Damage to window sills.

[PG Clean]

Hi cleaned a regular customers house today. Two weeks ago they had all the white pvc sprayed grey. They said it could be cleaned as normal. Cleaned. Received photos of damage. Not cleaned them any differently to normal but they are livid. Obviously. I guess I'm looking at an insurance claim. Has anyone else had any problems with new painted pvc? Is it fit for purpose?

 

[Dave B]

That looks like it’s not been prepped properly prior to painting
If they told you to clean it like normal surely the problem is theirs not yours and they have relieved you of any responsibility
I wouldn’t entertain an insurance claim

 

[spruce]

Oh dear. I've wondered when someone will have this problem with painted upvc window frames.
If I look at my brush head, the edges are rough as they get 'damaged' by the brickwork surrounding the window frame on virtually every house we clean.

My son tends to scrub the bottom of the lower ground floor windows with his brush head vertically. This means the edge of his brush stock runs along the cill.

This one customer complained about the black marks his brush head left on the cill. As their window cills are standard white upvc frames, I went around each cill with Pink Stuff and removed the marks.

You can't do that with painted upvc window frames even if you need to remove a stain.

We now have a couple of painted frames on the round which I clean very tentatively. The one had her frames painted a pinky peach colour. They looked very nice to begin with, but they are looking very tatty now with marks our brushes won't remove.

I'm sorry you are in this situation, @PG Clean . This has reminded me that I need to have a chat with my lad again this morning regarding this very topic.

I do have an old Gardener cill brush on the van.

 

[Pjj]

we have a couple of customers that had dark brown frames that were a plastic film on white frames they have had them sprayed grey we clean them as normal and have had no issues but I have noticed that the original plastic film is starting to crack and peel up in places , don’t know if this is due to the paint or just natural aging of the film , I think it’s something that we need to be wary of as a thin coat of paint on a frame can be easily damaged and will stick out like a soar thumb especially with a dark colour sprayed on a white frame . Don’t know what to suggest really .

 

[Dave B]

we have a couple of customers that had dark brown frames that were a plastic film on white frames they have had them sprayed grey we clean them as normal and have had no issues but I have noticed that the original plastic film is starting to crack and peel up in places , don’t know if this is due to the paint or just natural aging of the film , I think it’s something that we need to be wary of as a thin coat of paint on a frame can be easily damaged and will stick out like a soar thumb especially with a dark colour sprayed on a white frame . Don’t know what to suggest really .

That brown film does delaminate with age
I have a couple like that and I just give it a spray whenever possible rather than scrub or very gently if dirty

 

[spruce]

We had a customer once whose conservatory was painted in a light coloured green. The paint was thin before we even started cleaning and in some places, the white upvc was showing through.
Thankfully, they sold the house. I was always half expecting to be blamed for taking the paint off.

 

[ched999uk]

Unfortunately that looks like scratches from the brush stock, I assume you didn't use a sill brush?
I think you might just have to sort the damage. Might be worth paying it for yourself rather than going down the insurance route as it could be cheaper in the long run.

 

[Dave B]

If the job was done properly it should stand up to being cleaned and personally I would have assumed it should have some decent primer and clear coat on it to be a proper job
Not experienced in spraying upvc but am in spraying cars so just giving my tuppence worth

 

[spruce]

If the job was done properly it should stand up to being cleaned and personally I would have assumed it should have some decent primer and clear coat on it to be a proper job
Not experienced in spraying upvc but am in spraying cars so just giving my tuppence worth

Unfortunately, like any specialized trade, you will get the unqualified chancers come in and quote a cheap price. Once paid, they will disappear when the complaints start due to poor results.

 

[Iron Giant]

If you zoom in on the photos it looks like who ever painted them has done a poor job, I can see an orange peel effect on the sills.

I do a few jobs with painted pvc doors mostly and the odd one with windows not had a single issue in over a year and one job had theirs painted years ago and it's rock solid.

I'd tell the owner that the issue is with the quality of the paint job and it should withstand regular cleaning as you were advised they could be.

 

[doce]

Spraying PVC windows sounds like the ideal pitch for scammers. Like tarmacing drives. You were told to clean as normal. Not your problem.

 

[Part Timer]

Unfortunately, like any specialized trade, you will get the unqualified chancers come in and quote a cheap price. Once paid, they will disappear when the complaints start due to poor results.

We have a customer that had his Composite door painted. He had great pride in telling me how he found someone to do it for £120 when other companies wanted £300+, not certain about the numbers. After 2 washes he asked us to stop washing the door as the paint was coming off.

 

[PG Clean]

Thanks all appreciate the responses. Yes I think its partly not a great idea to repaint pvc but also feel it is the brush stock in areas. Honestly didn't know there was a sill brush available! I have got a great round and never damaged everything and also very thorough do like to do a good job . Also feel like it's obviously me that has damaged them so iv asked her to get a quote from the company to re do them and then I'll decide whether to go insurance route or not. She said we should use a cloth on the sills once we had already done them but she knows that's not the process we use and to be honest if I'm going to have to start doing stuff by hand prices would have to go up etc.

 

[Pjj]

Thanks all appreciate the responses. Yes I think its partly not a great idea to repaint pvc but also feel it is the brush stock in areas. Honestly didn't know there was a sill brush available! I have got a great round and never damaged everything and also very thorough do like to do a good job . Also feel like it's obviously me that has damaged them so iv asked her to get a quote from the company to re do them and then I'll decide whether to go insurance route or not. She said we should use a cloth on the sills once we had already done them but she knows that's not the process we use and to be honest if I'm going to have to start doing stuff by hand prices would have to go up etc.

Once it’s sorted sounds like it’s a job to get rid of

 

[tench0771]

Definitely get shot of it after sorted as it will keep happening

 

[Iron Giant]

I use this https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/xtreme-sill-26cm-brush-medium-soft.html I do buy few of the brush bumpers as well as they wear out, but I do keep a check on my brushes and clean cobwebs etc of them to ensure they are kept clean as don't pick up any grit from render and so on

 

[Scrubsy]

@PG Clean I'm not saying it's not you scratching it with your brush, but what are they going to do when twigs fall off the trees and land on the sills, or you get a leaf or bird poop baked onto the sill and they need more than a wipe to clean them properly? The coating that's been sprayed on must be poorly quality and like the others guys have said also poor preparation/ workmanship. Hope it works out ok for you mate.

 

[Iron Giant]

Spraying PVC windows sounds like the ideal pitch for scammers.

It can happen in most trades though people claiming they are professionals and will do the best job but it turns out they aren't unfortunately customers only find this out when it's too late.

It honestly baffles me why some people get their windows painted at all, one that springs to mind on an estate I do got theirs done as it won't have been cheap it's a big 3 storey house full scaffolding right around the house the windows the house builder installed less than 10 years ago of poor quality and look bodged on most houses, silk purse and sows ear springs to mind

 

[ks789]

Slightly different issue, I think has been mentioned before, regarding where customers have had new glazing/windows put in and smears left in various places. They got me to do an inside /outside clean and I warned that if was just dirty hands I could do it ok, yet if it was some kind of adhesive I likely couldnt shift it. It really shows up in the sun. They got a receipt from me and are going back to the installers to get rid of it and pay my charge as well. She said the workers had commented how they really didnt like the new glue that was used. I imagine these companies get quite a few call backs from customers who want the marks shifted. Its the same with when that brickwork sealant is put on, it can easily get on glass and sills and it cant be shifted, kind of absorbs into the material.

 

[ched999uk]

Its the same with when that brickwork sealant is put on, it can easily get on glass and sills and it cant be shifted, kind of absorbs into the material.

I have a couple of customers who recently had new fascias and soffits fitted and the fitters managed to get some sort of silicone or adhesive on the glass. I have told the customers I can't get it off and to speak to the fitters.

 

[tench0771]

I have a couple of customers who recently had new fascias and soffits fitted and the fitters managed to get some sort of silicone or adhesive on the glass. I have told the customers I can't get it off and to speak to the fitters.

I do the same now there a lot of traders not cleaning up after themselves I had some painters doing a hotel I clean and they splashed paint on every window they were in the garden I walked past and said the the owners I don’t do paint removal anymore due to glass scratches as I walked off painter said don’t make your problems my problems I just smiled and walked off next visit the painter had cleaned it all off