Must I Refund Customer For Unused Paint?

rocco

Hi. I have a question. On my contracts I state that if I need more paint then I charged the customer for, I am allowed to request more money from them in order for me to get more paint. OK, the question is if I DON'T use all the paint from the original price I quoted the customer do I have to reimburse them for unused paint? Never have I estimated EXACTLY how much paint I need. I usually have a gallon left over or under. Any suggestions? Thank you

Humble Abode

Most customers want a little paint left over after the job is complete.

If there is an excessive amount of paint left over and they mention (complain) that fact I always offer to buy it from them, at cost. Otherwise I just leave it at the job site, explaining that there is always a little left over paint.

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Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn't mean we deserve to conquer the Universe. Kurt Vonnegut, (1922 - 2007) from the Novel 'Hocus Pocus'
The NAPP
Milwaukee Painting Contractor

firemike

I agree with Humble,

Depending on the size of the job, I would rather have a gallon or two (or even 3 or 4 on a large job) left over than be a quart short. I have never had a customer question me on this but should they, I would tell them that and the actual coverage per coat can vary too much even for the best painters. You and I could paint the same size room and probably use different amounts of paint.

Even you yourself will apply the paint in varying mil thicknesses from wall to wall just by the nature of brushing and rolling variances, surface textures, etc. Multiply that by a few walls and it can amount to a half gallon of paint more or less over just two or three rooms. Tell them that you always estimate a little high so that you don't run out of paint because of the possible problem of matching it with a new gallon you would have to buy to finish a job, and that you leave the extra paint with them for touchups or if thay have to repaint an entire wall due to an "unexected accident." But a refund, absolutely not unless you really overestimated on a T&M job there is a significant amount of paint left over.

On the couple times I really screwed up estimating, I would "walk" a couple/few gallons of paint to the truck, then end up giving them to a local rehab charity or to a friend, that way it doesn't look like a lot is left over.

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-Mike-

ATH

We provide our estimates and contracts for a complete paint job. The price quoted almost always includes all the paint. If we have under estimated a custom color, we are on the hook to get more. In the very few cases that we have more than a gallon left over, we find another home for it (anyone want a gallon of mint green? ). If there is a gallon or less left over, it stays with the client.

Ceiling paint, white trim paint, and the like always comes home with us as we use it on many jobs.

So, I guess my answer is: "No, you shouldn't refund anything for any leftover paint"

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Wayne
Around the House
http://www.MyPowerCouple.com

Humble Abode

I do the same, usually "Habitat for Humanity."

I never feel dishonest about doing it. In the end on an $8000 job it's just splitting hairs to quibble over $75 worth of paint...

__________________
Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn't mean we deserve to conquer the Universe. Kurt Vonnegut, (1922 - 2007) from the Novel 'Hocus Pocus'
The NAPP
Milwaukee Painting Contractor

AAPaint

Yup, same boat for me. I provide a turn-key price. They pay the price, we handle everything else. If there is three gallons left over, the homeowner didn't lose, I did. Paint estimate and sq. footage numbers are approximate only. I always try to leave a little bit (qt. or so) of each paint for the customer, including trim and ceiling paint, which we consider as an item that we "stock". However, like I said, if there is a few extra gallons, I lose on profit...the customer doesn't lose anything because they only pay the original price.

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-AAPaint

AA Quality Painting & Pressure Washing LLC
Jacksonville Painters
Jacksonville, FL.

Teetorbilt

I always calculate to have paint left over as opposed to running short. The customer is buying the paint any way that you look at it, it belongs to them and stays with them for touch-up or disposal.

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slickshift

Nope
You should have some left over

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

Mike Finley

I don't know how must painters work, but it sounds like if you lost that clause and just quoted them a fixed price it wouldn't matter if you had 100 gallons left over to the customer.

Grumpy

If I run short on shingles I don't charge the customer extra. That's my fault for improperly estimating. I always want to leave a bundle or so behind for the customer incase of some animal damage or so forth.

At the same time I have had customers ask for money back on left over materials. I respectfully decline and give them a whole combination of reasons... but bottom line is they agreed to pay me $X for the job.

I know of a few companies which have it written in their contracts that ALL left over materials are their property. I don't have any such clauses in myc ontracts.

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On the flip side, as a painter I can see ways to defeat the extra paint reimbursement routine. 1) We order extra paint on purpose because all paint now-a-days is custom mixed and we don't want any color variations if we were to run short and order a new batch. 2) We always order a little extra paint to leave with you incase you need to do touch ups in the future. 3) Only remove the paint from your van as needed. Don't unload all gallons at once, then the customer will never know you have extra.

However I am confused what you would want any left over paint for, unless it was a flat white or some kind of color you commonly use... and if that were the case I could forsee you purchaseing it in 5 gallon buckets which would allow you to tell the customer "We buy our paint in volume in 5 gallon buckets because it is much easier and cheaper than buying the 1 gallons. We only marked up the portion of paint required, and you didn't pay for the full 5 gallons, only 3 of the 5."

dagambler

2 things here.

I never charge the customer extra money if I need more money because I always estimate about 5 - 8 extra gallons for the painting. Yeah it raises the price about 100 - 150 dollars, but what does that matter if its a 3000 dollar job. Its more money in your pocket, and if you need extra paint, you need to sound unprofessional and ask for more money.

I don't know why so many of you are talking about sometimes having 3 extra gallons of paint. What a waste of money. Always buy slightly less than what you estimated for, then when you're almost done with the job, decide if you need 1, 2, or 3 gallons to finish up and make another trip to the store. Unless the store is half hour or more away, I don't know why anyone wouldn't do this.

RowdyRed94

+1 on the idea that the customer is paying for a completed project, not a list of parts and labor. We've had customers ask for refunds and even for the leftover material. Ain't gonna happen.

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AAPaint

Like someone said above, when doing custom colors, we always buy a little extra, but it's figured into the price. Nobody is talking about consistently buying 3 extra gallons though......I think everyone here is talking about IF they have extra paint. If I had three extra gallons of anything, I'd be PO'd because that comes out of my profit margin. That's why I said earlier, the customer doesn't lose on anything in this situation. They are given one set price, everything else is up to us. It doesn't matter if I bought 20 extra gallons. I take the hit on that stuff, not them, and if we come up short on our estimates they're not going to be willing to pay for more...so why should I be willing to hand over any extra?

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-AAPaint

AA Quality Painting & Pressure Washing LLC
Jacksonville Painters
Jacksonville, FL.

rocco

i m trying to respond to your response to my question about refunding the paint. I am not sure how to do this on this forum but I want to say your response seems right on the money for me as well as others who answered my question. Running short on custom colors has indeed caused problems for me when I get a different batch. You can see where I cut in even though it is the same color. I also see how I lose when there is paint left over. It comes out of my profit. So I think I will estimate More rather more than less. I am also tired of going back and forth to the paint store on the same job because I but 1 or 2 gallons at a time. Anyway sry for rambling but I wanted to say your answers really helped a lot.

Dave Mac

Rocco

you should always make sure, no matter what that every wall is cut in and rolled out of the same bucket. You cant cut in a room with one gallon and roll with another gallon even if they are the same color, you have to box it all togeather. but your on the right track,

jensenconstruction

We bid for the compleated job, and never refund on left over materials