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AIBU?

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Original poster

Next door neighbour asking my builder to do some work in his house :/

110 replies

EmbarrassingMother · 05/10/2024 00:22

We are getting some renovations done in our house including a new bathroom.
today my husband was walking our child back from school and saw our neighbour chatting to our builder/plumber and asking him to come inside his house and check out his broken toilet. our lovely builder declined and told him he won’t check his house until he’s finished our job.

Isn’t this cheeky fucker territory? Husband thinks it’s not a big deal, but CFN was thinking he’d take our builder on our time and ask him to diagnose a problem… without having to pay a call out charge or anything. The fact my builder declined shows it was wrong. No?

OP posts:
bumblefeline · 05/10/2024 00:59

We have done this before when it's similar work we wanted done, just asked them to pop in and quote when he has a spare moment. Likewise our neighbour did the same to the guy we were getting a new fence from. Very normal way to get tradesmen. You don't have exclusivity over him.

Grabyourpassportandmyhand · 05/10/2024 00:53

Isn’t that now many tradespeople get jobs? Some even put up a sign with their phone number on it outside the house they are working on.
YABU.

HRTQueen · 05/10/2024 00:50

I really don’t see what the issue is

Bobbie12345 · 05/10/2024 00:46

Wouldn’t bother me at all. 10 min for the builder to line up their next job so easily seems ok. I would expect them not to actually do the job until mine was finished though.

TwattyMcFuckFace · 05/10/2024 00:45

Plus 'your' builder could've just said 'Yeah, I'll pop in before I go home mate' 🤷‍♂️

Honestly, the things some people get princessy about on Mumsnet.

TwattyMcFuckFace · 05/10/2024 00:43

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest, unless it took a ridiculously long amount of time to diagnose (doubtful) 😳

Plus no builder worth their salt would charge a call out fee for a quick quote.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 05/10/2024 00:42

I don't think asking them to have a look at it is a problem as long as they don't start fixing it before finishing your job. It's sensible really.

MartinCrieffsLemon · 05/10/2024 00:40

"Take a look" doesn't mean "fix for free"
It's "if you've got a moment, can you pop in and just check this for me?"
Builder then might pop in at the end of the day and be like "ye, it's gonna need this, that and the other. Be around £X. Let me know and I'll get it in for after this job"

Unless your neighbour was then kicking up a fuss like "if you won't check now then I'll find someone else who wants the work" kind of thing..
No he wasn't cheeky to ask

fallenbranches · 05/10/2024 00:31

Depends if he just meant 'take a look' or actually fix it. Depends what the relationship is like with your neighbour as we are really close with ours so I'd have no issue with a builder taking out 10 mins to just have a look in our time - but not to actually start fixing it. My DH is a builder and gets this a lot. In one way it's a good thing for him as this is how he gets more work and obviously people are seeing he is doing a good job elsewhere which is why they ask. However, common courtesy would be to wait outside of your building schedule.

Kittynoodle · 05/10/2024 00:26

Cf at its worst!!
glad your builder declined to assist