When home improvement contract work doesn't turn out as expected

[Em_in_FL]

I’d like a little Catholic perspective on our situation.
I’m headed home in an hour, so timely advice is appreciated.

So, we had our floors redone last month… decorative concrete overlay. I was SO excited about this - no grout lines to clean, easy maintenance, nice stone-like style, good price… perfect! It took a full week to install (cure times for the concrete and epoxies), so we went to the beach… and when we came back… It totally floored us (ha, that’s a pun )… well BELOW our expectations.

The color was totally off… it looked nothing like the samples, the coating was dull (not shiny like expected)… we’re just devastated!
Yes, he told us the color would be variable, but this isn’t even CLOSE.
And it’s picking up marks that are NOT cleaning off easily (not easy maintenance like expected )…

So, the contractor is coming over this afternoon (hence the timely advice needed )… we’re hoping to get a partial refund or something. We don’t want to go through a re-work because it took SO LONG (had to be out of the house for a week) and we just can’t afford the logistics.

Any advice on how to gracefully handle this situation?
We are NOT ones to complain about anything and this is VERY hard for us. But we spent a lot of money and our expectations were not met at all.

Prayers, at the least, would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[whatevergirl]

*I’m sorry EM.

You have* to tell them. If the difference is THAT off, and totally below expectations, they should redo the job, or give you some type of refund. No way would I act like I was thrilled with the job, when I was in fact deeply disappointed. I will pray that something beneficial comes out of it!

(((hugs)))

 

[SMHW]

So sorry about that Em!

Well, I’d figure out what all your options are for both re-work and a refund. Did you already pay the contractor? (My husband refuses to pay for more than 60-80% of a job before it’s finished to his satisfaction.)

I can’t give you advice but here are some things to ask the contractor and yourselves:

Did the workers actually DO what you asked? Or did they use a different color or finish than you intended? Did the contractor give the workers bad instructions or check the wrong box on a form? Perhaps there is some work that can be done that takes a shorter amount of time? How long does the coating take? Will something more help keep marks off? Can you live with the color if it costs less?

Good luck.

 

[kevinsgirl]

I think SMHW brought up some good questions to ask yourself. If they didn’t use the correct stain/finish then it’s totally reasonable of you guys to ask them to fix it. I know it’s got to be hard with trying to keep the kids out of the house, but I think that in the long run you’ll want a job that is done right.

And I totally sympathize with the hassle…we had two trees in our backyard cut down two weeks ago and one landed on our garage. We’ve been dealing with the after effects of that…

I hope things work out!

 

[Truly_Beloved]

I’ll offer prayers, for sure.

We also have experience with concrete work (outside the house, though, not inside) that did not meet expectations at all. It looks absolutely horrible. We aren’t confrontational, either, so I understand the challenge. For awhile we just decided to chalk it up to a very expensive learning experience, but I’m getting more and more eager to talk with the company.

Do you have samples of the color you wanted, so you could compare the two, right in front of him? Did you decide on the color at your home (with your lighting) or at their office?

About the marks it’s picking up, I would ask how he recommends cleaning the floor (what chemicals to use, whether sponges or mops are preferred, etc). Hopefully nothing harsher than vinegar would do the trick.

 

[Em_in_FL]

Thanks all… and the prayers are very appreciated. I’m not looking forward to going home. We are so NOT confrontational, and it just makes my stomach turn.

Thanks for the ideas on what to ask… I appreciate it!

 

[notwithout]

Em – I work in client services so I have a lot of experience handling client complaints. Just some general tips for you. Basically it’s all about being prepared before you start talking so that it’s a calm discussion and not a confrontation.

• Resist the urge to freak out and yell and scream. Sometimes a raised voice can make a greater impact, but after dealing with customers for a while, the screaming just becomes static.
• Be able to explain exactly what you think is wrong and be able to back up your point. If the color isn’t close to the sample, having a sample around so you can show the contractor the difference might help. As for the level of shine and ease of cleaning issues knowing some of the brochure language might help. If the product brochure promises a “mirror finish” point out that that’s not what you’re seeing.
• Anticipate and prepare for the contractor’s arguments. He’s going to say the color issue is due to natural variation in the concrete, so have your sample ready. Show him where the stains are; when he says they’ll come up easily ask him to show you how to clean them – not tell you, show you so that he has to put up with the same struggle you’ve been going through.
• Know in advance what kind of resolution you want. You want a partial refund. Decide what that means before he comes over. What percentage of the purchase price would make you happy? Whatever that number is, ask for it. Don’t wait for him to offer. Also decide in advance which remedies would not be acceptable – you already know you don’t want to have the floors completely redone, is there anything else you don’t want? If he offered to recoat them and buff up the shine in a day or so, would that work for you or not? If not, be ready to tell him so and then remind him that you really aren’t happy with this service and you want a refund.
• Always write down the name and contact information of anyone you speak with. Also keep a brief summary of all conversations. You can take this information to the Better Business Bureau if all else fails.
• If nothing else works and you have to escalate – say he won’t refund and you decide to go to the BBB – don’t threaten but do make aware. “If you don’t fix this, I am going to the BBB.” Is much less effective then, “I can see we’re not going to be able to resolve this tonight. I’d like you to leave and please be aware that I’ll be contacting (BBB, supervisor, floor company, ect) tomorrow.”

Good Luck

Kye

 

[gardenswithkids]

…The color was totally off… it looked nothing like the samples, the coating was dull (not shiny like expected)… we’re just devastated!
Yes, he told us the color would be variable, but this isn’t even CLOSE.
And it’s picking up marks that are NOT cleaning off easily (not easy maintenance like expected )…

So, the contractor is coming over this afternoon (hence the timely advice needed )… we’re hoping to get a partial refund or something. We don’t want to go through a re-work because it took SO LONG (had to be out of the house for a week) and we just can’t afford the logistics.

Any advice on how to gracefully handle this situation?
We are NOT ones to complain about anything and this is VERY hard for us. But we spent a lot of money and our expectations were not met at all.

Prayers, at the least, would be appreciated. Thank you.

I don’t like dealing with unmet expectations of this nature either.

Have you paid him already if full? If not, that gives you a bit more leverage to say what it would take to make you happy before you pay in full. You can ask if he thinks the job “complete” or is there another step or two that still needs to be done? Is there anything that he can do now to your floor to get it closer to your expectations without requiring you to leave for days? Do you still have the samples to show him what you expected and compare it with him this afternoon to your floors.

And while I was typing this and stopping to tend to my children, I see someone else from a customer service background gave you some really good advice. I’ll stop here and just add a prayer.