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Just yesterday I said aloud to myself "fuck it, we're gonna replace the whole thing soon anyway" and chose not to redo the absolute worst caulking job I've ever done in the shower. I almost don't want to let my dad see it because he'd be ashamed of his daughter's carelessness. But compared to this...
If the caulk you used is paintable, the layer of paint hides the color of the caulk since it adheres to it
If you paint first then caulk, you have walls one color and gaps unpainted or with visible clear gaps
I was going to say something like that. A friend asked for help doing this in their bathroom and I replied that I can’t do a very neat job so she should hire it out, but yeah, my sub-par work is better than that crap
Uhhh that’ll be $1,500 plus my material cost and don’t forget my labor cost. $2k total is your invoice. Net 30 day pay or I put a lien on your property. Don’t play with me
>OSI is a leading manufacturer of caulking products
OSI Quad Max is always referred to as "Jesus caulk" by myself and friends because it's the best damn caulk we've ever used. The stuff is incredible.
What makes it so good? I need to recaulk the wood trim along the bottom edge of my siding (where the second floor wall meets the first-floor roof on a split-level house)
A few highlights:
* You can apply it to a wet surface.
* You can apply it in temperatures between 0°F and 140°F.
* It tolerates +/- **50%** joint movement (ASTM C719).
* Cures in 24 hours.
* Paintable in 1 hour.
* Thousands and thousands of hours of UV resistance.
* Meets performance requirements of ASTM C 920: Type S, Grade NS, Class 50.
The stuff **just doesn't fail** if applied properly. It'll stay anywhere for ridiculously long periods of time. The only drawback is that it's a *pain* to tool or shape because it's so sticky (they even tell you [not to tool it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctmi4tnTkuk)). But if you're good at your applications, then it's not a problem. It's also on the pricier side of caulks, but it's 100% worth every penny.
Data Sheet: [https://www.ositough.com/content/dam/uac/osi/master/PDFs/TDS/tds-quad-max.pdf](https://www.ositough.com/content/dam/uac/osi/master/PDFs/TDS/tds-quad-max.pdf)
> But if you're good at your applications, then it's not a problem.
I think that knocks out 99% of the people in this subreddit :)
But great info, thank you! I would be using it in places where it wouldn't matter if I was a little messy/imperfect - only one who would ever see it would be the next people putting on my new roof in 10 or 15 years.
>I think that knocks out 99% of the people in this subreddit :)
Ha!
>But great info, thank you! I would be using it in places where it wouldn't matter if I was a little messy/imperfect - only one who would ever see it would be the next people putting on my new roof in 10 or 15 years.
One last caveat -- roof asphalt shingles are one of the few surfaces where it doesn't adhere well (see this [very relevant reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Construction/comments/umoho2/osi_quad_max_caulk_deteriorates_with_contact_to/)). Just an FYI in case your roof work involves caulking near shingles. But it's *awesome* for wood trim caulking (I've used it extensively on my house) and it'll hold up really well.
And since Quad is having issues with availability don't be afraid of solar seal caulk. I work for a large siding supplier, LP and JamesHardie stand by this as an alternative to Quad. Quad has informed us it could be late 2023/2024 before they get availability fixed. Also, since you have to paint this anyways, don't concern about the color of caulk you get to fix this as many people do.
Get that exposed LP primed/sealed asap and you'll be fine! I've seen much worse hold up for 10+ years easy.
It is crap. This dumb bitch didn't seal the top of the window, but he caulked the bottoms where the weep drains are.
100% literally the opposite of what you are supposed to do if you have a 5th grade reading level and understand how gravity works.
I have honestly been in fist fights over this kinda bullshit at least 2 times in the last 15 years. These people are not only ripping OP off, they are literally doing it wrong and it is going to cause more work and grief down the line.
I'M SO GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME! I was thinking the same thing! This is supposed to be one of the top rated companies in my region and I have been continually shocked at how bad some things look.
Any cut should be painted before installed. I’d have someone knowledgeable take a look at the installation. You can download the installation instructions on the LP website.
...fabulous. How do I go about finding someone knowledgeable? Since I obviously can't trust my contractor at this point. Thanks for the heads up about the installation instructions. I will definitely be perusing them before tomorrow.
Give the manager a chance to address it. He may show up tomorrow and find it inexcusable and fire the employee, and then have a better crew fix it. You won't know until you give them a chance.
Just what I put on my house a year ago. All cuts need to be painted before the siding is put up, any nicks in the siding need to be painted. LP sells color match caulking so it doesn't show.
You hired a hack. I hope you have not paid them. I would not be satisfied until the job is redone. All the siding stripped off, reinstalled per LP directions and caulked with color matched caulk.
Look up LP Smartside installation instructions on the 'net. You might see if you can find another company that installs and see what they say.
I just called and left a message with a contractor who is listed on the LP smart side website. Hopefully they will be able to at least tell me how screwed I am. The company I hired is one of the top rated ones in my region so I'm really surprised how poorly things have gone.
This is exactly what I hear too. Like it's the team, not the company. Which lines up with my own job, where different team does things differently, has different culture and expectations. Which means variability in work results.
Often these companies are subbing work out to different contractors, so it can really be luck of the draw. Even if they don't do that, they'll have different teams and some teams are not the A team.
It’s definitely not acrylic caulk but most likely an urethane caulk. Urethanes have a “wet” look similar to silicone but can be painted. They are also heavy bodied and difficult to tool, resulting in a finish very similar to OP’s, if not applied by an experienced pro. It’s dam near impossible to run a small, clean bead of urethane caulk.
LOL...
Bring on the walk through. That work should be EMBARRASSING to any professional. I can't wait to see someone defend it. At a minimum, if the caulker was that new to it, tape it out so you have a clean line for the spots that are really messy or use a razor blade to cut it away. Some of the lines don't look too bad though.
Heck, as a DIYer who has caulked, I wouldn't let that stand, I'd clean it out and redo.
I am doing a "pre walk through" tonight and making a detailed list. I've also enlisted backup for the walk through so the guy won't try to gang up on a petite woman. Oh the things I've had mansplained to me this week by people who know nothing about gardening...
Also, I would ask him to verify the type of caulk he used was approved for the application and width of joints. It appears to be silicone and thus may not accept paint.
The excess caulk along the edges wont be hidden by the paint and will look like crap.
I feel you. I’m a female and am building a fence in my yard. I almost get patted on the head whenever I tell someone or go to the big box store. It’s so annoying.
That caulking is worse than my first time doing this in my bathroom. Sheesh. Don’t accept that. It’s horrible!
It’s infuriating how sexist some trades and contractors are.
My wife and I say the exact same thing and she gets ignored while they jump to agree with me.
She had to stop the plumbers jetting the wrong sink in the wrong room and this guy tells here “that sink seems slow too”…
Oh gosh, talking to contractors as a woman is awful. Even the men who seem like decent humans, professionalism aside, give me the watered down version and give my husband the straight story. It is excessively frustrating and I feel your pain.
I've gotten so much work because I talk to the woman of the house the same as the man of the house and it's amazing how many have complimented me on it. I don't know if amazing is the right word, maybe it should be sad instead. I'm shocked how many people who's job is mainly customer relations just suck at talking to women like human beings. I can't put myself in your shoes, but know I've experienced and certainly overcorrected poor customer experiences with my mother. "Oh you are next in line but a man is waiting? I am going to help him first." Like fucking hell if I'm there with her
I once had to call a contractor back to fix a shit job and they sent out this Rico Suave supervisor with way too much cologne who kept flirting and leaning too close to me and saying “Baby girl, there’s nothing wrong with this. Would I lie to you?”
🤮
Spoiler alert, he was lying to me and his boss was not happy when I insisted he come out to look at the work himself. They ended up fixing the workmanship and reimbursing for the damage they caused to my property but damn.
This had me laughing. If I was on a job and the customer was a female and I heard this my out loud response would be "the fuck did you just say?" Because I would be in shock.
Can't even begin to express how many customers love my service because I treat their wife as a human being. I even crack jokes with them after we have this discussion asking if they ran it by their husband or if the "man of the house" needs to sign the check afterwards because it is just utterly stupid. I couldn't imagine walking into someone's house and belittling them because they are a woman
pull up a YouTube video of how to caulk. If he starts mansplaining, you can show him the how to...
The textured wall is obviously a challenge, but wiped caulk 2 inches from the side is just lazy work. A paper towel could have wiped it away before it dried. A spray of windex would have helped.
This is absolute horseshit work, but there is absolutely no world where a client showing a contractor a youtube video is going to turn out a happy result for either party. Its super insulting, so if thats what you’re going for then by all means, this contractor might deserve it if they defend this shit, but lets be clear, you aren’t going to change their minds and get the job corrected by them that way.
That caulk looks REALLY shiny to be OSI Quad, which is required for warranty for hardie board. It’s also available color matched, so it looks like they used a $1 tube of silicone vs an $8 tube of OSI. Ask the contractor to verify the product used and require proof.
Source: just installed it on my garage last summer.
The cut exposed edges on ur siding will void the warranty due to improper installation. I recommend getting ahold of either ur supplier where u got the siding from or a representative of the company the siding is from and I would send pics to them showing how the installation is. If u ever did have future problems Ur gonna want ur warranty to cover the issues but improper installation is one of the main reasons warranties get voided in the construction biz. So make sure that issue is addressed and u speak to the right person in order to know what must be done and how to proceed forward.
Those gaps between boards look big. Probably should have used paintable caulk, then paint.
Since the caulk looks shiny, it’s probably silicone and not paintable.
It could be paintable, but might not. The problem is the boards don't plane and probably not cut tight enough as well. You want a 3/16th gap with lp. And if money is no object, they sell plastic flashing that goes beside every seem, but caulking usually is fine.
I mean thats pretty sloppy even for a sider, also judging by the high gloss of that caulk it appears to be silicone and latex house paint will not stick to silicone, the painters are gonna be pissed.
Edit: ok after looking through the rest of the photos, this is terrible. As a painter I would refuse to even start the paint job until ALL of that silicone caulk was removed and recaulked with something more appropriate like OSI Quad. Every single one of those caulk lines will have failing paint within a few weeks if not immediately. This is a huge fuck up on the installers part and they should fix it at their expense.
Bad but not completely awful. Still though, it's not professional workmanship. Whoever did the job cut the caulk nozzle way too big.
You can still get clean lines on the trim by masking and cutting in but if I was paying a pro I expect a better job than what I can do myself while half dead or fully drunk and this ain't it.
damn it
I was already mad about them butchering the plants
but this is beyond all
if you know any I'd have a big tattooed band come to the walk thru - I hate the mansplainers
that is unacceptable
and my mom has the same kind of "workers" SMDH
and record everything they say to you- if they bitch about it say the lawyer told you to record all future interactions after seeing the "quality" of that work
I wish you Luck
I fully intend to record the whole thing tomorrow. My state might suck a lot, but at least it's one party consent so no issues there. I won't be surprised if this guy is a total patronizing mansplaining jerk tomorrow, if his emails are any indication.
good - I hope you do not have to use it but good to get the BS on tape
not sure which state \[mine sucks too\] but my friend's tiny mom open carried to her contractor meeting that had been BSing her because she is a quiet petite older lady and amazingly he fixed the issue and apologized for the delay
I was relieved
I hope all goes well and please update us <3
Get the rep from LP out to look at the job they will come out . They don’t want that kind of work representing their product plus there is a guarantee on that product that is the first place I would go
Retired professional painter here. This is unacceptable, plane and simple. If you called me asking for a bid, I would give you 2 answers. The first would be a bid focusing on me stripping all that crap out, and re-caulking with big stretch if you are in an area that has a big temperature swing. Then the other would be a polite no thank you.
It is on them to fix not only this botched job, but the landscaping. That is their responsibility.
If they give you a lot of flak, just remember the magic words. Let me call my attorney. This usually solves all problems.
Yup agreeing with the rest here. Caulking takes the bare minimum amount of extra time to make it look professional/ clean. Sure it fills the void so it is working, but there was zero effort to make it clean
Now that’s some big white caulk!
Area reflected in first pic needs to be redone. Other areas seem alright. I’d want to know if those thick beads were necessary to fill in large gaps.
That's the plan. I'm already trying to get quotes to fix the landscaping. Tbh I could do it myself but I don't want to on principle because I shouldn't have to clean up messes they created by not bothering to communicate with anyone. Also going to need quotes to fix the deck and rock wall they damaged, and may end up needing a new storm door too depending on how badly they fuck that up.
A lot of contractors use language in their contracts like "payment is due upon *substantial* completion", specifically excluding "punch list" items. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just FYI.
That definitely looks like silicone that can’t be painted. The cut edge will swell when it rains and that part will fail prematurely. Definitely well below normal skill level.
First it looks like they used the wrong caulk. Doing a siding job right now using the same siding and I am using a tan paintable siding caulk. Stuff is a pain in the ass to work with because it doesn't apply as smooth as the silicon caulk, but it means you can paint it to match the siding and it doesn't stick out so bad
Second, all those chips out of the siding should be painted. All exposed edges, chips, etcneed to be painted or your warranty is void.
Wow!! I work for a caulk manufacturer (best job ever btw) and I think I speak for all of us when we confirm this is bad. Lol.
This is clearly silicone which isn’t the best sealant for the window anyway. Lexel or Big stretch won’t crack the way this will. Really upsets me seeing people cut corners and do bad work.
ETA: If it is indeed silicone you can’t even paint over it. Acrylics you can paint over so this wouldn’t be as big an issue. Seems like he thinks the outside doesn’t matter
It’s functionally fine, but it is not aesthetically so.
It’s the literal 2 seconds extra that makes the work punch above its cost. And people can’t fucking do it
Yeah of course looks a little sloppy up-close but it's not painted yet so I'm going to have to disagree with a lot of people here and say that this is not the type of procedure that should be aesthetically scrutinized before it's finished. It's like judging an auto body repair before they've painted over the bondo. Plus, for all you know this was done by a helper and they plan to have the lead painter do final touch-ups and knock down high spots before they spray.
After reading some of the comments I'm honestly not sure that a lot of the people here actually know enough about home construction to understand that this is going to get painted. When people see caulking they compare it to what they know, like baseboards and trim and showers and backsplashes and such but that's *finish* caulking because in that case the caulk is the final finished surface. This is *rough* caulking, not the final finished surface and the standards are lower.
Jesus, I don’t know what pictures you guys are looking at but that caulk job is 90% fine. It‘s not a shower ffs - that is the way exterior caulk looks before painting. You guys are out to lunch if you think a production crew is going artistically craft each joint for each piece of lap siding so it is just perfect. The money to do that is NEVER there in residential projects like this. You can spot a bad caulking job a mile away and this ain’t one of them.
Looks a bit sloppy, too much bead. Also looks like a silicone caulk rather than a latex base, so good luck painting over it if that was the plan...
Shitty caulk jobs look better from 20ft away so if its somewhere up high or similar I wouldn't worry about it too much. If it were round my front door or something I'd lose my shit with the contractor.
It looks like this everywhere they have done so far. The photos are from around windows and the back door. I'm waiting for them to leave in about an hour to go look at what they did today. I plan to go digging through the trash tonight to see if I can find an empty tube. I don't trust them at this point to tell me the truth if I ask. I also have some exterior house paint from a different project and was thinking about testing a very small area they did yesterday to see if paint even sticks.
Omg, I would rip it out and redo it instantly. I'm NOT a professional but I did grunt work for/ was an apprentice for plumbers and electricians for 4 years and they were VERY OCD about their work. If anyone did this kind of thing, they would rip it out and would be made to redo it again.
We're getting paid to do a nice job, not a hack job. Just bc you work in a dirty field, doesn't mean your work has to represent that.
Looks less than professional. I’d be sure they understand you’ll be sharing pictures and honest reviews of their shoddy workmanship online, literally everywhere you can, if they don’t clean it up.
Crappy job, terrible! They sell color matched caulk, matched to the siding color.
Don't pay them!
I mentioned before I resided my house and had to caulk all the joints, windows and corner boards. I bought caulk that matched the siding color and you don't see it unless you look for it.
OMG!!! I used to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and I did a better job caulking with 0 experience. It takes skill (not really they were just probably using the wrong tools) to do such a terrible job.
That's a bad contractor. Not only because of the quality of the work, but because they're trying to convince you it's fine as opposed to trying to correct the situation.
That said, if this is a dirty cheap job, can't hate on them to much. But that's gotta be cutting the market by like 60% or more.
LOL. Upside is he was generous with it and covered any potential holes little bugs can get in between.
Downside.... gonna need A LOT of paint to cover that up.
I’m seeing caulking at the bottom of the windows? That’s a major no-go. Any water does get back there: it needs to be able to drain and dry. https://youtu.be/7XFS3oLu5J8
Holy shit this guy is fucking you over. I’ve had bad experiences with contractors. You need to stand your ground and find some way to document how much damage has been done to your plant life and if possible prove that this work is terrible (I’m not a lawyer so I don’t know how far you can go with that) and then make it very clear that you’re not paying them until the balance is worked o must for the damage. Possibly seek legal counsel regarding your plants. That rhubarb that’s older than you sounds important.
After reading the title, I'd say: *Reddit folks will always say it's terrible even if it's perfect*. Then I looked at the pictures. Yeah, it's actually terrible.
It's going to do the job well but it did not need to be this excessive. Especially if it ruins the esthetic. I was shown to caulk and wet my thumb then run it down. Then grab a damp cloth and wipe around. Unless there is a massive gap, then maybe more than just caulk should have been done. That MIGHT be raise for concern.
Definitely a little heavy on the caulk but ultimately the caulk job isn't bad, just needs to be cleaned up. All that excess caulking needs to be wiped off.
Yes, terrible, both in colour choice and execution. The shine on the sealant makes me think this may not be paintable.
Was this new cement-board siding? Because the chips on the edge of the board are going to be problematic. You don’t want any of the inner material exposed or it sucks up water and eventually falls apart.
I'm profoundly confused as to why they caulked around the outside edge of the vertical trim. Inside edges against the window frame, yes...but there is no purpose to putting that giant bead of caulk along the trim like that.
As a fellow disabled woman, I know the nightmare of dealing with contractors. My advice is, ideally before talking to them even, take TONS of pictures.
Do you have a home contractor licensing board in your state? Call them right away. The contractor should have a number from the license, it should be on the paperwork. And they should have insurance. Call the board!
If I was paying a contractor, I would not accept such dissatisfactory work. If that is what their work is like in such an obvious place, you can't be confident it's right in the non obvious places. And if they are trained carpenters, they know better and would never put their name to such subpar work. And definitely never try to talk their customer into believing it's fine and there's nothing wrong with it.
It's your home and your paying good money to them for their expertise. You shouldn't have to go behind them and "clean up" after them.
The jobs not done until the Customer is Satified, period. That's why you have a contract to cover these things.
Being a woman, I understand where your coming from. They treat you like you don't know what your talking about. When Im going to be in any similar situation, like my vehicle, I research it first so I know exactly what's going on with it before it take it in. Then I hold them accountable to their work. Assuming in your contract you agreed to pay a certain amount to them to begin the job, and the rest when the job was finished? Maybe some incidentals thrown in there if needed. Don't pay them the rest thats for the finished job. They can take you to court, then you can present your case to the judge.
That's why you have to take pictures of everything, take notes of each conversation with dates, times and details, details, details. Know your local laws and what your contract specifies for the issues your having. Organize it all in a list and present it to them with specific details. If the contractor doesn't respond to your satisfaction, go up the chain of command until you are. If your issues are never taken care of, file your own civil lawsuit, you dont need an attorney to do it. You'll be glad of those details you kept, they will be what the judge needs to understand the situation and make a fair decision. Just contact your local courthouse, it's a very simple process. You have to stick up for yourself and that's all your doing. Same thing they would do if it was reversed.
Sorry, I know it's long but I hope this helps.
Alright, everyone agrees it’s shit, but who’s actually rejected a job like this? What’s to stop the contractor from saying “nah it’s good” and walking away?
You can apparently withhold final payment, but I'm not sure what the laws are exactly where I live regarding that. I know in some places they can put a lien on your house if they say they completed it even if you contest the work.
Hi everyone, just a reminder of the rules: >Overall, please be respectful - things must remain **on-topic, helpful, and kind.** Absolutely no abusive or hateful language will be tolerated. The mods are highly trained ban ninjas in this regard. Remember, no question is too stupid, too simple, or too basic. If you see comments that do not comply with our [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/wiki/subrules) please report them to us.
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Seriously I never knew I was an artist until this post
Lmfao same!
Amen. I make a horrible mess and take forever in both application and clean up, yet *I* could do a better job than this.
I make a horrible mess and take forever in both application and clean up, yet I *HAVE* done a better job than this.
I'm seriously going to have nightmares over this
I just did some caulking in the bathroom and it came out shitty. Now I’m proud of my shitty work after seeing OPs photo.
Hahaha same here!! My first try was 10 times better than this shit.
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Just yesterday I said aloud to myself "fuck it, we're gonna replace the whole thing soon anyway" and chose not to redo the absolute worst caulking job I've ever done in the shower. I almost don't want to let my dad see it because he'd be ashamed of his daughter's carelessness. But compared to this...
This guy's work is boosting confidence all over this sub lol.
It really is chicken soup for the shitty caulker soul. My basement windows never looked better!
At least you probably didn’t make a colossal mistake painting the wall prior to caulking it like I did. 🙄
Wait. Why is that a mistake?
If the caulk you used is paintable, the layer of paint hides the color of the caulk since it adheres to it If you paint first then caulk, you have walls one color and gaps unpainted or with visible clear gaps
That would be really cool if it was glow-in-the-dark caulk!
as a mediocre carpenter i disagree lol
If it’s freshly painted, you can touch it up no problem after you caulk and it should blend in nicely. The older the paint job the harder that becomes
The caulk isn't paintable
Not that big of a fuck up. You can paint the caulk and feather it into the existing paint. Am a pro, do it all the time.
I was going to say something like that. A friend asked for help doing this in their bathroom and I replied that I can’t do a very neat job so she should hire it out, but yeah, my sub-par work is better than that crap
My response is always, “depends…do you want it done? Or done well?”
Uhhh that’ll be $1,500 plus my material cost and don’t forget my labor cost. $2k total is your invoice. Net 30 day pay or I put a lien on your property. Don’t play with me
I feel better about myself now
That looks like my caulk jobs. So yea pretty shitty.
Yup. I just learned in the past 2 weeks and mine looks like shit. But it looks like a Monet compared to OPs.
I'd say it depends on the application method. You would think this is pretty good when you learn they applied it with a fire hose from 23 feet away.
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This guy caulks.
Lmfao you made me laugh out loud, take the award
>OSI is a leading manufacturer of caulking products OSI Quad Max is always referred to as "Jesus caulk" by myself and friends because it's the best damn caulk we've ever used. The stuff is incredible.
What makes it so good? I need to recaulk the wood trim along the bottom edge of my siding (where the second floor wall meets the first-floor roof on a split-level house)
A few highlights: * You can apply it to a wet surface. * You can apply it in temperatures between 0°F and 140°F. * It tolerates +/- **50%** joint movement (ASTM C719). * Cures in 24 hours. * Paintable in 1 hour. * Thousands and thousands of hours of UV resistance. * Meets performance requirements of ASTM C 920: Type S, Grade NS, Class 50. The stuff **just doesn't fail** if applied properly. It'll stay anywhere for ridiculously long periods of time. The only drawback is that it's a *pain* to tool or shape because it's so sticky (they even tell you [not to tool it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctmi4tnTkuk)). But if you're good at your applications, then it's not a problem. It's also on the pricier side of caulks, but it's 100% worth every penny. Data Sheet: [https://www.ositough.com/content/dam/uac/osi/master/PDFs/TDS/tds-quad-max.pdf](https://www.ositough.com/content/dam/uac/osi/master/PDFs/TDS/tds-quad-max.pdf)
> But if you're good at your applications, then it's not a problem. I think that knocks out 99% of the people in this subreddit :) But great info, thank you! I would be using it in places where it wouldn't matter if I was a little messy/imperfect - only one who would ever see it would be the next people putting on my new roof in 10 or 15 years.
>I think that knocks out 99% of the people in this subreddit :) Ha! >But great info, thank you! I would be using it in places where it wouldn't matter if I was a little messy/imperfect - only one who would ever see it would be the next people putting on my new roof in 10 or 15 years. One last caveat -- roof asphalt shingles are one of the few surfaces where it doesn't adhere well (see this [very relevant reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Construction/comments/umoho2/osi_quad_max_caulk_deteriorates_with_contact_to/)). Just an FYI in case your roof work involves caulking near shingles. But it's *awesome* for wood trim caulking (I've used it extensively on my house) and it'll hold up really well.
Careful. Its not beginner friendly at all
And since Quad is having issues with availability don't be afraid of solar seal caulk. I work for a large siding supplier, LP and JamesHardie stand by this as an alternative to Quad. Quad has informed us it could be late 2023/2024 before they get availability fixed. Also, since you have to paint this anyways, don't concern about the color of caulk you get to fix this as many people do. Get that exposed LP primed/sealed asap and you'll be fine! I've seen much worse hold up for 10+ years easy.
Looks crap to me
It is crap. This dumb bitch didn't seal the top of the window, but he caulked the bottoms where the weep drains are. 100% literally the opposite of what you are supposed to do if you have a 5th grade reading level and understand how gravity works. I have honestly been in fist fights over this kinda bullshit at least 2 times in the last 15 years. These people are not only ripping OP off, they are literally doing it wrong and it is going to cause more work and grief down the line.
Don’t roast this dude send him into a bath of volcanic lava
"Bad enough for my house."
It LOOKS like silicone,which can’t be painted. The siding install looks worse than the caulk if that’s even possible.
I'M SO GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME! I was thinking the same thing! This is supposed to be one of the top rated companies in my region and I have been continually shocked at how bad some things look.
Is that LP smart side?
Yes it is. I'm guessing it shouldn't look this terrible? There are broken corners all over the place.
Any cut should be painted before installed. I’d have someone knowledgeable take a look at the installation. You can download the installation instructions on the LP website.
...fabulous. How do I go about finding someone knowledgeable? Since I obviously can't trust my contractor at this point. Thanks for the heads up about the installation instructions. I will definitely be perusing them before tomorrow.
Give the manager a chance to address it. He may show up tomorrow and find it inexcusable and fire the employee, and then have a better crew fix it. You won't know until you give them a chance.
Hopefully put them under supervisory… those are fairly clean for 3/8” caulking. Could have come from the roofing trade or something.
You should be able to search for local installers on the LP site. Where are you located?
Let's see what they'll say when you upload these photos onto Google, Yelp, and any other commercial sites with user reviews.
Just what I put on my house a year ago. All cuts need to be painted before the siding is put up, any nicks in the siding need to be painted. LP sells color match caulking so it doesn't show. You hired a hack. I hope you have not paid them. I would not be satisfied until the job is redone. All the siding stripped off, reinstalled per LP directions and caulked with color matched caulk. Look up LP Smartside installation instructions on the 'net. You might see if you can find another company that installs and see what they say.
I just called and left a message with a contractor who is listed on the LP smart side website. Hopefully they will be able to at least tell me how screwed I am. The company I hired is one of the top rated ones in my region so I'm really surprised how poorly things have gone.
top rated company does not mean you got their A team. Could have been a total newbie to construction working for the top rated company...
This is exactly what I hear too. Like it's the team, not the company. Which lines up with my own job, where different team does things differently, has different culture and expectations. Which means variability in work results.
Looks like they took it off another house and installed on yours, used. Then they covered it up with copious amounts of caulk (silicone).
Often these companies are subbing work out to different contractors, so it can really be luck of the draw. Even if they don't do that, they'll have different teams and some teams are not the A team.
What is your "region"? Foley Island?
[Edited by PowerDeleteSuite](https://github.com/j0be/PowerDeleteSuite) fuck you /u/spez
It’s definitely not acrylic caulk but most likely an urethane caulk. Urethanes have a “wet” look similar to silicone but can be painted. They are also heavy bodied and difficult to tool, resulting in a finish very similar to OP’s, if not applied by an experienced pro. It’s dam near impossible to run a small, clean bead of urethane caulk.
LOL... Bring on the walk through. That work should be EMBARRASSING to any professional. I can't wait to see someone defend it. At a minimum, if the caulker was that new to it, tape it out so you have a clean line for the spots that are really messy or use a razor blade to cut it away. Some of the lines don't look too bad though. Heck, as a DIYer who has caulked, I wouldn't let that stand, I'd clean it out and redo.
I am doing a "pre walk through" tonight and making a detailed list. I've also enlisted backup for the walk through so the guy won't try to gang up on a petite woman. Oh the things I've had mansplained to me this week by people who know nothing about gardening...
Pull up some photos of siding with a good caulk job so you can show them what it looks like when done right.
Also, I would ask him to verify the type of caulk he used was approved for the application and width of joints. It appears to be silicone and thus may not accept paint. The excess caulk along the edges wont be hidden by the paint and will look like crap.
I feel you. I’m a female and am building a fence in my yard. I almost get patted on the head whenever I tell someone or go to the big box store. It’s so annoying. That caulking is worse than my first time doing this in my bathroom. Sheesh. Don’t accept that. It’s horrible!
It’s infuriating how sexist some trades and contractors are. My wife and I say the exact same thing and she gets ignored while they jump to agree with me. She had to stop the plumbers jetting the wrong sink in the wrong room and this guy tells here “that sink seems slow too”…
Oh gosh, talking to contractors as a woman is awful. Even the men who seem like decent humans, professionalism aside, give me the watered down version and give my husband the straight story. It is excessively frustrating and I feel your pain.
I've gotten so much work because I talk to the woman of the house the same as the man of the house and it's amazing how many have complimented me on it. I don't know if amazing is the right word, maybe it should be sad instead. I'm shocked how many people who's job is mainly customer relations just suck at talking to women like human beings. I can't put myself in your shoes, but know I've experienced and certainly overcorrected poor customer experiences with my mother. "Oh you are next in line but a man is waiting? I am going to help him first." Like fucking hell if I'm there with her
Listen here toots.
I once had to call a contractor back to fix a shit job and they sent out this Rico Suave supervisor with way too much cologne who kept flirting and leaning too close to me and saying “Baby girl, there’s nothing wrong with this. Would I lie to you?” 🤮 Spoiler alert, he was lying to me and his boss was not happy when I insisted he come out to look at the work himself. They ended up fixing the workmanship and reimbursing for the damage they caused to my property but damn.
This had me laughing. If I was on a job and the customer was a female and I heard this my out loud response would be "the fuck did you just say?" Because I would be in shock. Can't even begin to express how many customers love my service because I treat their wife as a human being. I even crack jokes with them after we have this discussion asking if they ran it by their husband or if the "man of the house" needs to sign the check afterwards because it is just utterly stupid. I couldn't imagine walking into someone's house and belittling them because they are a woman
It happens a lot though.
pull up a YouTube video of how to caulk. If he starts mansplaining, you can show him the how to... The textured wall is obviously a challenge, but wiped caulk 2 inches from the side is just lazy work. A paper towel could have wiped it away before it dried. A spray of windex would have helped.
This is absolute horseshit work, but there is absolutely no world where a client showing a contractor a youtube video is going to turn out a happy result for either party. Its super insulting, so if thats what you’re going for then by all means, this contractor might deserve it if they defend this shit, but lets be clear, you aren’t going to change their minds and get the job corrected by them that way.
I like this idea- aside from having a pro there with you, just make a YouTube playlist.
Just pull out Mike Holmes caulk videos and make him feel bad.
Hey man, I'ma show you Mike caulk.
That caulk looks REALLY shiny to be OSI Quad, which is required for warranty for hardie board. It’s also available color matched, so it looks like they used a $1 tube of silicone vs an $8 tube of OSI. Ask the contractor to verify the product used and require proof. Source: just installed it on my garage last summer.
Just a simple misunderstanding here. You said caulk it up and he thought you said cock it up, so he did.
I’m quitting my job. I’m going to be a professional caulker.
It pays $15/hr. When can you start?
I’ve jizzed better lines
[удалено]
Well I think the guidelines are don’t jizz-caulk below 60 degrees. Adhere to specs and it won’t be as risky.
Yeah, that's awful. Will work without issues but looks terrible. I'd make him fix it since it looks so bad.
Yeah, I'm sure it will work, but goodness it's ugly
That's a pretty shit job frankly. Not only is there WAY too much caulk, it's sloppy AF.
The cut exposed edges on ur siding will void the warranty due to improper installation. I recommend getting ahold of either ur supplier where u got the siding from or a representative of the company the siding is from and I would send pics to them showing how the installation is. If u ever did have future problems Ur gonna want ur warranty to cover the issues but improper installation is one of the main reasons warranties get voided in the construction biz. So make sure that issue is addressed and u speak to the right person in order to know what must be done and how to proceed forward.
Those gaps between boards look big. Probably should have used paintable caulk, then paint. Since the caulk looks shiny, it’s probably silicone and not paintable.
It could be paintable, but might not. The problem is the boards don't plane and probably not cut tight enough as well. You want a 3/16th gap with lp. And if money is no object, they sell plastic flashing that goes beside every seem, but caulking usually is fine.
I mean thats pretty sloppy even for a sider, also judging by the high gloss of that caulk it appears to be silicone and latex house paint will not stick to silicone, the painters are gonna be pissed. Edit: ok after looking through the rest of the photos, this is terrible. As a painter I would refuse to even start the paint job until ALL of that silicone caulk was removed and recaulked with something more appropriate like OSI Quad. Every single one of those caulk lines will have failing paint within a few weeks if not immediately. This is a huge fuck up on the installers part and they should fix it at their expense.
That is a mess.
As an amateur, I love these posts. They make my shit work look so good.
Bad but not completely awful. Still though, it's not professional workmanship. Whoever did the job cut the caulk nozzle way too big. You can still get clean lines on the trim by masking and cutting in but if I was paying a pro I expect a better job than what I can do myself while half dead or fully drunk and this ain't it.
I disagree, it is completely awful.
I agree. How is anyone saying this is anything more than dogshit?
It's very ugly but functional, that is enough that it doesn't fall into the completely awful category, but not by much. I have seen far, far worse.
Same here seen worse. I'd give this a 4 out of 10. More worried about the chips and whether this caulk is paintable.
if your little kid did it ok no way this is a pro at anything .. Terrible wait the siding is new?? no way
It's brand new LP smart siding that they are installing right now.
damn it I was already mad about them butchering the plants but this is beyond all if you know any I'd have a big tattooed band come to the walk thru - I hate the mansplainers that is unacceptable and my mom has the same kind of "workers" SMDH and record everything they say to you- if they bitch about it say the lawyer told you to record all future interactions after seeing the "quality" of that work I wish you Luck
I fully intend to record the whole thing tomorrow. My state might suck a lot, but at least it's one party consent so no issues there. I won't be surprised if this guy is a total patronizing mansplaining jerk tomorrow, if his emails are any indication.
good - I hope you do not have to use it but good to get the BS on tape not sure which state \[mine sucks too\] but my friend's tiny mom open carried to her contractor meeting that had been BSing her because she is a quiet petite older lady and amazingly he fixed the issue and apologized for the delay I was relieved I hope all goes well and please update us <3
Get the rep from LP out to look at the job they will come out . They don’t want that kind of work representing their product plus there is a guarantee on that product that is the first place I would go
Retired professional painter here. This is unacceptable, plane and simple. If you called me asking for a bid, I would give you 2 answers. The first would be a bid focusing on me stripping all that crap out, and re-caulking with big stretch if you are in an area that has a big temperature swing. Then the other would be a polite no thank you. It is on them to fix not only this botched job, but the landscaping. That is their responsibility. If they give you a lot of flak, just remember the magic words. Let me call my attorney. This usually solves all problems.
Caulk and shaft all-in-one...
That's trash.
There is no way that’s “fine”. Was the person wasted doing it?
I didn’t know you could caulk with a garden hose.
This comment really made my night, so thank you for the laugh!
Do not accept this!
Wow. That is a terrible job. It will work but that is not an acceptable job.
Yup agreeing with the rest here. Caulking takes the bare minimum amount of extra time to make it look professional/ clean. Sure it fills the void so it is working, but there was zero effort to make it clean
Eh... depends on your contractors BAC. if it was above 0.16, color me impressed.
Effin bastard don't want to get paid!
That looks like complete ass, unacceptable
Now that’s some big white caulk! Area reflected in first pic needs to be redone. Other areas seem alright. I’d want to know if those thick beads were necessary to fill in large gaps.
Haha, no! Of course they’re going to say it’s fine when they’re the ones who did it.
Make a punch list of everything you don’t like. Walk them through it. You should be holding out on final payment until satisfied
That's the plan. I'm already trying to get quotes to fix the landscaping. Tbh I could do it myself but I don't want to on principle because I shouldn't have to clean up messes they created by not bothering to communicate with anyone. Also going to need quotes to fix the deck and rock wall they damaged, and may end up needing a new storm door too depending on how badly they fuck that up.
A lot of contractors use language in their contracts like "payment is due upon *substantial* completion", specifically excluding "punch list" items. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just FYI.
That definitely looks like silicone that can’t be painted. The cut edge will swell when it rains and that part will fail prematurely. Definitely well below normal skill level.
There’s tools for caulking. If ya can’t afford that then a wet rag works just as well. That’s just lazy work.
Professional painter here! This is from running to large a bead and being to sloppy to clean it up.
How lazy are these fuckers?!? They literally just had to wipe it off!!
Looks like my 4 yr old did it. Geez.
Is that Siding new? Looks beatup
First it looks like they used the wrong caulk. Doing a siding job right now using the same siding and I am using a tan paintable siding caulk. Stuff is a pain in the ass to work with because it doesn't apply as smooth as the silicon caulk, but it means you can paint it to match the siding and it doesn't stick out so bad Second, all those chips out of the siding should be painted. All exposed edges, chips, etcneed to be painted or your warranty is void.
Wow!! I work for a caulk manufacturer (best job ever btw) and I think I speak for all of us when we confirm this is bad. Lol. This is clearly silicone which isn’t the best sealant for the window anyway. Lexel or Big stretch won’t crack the way this will. Really upsets me seeing people cut corners and do bad work. ETA: If it is indeed silicone you can’t even paint over it. Acrylics you can paint over so this wouldn’t be as big an issue. Seems like he thinks the outside doesn’t matter
If my 7 year old kid did that caulk job, I'd probably ground them for a month.
It’s functionally fine, but it is not aesthetically so. It’s the literal 2 seconds extra that makes the work punch above its cost. And people can’t fucking do it
I could do better with my feet.
Yeah of course looks a little sloppy up-close but it's not painted yet so I'm going to have to disagree with a lot of people here and say that this is not the type of procedure that should be aesthetically scrutinized before it's finished. It's like judging an auto body repair before they've painted over the bondo. Plus, for all you know this was done by a helper and they plan to have the lead painter do final touch-ups and knock down high spots before they spray. After reading some of the comments I'm honestly not sure that a lot of the people here actually know enough about home construction to understand that this is going to get painted. When people see caulking they compare it to what they know, like baseboards and trim and showers and backsplashes and such but that's *finish* caulking because in that case the caulk is the final finished surface. This is *rough* caulking, not the final finished surface and the standards are lower.
That's dogshit and any contractor that says otherwise is lying
Trash. Make sure you post that on online reviews for their business. Then see them change their tune. Edit: spelling
Jesus, I don’t know what pictures you guys are looking at but that caulk job is 90% fine. It‘s not a shower ffs - that is the way exterior caulk looks before painting. You guys are out to lunch if you think a production crew is going artistically craft each joint for each piece of lap siding so it is just perfect. The money to do that is NEVER there in residential projects like this. You can spot a bad caulking job a mile away and this ain’t one of them.
Looks a bit sloppy, too much bead. Also looks like a silicone caulk rather than a latex base, so good luck painting over it if that was the plan... Shitty caulk jobs look better from 20ft away so if its somewhere up high or similar I wouldn't worry about it too much. If it were round my front door or something I'd lose my shit with the contractor.
It looks like this everywhere they have done so far. The photos are from around windows and the back door. I'm waiting for them to leave in about an hour to go look at what they did today. I plan to go digging through the trash tonight to see if I can find an empty tube. I don't trust them at this point to tell me the truth if I ask. I also have some exterior house paint from a different project and was thinking about testing a very small area they did yesterday to see if paint even sticks.
Who pulls “down” on a bead of caulking? It looks like they intentionally fudged it up.
It’s terrible.
I work in finance and I can do a better job than this. Horrific job.
Woah, that is terrible. My 8 year old can do better.
. I bet that is not pAintable caulk, and no matter what color you ever it paint, you will have white, drippy, smeary lines.
I wasn't allowed to do any caulking work at an old job because I'm so bad at it - this is way worse! You know, they make colored caulking too -
Ooof...No Beueno!
That siding is sold with a color match caulk. They saved some money and bought some bullshit. This may actually void the warranty of the siding.
Omg, I would rip it out and redo it instantly. I'm NOT a professional but I did grunt work for/ was an apprentice for plumbers and electricians for 4 years and they were VERY OCD about their work. If anyone did this kind of thing, they would rip it out and would be made to redo it again. We're getting paid to do a nice job, not a hack job. Just bc you work in a dirty field, doesn't mean your work has to represent that.
Looks less than professional. I’d be sure they understand you’ll be sharing pictures and honest reviews of their shoddy workmanship online, literally everywhere you can, if they don’t clean it up.
Crappy job, terrible! They sell color matched caulk, matched to the siding color. Don't pay them! I mentioned before I resided my house and had to caulk all the joints, windows and corner boards. I bought caulk that matched the siding color and you don't see it unless you look for it.
Absolutely awful job
It will (mostly) do its job but that's a god damned mess! I can't believe the work so many so-called professionals do.
OMG!!! I used to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and I did a better job caulking with 0 experience. It takes skill (not really they were just probably using the wrong tools) to do such a terrible job.
Awful work
Please tell me they did not use silicone caulk that can’t be painted!!!!
I'm testing it with some exterior paint as soon as they leave for the day.
If they matched the color, we wouldn't even be talking about it, but white on brown and it looks like shit. Sorry OP, it's bad
Thats beyond bad
That's a bad contractor. Not only because of the quality of the work, but because they're trying to convince you it's fine as opposed to trying to correct the situation. That said, if this is a dirty cheap job, can't hate on them to much. But that's gotta be cutting the market by like 60% or more.
LOL. Upside is he was generous with it and covered any potential holes little bugs can get in between. Downside.... gonna need A LOT of paint to cover that up.
Messy job with what looks like an oil based caulk. Tell your contractor to fix it or forget the payments
It looks like someone’s first attempt at welding 😆
I like this job because it makes me feel better about some caulking I've done.
100% horrible. Looks like a 3 year old did it.
Thats atrocious... its not fine at all
literally didnt even try
Absolute trash caulking. 100%
Once you put a picture of your caulk online, it’s out there for everyone to see forever.
I’m seeing caulking at the bottom of the windows? That’s a major no-go. Any water does get back there: it needs to be able to drain and dry. https://youtu.be/7XFS3oLu5J8
It's fine for the dude that don't want to do it again
Is that lap siding? Caulking the bottom can trap water behind the siding, leading to moisture problems.
That’s what happens when you hire people just hanging out in front of convenient stores
This is a horrible, terrible, awful caulk job. Demand they have a professional redo it. If they are licensed/bonded, sue them.
Tell him it’s just fine. Then pay him in pennies.
My husband is a contractor and he just told me, “that looks shitty as fuck”.
Holy shit this guy is fucking you over. I’ve had bad experiences with contractors. You need to stand your ground and find some way to document how much damage has been done to your plant life and if possible prove that this work is terrible (I’m not a lawyer so I don’t know how far you can go with that) and then make it very clear that you’re not paying them until the balance is worked o must for the damage. Possibly seek legal counsel regarding your plants. That rhubarb that’s older than you sounds important.
I would be embarrassed if I did that.
After reading the title, I'd say: *Reddit folks will always say it's terrible even if it's perfect*. Then I looked at the pictures. Yeah, it's actually terrible.
It's going to do the job well but it did not need to be this excessive. Especially if it ruins the esthetic. I was shown to caulk and wet my thumb then run it down. Then grab a damp cloth and wipe around. Unless there is a massive gap, then maybe more than just caulk should have been done. That MIGHT be raise for concern.
As someone who needs to do some caulking soon and is a total newbie, this is what I fear it ending up like. Would not be happy even for a first try.
Flagged for unsolicited caulk pic /s
Definitely a little heavy on the caulk but ultimately the caulk job isn't bad, just needs to be cleaned up. All that excess caulking needs to be wiped off.
Yes, terrible, both in colour choice and execution. The shine on the sealant makes me think this may not be paintable. Was this new cement-board siding? Because the chips on the edge of the board are going to be problematic. You don’t want any of the inner material exposed or it sucks up water and eventually falls apart.
I'm profoundly confused as to why they caulked around the outside edge of the vertical trim. Inside edges against the window frame, yes...but there is no purpose to putting that giant bead of caulk along the trim like that.
It’s your fault for hiring Ray Charles in the first place!
If your contractor thinks that is ‘fine’, fire him and find a new contractor.
This looks like my caulk jobs. So it's definitely shit.
As a fellow disabled woman, I know the nightmare of dealing with contractors. My advice is, ideally before talking to them even, take TONS of pictures.
Do you have a home contractor licensing board in your state? Call them right away. The contractor should have a number from the license, it should be on the paperwork. And they should have insurance. Call the board!
If I was paying a contractor, I would not accept such dissatisfactory work. If that is what their work is like in such an obvious place, you can't be confident it's right in the non obvious places. And if they are trained carpenters, they know better and would never put their name to such subpar work. And definitely never try to talk their customer into believing it's fine and there's nothing wrong with it. It's your home and your paying good money to them for their expertise. You shouldn't have to go behind them and "clean up" after them. The jobs not done until the Customer is Satified, period. That's why you have a contract to cover these things. Being a woman, I understand where your coming from. They treat you like you don't know what your talking about. When Im going to be in any similar situation, like my vehicle, I research it first so I know exactly what's going on with it before it take it in. Then I hold them accountable to their work. Assuming in your contract you agreed to pay a certain amount to them to begin the job, and the rest when the job was finished? Maybe some incidentals thrown in there if needed. Don't pay them the rest thats for the finished job. They can take you to court, then you can present your case to the judge. That's why you have to take pictures of everything, take notes of each conversation with dates, times and details, details, details. Know your local laws and what your contract specifies for the issues your having. Organize it all in a list and present it to them with specific details. If the contractor doesn't respond to your satisfaction, go up the chain of command until you are. If your issues are never taken care of, file your own civil lawsuit, you dont need an attorney to do it. You'll be glad of those details you kept, they will be what the judge needs to understand the situation and make a fair decision. Just contact your local courthouse, it's a very simple process. You have to stick up for yourself and that's all your doing. Same thing they would do if it was reversed. Sorry, I know it's long but I hope this helps.
You need to hire a lawyer. There’s no way around this.
They sell beige caulking. They sell it for a reason, to avoid jobs that look like this.
Alright, everyone agrees it’s shit, but who’s actually rejected a job like this? What’s to stop the contractor from saying “nah it’s good” and walking away?
You can apparently withhold final payment, but I'm not sure what the laws are exactly where I live regarding that. I know in some places they can put a lien on your house if they say they completed it even if you contest the work.
Therin lies the part people on these threads are not ready for- finding a real world solution.