Professional Painters...Cleaning Utensils, Where?

15 years ago

We are having our 2-story foyer painted by a crew from a franchise paint company. The team leader came to me yesterday afternoon and asked me where he could wash his roller, brush and small paint container. I told him my husband always washes them outside by the spigot. He started giving me an attitude telling me it was too cold outside and he would get sick. It was 45 degrees here yesterday, not warm, but not too cold. I told him we did not have a utility sink and our kitchen sink is a "special" sink with a special coating on it and we can't put any thing that might leave a cloudy residue behind in it. I told him if he must, he could wash the brush and small pail in the powder room sink, but the roller absorps too much paint to clean inside. Our sinks are your very typical builders grade sinks....small. He then told me if he knew he could not wash his brushes/rollers inside, he would not have taken the job and he won't do any work at our house in the future. I didn't know he gets to choose, I thought he was assigned based on his boss's (franchise owner) assignment, but we had actually requested this guy based on a neighbors recommendation...won't be asking her for any names in the future..lol.

Anyway, today it is going to be 60 degrees. DH stayed this morning to meet the painters and go over a few things. DH mentioned that he hooked a hose up for the brushes since it will be warmer. The painter again started with his attitude about he always washes the brushes inside and my husband told him how he always does it outside, regardless of the weather. Are we not the owners of our house and the ones paying him?

We have had several painters amoungst the three houses we have lived in and never has any painter asked to wash the brushes inside. They either washed then outside or threw them in an empty spackle bucket and brought them home with them to clean.

This is the first time we have encountered a painter that MUST wash his paint utensils in the owners home. We will discuss with the franchise owner AFTER the job is done.

What is typical for the painting profession?

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Comments (7)

pretzel_logic60
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
He is not a professional at all and in fact is very amateurish. For one thing I always pitch my rollers once I'm done with a color, or keep them sealed with the paint for touch ups. Once a roller is cleaned they're usually worthless depending on the type of roller. Also, if he's going to clean a roller it's best done back at the shop as they require a spinner in a barrel or garbage can to really get them clean.

I will clean my brushes in a customers sink if it's ok with them, otherwise I'll do it outside or back at the shop. Usually it's not a problem and to be honest, I'm not sure what you're sinks are made of but I've never had a problem cleaning brushes in any type of sink. But that's your call all the way.

I would contact the owner before I'd let his painter back in my home as he is going way too far.
sierraeast
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I carry buckets with lids, fill them with water, drop in the brushes and rollers, take them home and clean them as we live on property. I try not to clean tools at a customers digs out of respect and leave the jobsite cleaner than when i arrived. If I have to clean tools onsite during the project, I do them in buckets. That "franchise" obviously lacks respect!
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paintguy22
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Why not discuss this with the franchise owner now before the job is complete? Seriously, this is beyond rude.
comkow
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for the reassurance that we are not totally out of line.

A friend said maybe we should wait until the job was completed b/c if we made addressed the issue now, maybe the painter would "botch" the job in some way.

You think we should address it now or wait?

Our kitchen sink is a Blanco Silgranit sink which when we remodeled our kitchen, I remember reading in the Kitchen Remodel forum, that people had stains and what not from various substances, so we do not even want to take a chance. Our bathroom sinks are regular porcelain. It is just that the powder room is cramped, only 3x6 and the sink is a small pedastal sink. Just feel that outside is easier.
paintguy22
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well, if I were the boss, I would want to know if one of my employees was doing that during the job so I could correct the situation as best as I could. I would at least ask the franchise owner what the policy is on cleaning tools. Does it say somewhere on the contract? I don't really know how the guy could botch the job without you noticing...I would think the last thing he would want is for you to hold back payment because of some problem he created.
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Lori A. Sawaya
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
At least he asked "where" first! At least that's somethin'. :-D

Oh gosh, I've had painters fill the bath tub, wash rollers & brushes, drain the water and leave it. I've had them commandeer kitchen sinks, entire bathroom vanties to be used as "staging areas". Loose rule of thumb for me is if it's warm enough to paint outside, then it's warm enough to clean up outside -- or take your tools with you and deal with them off site.

I'm pretty much all for nippin' things in the bud. The sooner the better. It's not so much "when" you address it, it's "how". If you approach it the right way, you should have no worries about getting the quality job you expect.

Just be honest and matter of fact and keep on with genuinely wanting to help where and how you can -- if all you have as a solution is outside, then that's simply all there is and they need to rely on other means to clean up their tools if they don't want to use what you have available.

Kind of in line with the topic:

It is nice to provide a space for a painter to work. Having them use their truck and keep running back and forth is not productive. If you have a utility sink, it's really nice to offer it as a place for them to set up and work. They are working in your house and need some accommodations.

It's funny because some painters are intuitive and strive to have good manners as part of their pride of service, other guys just don't get it and it never crosses their mind that everyone isn't as interested in taking good care of their brushes as they are -- as in what makes you think your kitchen sink is good enough for their brushes? :D

If you have special requirements it's a good idea to simply write it in the contract so everyone knows where everyone else stands -- get it all out on the table. Like if the job will run several days and really can't let them leave stuff behind -- from large stuff to the smaller stuff.

I had one client who expected that even the paint would go with the painter every night. It was January and the garage really wasn't the best option - for a couple reasons. Basement was two flights down and I really thought that was unnecessary as well. Protected floors and an out of the way corner was what they needed to get okay with -- and they did.

Bathroom accommodations are another issue. I personally think it's ridiculous when homeowners state they don't want painters using their bathrooms. Actually, it makes me mad and I have to breathe really deeply to help them rethink that *requirement*. I had one woman tell me and the painters that there was a McDonald's right at the end of the street and that's where they need to go on breaks and to use the facilities. She didn't even want them sitting in their trucks in her drive way to grab a drink, eat lunch or smoke. Josh, the painter, just picked up all of his paperwork, looked at me and said, "talk to you later, Lori" and quietly left. I told the woman I thought she might be better off DIYing, good luck with everything, and it was nice to meet her. Oh lord, I could go on and on... People are funny.
comkow
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
To be honest, never thought we needed to ask about cleaning the utensils since in the past, it has always been outside or brought home with the painter. Lesson learned though. I agree, it was nice he asked "where", but not appropriate when I said "outside" that he did not have a backup plan and it became an issue to him.

I feel we have been accomodating in every other aspect. We allowed all drop clothes to remain on the floors last night (except the stairs - fire escape hazard), paint and buckets in upstairs hallway, step ladder and other accys in downstairs hallway, etc.... and yes, we are allowing them to use the bathroom for their business, we just disinfect that after they leave...LOL. It's just the cleaning part. If there is an issue later today when they start cleaning up for the day, we will address it with the owner of the business tonight.

Professional Painters...Cleaning Utensils, Where?

Comments (7)

pretzel_logic60

sierraeast

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Professional Painters...Cleaning Utensils, Where?

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pretzel_logic60

sierraeast

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