At this point I am gritting my teeth, but I'm here, want to get done today.
After the first coat is on the ceiling, I ask to use her laundry room sink to clean the roller.
"My laundry room is very messy."
OK - I can use your kitchen sink, I won't mess anything up.
"No, I would rather you not use it."
Umm - well honestly it won't hurt anything; I need to be able to clean equipment. Do it all the time and leave sinks cleaner than I found them.
"How about I fill this bucket with water, you clean your tools in here, then you can dump the water in the field next door?"
Uh - no, it takes quite a bit of water to clean buckets and rollers, that won't work. I can use a hose outside.
"I don't want paint on my grass."
I won't leave any paint on your grass, it will not hurt your grass at all. It is less harmful to the environment than laundry detergent, I tell her.
"No. If the hose is long enough to reach the field next door you can use it."
Fine.
The hose is not long enough. She also does not want anything cleaned into the storm drain out front. I ask her, where would she like me to clean up? I need to be able to do this and you are not giving me any choices.
"Well," she says. "This clearly isn't going to work, you painting here."
At this point, I lose it. I'm pretty proud of myself for not swearing or slapping her. As I'm removing all my stuff, she's on the phone. "....then, she doesn't have enough paint with her. I told her I wanted two coats and she was only going to do one...."
Agh! Crazy bitch, and she got some free work out of the deal too. Fuck. Plus I get saddled with $70 worth of paint in crap colors I probably can't use. I didn't even ask her to pay me for it; I'm pretty sure that would have been a losing battle and I was about to completely lose my temper. Considered briefly taking her to small claims court just to be vindictive but that would have been too much hassle for too little money.
There. I feel better for my little rant, now. Thank you. :)

posted by Carina @ 2:56 AM