Is it weird to help a friend paint?

[Deleted]

A good friend/coworker and his wife are expecting a baby in August. He asked me a couple of months ago if I'd be willing to help paint the baby's room since ordinarily he and his wife would paint together but since she's pregnant she can't (is that even true anymore, btw?). I said that's fine and I'm going over there today to help.

I've told a few people that was my plan for today and they were like "WHAT??? Why would he ask you to do that???". Apparently they've never asked a friend or been asked by a friend to help paint.

I didn't think it was that weird of a request, but what do you think? I'm just curious, I'm going over there to help regardless

[futurepivko]

I don't think it's weird at all. Get a group of people together and it would probably be fun!

[justfroggy]

Color me weird then I guess. We just bought a house & painted every square inch...we've had several friends help us, some we've asked and some offered.

[trident0]

I think it's bedroom vs. larger space. I've painted several rooms in my house by myself no problem. If I was painting the exterior or had moved in and was doing several rooms, help would be warranted.

[GailGoldie]

I wouldn't ever ask friends to do that... everyone has busy lives- if we can't paint ourselves, we'd hire someone - unless someone randomly offered and likes to paint -- i'd never ask.

i find it odd that a coworker asked you. are you even friends with his wife? That does sound odd to me- but it's nice of you to help.

[marshmallowevening]

We've helped friends paint and would be fine with people coming to help if needed. I think it's fun. We usually get pizza and hang out after.

[FishChicks]

I would never ask for help painting, but I've had friends offer to help me, and I've helped others. I find painting to be fun when it's not my house and I can walk away at the end of the day. . . Kind of like having kids!

[orchideous]

No way! Painting on your own sucks, but when a few friends are involved it is instantly more enjoyable.

[315bride]

I wouldn't bat an eyelash if a friend asked me to help with a painting project. I do think, however, if you use no- or low-VOC paint, it's ok to paint while PG.

[rubytue]

I was joking with a friend and told her I was having a painting party that weekend. She showed up and helped me paint! Mostly, it was an excuse for her to visit and for us to drink wine and play with our dogs. But we did get the living room painted

[EmilieMadison]

I've helped friends paint. It's fun to do it together!

[RitzyHeifer]

I'm a ridiculously anal painter so I don't like others helping me, but I'll always pitch in at friends' houses. I think of nurseries as kind of public space so not a weird thing to help with. I've helped with lots of nurseries bc mom to be didn't want to/couldn't paint. I don't think they were worried about fumes as much as going up & down ladders, reaching, etc.

[froggy76]

Not weird. But she can paint when pg.

[mayflowers22]

I don't think it's weird at all!

[PinkSquirrel]

Not weird at all.

[tehsp]

I am expecting and have had several people offer (more like demand) that they paint our new place instead of me. I turned them all down because I am very picky about painting and wouldn't feel comfortable critiquing a friend who was helping for free.

[Jinx]

I have to admit I think it's weird. Painting a bedroom is pretty manageable, I think your coworker should be able to handle it. If he doesn't have great painting skills he could hire someone to do it. I guess I could understand helping a close family member (parent, sibling) but a coworker is a bit of a stretch.

Does the wife/mom know about it?

[yellowumbrella]

I don't enjoy painting, so I wouldn't ask my friends to help since I assume they feel the same way. If they offered, that's cool. But if not I would just hire someone to do it.

It's the same way I feel about moving.

[imojoebunny]

I don't think it is weird. When I bought my first house, an esthetic nightmare, my dad was going to help me paint it and do the floors, but he ended up having open heart surgery a week before I closed, so couldn't. I had no money for painting, so I invited a friend or two over for drinks, provided dinner, and we painted each night for a couple of weeks. Many hands make light work. We had fun. As a result, by BFF credits me with her excellent ability to spackle and caulk, a skill that has saved her a lot of money over the years.

[dexteroni]

It's not weird to help, but it's a little weird that he didn't just do it by himself. You really don't need two people to paint one room.

[Deleted]

Definitely not weird. I had coworkers randomly offer their help when I moved in and I took them up on it.

[KaraOrNot]

I don't think that it is weird for you to help, but it is a little weird that they asked.

[af1212]

When my coworker was pregnant a group of us all went over to help her paint the nursery. It was fun and was a nice way for us to feel like we had done something to welcome the baby.

[definitelyO]

I helped my 8.5 month pregnant best friend paint her new house as her DH was too cheap to pay for painters for a 2 story 2600 sqft house!

my friend helped me paint DS's nursery as well.

I don't think it's weird.

[smiley]

I don't think it is strange at all to ask a friend or family member to help you paint. My parents have come over on multiple occasions to help us paint inside the house and my dad will be helping me paint outside too.

[CloudBee]

Not weird. I was asked to help friends paint when they moved into a new house, and the wife was pregnant. nothing wrong with asking friends for help. I assume they've done something for you in the past? Maybe painting is a real daunting task for him. I bet he really appreciates your help!

[agnes]

I don't think it's weird at all that he asked you. I think your other friends are weird for thinking it's weird.

I actually really enjoy painting to I always offer before getting asked.

[The Impossible Girl]

May 13, 2012 13:35:55 GMT -5 agnes said:

I don't think it's weird at all that he asked you. I think your other friends are weird for thinking it's weird.
/

This.

My friends and I always have painting parties to help each other when we get new places.

[wanderlustmom]

Hmmmm. I really hate to paint and hire ours out or beg DH to do it, so I definitely wouldn't ask anyone to help. I think it's different if the person offers.

[MiniLove]

Not weird at all. I also find it weird that others thought it was weird TO ask.

Some people (like those of us in the Midwest) are just friendly and neighborly and like to help one another out. My guess is the guy either sucks at painting (some people are pretty bad with edging) or he doesn't have a lot of time and wants to knock it out quickly.