HELP!! Tile & Grout issue with picky customer!!!

[hanks75]

I sent my best technician to do a tile & grout job. He clean with an akaline product (StoneTech's Cleanzall). We scrub ever grout line and use our Boxxer 421 at 1000 psi and great heat. We hardly ever get callbacks on tile & grout. Well she did. My technician went back to the house and the grout looked great. There were a couple of minor spots in kitchen. So he went with and acid and recleaned the entire kitchen. She called back again and said it still doesnt look good enough. What would you do????

 

[TimP]

Tell her that for cleaning you did everything that is possible. Cleaning it anymore wont help and that the problems with her grout are within the grout itself because it's a porous material. If she is unhappy with a cleaning and wants perfection tell her that she can pay to have her grout color sealed. Make sure if you seal the entire floor that you open the pores with acid for the rest of the floor. And that is the only way to insure that she has perfect looking grout. Not only that but the easiest to maintain tile floor. But it will cost x amount of additional money. Then I'd charge her extra over your normal rate because she's proving that she's going to be trouble, that is if you still want her as a customer.

 

[hanks75]

Thanks for your response Tim!

 

[Mikey P]

Great answer from Tim.



I always warn customers that they WILL have some set stains and ALWAYS give a estimate on Color Sealing with my bid.


Doing so after the job makes you look like a bait and switch so be careful how you present it to her.

 

[Jim Martin]

cleaning dirty tile is a crap shoot.........you just never know what may be lurking under all the build up.....and I do everything I can to let the people know this.........

 

[Johnny]

I explain that grout will not look perfect with cleaning and clear-seal. Only color-seal will give a perfect result. I do very little clear-sealing any more.

 

[tmdry]

Only color-seal will give a perfect result.

Bingo.

 

[alazo1]

I did one today that did'nt respond as well as I'd like. I told the customer after the first small bathroom. She ok'd me doing the rest. Later when I asked what she cleans with she says "water". 8 years and cleaning with water, yeah that will work. Not even zerorez's empowered water will keep greasy kitchen tile clean shiteatinggrin . Honestly I always try to do a quick demo with the cleaner and brush before I bid, I did'nt on this one.

Albert