What a mess. Sorry for your troubles, these things just shouldn't happen. Here's what I advise you to do: Write down the original problem, then each blunder that followed. Have it ready in an email. No emotion. Just the details. 1) This is what we ordered. 2) This is what was installed. 3) This was the problem with the installation. 4) This is what was done in an attempt to repair the problem (vinegar, stain, paint). 5) Is there a way to repair what has been done so we can have what we wanted in Step 1)? 6) If there isn't, what is the best course of repair so you can be made whole? (Full grout removal and replacement?) 7) Is their an alternative course of repair? (Mask it with Aquamix Grout Colorant?) Now one thing, you certainly don't want to use the AquaMix colorant if you don't like any of the offered colors. Call Custom's tech department. Ask the tech for his email address and while you are on the phone, fire off the email to him so he has the details in writing. I've even emailed photos to techies whole on the phone with them. Have your discussion, and have the tech reply to you in writing via an email. If the tech can't assure you that repairs can be made to the grout "as is", then have him write that the only way to get a proper installation is for the grout to be removed and replaced. The goal is to get specific answers back from him in writing. Some tech guys can suffer from the "I don't know" syndrome, and it's fine if they do...but they still have to recommend a final course of action. The point-of-view I use when dealing with tech support is that if they can't assure me that everything is okay, well, then it's not okay. And if it's not okay, the best course of action is usually full removal and replacement. With it being replaced, then you know it's okay. Your do have a few choices. One would be to have the grout removed and then new grout installed. That would "make you whole" in terms of you getting the installation that you originally wanted. One of the risks with that is when removing the grout, sometimes the tile edges can get nicked here and there. Any damage to the tile can just make this whole experience sink further into the abyss. Small nicks to the tile might not be a huge issue if the tile is a through-body color tile, ie, the color of the "inside" of the tile is similar in color to the surface color. An alternative repair, and it is a "repair" versus "making you whole", can be attacked on two levels, but the overall "repair" is using a grout colorant over the grout you have. Not a grout stain, but an epoxy-based grout colorant. I don't use colorants often, but when I do it's Aquamix Grout Colorant. AquaMix is a product from Custom, so it'd be right up the tech's alley in terms of a product that he could recommend. But again, you have to like one of their offered colors to want to use the product. One level of repair depends on the "paint added to the grout". I'd get an answer from Custom Tech on this. Is the grout okay? Will the paint prevent the epoxy colorant from adhering to the grout, etc? Will the stain used create adherence issues? If the messed up grout is a concern, would a proper repair be for then to remove the polluted grout from those sections. Install new cementitious grout. Then the grout colorant can go over the entire floor? It's difficult because your proper repair is removal of the grout and installing new grout. But the nature of that repair can cause damage to the tile...and sure, damaged tiles can be pulled and replaced. But does your C/H have the ability to carry out a repair like that without causing more problems? Your interaction now is pretty much between you and your contractor/handyman. Sure, your tile guy did the installation. But once your C/H jumped in with the paint and stain, he sort of absolved the original tile guy of all his installation sins. The fact that your C/H followed bogus advice from the tile store versus calling the grout manufacturer's tech department for repair advice, that's all on your C/H. He can certainly blame the sales guy at the tile store for giving him bogus advice. But that's not a concern to you. Let the C/H argue with the sales guy about that. Only your C/H is a concern to you, he's the one you hired, he's the one who really buggered up the installation. He should have done what you're going to do...and what it says on every bag of grout to do...if you have problems, call tech support. Sorry for the wordy reply. This is one of those cases where I was interrupted by several phone calls while typing, etc...ramblin' man...oh yes oh yes oh yes...oh nooooo.... Custom Customer Support 800-272-8786 Custom Technical Services 800-282-8786 Good luck.

It is bad enough to have the paints look different in different rooms, but to have it look wrong in part of the same room is frustrating, isn't it? I had the exact problem you are experiencing in our office; all of the walls sections opposite the window looked so much lighter, you would swear it was a different paint color! But it was all Dunn Edwards Cream Wave. My solution was not in any tip books I have seen, and my husband thought I was absolutely nuts. but in our case it worked perfectly. We happened to have the next darker paint on the sample fan strip on hand (DE Pale Beach), because we had used it for another room. I painted the too-light walls with the slightly darker color. Even though the broken shape of the room forced me to use Pale Beach next to Cream Wave, next to Pale Beach, next to Cream Wave due to the room indent, it all looks to be the same color now. Whenever we have told visitors where the different colors meet, they admit they cannot visually see them as different, whether lit by sunlight or room lighting! It was a wacky solution, and I have no idea if BM has a slightly-lighter-than Palladian blue color, but it is something to consider before repainting the entire room. After all, other colors you use in that room may have the same lighting problem. edit for photo (unretouched): Although a photo does not show what the eye sees, it will give you an idea of the lighting/color challenge of our office. The darker-appearing wall, in the middle of the photo, is actually the lighter paint color in shadow, due to how the light falls in this room. This post was edited by Gyr_Falcon on Wed, Jul 10, 13 at 17:25

I think you should fully paint a door, and see how you like it, then decide how to finish the rest, e.g. whether to sand the primer coat, apply more primer, use filler, etc. The paint coats will cover more of the grain, and so will the brushstrokes. What look are you going for? If you want a perfectly uniform and smooth, mass-produced look, that is hard (very) to get without a sprayer and maybe sanding between coats. I don't think that is a look I'd aspire to. I think the paintwork in the kitchen should match the paintwork of the rest of the house's woodwork, which was likely brush-painted. You can get a subtler brushstroke using a flowing additive, ask at the paint store. If you paint straight from the can, the brushstrokes will be most visible. If you do decide to sand some more, use a power sander if you haven't already. An orbital sander costs $30. Hand-sanding is the pits. When you DIY, you will be your own harshest critic, you'll see every little imperfection. Step back and look at your finished work like a normal person would - with normal eyes, not magnifying glasses. You'll probably be very happy.

Well this is in the DIY section as well, if you are capable of answering the questions, why not spend a minute to answer a few? Gardenweb has really gone downhill with all the "pros" coming on. Many of the pros seem to pretty much say "hire a pro", which seems a little self serving. Ill add I have had the exact same thing done with very high quality for about 25K 5 years ago when things were not quite as hot. That contractor did give me a 15K bid (without vanities), but is too busy right now. Ill give an example of the ridiculous costs. I needed 3 vent pipes moved to the walls, shower plumbing cut off and capped and bathtub plumbing cut off and capped. The estimate to do the work from one contractor was $5500 baked into the whole remodel. When I had individual plumbers come out to do an estimate they came in at 1500 which is about what I expected. Of course the plumbers that bid 1500 are too busy to take the job (working on big jobs), which is why some plumbers can charge $300/hour. I did the work myself which took me about 6 hours in total because I work very slow and carefully. I essentially took out one vent pipe per day. I dont haggle with contractors on price, but I do know about how much things should cost. Ill add that the vast majority of labor here are illegal immigrants with no certifications or formal training.