# Decorative concrete color issues, unhappy customer wants discount



## JFConstruction (Nov 17, 2020)

Just poured a 1000 sq' stamped patio with integral color and release, already cured and sealed. There is an area where the release is too prominent. I removed the seal from that area and attempted to scrub off the excess release but it is still there, see attached photo. My customer asked for a discount. I offered to take off $500. They said they can't accept that, asking for me to take $1500 off of their balance claiming they need to bring in someone to strip the seal from the whole patio and pressure wash the release off, then reseal. Any suggestions on how to deal with this would be appreciated!


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

If the solution is to strip the sealer, and pressure wash the release, why don't they pay full price and you fix it?

I'm always wary of situations like these: Why isn't the Contractor fixing the problem, and why is the HO asking for a discount, instead of asking the Contractor to fix the mistake?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

You making it right is better than leaving it to the customer, even if you bring in a sub to do it.


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## Kingcarpenter1 (May 5, 2020)

If your the contractor it’s your baby. Why would you let them bring in another to fix it. Did you have them sign a contract? If your a concrete contractor you should have issues like this outlined in your contract. If just an ok do it, do whatever it takes to make them happy. In my eyes only a scab contractor would walk away & leave an eyesore whatever the pay. Guys like that only leaves a sour taste in the clients mouth only to taste it again when needing other work done. It’s called respect for the trades

Mike


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## JFConstruction (Nov 17, 2020)

Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:


> If your the contractor it’s your baby. Why would you let them bring in another to fix it. Did you have them sign a contract? If your a concrete contractor you should have issues like this outlined in your contract. If just an ok do it, do whatever it takes to make them happy. In my eyes only a scab contractor would walk away & leave an eyesore whatever the pay. Guys like that only leaves a sour taste in the clients mouth only to taste it again when needing other work done. It’s called respect for the trades
> 
> Mike


ber: 73966"]
If the solution is to strip the sealer, and pressure wash the release, why don't they pay full price and you fix it?

I'm always wary of situations like these: Why isn't the Contractor fixing the problem, and why is the HO asking for a discount, instead of asking the Contractor to fix the mistake?
[/QUOTE]


Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:


> If the solution is to strip the sealer, and pressure wash the release, why don't they pay full price and you fix it?
> 
> I'm always wary of situations like these: Why isn't the Contractor fixing the problem, and why is the HO asking for a discount, instead of asking the Contractor to fix the mistake?





Kingcarpenter1 said:


> If your the contractor it’s your baby. Why would you let them bring in another to fix it. Did you have them sign a contract? If your a concrete contractor you should have issues like this outlined in your contract. If just an ok do it, do whatever it takes to make them happy. In my eyes only a scab contractor would walk away & leave an eyesore whatever the pay. Guys like that only leaves a sour taste in the clients mouth only to taste it again when needing other work done. It’s called respect for the trades
> 
> Mike


Any advise on how to correct the color? I stripped the seal, pressure washed, hit it with cleaner, scrubbed the hell out of it with a buffer, and the release agent still won't budge.


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## Kingcarpenter1 (May 5, 2020)

You won’t correct it. Like an oil stain it’s there. Bust it out, or the obvious easy way out & eat the $1500. Then learn how to do contracting right & have some respect for real tradesmen. Construction education

Mike


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## cdkyle (Jul 12, 2009)

Me thinks JFConstruction is a DIY or home owner looking for a answers or documentation. Close this thread, please. Smells like a rat.


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## JFConstruction (Nov 17, 2020)

Kingcarpenter1 said:


> You won’t correct it. Like an oil stain it’s there. Bust it out, or the obvious easy way out & eat the $1500. Then learn how to do contracting right & have some respect for real tradesmen. Construction education
> 
> Mike


What makes you assume that I don't "do contracting right"? I respectfully reached out to the online contractor community for advice. I am licensed/insured, experienced and reputable.


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## cdkyle (Jul 12, 2009)

JFConstruction said:


> What makes you assume that I don't "do contracting right"? I respectfully reached out to the online contractor community for advice. I am licensed/insured, experienced and reputable.


3 Posts


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## JFConstruction (Nov 17, 2020)

cdkyle said:


> Me thinks JFConstruction is a DIY or home owner looking for a answers or documentation. Close this thread, please. Smells like a rat.


Geese. I've always enjoyed referencing conversations on this website and appreciated the resource. God forbid I actually join in!


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## cdkyle (Jul 12, 2009)

My suggestion is to contact, your local supplier of materials, or contact the sub-contractor/contractor/neighbor or whom ever helped you. Nothing seems clear to me exactly, who performed the work. It is all just a little suspicious, IMO


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## JFConstruction (Nov 17, 2020)

cdkyle said:


> My suggestion is to contact, your local supplier of materials, or contact the sub-contractor/contractor/neighbor or whom ever helped you. Nothing seems clear to me exactly, who performed the work. It is all just a little suspicious, IMO


Ok, thank you- I did that already. My sub is useless, supplier suggested applying a stain over the whole thing, HO doesn't want that. I was hoping a concrete pro might chime in with some miracle tip for removing release..


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## Kingcarpenter1 (May 5, 2020)

JFConstruction said:


> What makes you assume that I don't "do contracting right"? I respectfully reached out to the online contractor community for advice. I am licensed/insured, experienced and reputable.


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## Kingcarpenter1 (May 5, 2020)

What does your contract say


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## Kingcarpenter1 (May 5, 2020)

There is no miracle pro. Your the concrete guy here aren’t you

Mike


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

JFConstruction said:


> ber: 73966"]
> If the solution is to strip the sealer, and pressure wash the release, why don't they pay full price and you fix it?
> 
> I'm always wary of situations like these: Why isn't the Contractor fixing the problem, and why is the HO asking for a discount, instead of asking the Contractor to fix the mistake?




Any advise on how to correct the color? I stripped the seal, pressure washed, hit it with cleaner, scrubbed the hell out of it with a buffer, and the release agent still won't budge.
[/QUOTE]

Some of us here can be a little rough around the edges, especially towards folks who aren’t known to the community.

There have actually been some very poor contractors on here, and an endless stream of DIYers posing as contractors, so that’s part of it. 😟😄

As for how to fix it, I don’t have a great deal of experience with colored concrete. Done a few, but not many.

Im assuming a colored concrete, and then a colored powdered release?

In my experience, once concrete is colored, it’s colored for good. 🙄

You might be able to stain it a different color ( darker).

Or worst case scenario is it comes out and gets redone.

I will say that no matter how much money you take off, the customer will always have a bad taste in their mouth, because they won’t remember the cheap price they paid, just the fact that they didn’t get what they wanted.
For whatever that’s worth.


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

cdkyle said:


> My suggestion is to contact, your local supplier of materials, or contact the sub-contractor/contractor/neighbor or whom ever helped you. Nothing seems clear to me exactly, who performed the work. It is all just a little suspicious, IMO


His post seems pretty straight forward.

He has stated that he is a licensed contractor, with a project that has gone somewhat sideways.

Lots of us have been there.


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## JFConstruction (Nov 17, 2020)

Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:


> Any advise on how to correct the color? I stripped the seal, pressure washed, hit it with cleaner, scrubbed the hell out of it with a buffer, and the release agent still won't budge.


Some of us here can be a little rough around the edges, especially towards folks who aren’t known to the community.

There have actually been some very poor contractors on here, and an endless stream of DIYers posing as contractors, so that’s part of it. 😟😄

As for how to fix it, I don’t have a great deal of experience with colored concrete. Done a few, but not many.

Im assuming a colored concrete, and then a colored powdered release?

In my experience, once concrete is colored, it’s colored for good. 🙄

You might be able to stain it a different color ( darker).

Or worst case scenario is it comes out and gets redone.

I will say that no matter how much money you take off, the customer will always have a bad taste in their mouth, because they won’t remember the cheap price they paid, just the fact that they didn’t get what they wanted.
For whatever that’s worth.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks, I'm sort of stumped. Never been unable to correct an issue!


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

I’m interested what caused that blotchy look.

Was it just the powdered release being left on too long?

I have a long standing fear, or just deep respect, for concrete. When it goes wrong, it’s not usually an easy fix. 😳😟😄


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## Kingcarpenter1 (May 5, 2020)

I agree on the respect for concrete. Even pouring plain without color, stamp etc, I’ve seen it cure different colors in slabs and flatwork. Could be in the mix, the added product a head scratcher for sure. My flatwork guy told me a while back his supplier was doing so much volume the mix was crap causing like issues.

Mike


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

Interesting.

Im going to try that.

I did one where it was a sunken slab in a basement, with drywall all around, and I didn’t want to pressure wash because of too much moisture.

I colored the concrete, and then added then secondary colorant to the release according to the manufacturers instructions.

It came out OK, but not as vibrant as it should have.


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## NYCB (Sep 20, 2010)

I do think you can get slightly better color consistency with powder, but the juice isn't worth the squeeze for the difference.

I almost always use different colors either for borders or through the whole thing and I think that gives you a better finished product anyway.

Here's an example of one from this summer. I used a dark grey or charcoal on the border and I think a chestnut on most of the interior for some good variation.

In the second picture you can see what happens if you go too heavy with it though and let it pool up. Everything drained to that front corner and I wasn't paying attention, too much color in the joints, I should have broomed it off while it was still wet.


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## TMS1 (Jan 14, 2021)

JFConstruction said:


> Ok, thank you- I did that already. My sub is useless, supplier suggested applying a stain over the whole thing, HO doesn't want that. I was hoping a concrete pro might chime in with some miracle tip for removing release..


Hi, like another poster stated before, you are not getting rid of that stain, you can hide it ( which the customer doesn’t want ) or take the loss and walk, if they are asking for a discount , it means that they don’t care much about the quality , just the money or they don’t trust you to fix it, whatever you do now won’t make them happy, trust me , I have my fair share of customers like that, hard to identify them at first, but you’ll get better at it , good luck!


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

Did you try scrubbing with a diluted myriotic acid?


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