I don't know what to do when 'men' are in the house!

My plumber and decorator are both chatty and we always do Popmaster at 10.30!

Sodapop, I must admit I felt quite disconcerted when, while at our mobil-home in France, the drain got blocked and the site owner got a local chap to sort it out. Normally I'd immediately offer tea and biscuits to any workman but it didn't seem appropriate! I asked my DH whether I should offer coffee but we only had instant, so in the end we didn't bother. I don't feel so bad now I know it wasn't expected. Not surprisingly, he did disappear for lunch on the dot of noon!

When we started remodelling our home here in Portugal we had various workers for some 3 weeks at a time. They never wanted drinks as they brought their own but the funniest thing was at lunch time when they sat at the table on the roof terrace to eat their lunch and even brought a tablecloth with them to spread on it. Very hard workers too.

I try to plan in advance what jobs I can do which enable me to get something done and to keep an eye on the workmen, if I don't know them, and on whether they leave doors open so the cats get out!

For some odd reason, plumbers in my experience leave outside doors wide open irrespective of how cold it is, don't know about carpenters as DH does all that, builders have to be watched like a hawk, if you want to avoid too much mess, and them sitting on their beam ends instead of working!

I think the last thing a good worker needs is the householder hovering over their shoulder or engaging them in unnecessary chat. I show them into the area where they need to work, show them where the loo is, and leave them to get on with it. I am usually in the study, so if they need any information or advice they can knock on the door. I produce drinks mid morning and afternoon, then leave them to it.

I have generally found all workmen efficient and tidy.

I let them get on with it and retreat to my office but offer a cup of tea / coffee when I go to make one for myself. So far so good. Overall we've been lucky with our workmen.

I’m not too keen on leaving workmen without keeping an eye on them as many years ago I caught a British Gas man trying to knacker my boiler on the annual service. He then wanted to sell me a new one. Cheeky b.... Won’t touch BG with a barge pole now.

I try to chat as little as possible as I am paying THEM for their time. Unfortunately I have a plumber who doesn’t know how to shut up, but is so dreary I want to self harm, and a decorator who always gives me his complete medical history, which is also exceptionally boring. I can only think that these particular ones are on their own in houses for much of their week so they are desperate for someone to talk to. I’d rather put up with radios I think!

The bricklayer had just started building my new garden wall when the hospital phoned to say that my husband was dying, and to get there quickly.
He offered to leave, but I told him to just carry on with the job, then dashed off. It wasn't fair to him to mess up his schedule.
For the next few days he just got on with it while we ran around in circles meeting the family at the airport, dealing with everything and arranging the funeral.
He did a wonderful job, under very difficult circumstances. It must have been hard for him, and I'm sure that he must have felt awkward, at times, but he was certainly left to get on with the job without interference!
Some of my husband's ashes were sprinkled into the new double wall, which is always planted with lovely seasonal flowers. It's a beautiful memorial to him.

Sad story but nice at the same time GreenGran, sorry you lost your husband.

Last year we had several months when we were having an extension built. Various tradesmen were in and out of the house and I am happy to say that none of them played Radio 1 at maximum volume. When they did bring radios they chose pleasant and acceptable music. I can't imagine what it would have been like to have deafening music played for 7 or 8 hours a day.

I have always found plumbers to be somewhat lecherous, so I used to keep out of their way!
Of course, at my age this is no longer a problem, but I could never understand why it was just plumbers - other tradesmen were always perfectly polite, and I’m sure that I was never the sort to greatly inspire lechery
I digress. I usually leave workmen to get on with it, make cups of tea, and exchange a few words when appropriate.
If bathroom work is going on, I make a ‘convenient’ arrangement with my next door neighbour!

I find going out the difficult bit. One electrician we had who was working as part of a team renovating our house was really nosey. I’m sure he looked into drawers and cupboards while we weren’t about.

That reminded me, mil once had a neighbour offer to do a couple of odd jobs in the house. When she quietly came back downstairs from using the loo, she found him rummaging through her waste basket in the lounge!! Kicked him out but then for years after, always ripped receipts, letters, etc, into tiny bits. A habit which she passed on to me.

I usually leave them to get on with it, my kitchen is tiny so if I'm having anything done in there I tell them where tea/coffee/sugar is & say "just make a brew when you want one" (I keep a couple of old mugs for this purpose). Mostly I sit in my lounge with newspaper/laptop or go into garden. My DF was a Painter & Decorator so although wouldn't mind a "bit of a chat" liked to be left to get on with the job, he even took his own "indoor shoes" so he could change at the front door

I know exactly what you mean. It feels a bit like the house is being invaded, doesn't it? Apart from appearing now and again with cups of tea I generally try to keep out of the way with a book or some sewing - something I can put down easily if I'm called upon to go and look at something/give an opinion, etc. I tell myself it's only temporary and all in a days work for the tradesman.

My daughter works full time 30 miles from home so has to leave workmen with keys. She was having an extension done during awful winter weather and not much progress was made. Eventually she found that they’d not been working but had been through all her drawers and cupboards and stolen jewellery, camera, iPad, all sorts of things. The boss said he knew who it was and had sacked him but it turned out in the end that it was the boss himself! He keeps going bankrupt due to shoddy workmanship and just starts up again! Everything they did had to be redone but she had no comeback at all on him. The police were useless, not interested. We will never be so trusting again, we will keep popping in.

We have gone on holiday and left workmen in the house - but we know and trust them.
I would certainly check out a firm before employing them - personal recommendations are best - and wouldn't leave them alone unless I knew and trusted them.

HootymcOwlface I'm with you there. We got new kitchen and bathroom in and found numerous mistakes etc afterwards. Shower was seconds with a hole covered in white sealant. pile of rubble under bath. tiles not level.. and lots of things.Now I watch. whether they like it or not. unless its someone we've used for ages like our trusty plumber who's almost a friend.

Hello, shysal. In answer to your question regarding tipping. We don’t as a general rule, but if a workman/woman has gone over and above, eg taking stuff away that they didn’t have to, then we give them a tip as a mark of thanks.