# made a mistake :( advice?



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

*Context*

Painting a house for a home owner, staining decks etc. She asks if we can put solid stain on the fence in her yard, but just on her side of it (mostly lattice). The stain from the neighbours side had gotten all over hers and looked bad.

Assuming it was thus her fence, and because I was busy spraying and doing stuff, I had a lower level employee brush in the lattice on her side.

Long story short, there was some bleed through onto the other side, and the neighbour is freaking out because it is HIS fence.

The stain on there is some kind of natural coloured stain like Cetol. The stain we used is arbour coat solid stain.

What is the easiest solution?
Sand and touch up his side?
sand and restain his whole side?
Is there a way to maybe wash it off, if it just dripped over but was not brushed in?


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

I think you are screwed and need to install a new fence. If his side was some sort of natural type stain and it now has solid over it, not much you can do. Maybe sand that crap out of it and try to match what he has.

If it was me, and my mistake, I would just ask the neighbor what would make him happy and do it

Pat


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

A new fence could be a few thousand dollars...


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

If you could take some pictures of what you are dealing with it might help as someone here might have some good suggestions for you.

Pat


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

In all honesty, I have not seen it, I do not have access into the neighbours yard. I just got a "we need to talk" email from my client who got an angry call from her neighbour. All I am hearing is that there were some drips on his side.


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## TheRogueBristle (Mar 19, 2010)

You have to ask the owner what he would like to do with his fence and hope he says something you can deal with reasonably. Maybe he would go for the same color solid stain on his side, maybe a new color on both sides, maybe strip and recoat his side. I would think if you approach him courteously, you can come to a solution that satisfies him and is reasonable for you. And of course, paying someone to replace the fence is always an option.

Oh, and what about the HO, you were working for, don't they know if they own the fence or not?


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Yah, it should have definitely been mentioned that it was not her fence. She did not...


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Dunbar Painting said:


> In all honesty, I have not seen it, I do not have access into the neighbours yard. I just got a "we need to talk" email from my client who got an angry call from her neighbour. All I am hearing is that there were some drips on his side.


Well, maybe it's not that big of deal then. If there is any chance you can borrow someone old beat down broken car, maybe take a sharpie and blackin a few of your teeth, wear some rags for cloths. Fill the back seat of your car with baby seats. He might feel bad for you and let you off the hook. Just a shot.

For real, It might not be that big of deal, I would imagine they are just drips that you can scrape off, do a little sanding and try to touch up the best you can. Hopefully the guy has calmed down and is reasonable.

Pat


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> If it was me, and my mistake, I would just ask the neighbor what would make him happy and do it
> 
> Pat



Agreed. 

We're humans, talk to the neighbour, most of the people I've met in life are reasonable....if not, go from there.


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## cappaint (May 24, 2011)

You are a sucker if you replace a fence for some drips. At the most you replace a small section of lattice....even better u sand it down to raw wood, ask the dude what is on it and touch it up.


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

cappaint said:


> You are a sucker if you replace a fence for some drips. At the most you replace a small section of lattice....even better u sand it down to raw wood, ask the dude what is on it and touch it up.



This was my plan atm. Sand off drips, get a gallon of whatever he has, and restain problem areas


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## cappaint (May 24, 2011)

even if he sued you he wouldnt never get a judgement for a new fence.

I used to build fences and if I remember correctly the lattice comes in sections just like the fence does and is usually a lot cheaper than a panel. If the sanding doesnt work, buy a lattice panel and stain it and install.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

1) You learned a good lesson on this deal

2) Keep it simple, most important, go talk with the OWNER of the fence.

3) You're not going to replace the fence for a few drips. Maybe sand/scrape the stuff off and blend in. 

No need to polevault over mouseturds on this.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Just go talk to the neighbor first. I had a similar deal a few weeks ago. We were doing 104 doors for a HOA. The HOA had sent out notices that we were going to be there and the storm doors were to left unlocked so the handyman could remove them for us to paint (there were only 10 storm doors). Anyway, one of the residents calls me and says she does not want her door removed, she just bought it last month and painted the jamb herself. So I said no problem, just leave it unlocked so on Wednesday my guys could get to the door. 
She must have left it unlocked on Tuesday, the wind was blowing terribly and the door swung open, bent the closer arm and scratched the outside of the door where it hit the faucet on the wall. So she chews out my guy when he shows up on Wednesday to paint the door for breaking it. He had not even started on that building. He gives her my number, she calls the HOA manager, he calls me. I get home late and find the messages and . 
Anyway, after all that, she just wanted someone to explain how it had happened, after all, she had called me and left a note on the door and it still got damaged. So after I talked to her a bit she was fine. 
We bought a $33 dollar part and the HOA Handyman put it on and everyone was happy.

So all that to say, go talk to them, be polite, offer a workable solution and you should be fine.


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

cappaint said:


> even if he sued you he wouldnt never get a judgement for a new fence.
> 
> I used to build fences and if I remember correctly the lattice comes in sections just like the fence does and is usually a lot cheaper than a panel. If the sanding doesnt work, buy a lattice panel and stain it and install.


Good suggestion - you can get those lattice panels here at rona for like $18.


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

The whole fence is a lattice. So they are quite huge panels.


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

Oh. Well I suppose the best thing to do is have a look at the fence in question, and figure out if it would cost you less to sand and restain it or to replace sections. I don't think even the big panels are that expensive - maybe $50 or so. If it's going to be a huge expense, well, that's what insurance is for.


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## JoseyWales (Jan 8, 2011)

See how bad the drips are...You might be able to wipe off the stain with goof off and a scraper.... If it was Sikkens on the other side I don't think the solid stain penetrated that deep..You might have to buy a quart of Sikkens and touch up after you wipe it down.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

If it's a penetrating oil stain on the other side sand out the solid and apply the same stain with a rag (no brush) very lightly, it'll blend well enough there are color varriations from the wood anyway.

Just did this for paint drips last week and it worked great

I think you need to let us know what is on the other side for anyone to help


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Hat in hand, head bowed, accept responsibility.

Ask what you can do to make it right. Listen to the concerns and desires. 

Don't blame it on your customer, but if the OPPORTUNITY presents itself, let the facts be known.

And I pray for you that those two neighbors haven't been warring for the past decade.


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## Mike's QP (Jun 12, 2008)

Its sounds like it would be best to finish his side in the same product, you don't have to remove and touchup anything he gets his fence redone, hopefully he doesn't want you to remove all the stain off the whole fence since he didn't give you permission to stain any of it...


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Whats the latest on this deal? Update?


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## sage (Apr 29, 2007)

In a situation likes this does liability insurance cover something like this.
I understand this is not a major mishap but would insurance cover replacing a fence?
My liability insurance policy has an amendment for pressure washing damage which I requested.
The "customer" had a lot of nerve asking to have something painted that isn't even hers. Hope it turns out okay for you.
Sage


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Well in the end I just wanted everyone to be happy.

The only thing I could do was gently cut away the solid stain off of the neighbours side of the fence. I tried scrubbing with methyl hydrate but it took forever. 

After cutting it away I am restaining the sides. So it cost me some time and 40 something for cetol stain. At least my employees are making the job progress, so instead of being out marketing and doing that kind of thing, I am fixing an employee mistake. It COULD be worse.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Dunbar Painting said:


> Well in the end I just wanted everyone to be happy.
> 
> The only thing I could do was gently cut away the solid stain off of the neighbours side of the fence. I tried scrubbing with methyl hydrate but it took forever.
> 
> After cutting it away I am restaining the sides. So it cost me some time and 40 something for cetol stain. At least my employees are making the job progress, so instead of being out marketing and doing that kind of thing, I am fixing an employee mistake. It COULD be worse.


It could be worse.

You never know what could accrue from the diplomacy you've shown the neighbor. Could possibly get a referral even.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

sage said:


> In a situation likes this does liability insurance cover something like this.
> I understand this is not a major mishap but would insurance cover replacing a fence?
> My liability insurance policy has an amendment for pressure washing damage which I requested.
> The "customer" had a lot of nerve asking to have something painted that isn't even hers. Hope it turns out okay for you.
> Sage


the boiler plate liability policy that is used by the majority of carriers excludes your workmanship. 

If you paint the wrong house, apply the wrong color, or similar "negligent work" you eat it. If, however,if you step in a puddle of paint and track it over the wall to wall carpeting, they will pay up to the defined limit. (Some "area" rugs" are not covered)

Liability policies are complex and convoluted (intentionally). If you get some time to kill, read yours cover to cover. Great material for the "porcelain library"


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

TJ Paint said:


> It could be worse.
> 
> You never know what could accrue from the diplomacy you've shown the neighbor. Could possibly get a referral even.


Exactly. Impress the neighbor. I hired the landscaping crew that their truck slid down the hill in front of our house across my yard and landscaping. They knocked on my door to tell me what happened, apologized, called another crew in to fix everything immediately. Thats the best way to judge a company IMO....not when things are going great, but when they arent :thumbup:


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

NCPaint1 said:


> Thats the best way to judge a company IMO....not when things are going great, but when they arent


:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## sagebrush123 (Mar 11, 2011)

RCP- putting out the fires- good one.

and I agree with most here with talking to the neighbor and working a solution- I hope it is an reasonable one. 

I am finding more and more- you can never be too cautious. 

I am to the point if I remove a nail(s) I keep them for the homeowner.

people are qwarky and mistakes are made at times.


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## Bambampoop (Jul 23, 2011)

Handle it right, and the neighbor might hire you to recoat the fence and get paid by him to do so


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## Harry (Aug 4, 2008)

Apologize profusely for your error...things should work out...


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

daArch said:


> Liability policies are complex and convoluted (intentionally). If you get some time to kill, read yours cover to cover. Great material for the "porcelain library"


Most of what you'll read are exclusions - things your policy won't cover.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Dunbar Painting said:


> Well in the end I just wanted everyone to be happy.
> 
> The only thing I could do was gently cut away the solid stain off of the neighbours side of the fence. I tried scrubbing with methyl hydrate but it took forever.
> 
> After cutting it away I am restaining the sides. So it cost me some time and 40 something for cetol stain. At least my employees are making the job progress, so instead of being out marketing and doing that kind of thing, I am fixing an employee mistake. It COULD be worse.


Sounds like you did the right thing and it didn't cost you too much. Luckily the neighbor wasn't a nut case - or a lawyer (I know...I know... is there a difference?).


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