Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Update re: I'm watching my neighbor's house being painted

My neighbors across are having their house painted. It's very interesting watching the blind leading the blind.

A roving house painter salesman (the owner of the business) came through the neighborhood and talked my neighbors into having their house painted. It needed to be painted and it was in a state of neglect so that part was OK.

Only problem is they jumped at the first quote even though they knew it was more expensive than work done by other painting contractors who have recently painted several homes in the neighborhood. They didn't ask for references either. I guess he had a good spiel.

It's just painting, right? It's not rocket science.

Their out of work teenage son got a job with the contractor before their house was scheduled to be painted and so the story begins to unfold. The contractor has had a hard time keeping employees so most of his crew is made up of young inexperienced laborers without any prior experience. He doesn't pay an hourly wage to his employees. They all work on a flat rate per job. The faster you get it done - the more you earn per hour. The son has no clue how much he is getting paid. ??????

Hmmmmmmmmm ............


I'm watching the guy who's power washing the house wave the power washer wand around like a pizz poor garden hose from six or eight feet away starting in the middle, bottom or top (whatever is most convenient) with absolutely no clue what power washing is supposed to accomplish. There's a couple of ladders in the driveway but he hasn't felt the need to use one to actually power wash the highest parts of the house. Hose it off, wet it down - good enough.

Now he's scraping the sections they just washed before they've finished washing the house and before it's even had a chance to dry. ?????????

Update. He's priming now. Hasn't broke out the caulking gun yet either and there's lots of caulking, sanding and patching that needs to be done.

The contractor isn't here either. His dummies are on remote control.

I feel like going over and supervising but I should probably just keep my nose out of it. I just hate seeing people get ripped off though. They're doing a poor job for premium price from the git-go.

Should I intervene?

Do you like your neighbors? LOL. If you are concerned and like them then just let your neighbors know your concerns and what you have/have not seen done and let them deal with the contractor.

Sounds like they'll get a bad job at a high price. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought it supposed to be the other way around.

No!!

Take pictures!! lol!!

Tell the home owner about your concerns. Let them deal with the contractor.

That's my thought. Unless you are close with the neighbors.

I like my neighbors. The guy's wife doesn't work and we're good friends. He's an accountant that has no clue about anything when it comes to maintaining a home. To give you an idea of how clueless he is their garbage disposal quit working right after they moved in. They went without a garbage disposal for a year. I was talking to Liz and she mentioned the problem so I volunteered to take a look at it. The dedicated disposal circut breaker was tripped. WTF. Neither one of them even thought to check it and of course they didn't have a clue where the breaker box was located.

That is why contractors like that prosper...

If the situation was reversed, would you wish they had intervened?

That should solve your dilemma.

If you say anything your being a good neighbor, that will probably create a uproar you really don't wanna deal with. Just a guess.

I've decided to stay out it. Nothing good will come from me butting in. I'll pizz off my friend by saying her son is doing a [bleep] job, the hubby doesn't care one way or the other and the contractor obviously doesn't care as long as there's no complaints on how it looks when it's all done.

In the end they'll get a crappy slam bam paint job that looks good (for awhile) and that's all that matters for most folks anyway.

My dad was a painting contractor and he taught me the basics. I've painted houses, apartments, a car, a boat, a mobile home, industrial equipment and much, much more.

One of my pet peeves is somebody not doing a job right.

I would tell the neighbor what you see happening, so he can intervene with the contractor before the job is done.

As for going over there and supervising yourself ... only if your neighbor pays you!

- Tom

Would you say anything if his house was being broken into?
It's theft , just the same.

We dont live with idiots here in the country that could tell you to take a hike.

We care for our neighbors as we should, and as such, I would tell the owner INSTANTLY and let them take it from there.

Anything less isn't neighborly IMHO. Plus you can sleep with yourself at night too.

Start with something like:

"I see you're having some painting done. I've done a good bit myself, and I have a couple of observations if you're interested."

If he says yes, then fill him in. If he says no, wash your hands of it with a clear conscience.

+1, and you don't have to imply that their son is doing a poor job. He really hasn't had any training, or so it sounds from your description, so a first class job can't be expected out of him and his co-workers. If their son and his efforts come up you could compliment them on his work ethic or some such and leave it at that.

Sounds like it's a little late to intervene. If they had questions they should have talked to you going in. Not once the paint starts going on.

Yep that .
Somewhere in alla that you can hopefully find a balance between sounding like a pushy know it all nosey neighbor and a neighbor that cares and would like to help them save themselves from getting ran over the coals. If they say butt out fine. In 2 years when that paint starts peeling and they remember that you made the effort they may remember and ask you before they dump a bunch of cash into a big project
But time will tell , some neighbors don't care or just want to paint and paper a starter house so they can sell it and move on.
If they want to stay , and don't care then I guess you can't fix stupid.

Thank you ColsPaul and Rost. Your opinion's made the difference.

I went across the street and talked to my neighbor, discussed the options and got her permission to speak for her .......

I got the foreman on the phone and FIRED HIS AZZ !!!!

I told him to gather up all his crap and leave.