Dont buy paint from Home depot.

Investor · Ridgecrest, CA · Member since 2017 · 246 posts · 120 votes

I brought a paint sample to home depot to match and purchased a sample. I only needed enough to cover a few sq feet. When I went to use the paint it didnt match. I took it back to the store for a refund and they refused. How the hell can they not guarantee a color match. I was going to be spending about 10 to 15k at their store in the last couple of months of this year but I will be taking it somewhere else now.

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Alexander FelicePro Member

Guy with Great Hair · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes

@Tom R. Its a clear no-return policy for this exact reason. You made a mistake, it happens. The correct response would be to take some responsibility and go fix the problem, instead of trying to rally a boycott. In this business youll have a LOT more businesses piss you off, and cost you money than what a couple gallons of paint cost. Pace your anger my friend, youll need it. ;)

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Russell BrazilBusiness Member
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Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
8y
Cut off your nose to spite your face
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Matt K.
Walnut Creek, CA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y
If you're going to drop 15k I'm sure you can adjust and add in some paint and redo the affected areas. 6k on flooring could likely be adjusted to absorb the cost of redoing paint....
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Lee Bell
Real Estate Appraiser · Isabella lake, CA · Member since 2018 · 628 posts · 491 votes
8y
Behr Swiss coffee FTW. No issue at all with matching.
Yes, you may need to paint a whole wall and not just spot paint.
1 Reply
Hai Loc
Specialist · Toronto, Ontario · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 891 votes
8y
@Michael Biggs I bought a batch of 5 gallons and then 2 gallons.. my contractor saved a gallon from first purchase and mixed it with a last 2 and it blended ok.. I took advantage of the 25% off as well..
0 Reply
Dominique Pradel-Lewis
Investor · Pittsburgh PA · Member since 2018 · 102 posts · 76 votes
8y
Originally posted by @Jim Walters:
@Tom R. I can understand your frustration. I have experience in paint. Sometimes the color in the paint tinted might be lighter or darker, but it should pretty much match. Did they put a small amount on a paper or lid so you could compare it? In the future, I would recommend insisting on this and not checking out with any paint you are not happy with. Also, tips to getting a refund. 1st insist on talking to the store manager. If they are not responsive, ask for the district managers name and number or ask to have them call you. The higher you go up, the more likely they are going to refund your money, as they should, if for no other reason that is not worth having a person making 200k a year argue about a $15 refund.
It was a $2.94 refund
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Dominique Pradel-Lewis
Investor · Pittsburgh PA · Member since 2018 · 102 posts · 76 votes
8y
@Tom R. I have been going to HD for paint for decades without any problem. When the paint doesn't match they are ALWAYS willing to lighten or darken it to get it closer to my desired results. Please and thank you will get you much farther than attitudes. BTW how does threatening not to become pro on BP affect us? If you have project where you are spending over $15k you need to prioritize what to spend time and energy on instead of having a meltdown over $3. Paint are never an exact match even when you buy several gallon of the same color!
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Amy A.
Portland, ME · Member since 2012 · 616 posts · 550 votes
8y
I understand your frustration! For years I tried WalMart, Sherwin Williams, HD and Lowe's paint. I'd standardize to one color/brand for a couple years and then they'd change the formula! They'd guarantee a color match and it often didn't match. I liked the convenience of going to these stores because I could also buy other stuff I needed (and Sherwin Williams would deliver to the job site!) Now I go out of my way to a local paint store that only sells paint. It's expensive, but I get a landlord discount that makes it comparable to the other stores (another great reason to join your local landlord association). The guys there really know how to color match and how to adjust it if the formula has changed. They have my colors right in their computer. I've found Benjamin Moore covers the best and drips less than any other brand. It's an extra errand to run, but it saves time in the long run.
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David Gonzalez
Realtor · Camarillo, CA · Member since 2014 · 162 posts · 102 votes
8y
Home Depot is a good company to buy paint from if you already know what the exact color is. For paint matching go to your local Sherwin Williams retail outlet. They are professional and they know how to match paint. If you are planning a big project through Sherwin Williams buy it through your paint contractor. They get significant discounts for the paint if they register with the company.
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Karen MargraveBusiness Member
Moderator
Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
8y
@Tom R. On some of their brands they do advertise that if you're not satisfied they will refund your money. In the future, open the can at the store, dab some on the sample board or whatever you took in to match to, ask if they have a dryer to dry it, and then see if it's a match before leaving the store.
Also, when looking at colors in the store, always fold anything else on the chip away so that you're looking at only the color you are considering, and hold it up against a white piece of paper, otherwise your eye will pick up the hue of other colors.
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Mike Abramov
Specialist · Pasadena, CA · Member since 2017 · 40 posts · 4 votes
8y
normally I get a sample if I want to color match something sorry to hear about your experience
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Matt EklundPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Orange County, CA · Member since 2017 · 29 posts · 26 votes
8y
I wish my real estate worries were limited to paint not matching. Talk to a paint shop that sells to local pros. Find out what the tried and true colors are and standardize your color schemes.
1 Reply
Doug Orchard
Specialist · Tacoma, WA · Member since 2016 · 73 posts · 30 votes
8y
@Tom R.when I started off I didn’t know what I was doing I ordered only enough for one side of the house I went back and bought more but only enough for the front back for more on the other side and back for more on the back EACH SIDE WAS A SHADE DIFFERENT I had a four color house lol
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Christian Manhard
Contractor · North Conway, NH · Member since 2018 · 59 posts · 48 votes
8y
@Tom R. For easy color matching I would try the Sherwin- Williams colorsnap. It's $60 at your local SW store connects to the app on your phone or tablet and is as spot on as you can get with the color matching. It does not tell you what sheen it is tho. I prefer California paint products but most good paint stores can match SW paints exactly!
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Matt B.
Chicago, IL · Member since 2017 · 13 posts · 9 votes
8y
@Tom R. Bummer to hear this, you are at the mercy of who is scanning the color swatch, if I have a large job I will tell my contractor to mix galllons to even out the consistency..every custom color is different but miraculously have had some spot on matches. Make sure you bring any DIY store a good sample swatch..Home Depot, etc will say any custom color is non-returnable so any employee there is just standing by what they have been trained to do..hope this helps.
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Donna Carroll
Flipper/Rehabber · Santa Clarita, CA · Member since 2014 · 11 posts · 2 votes
8y
Not that you need any more advise or comments but this maybe of value to you..
When it comes to color matching for an accent wall, entire room or entire house, I decide on the color and then purchase the paint I will need. And not just what I need, I over estimate the amount that I measured so I will have paint left over. Then I will have the color added. I do this to save me the headache of trying to color match paint again at a later time, AND I will have more than enough for touch-ups, if needed. It may cost me a little more upfront, and it may be a waste of paint, but it is well worth it and less stressful.
On another note: I've learned that HD is not the place to color match paint. I once tried to get a paint match of a new bathroom vanity cabinet. I even took one of the vanity drawers into the store where they chipped off a small piece, to use it as a way to get a color match. They tried several times to get the color right, but it was off. They mentioned that it may not be a close match and they were right. I ended up adding black paint to darken it (which some may disagree doing), and even then, it just wasn't right. Luckily, the paint was used for a vanity mirror frame that I can easily remove from the house, not like a wall. That was my lesson and a lesson learned well. Since then, the only paint I would buy, if I were to buy from HD, is white. And even then, I would use Lowe's before HD.
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Matthew McNeil
Rental Property Investor · Boise/Portland · Member since 2017 · 709 posts · 742 votes
8y
Originally posted by @Tom R.:

I brought a paint sample to home depot to match and purchased a sample. I only needed enough to cover a few sq feet. When I went to use the paint it didnt match. I took it back to the store for a refund and they refused. How the hell can they not guarantee a color match. I was going to be spending about 10 to 15k at their store in the last couple of months of this year but I will be taking it somewhere else now.
Tom, I didn’t see a question here and assumed you were asking for some feedback. So, I added my own questions to help you out;
1. “Wow, you seem really upset. Let’s talk about something else so you are able to cool down.”
2. “That sounds like a tough spot to be in. How are you going to get past it?”
3. “I am so sorry that happened. I wonder if they realize how they made you feel?”
4. “What has worked for you in the past when these situations have come up?”
5. “Wow, it sounds like you are having a tough day! What’s one thing going well for you today?”
I hope there's some encouragement (or perspective) in there somewhere. We're rooting for ya!
2 Reply
Chris Majors
Rental Property Investor · Evans, GA · Member since 2014 · 74 posts · 65 votes
8y
It's really tough to match paint perfectly, even when you have the same exact paint, same formula, same store, mixed at the same time. That's why you box the paint if you have several buckets, to make sure everything will match when you go to touch up later..
Even though HD is not a dedicated paint store, they do have a great deal for REIA members: 25% off! They also carry most major brands. Obviously, if you buy large volumes of paint you will get a better deal with Sherwin Williams or another paint store, but for the small-time investor you will get a better deal on the same paint at HD with the discount.
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Tristan Colborg
Real Estate Broker · Commerce City, CO · Member since 2018 · 107 posts · 55 votes
8y
Then there was crickets from @Tom R after criticizing the feedback he was getting.
1 Reply
Joe SplitrockPro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
8y
@Tom R. same concerns go for Lowes. I purchased a rental property that had been painted with paint from Lowes five years earlier. They still carry the same brand paint and can looks similar, so I got a gallon of the same color for touch up. It turned out to be a different color. I asked Lowe's what happened. They told me that colors change over time, so even if you buy "Calm Tan" or whatever color, it may be different in the future. I told them to just use the color numbers from my can to remix and they told me they can't do that either because the bases change formula. They said to just bring in the paint and they will color match, which is sill, I could color match it at Sherwin Williams.
I use Sherwin Williams. I can order the same color five years from now. They even keep records by address of what color I used. Paint covers better and holds up better. They will deliver to the job site or I can just call ahead and pick it up. It may cost a few bucks more but my time is worth more money than dealing with paint problems.
If I am color matching, I will do an entire wall. You can't see the difference from wall to wall, but it shows up if you are just painting spots.
1 Reply
Linda S.
Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y
@Tom R.,
If it's a rental, and it sounds like you bought a whole gallon ($25-$40), suck it up and paint the whole wall and I doubt anyone will notice... or you can go buy white paint and state one is an accent wall.. it's all in how you sell it. It may not be perfect, and unless it's an A rental, I don't think it needs to be. People aren't out there looking for mistakes. If you get negative comments, offer a $25-50 credit for the mistake-- problem solved.
0 Reply
Brandon Hicks
Investor · Avilla, IN · Member since 2013 · 796 posts · 769 votes
8y
@Tom R. I’m a painter...it’s my #SideHustle to owning my 63 rental units...the general consensus among painters is that Behr is crap paint
1 Reply
Pete Barrow
Investor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2017 · 145 posts · 158 votes
8y
Select half-a-dozen nice compatible colors and paint all your units with these colors.
Always use the same sheen, for example satin for trim and eggshell for walls.
Keep leftover paint in these colors and save the color names also.
That way you have a perfect match for any touchup.
Regardless, don't try to paint a small spot on an old painted wall.
Also: HD samplers only come in one sheen. If your wall isn't that sheen, your touchup will stand out due to sheen as well as color.
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Marilyn H.
Member since 2018 · 9 posts · 5 votes
8y
HD is my go to place for paint. I love Behr and always go for the next best, whatever they call it.
Anyway, I understand your frustration. I had to repaint entire rooms in one house bc the paint I tried to match at HD didn't match exactly. I've found that exact matching rarely happens.
If you think the sales person made a mistake or was inept or whatever, try another one. Usually there's at least one person at the paint desk who is really good. Sometimes I just lurk and eavesdrop on another customers conversation to tell who knows what they're talking about. I'm the stalker in the paint department! Lol!
Behr is good paint. Maybe you should reconsider your HD ban. I hope your paint experiences improve. We've probably all had at least one bad one. Give it another go. And best of luck.
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Account Closed
Specialist · MI · Member since 2013 · 30 posts · 7 votes
8y
I've taken paint off the wall by cutting a 1 inch by 1 inch piece of drywall out, a patch job was easier than repainting the entire thing. HD matched the paint perfectly. But, fact is, if you want a "technical" job done properly, you can't go to home depot where a kid was just hired in hopes the computer get's it right, it normally doesn't. Go to a long standing independent paint store where they know what they are doing all the time. Any paint, no matter who makes it can be matched to any color even if the original was Bob's Slap It On from 1972, it can be matched by a professional. Unfortunately for you, you hired the kid that just got fired for taking a bath in the kitchen sink at burger king.
1 Reply
Derek Janssen
Rental Property Investor · Novato, CA · Member since 2018 · 110 posts · 145 votes
8y
Originally posted by @Lee Bell:

Behr Swiss coffee FTW. No issue at all with matching.
Yes, you may need to paint a whole wall and not just spot paint.
Except when you forget that it's Behr Swiss Coffee and end up ordering 10 gal of Behr Swiss Mocha instead and have to repaint the whole house a few years later... Doh! :)
I now use Dunn Edwards Inside Passage (DEC 764) - everywhere.
PS - help me understand this. You're going to not do $15k of business with a company over a $3 paint sample that probably wasn't returnable. Just want to make sure I am understanding this correctly.
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