Re: Choosing Colors
From: Robert Heinich (robert_heinichjuno.com)
Date: Mon, 3 May 2004 14:11:52 -0700 (PDT)
>>> Most groups, of course are choosing Hardiplank or similar, 

I glad to report that our houses have Hardiplank sidings and after five
years do NOT need repainting.  The regular wood trim does need/have been
repainting/repained on some houses.

-Robert Heinich
 Eno Commons Cohousing Neighborhood
 Durham, NC


> 
> which can be done in colors.
On Mon, 3 May 2004 11:30:54 -0700 Chris ScottHanson
<chris [at] cohousingresources.com> writes:
> I still say...  have your architect select the colors.  Tell them 
> they  
> must consider long term maintenance.  Architects are and should be  
> 
> responsible for quality and long term maintenance considerations in 
> all  
> materials selection, including coatings.  Ask your architect to 
> provide  
> a repainting schedule.  Repainting every five years is normal, by 
> the  
> way, unless you choose to pay for color impregnated siding.  
> Suddenly  
> vinyl makes more sense.  Is anyone making recycled contact vinyl out 
>  
> there?  Most groups, of course are choosing Hardiplank or similar,  
> 
> which can be done in colors.
> 
> We had an interesting thing happen in Boston when the paint was  
> specified by the architects (who did a very good job).   Much to my  
> 
> surprise, having dealt with this many times and seen lots of grey 
> color  
> schemes, when I objected to the 5 color (yes FIVE color) paint 
> scheme,  
> the contractor said it would not save us any money to go to four or  
> 
> three colors.
> 
> Haven't tried this before, but why not consider a long term painting 
>  
> contract up front, negotiated by your general contractor?  Establish 
>  
> the cost down the road in a contract set up at the time of initial  
> 
> construction.  Shoot for a 20 year contract, and only work with a  
> painting contractor that has been in business for at least 20 
> years.
> 
> Chris
> 
> On May 3, 2004, at 10:01 AM, Rob Sandelin wrote:
> 
> > There is seldom a final right answer that is best for the 
> community in  
> > regards to color. It is a preference issue, especially in dealing 
> with  
> > shades and tones vs. Green or Red. Therefore, not surprisingly, 
> most  
> > consensus processes work poorly.  I have done this decision for a 
> few  
> > places, and NOT ever used consensus, because as I carefully 
> explain to  
> > the clients, consensus is not the right tool for these kinds of  
> > things. In one case that shocked them so much they fired me, then  
> 
> > spent months in arguments and flailing.  Maybe YOUR group can use  
> 
> > consensus to arrive at these kinds of decisions. My hats off to 
> you if  
> > you can. Many groups seem to experience lots of trouble, and in 
> the  
> > end, people just give up out of frustration or being tired or time 
>  
> > constraints push people into shutting up.
> >
> > A process that I have done which works is called a scaled vote.
> >
> > 1. Make a palette of choices into a poster which as lots of room 
> on  
> > one side.
> > 2. Give everyone a 1, 2 and third choice sticker
> > 3. Let people put their stickers on their 1, 2, and 3 choices.
> > If 3/4ths of the 1 or 2 stickers chooses one option,  you are 
> done. if  
> > not:
> >
> > 4. Remove all the low scoring choices and do a run off of the top  
> 
> > three.
> >
> > 5. If needed, do a runoff of the top 2.  In theory, you could have 
> no  
> > winner. In practise I have not seen this happen.
> >
> > There are lots of ways to spin this, like count the total value of 
> all  
> > the votes, assigning numeric values to the stickers, or to only 
> have  
> > one choice in the second round.
> >
> > I recall one process where one of the participants did not get her 
>  
> > way, had a pissy fit, and loudly denounced me, my process, and the 
>  
> > whole community. Then she left the group.  A week later I got 
> flowers  
> > and a card signed by the whole group thanking me for getting this  
> 
> > person out of their community.
> >
> > If people get overly freaked out about shades of color (light 
> brown  
> > vs. medium brown) it might not actually be about the decision, its 
>  
> > about control.  Look for patterns in use of red cards by 
> individuals  
> > and do the interventions if needed.  If you don't know how to do 
> an  
> > intervention, I have resources on the webt you are welcome to.
> >
> > Rob Sandelin
> > Sharingwood Community
> > Snohomish, WA
> >
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