Customer made me redo a driveway because the broom finish was too rough

Guy said it looked like they dragged a rake through it. I was pissed at first but he was right. I was using a stiff bristle brush and going too slow. Switched to a medium brush and kept a steady pace, finish came out way cleaner. Has anyone else had a homeowner nitpick something that actually made you better?

4 comments

4 Comments

olivia_lopez981d ago

...so the guy was right and you improved your work. I guess that's cool, but honestly it's just a driveway. It's going to get tire marks and dirt on it in a week anyway. People act like their concrete is gonna be in a museum or something. I wouldn't have been that pressed about a broom finish unless it was super bad. But hey, if it makes your wallet fatter, I guess you do what the customer says.

jordan_henderson131d agoTop Commenter

Man I gotta say I totally disagree with this take. I mean yeah it's just a driveway but that's exactly why you should do it right the first time. You're gonna be looking at that slab every single day for like 20 years minimum. A bad broom finish or rough texture catches dirt worse and is harder to clean, so the customer's not wrong for wanting it smooth. Plus if the guy paid for a specific finish and the contractor messed it up, that's just being professional to fix it. Idk I feel like people who say "it's just a driveway" are the same ones who complain about cracks and stains two years later. And honestly if someone wants museum quality concrete in their driveway, let them pay for it. Their money, their choice.

iris_schmidt1d ago

Exactly this, I started asking what finish they wanted BEFORE pouring and it solved everything.

mileslane1d ago

People act like their concrete is gonna be in a museum." Yeah well some people's driveways are the only museum quality thing they own. I bet this guy probably measures the gap between his garage door and the concrete with a caliper too. But hey, if the customer wants a baby's butt smooth driveway and is paying for it, I'll hand sand the whole thing with 200 grit if that's what they ask for. As long as their check clears, I don't care if they want me to use a toothbrush on the edging.