I almost cried today... - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

DecksEtc · 12-07-2005, 05:32 PM

So, today I had a bit of time on my hands and decided to drive by a house I used to own with my now ex. I built a beautiful 2-level 350 sq. ft. cedar deck with custom railings, full lighting system on all posts and steps, clear 3" T&G skirting, planter boxes, custom trellis/pergola, iron inserts in the lattice above the railings - the whole 9 yards! I thought maybe I would knock on the door, explain I built the deck and ask if they mind if I took some updated digital photos.

Well, as I drive up to the house I see that they have stained the deck with a solid redwood coloured stain - you know, the kind that used to always be used on Muskoka chairs, lawn furniture and the like. Man, what a crying shame!

They have ruined an absolute masterpiece by covering up the beautiful cedar and workmanship.

What's a man to do???

Tom R · 12-07-2005, 05:53 PM

Put down your camera and shoot them with your gun!!

(mercy-killing)

**Teetorbilt** · 12-07-2005, 05:54 PM

The same thing that I do when I see people rip out 100 yr. old Dade County pine floors or paint walnut cabinetry white. Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do.

DecksEtc · 12-07-2005, 06:00 PM

And Lord only knows what brand of stain they used. I only saw it from the street and over the fence. I couldn't bring myself to take a closer look. The sound of me crying would have probably brought people running from their houses!

Tom R · 12-07-2005, 06:02 PM

And the tears might have made the cheap-a$$ stain run!!

CGofMP · 12-07-2005, 09:27 PM

Adobe photoshop is your friend.

Take a few pics of it, take them home, dawdle around with the color and saturation settings and then make yourself a nice screen saver and "remember when"....

Then DONT drive by again!

DecksEtc · 12-07-2005, 09:36 PM

Good advice.

I'm also worried about seeing what kind of condition they've got it in now. My guess is they probably didn't prepare the surface properly. I had originally stained it with a semi-transparent Cabot stain - about $200 worth of materials (if I remember correctly). Nothing I can do about it now!

CGofMP · 12-07-2005, 09:46 PM

On a more serious note...

Quote:

I'm also worried about seeing what kind of condition they've got it in now.

The sad truth is that people do not really understand what they have most of the time. Tetor's examples about walnut cabinetry painted white etc are really germane to this topic. When I look at anything made by hand, I tend to see past the glossy finish and look at the HANDWORK involved in it...

Most people do not. Painting Grandma's old roll top desk is an option to many folks and learning how to do it RIGHT is just not an option in today's "use it once and toss it out" society.

I'm not a contractor but if I was, I'd have to think of the end of a project much like giving a todler a gift. They will use it for a time, abuse it for a time, and then call me to make another one.

Job security. Leave the new owners your card ;-)

When I sell my home, I will have to think along the same way. Nobody is gonna appreciate all the work that went into the porch rail nor will they see all the hidden extras or strength-enhancing bracing or extra work I did for this or that. They won't see the 2 bags of concrete per fence hole where most folks in this area use NONE or half a bag. Just gonna have to be satisfied that I did my best.

Can't get mad/sad at simple ignorance.