Does anyone else just hate having workmen in the house?

I don’t like it only because I’m worried about the dogs escaping. We live in a small town so find tradesmen don’t have the need to advertise and rely on word of mouth to secure work. I’m quite happy leaving them in the house but it is a relief when they go.

I have just survived Day One of the decorators - something we have always done ourselves in the past, but the ceilings in this house are just so high. I felt like a prisoner, sitting knitting in the kitchen - too wet to go out in the garden - but they’re nice chaps and it will be worth it in the end. Although I need to make progress with my knitting, I’m praying for good gardening weather soon!

Oh yes, I can’t relax at all, and normally very chilled, hate hate hate it, I’m a pacer 🤣

I can't relax in a house where there are people in one room and I'm stuck in another that has its own furniture and the contents of the one that's having work done crammed into it. I feel self-conscious if I put the TV on, I can't concentrate to read, and even trying to do things in the kitchen is difficult when people are in and out wanting water or to wash brushes in the sink. I hate having to get up early so I am dressed before they get here, and I've used the bathroom, had breakfast and tidied up. All my routines are thrown out, and whilst I'm not really a routine-based person I don't like having to second guess when I'll be able to wash up, or use my own facilities. Trying to work over Zoom is difficult too, as I don't like being overheard, and background noises are distracting.

I am fine for a day or two, but last time we had decorators in they were there for three weeks, by which time I was tearing my hair out. I went away for the last week as I couldn't bear it.

I have always been wary of men in my house which I put down to having been a victim of sexual assault as a 6 year old.
I try to have a friend or a relative round if possible .
I now live with family so I don’t have to worry about it too much .

Germanshepherdsmum

I have just survived Day One of the decorators - something we have always done ourselves in the past, but the ceilings in this house are just so high. I felt like a prisoner, sitting knitting in the kitchen - too wet to go out in the garden - but they’re nice chaps and it will be worth it in the end. Although I need to make progress with my knitting, I’m praying for good gardening weather soon!

Day One... how many more days do you have left?

Maybe you will have knitted the complete garment before they're finished? .

I sympathise about the ceilings - I lived in a flat with those. We did once manage to paint them, the Landlord said he would pay us to do the job if we were willing We were, and he did (handsomely) but, oh, what a job it was, it had ornamental cornicing around the edges and in the middle! But he was very happy with the result and bought us a bottle of champagne too!

I daren’t think about how many more days there will be Dickens. A lot! But the knitting was a promise so it’s a blessing in disguise on days when I can’t garden. Babies wait for no woman!

I think I am a minority here, I quite enjoy have people in. I happily make them drinks, bake a cake if they're here long enough, make a bit of conversation but mostly leave them to it. We are having some work done in a few weeks and I'm quite looking forward to it, especially as it will be impossible to cook for at least a week. Toast or takeaways will be a treat.

Is that a grandbaby, GSM? Congratulations, if so.

I feel sorry for my poor husband after reading this. He’s a handyman/blind fitter I’m glad he doesn’t encounter some of you’s!

Ah, he'll only be there for an hour or two, won't he? That's no bother - it's when they are there for days on end that it's a nuisance

It is, Doodledog, a miracle after sad and anxious years for her parents. I didn’t dare start knitting for so long, in case, and I still hope I’m not jinxing things … still a way to go, but thank you. 🤞

Oh, that’s lovely- enjoy her❤️.

I expect the tradesmen hate. coming to our house more than I hate them coming; DH watches their every move, asking them questions about things and is generally overly interested. It drives me mad so it must be irritating to them. On the plus side, he makes them plenty of hot drinks.

My washing machine broke - guy came took details - ordered part - came back - spent ages fiddling around and realised he’d ordered wrong sized part!!! 😡😡😡😡totally agree - just hate workmen in home! Take ages, make a mess! Never stick to time lines! Now as we’ve hit the weekend spare part won’t be available until Monday or Tuesday! And he asked for prepayment!!😡😡😡😡

I went to my daughter's when they were putting in new central heating. My daughter was at work so my 2 Westies and I went up there during the day for the 4 days they were in the house. The ideal situation. The workmen got on without me and the dogs being under there feet and we came home at night to our own beds. My daughter lives 3 miles away.

Germanshepherdsmum

It is, Doodledog, a miracle after sad and anxious years for her parents. I didn’t dare start knitting for so long, in case, and I still hope I’m not jinxing things … still a way to go, but thank you. 🤞

Wonderful!

Blanket knitted by Nan, lovely! Soft little hands, sweet faces, and snuggles.

Yes, loath it even with the nicest of workmen. I never know what to do with myself when they are in the house particularly if they are all over the house such as with boiler service and going back and forwards between boiler in kitchen and radiators in all rooms. Have to tell myself (1) to be grateful that I can get work done when needed (2) to get a grip -I'm nearly 80 for goodness sake!

Well, having looked through most of these posts all I can add is this.
Putting up with work people is not the end of the world! And are you not you all lucky to be able to afford all these additional THINGS!
In fact I find this whole Post altogether too materialistic.
Give me the natural countryside any day.

I have an allotted room i go too with laptop, mobile, books and whatever else I need. I make food for the day and a flask just occasionally looking out and going to the bathroom as needed.

you asked for advice with workmen in the house?

I would say be thankful you have found someone to do the jobs, and at a price you can afford.

I am having a great deal of difficulty getting workmen

Plan some national trust days? If you're not members there's some buy one get one free offers in some papers today?! I'd join personally it's a great way to spend a day out with lunch TC. Well done having actually got some blokes to turn up!?😅

I don’t like it because I’ve found that some tradesmen are careless of surroundings, as in hitting walls and doorposts with tools, objects etc, and scraping things across hard floors. We once had a bathroom suite replaced. The plumber asked us to have the floor laid first to avoid having to cut round the toilet base. We did this , and covered the floor before they began. I came home from work to discover the marks where they’d trailed the toilet across the new floor. Now, I let them know that I expect them to take care of the surroundings. The house is rendered in white, and I remind people doing outdoor jobs to avoid touching the walls as they pass by.

My son is a gas engineer so works in people's houses. He always puts overshoes on to protect the carpets/floors etc. He said lots of people will chat to him, some make him a brew and occasionally he gets biscuits. He loves to pet the dogs and curious cats. Remember these workmen and women are human like you.

I don't like having to get up early, but fair enough as they want to start work early. I show them where tea and coffee are, leave a packet of biscuits or cakes then go out.

I doubt workmen like having someone in when they are working, especially those that want to chat whilst they are trying to work.