We all make mistakes at our jobs from time to time, but, as you and I both know, there are consequences to our actions. And if you’re a contractor and you screw up, you gotta own it.

In this story, a homeowner doesn’t want to pay a contractor…because the guy painted his bedroom the wrong color.

Let’s take a look!

AITA for paying contractors only 50% for a room painted in the wrong color?

“We had a professional painter come into our house and paint about 60% of a 2,700 sq ft house. The guy owns the business and his wife handles scheduling and customer communication.

My wife had been communicating about color choices with her through text before the job started (scheduled to begin on a Monday).

The Friday morning on the week prior my wife received a text requesting the final color choices, we provided them. That same night the contractors asked to send everything by email to formalize the colors and finishes.

My wife typed up the email and sent that same night. She had a change of mind on the master bedroom color relative to what they had texted earlier but since the contractors asked for a formal email, she wrote it down, sent it and moved on. That was the last piece of communication we had with them.

Oh, no!

Fast forward a few days and they painted the master bedroom on the wrong color. It seems they bought paint based on the text conversations and never looked at the email they asked for.

I pointed it out before the job was done and tried to meet the halfway in the cost of paint and labor to repaint on the correct color. They denied any accountability and aggressively pressed us to cover it because we should’ve told them we changed the color.

They claim since we didn’t tell them the email was different from texts, it’s our fault.

Now, things are really messed up.

We communicated with them in the manner they asked for and followed their instructions. They asked for formal email communication and never looked at it (they admitted they didn’t look at the email before starting).

I don’t feel responsible for double-checking their work.

Yes, we could’ve been more proactive and emphasized the color changed but they should’ve followed their own instructions and go off email if that’s what they consider formal coms.

When I received the final invoice, the total cost to paint the master bed was $600. I paid for everything in full except the master, of which I only covered half ($300). I told them both sides made mistakes and both are at fault.

I felt reasonable and fair by paying for half of a room painted the wrong color but they are getting angrier by the minute. Claim we’re 100% at fault and we’re stealing $300 from them. They’re talking about small claims court.

AITA?”

Reddit users shared their thoughts.

This person had a lot to say.

Another individual said he was to blame.

This reader agreed.

Another individual had a lot to say.

This contractor really messed up this job!

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.