posted
2 yrs ago my employee vinyl striped an RV for a RV repair place. She was trained to properly clean the surfaces before any install.
The RV repair place has just notifed me that the stripes aren't holding up. Wherever the stripes went 'overtop' another stripe, they aren't sticking well. Where the stripes are on the bare RV itself, it appears to be fine.
Most RV customers don't want to go to the expense of total removal of stripes before new ones are put on. I even let them know how to remove it themselves if my removal isn't in their budget, so they have different options. When I restripe overtop other stripes, I always let them know the stripes may not stick and the call is up to them, much like if a customer supplies me their own signboard.
Not having delt with this scenario myself, and my ex-employee won't remember all the details from 2 yrs ago, I retrieved the work order to see what the arrangement was. She noted that in some areas she went overtop old stripes but no mention of the customer's approval and understanding that the stripes may fail.
In all honesty, I've never had stripes over stripes fail before so this is a first. The RV repair's customer claims he wasn't offered the option of removal of stripes vs. leaving them on for a price reduction. (he wouldn't have gone for the removal because the RV place explained this customer wanted a 'good deal')
We didn't deal with the end customer ourselves at all. The dealings were all through the RV repair place.
As I see it, the stripes shouldn't fail in 2 years, but I would never have guaranteed this job in the first place, as you don't know what you're striping over. I guess the main dilemma is, who's responsible here? Yes, yes, yes, I know, write it in a contract. Well, that wasn't done in this case for some reason.
This RV place is no longer a customer of mine, however he's an honest type guy and admitted that he wasn't sure that he offered a verbal agreement that the stripes may fail to his customer.
Tricky situation. I'd love to hear how you'd handle it.
posted
Hi Donna. All you really have to do is to ask yourself, and your former RV customer how highly you value your professional reputations. Once you have that answer, you'll know what is the correct course to follow. Whenever a situation like this is in doubt, as to who may or may not be right, I try to remember that a dissatisfied or disgruntled client will tell 10 people of his perceived ill treatment. Look at this as one of the costs of delegating authority.
-------------------- Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail: kjmlhenry@rogers.com
Why do I get all those on-line offers to sell me Viagara, when the only thing hardening is my arteries ? Posts: 2684 | From: London,Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
Ken has made an exelent point, no argument there !
However, in regard to "who said or didn't say what", well, if you had applied the stripes over "just the painted surfaces" and 2 years later some of those areas failed due to poor paint, well, is it your fault ? how could you have known what quality job the painter did ?, why would you have felt the need to make your customer aware of "failure due to others' work quality ?
Now if the stripes YOU put on are comeing loose from the previous stripes thats a possible problem with your work, but if stripes that you put on are comeing loose with the "old stripes attached to them" then thats NOT your fault.
Kinda "grey" there, thats where Kens' advise is very relevent !
My 2 cents.
Roger
-------------------- Roger Bailey Rapid Tac Incorporated 186 Combs Dr. Merlin Oregon 97532 Posts: 3020 | From: Merlin Oregon | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
[QUOTE} The RV repair's customer claims he wasn't offered the option of removal of stripes vs. leaving them on for a price reduction. (he wouldn't have gone for the removal because the RV place explained this customer wanted a 'good deal') [/QUOTE]
Betcha a Trip to Tim hortons that the customer said "Just go over the old stripes! I don't plan on keeping it!"
I would go examine it, and if there is old stripe stuck to the new stuff, the old stripes failed! Then it's "Sorry fella, not my fault, it failed because you wouldn't pay for a proper job!"
Reputation is VERY important, BUT not enough to eat a job that's not your fault due to a cheapo customer! But that's only my opinion!
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
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"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I agree with Si. More than likely the guy wanted to get by as cheap as possible. Go take a look at it and see what looks like might have happened. Usually vinyl over vinyl is pretty steadfast.
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
Donna; you've gotten good advise so far... The real question is: are the old stripes failing? or are the new stripes failing where attached to old stripes; with the old stripes still attached properly? If your vinyl is failing, please update us, and inform which make & quality of vinyl it is...
-------------------- Brian Crothers CR Signs 1790 C Tamarac St. Campbell River B.C. V9W 3M6 briancrothers@crsigns.ca Posts: 82 | From: Campbell River B.C. Canada | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Just the NEW stripes are failing that went over top the old stripes. The old stripes are not failing. The owner just wanted a color change, and decided to go for it when part of the RV was damaged and repaired with new panels. Seemed the ideal time to continue covering the rest.
The only time I've ever run into a problem with layering is when using two different brands of vinyl. Avery has a large amount of plasticisers that rise to the top of the vinyl, keeping it pliable and dependable, however that creates a problem when you layer over them with another brand that doesn't have a super aggressive glue. Never layer over Avery with another brand. Lesson learned there!
Obviously I won't have any idea what brand of stripes were originally on this RV. However the stripes I used that failed were Prostripe, aka Sparcal, aka Avery, take your pick! With all the new Avery around, who knows what it originally was/is anymore. Over 1" thickness was used.
I've yet to see the RV myself, but when I do, I'll report my findings. I'm leaning towards replacing the failed stripes at my own expense, if THEY remove the old original stuff at theirs, as they didn't pay for the initial removal to begin with and obviously should have. But I'll know how better to proceed once seeing the unit. Stories over the phone can radically change when you see it in person as we all know!
Thanks for your input and am welcoming more. Aren't warranty jobs grand?!?
posted
Donna, you might be dealing with different expansion and contraction rates.
Factory RV decals are also screened often, I've seen many that have soaked in waxes and tephlon treatments. At these times I'd mask the areas and carefully prep with laquer thinner, then apply.
We like to back up our work, Our policy is if the product has lasted at least one year, this shows that it was applied correctly, beyond 1 year all other responsibility is on the manufactures of the products used in construction of project.
Myself, I'd repair it and let it serve as a reminder for the next one that comes through.
As mention before, It's alot easier having a great service reputation, verses someone complaining about you for the next 20 years.
Good Luck
[ June 30, 2002, 02:11 AM: Message edited by: Ron Percell ]
-------------------- Ron Percell Percell Signs 707-769-0639 Petaluma, California
posted
being he's a good customer... and you put the stripes over existing ones.. i'd say its an install problem... employee, probably didnt clean the stripes properly..... i;d help the guy out
-------------------- Del Badry philmdesign Sylvan Lake, Alberta Posts: 636 | From: Sylvan Lake, Alberta | Registered: Nov 1998
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