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House and home

Workmen and mess

(14 Posts)
ferry23 Fri 19-Jul-24 16:14:01

I' having a lot of work done to the property I've just moved into. I'm fed up with workmen asking me for brooms, hoovers, dustpan an brush, bin bags.....if you know you're going to make a mess then it's surely part of your job to clear it up with your OWN equipment.

My small cordless hoover which I use in between my cleaners coming, who bring their own, is probably now past redemption. It's not built for clearing up after drilling walls etc. My long handled brush for my dustpan looks like a flattened hedgehog and I've actually lost my broom.

And they don't even empty the hoover and they leave a dustpan and brush in stupid places where you trip over it.

Or perhaps I'm just supposed to suck it up as part of the general frustrations of having work done.angry

JaneJudge Fri 19-Jul-24 16:18:32

I recently had some work done in the garden and some boarding in the loft, all workmen bought bags/hoovers/pressure washers and cleaned up properly

I'm sorry you've been unlucky, it's so disrespectful. I would ask them to replace any damaged items

crazyH Fri 19-Jul-24 16:21:12

And the endless cups of tea !!!! I’m glad that part of my life is over. Decorated last year - no more. Although I recently had a leak in the roof which trailed through the attic to one of my landing walls. There’s a drip stain. I might just try and clean it myself and leave it at that.

pascal30 Fri 19-Jul-24 16:22:59

You definitely should not be providing any cleaning equipment. I've had loads of builders in my home and they have always brought a powerful vacuum cleaner and cleaned up after themselves.. I think you need to make it clear to them that they are responsible for providing everything they need to use. I hope their building work is satisfactory...

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 19-Jul-24 16:23:44

I have never experienced tradespeople not bringing their own equipment to clean up any mess.

AreWeThereYet Fri 19-Jul-24 16:27:03

Does sound odd - I'm having fencing done and every night they brush the drive, clear their tools away, make sure there is no mess left lying around. I would expect the same from anyone working inside my house too.

Jaxjacky Fri 19-Jul-24 17:05:40

I think you need a conversation with them ferry23.

ferry23 Fri 19-Jul-24 17:10:14

This afternoon it was Open Reach - not some small independent tradesman. And to top it, he was originally going to feed the cable through my bedroom wall but then decided he couldn't because of the positioning of the fitted furniture.

I've just gone into my bedroom and all the stuff he moved before he changed his mind is still dumped on my bed.

When he finished, he held up my ring doorbell and told me he'd had to take it out of the socket as he needed to use both the sockets in my hallway. So I'd need to get an extension lead.

This morning I had a blind fitted in the kitchen. I tried to make ure everything was clear but told the fitter just to move anything out of the way if he needed to. He didn't, and landed up knocking over a spice rack so my worksurface and floor had a ready made bouquet garni. So I had to give him the stuff to clean it all up.

I give up.

NotSpaghetti Fri 19-Jul-24 18:10:52

I think the trick with "stuff" is always to move it yourself I think ferry23. I'd never say "just move what you need to" as I've no idea how careful they'd be.

All but one workman here has cleared up after themselves.
I think in future you could maybe check at time of booking if they will clear up - and cite your not very good experience.

I'm hoping you're nearly done.

I don't know why the Openreach person didn't discuss the access point! How very annoying.

Aveline Fri 19-Jul-24 18:41:31

Out last lot of workmen put down plastic covers over the carpet. They brought their own Henry hoover and left the place spick and span. I think you've been very unlucky with your workmen.

Grantanow Mon 29-Jul-24 08:34:56

It's pretty much the norm these days for workmen (haven't seen any work women) to clean up with their own kit.

NotSpaghetti Mon 29-Jul-24 08:42:04

I had a workwoman do some plumbing for me about 3 years ago Grantanow.
She advertised as "female plumber" but her husband came with her and did the work!

I hired her because my plumber was on holiday. It wasn't an emergency as such - as the water was going down the drain... She was very expensive and I think a "female plumber" shouldn't really have a man working for her.
It was apparently her business.

M0nica Mon 29-Jul-24 09:23:35

Currently have the tree surgeons we have used for decades working in the garden. I have absolute confidence that when they are done the garden will be as before they came (less the dead tree they have cut down), with the logs piled up by the wood shed.

M0nica Mon 29-Jul-24 12:59:44

They have gone. Garden is immaculately clean, the logs in neat piles and, as they had to take the whirligig dryer down to access the back gate, they put it back and up before leaving and shut the gate behind them. 10/10