To(i)let or not to (i) let, that is the question.

I’ve had workmen indoors and on the building site next door for 4 months. None has had a radio on except the scaffolders. I told the builders to use my outside tap for the cement mixer and they have a Portloo. They are considerate and friendly.
Workmen indoors get tea or coffee and homemade biscuits. I’ve never heard of anyone feeding them. I assume they will use my loo and that’s never been a problem.

For the person who's having their bathroom completely altered, it's quite usual for a company - if there is to be no loo for a few days - to hire a portaloo. We had a bathroom completely re-done this time last year and the workmen had one outside in the garden. Also, when we had our kitchen completely rebuilt, the owner of the company insisted the workmen have a portaloo then as well. "Trust me," he said, "you won't want them using your bathroom."

Well at least it was only a pee (always an upside!)

My mother once caught the gutter man urinating in her hydrangea.

That sounds much worse than it was.

She told him to use the loo next time.

It's difficult. If they're there all day they are going to have to go somewhere.

I'm lucky that Mr Minty can do all manner of DIY and I allow him to use our loo

I think I'd be uneasy as well. Especially with a non-flusher

I think I might have vomited

I have an upstairs and downstairs loo thank goodness. If workmen are here I can use the one farthest away from them. I hate the thought of them hearing me having a tiddle. I don't like using public toilets for that one reason unless I really have to.
I must say that I've had brilliant workmen over the years who clean up and hoover before they leave.
They bring their own lunch and eat in their van. I offer tea/coffee and biscuits.
I'm another that always cleans before they arrive and it doesn't bother me should they use the toilet but I wouldn't be happy if they didn't flush the toilet. Do they wash their hands? I don't know.
Not that I give couriers a bottle of drink or food but in my mind I think that Gabriella is very thoughtful in doing so. Especially during hot weather.

jog on?

LOL

Are you 15 *Gabriella) - is that the most eloquent insult you could make?

A grown woman might try using her words to explain .

It’s not so much the volume Monica as their choice of so called music!

Having said that if it was only audible in the room where they are working it wouldn’t be so bad but often that’s not the case.

A workman/woman having a radio on down low wouldn’t bother me either.

I had the supermarket delivery driver at the door earlier and on the back of this thread I did wonder if I should have made a round of sandwiches for him arriving. I settled for a cheery hello and a chat about the weather instead and he seemed quite happy with that.

I have every sympathy with a workman who wants the radio on while he works.

I have never had a workman have his radio on so loud that it causes me any problem. .

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kwest

It’s interesting that you mention your workmen being told not to have a radio on in the customer’s house as that is a pet hate of mine.

The number of times I have asked workmen to turn their ‘music’ down and they look at me in bemusement.

The homeowner/ customer shouldn’t be inflicted with it.

They do comply but it shouldn’t be necessary.

Are you in the Home Counties by any chance ? I like the sound of your company.

How very odd.
Providing workmen with lunch money and giving delivery drivers sandwiches, crisps and drinks.

I think most of us would offer tea or coffee to workmen and personally, if they asked to use the loo, then it would appear mean to say no.

I’m not keen on anyone using my loo, but there are times when you really can’t refuse.

Oddly enough, I had a chap come to erect a new shed in my garden some time ago now.
He was working on his own and the job took longer than either of us anticipated. He arrived at 8am and didn’t leave until around 8pm. I supplied him with endless cups of tea, but he didn’t request to use the toilet once.
As the day wore on I thought he must be bursting by now so I asked him if he’d like to use the facilities.
His answer was ‘no thank you, I’m ok’ .

I admit to being slightly bemused by the number of people who are bothered by guests/workers etc. using their toilets. My house has two toilets that are accessible to visitors, one is downstairs and used by the gardener or people working at the back of the house and the other is on the first floor and more usually used by guests. Close family and friends use either.

It has never occurred to me that there might be an issue with this. Except for that one time when a total stranger entered my house and asked where the toilet was...... he got short shrift! (He'd been let in by another visitor who simply assumed I knew him.)

As a partner in a (now) very small building business I see these issues from both sides.
We used to run a much bigger business and until I broke my arm very badly in three places, I used to provide a decent lunch for all of our men. I first noticed the need for this when the teenage workers often turned up with just a packet of crisps for lunch. We expected a good day's work from each of them and knew that would not happen without good fuel inside them.
We also bought them a daily newspaper of their choice so that they would have a vague idea of what was happening in the world.
We had a few strict rules.
1) Never ask any of our clients for a hot drink. They will be willing to give one initially but if it is a long job it is enough of an intrusion to have people in their homes without being expected to make drinks for them.
2) Never ever play radios or any form of music on any client's property either inside or out. Again it is intrusive.
3) No swearing
4) Treat clients and their homes with respect.
It is actually a legal requirement now for clients to provide toilet facilities either by having a portaloo on site or else by allowing access to a loo and handwashing facilities in the house.
If well meaning householders insist on giving cups of tea throughout the day , the person losing money is the employer. The men have two fifteen minute breaks , morning and afternoon and half an hour for lunch. However the men will almost always accept cups of tea and then waste time chatting to the householder.
We have been blessed with brilliant clients who have used our services for forty years time and time again.
When I stopped making lunches for the men we increased their wages accordingly. I don't know what they ate after that but they seemed to be fine. Maybe I micro-managed too much before that.

My workmen/women are always perfect gentlemen/ladies.
We prefer to employ a better class of work people

I take it you won’t be using those workmen again jannxxx?

im getting a wet room put in today i have had workmen use my loo without asking, and NOT closing the door, burp most of the morning, and fart, and swear, made me thankful i do not live with these people, we have no nearby toilets of id have sent them out

Maggiemaybe I usually clean the loo before we have visitors!

ps I am no relation to Donald Trump either M0nica and absolutely no German or Scottish blood as far as I know.

Just wondering why posters think that germs or lack of germs (take your pick) etc causes conditions which may require medication?

I always wash my hands when I get home too.
I've usually been handling money etc.

Sometimes you have to leave them though. . We were having a new kitchen fitted some years ago and due to fly to Glasgow at sparrow fart(5 am) for a family funeral. Not only did the men continue to work on their own but looked after and fed my dog of the time . We got back about 10 that night.
Actually as I was still working in those days they were in the house without me for a couple of months (2 bathrooms, a new hot water tank, new boiler, new kitchen and utility room. )
I believe they sat in the garage for their lunch ( there was nowhere else!) and everything was left clean and tidy.

my workmen are reliable and responsible folk

Same here. I’ve known mine for many years and trust them implicitly. Those of us who work don’t have the option of staying put in the house for days or weeks on end to watch for errant wee marks.

If you really don't want them using your loo hire one of the porta loos you can place in your garden.
Don't forget though they are someones hubby/dad not some sort of alien.
Unsure why you're giving them lunch money mine usually bring pack up. I'd only provide tea/coffee and biscuits. (Chocolate ones if they're tidy and doing a good job)

Some people might be happy to leave maintenance or workmen in their homes whilst they are out or indeed to let themselves in and out.
I am not one of that number.
Even my children do not have keys to my home and I do not have keys to theirs.

Does anybody else do what I do (and which fools no-one)
I stride purposefully through the front of whichever bar/restaurant etc looking around as if I am meeting someone at a table, then I switch to “I am a customer here and looking for the loo” mode.
Once done, I stride out again as if I had just finished my meal or my drink.
How much better it is in Germany where you pay 25 or 50c but loos are open to anybody and always scrupulously clean and nice.