Does anyone else just hate having workmen in the house?

As wehave lived in our current home, in a village, for 25 years and try to only use builders advertising in the parish magazine or another local freeby, we are always employing people who live in the village. One used to live opposite us.

The main company we use was just starting out when we moved here. It is now a big local building contractor and we have known a lot of the tradesmen for years.

DH had his heart attack 3 days after our Kitchen refit started, when all the old units were out and the fitter had started knocking down a wall. Too much done to put it on hold. Our fitter lives just down the road and he was a tower of strength. I had to leave him most afternoons to get to the hospital to visit - it is 15 miles away. He was meticulous about locking up. We have since had himback to do further work in our utility room and he is due back to do some work on a bathroom.

Builders are well aware of how people feel about them in the house a builder friend told me. ‘They just want the job done and us gone!’ Can’t be nice for them.

Well the job can’t be done unless they are on site so spare a thought for their feelings too.

Rosalyn69

I hate it but my husband insists on making them coffee and engaging them in conversation. Nightmare.

😂 just what DP does too.Especially chat about motorbikes and cars.
I don’t mind too much, having workmen in for jobs as I know that way it’ll be done well at least and results worth it.

Quokka

Builders are well aware of how people feel about them in the house a builder friend told me. ‘They just want the job done and us gone!’ Can’t be nice for them.

Well the job can’t be done unless they are on site so spare a thought for their feelings too.

I always have tea, coffee, biscuits for builders, husbands employees. Workers are spared nattering on - whilst I'm doing in a different space.

Our last lot included included a not very talented but undaunted singer! He was hilarious.

Oh Aveline that’s reminded me of the tuneless whistling kitchen fitter!! It was like nails down a blackboard.

He was such a nice man that I tried not to mind! Made a lovely job of the tiling too.

Yes, I hate it too, it feels as if there's an invader in the house. I've a plumber coming round next week to work in the kitchen and as I'm the first job of the day I'm hoping he'll be gone by lunchtime. I'll stay in the sitting room with my knitting, out of the way.

nadateturbe

You all seem very happy with your tradesmen. I must be unfortunate.

Oh, we have had the same decorator for a number of years last year he decided to turn up when we had GC staying so we went out for walks and trips.
We came back to a total mess, the GC found his glasses and said"? has left his glasses", I couldn't help myself and responded by saying "I wish he had, had the bloody things on". 50p in their swear box.

I hate it so much that I only have work done that’s strictly necessary.
My DD says I need a new kitchen, but I remember the fitting in the early 80s and I can’t face that again even though it’s looking tired (new flooring and blinds though!)

I am waiting for the carpenter to fit three new shelves - one long one for books, and two to go in a cupboard to store CDs . He was supposed to be coming today, so we moved hundreds of CDs out of a cupboard onto the dining room table, and I didn't sort out more books to go out to a charity collection that happened this morning. He didn't come. That's the sort of thing that I find maddening. We now have nowhere to eat tonight, and it will be a month before I can arrange another collection for the books. In my experience builders etc don't consider (or don't care about) the inconvenience of last minute changes of plan. It's just work for them, but it's home for their clients.

Doodledog

I am waiting for the carpenter to fit three new shelves - one long one for books, and two to go in a cupboard to store CDs . He was supposed to be coming today, so we moved hundreds of CDs out of a cupboard onto the dining room table, and I didn't sort out more books to go out to a charity collection that happened this morning. He didn't come. That's the sort of thing that I find maddening. We now have nowhere to eat tonight, and it will be a month before I can arrange another collection for the books. In my experience builders etc don't consider (or don't care about) the inconvenience of last minute changes of plan. It's just work for them, but it's home for their clients.

FWIW, we have all contracts written with a NLT date.

We don't put up with tardy behaviour and bad excuses. If a real reason is put forward we allow changes, otherwise we apply the contractual fees regarding timeliness. Good business.

To be fair, the job is finished, and he is doing me a favour by adding extra shelves. It's still annoying to be messed around though. What's an NLT date, please?

Is it Not Later Than ? Just guessing - sorry Norah..

No Later Than.

Ah, I see. I've never heard of that. Is it usual with small domestic projects? It's worth bearing in mind for future, not that we have anything big planned. Thanks.

Oh I just hate having workmen around the house. Just had most of downstairs done latter part of last year, except the lounge, which was pretty good. Lo and behold, I then noticed just before Xmas a brown patch on the lounge ceiling, (leak from upstairs shower) - got the shower sorted, but decided to leave the lounge till later, say the Summer. The thought of the ensuing work to remove everything from the glass case etc etc etc just gives me a nervous breakdown. I don’t use the lounge very often so I think I’ll just ignore the patch 😫

Oh yes me. Never used to mind it when younger but now I hate it it. We have decorators starting today two men for two days so not too long but their doing the hall stairs and landing, kitchen and downstairs loo so that puts the whole house out of use really. Where going out for lunch 😀

I always offer them drinks but they generally refuse and just crack on with the job. I just go on with whatever Im doing. They just call me when they're ready to leave.

I never "watch" tradespeople unless they are demonstrating something I have to learn - like how to interpret the display on the boiler. My nephew fixes computers and he says he hates people standing over him unless he needs some input to ascertain what the fault it. He more or less had to rebuild one of my desktops a few weeks ago and I just went to bed for an hour. Did that while the electrician fitted a new consumer unit because the power was off.

Yes, I leave them to it, too. Depending on how long the job is likely to take, I either offer a drink early on and tell them to let me know if/when they want a refill, or tell them to help themselves, and leave out a tray with mugs, teabags, a cafetière, coffee and biscuits next to the kettle.

My carpenter has been and done the little tweaks I asked for. It took about an hour as he'd cut the wood in his workshop and came prepared, but the emptying of the shelves, the table being out of commission, the putting back of the things that came off etc have all taken a lot longer than that, and I think it's that sort of inconvenience that makes having work done such a chore.

Just an inconvenience which I stoically put up with in order to have certain jobs done. Fortunately, neither of us are driven to regularly redecorate or to replace kitchens/bathrooms/carpets etc. Why bother if it's all OK? So it tends to be short term, either for boiler/burglar alarm annual servicing, or for one-off plumbing/electrical repairs. I'd never leave the house unattended though, although I'm sure the tradesman we regularly use are trustworthy. Just basic risk management, plus we're on site if there are any queries. .

I can't say I hate having workmen in but I'm always glad when they've been and gone.
I just keep out of the way and offer a drink and biscuits.

I don’t particularly enjoy it, but don’t hate it either - helps to remind myself they are making some necessary improvements!

Doodledog

I am waiting for the carpenter to fit three new shelves - one long one for books, and two to go in a cupboard to store CDs . He was supposed to be coming today, so we moved hundreds of CDs out of a cupboard onto the dining room table, and I didn't sort out more books to go out to a charity collection that happened this morning. He didn't come. That's the sort of thing that I find maddening. We now have nowhere to eat tonight, and it will be a month before I can arrange another collection for the books. In my experience builders etc don't consider (or don't care about) the inconvenience of last minute changes of plan. It's just work for them, but it's home for their clients.

This, absolutely.

Today is the day the electricians planned to come and fit new ceiling lights in the kitchen.

'Mike' would be coming - late afternoon.

We planned our day - including a medical telephone appointment - around it. My partner is disabled, so a little planning is necessary.

I discover an email in my Inbox at 1100 am - could they change the time to 1200 mid-day... the exact time of the medical telephone appointment. Oh, and it will be 'James' and not 'Mike'.

I send an email - make it 1245, we are otherwise engaged. No response by 1130, so I call the telephone number - no answer. So I send a text message, still no reply. Then at 1230 a call from 'James' he will be here at 1245.

At 1320 - 'Mike' arrives, not 'James'.

Ten minutes later 'James' arrives... "is Mike here?"...

Disabled or not, I've given up and left it to my partner to deal with them - he can toddle around on his zimmer frame and look after them.

I can't make tea or coffee because the kitchen's covered in dust sheets. Our dust sheets - theirs are full of dust, apparently...

For me the advantage of having the job done completely outweighs the inconvenience. I know the job will be finished eventually so I don’t worry about it. What I do find stressful is living with things which need redecorating, repainting or repairing. Moving things around before a job is done isn’t a problem if you do it in advance in an organised way.