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Original poster

Would you go away and leave workmen in the house?

73 replies

Twospaniels · 25/10/2019 21:27

Just that really.
We’re having the kitchen updated and it will take 5 days and be dusty etc and kitchen not in use. Kitchen company man said they quite often do the work while the family is on holiday.
Would you leave them to it?

OP posts:
Kaddm · 25/10/2019 21:30

No way.

wildcherries · 25/10/2019 21:31

Not a chance.

Ozziewozzie · 25/10/2019 21:33

I’ve left workman for a kitchen fit. So much easier, especially as I had three young children at the time.
If you’re nervous, just come back for the last day or so whilst they are finishing off ie tiling, etc. That way you’re there to snag etc and ensure sIda, tv and booze are all still there Grin

Noroof · 25/10/2019 21:34

Yep... we are on week 16 of a build. Can't stay off work or stop going on holiday obvs

penisbeakers · 25/10/2019 21:35

FUCKno.

Monny1 · 25/10/2019 21:36

No l wouldn’t, just not worth the risk.

CherryPavlova · 25/10/2019 21:38

Yes definitely. Assuming it’s a reputable company or someone you know. Why would you stay in a dusty, noisy house without a useable kitchen.

shoebedobedobedobedoo · 25/10/2019 21:45

Yes. Left workman in our house all the time when we were having an extension. Got to know them really well, so now if we need any jobs done I just drop they keys into their house on the way to work and they post them through the letter box when they are finished.

NightsOfCabiria · 25/10/2019 21:48

Absolutely not.

Twice I’ve done it and each time, I’ve been let down.

Once, a builder recommended by family left an unknown labourer in my house to finish off the work due to feeling ill. The labourer left the job unfinished, helped himself to an m&s ready meal and then left the front door wide open for hours.

The other incident was a plumber/ plasterer / tiler, again, a friend’s husband, who felt ill and couldn’t work, so sent his mate to my house, with my keys to finish off the tiling. He made a terrible job of it, cut himself and bled all over my kitchen, again, abandoning it and taking my keys with him, leaving the door on the latch.

Never again.

Mumdiva99 · 25/10/2019 21:50

I did. Came back to find the work top about 4 or 5 inches higher than the old one and a massive gap between the plinth (around the base of the cupboards and the bottom of the cupboards.), They also fitted the kitchen over broken tiles.... Which to be fair to them I said I wanted to keep the floor...but had I been there and seen what was happening I would have had the tiles lifted so I could replace the floor. I'd never had a kitchen done before so didn't know why I would need to be there....never again would I leave them to it completely.

Newsheet · 25/10/2019 21:53

I spent nearly 25 years installing high end lighting and entertainment and cinema
Systems in people home.

Jobs ranged from several two or three day visits to sometime being on sight for a month or more.

Most home owners went out and showed us where the coffee machine, bathroom, and baps and sausage egg and bacon were. Never had a problem.

I have beinf hone with trades on sote

AthollPlace · 25/10/2019 21:54

No I wouldn’t trust them. Also I like to keep an eye on what they’re doing and make sure it’s done correctly, answer questions etc. I’ve seen workmen do some stupid things, sometimes through laziness and other times just through lack of understanding.

Time40 · 25/10/2019 21:56

Yes, I have, several times. I've never had a problem.

SallyWD · 25/10/2019 21:57

Yes and I've done it before.

AppropriateAdult · 25/10/2019 21:58

Surely most people having a big job done on the house - a large extension, say - move out for weeks or months at a time? So I’m not sure why leaving for a few days, as in the OP’s case, would be so risky.

Shagged · 25/10/2019 21:59

Yes I would as long as using reputable people that I has used before or had been recommended by a trusted friend

BIWitch · 25/10/2019 21:59

Yes definitely - have just done this, during our 3 month extension/kitchen fitting. But I also had a project manager, who lived round the corner from me, so I knew that there was always someone in charge, who was popping in every now and then to check on things.

Rosesareredder · 25/10/2019 22:00

We just had our bathroom done whilst at centre parcs. We had family pop in and check up on it and also asked for photo updates on WhatsApp. All fine!

Bluntness100 · 25/10/2019 22:01

I did years ago. Had a new bathroom installed, fucked off on holiday for two weeks, gave them the keys, and came back to it done. It was all good.

Would I do it again, absolutely not. I'm much more cautious now

AntCrawley · 25/10/2019 22:02

Even if tge company ia reputable they send someone inexperienced to do the job. Of course they want you out of the way.. make sure you are there to keep an eye on them.
The workers i had dis a shit job. Fucking hate getting tradesmen around so many cowboys.

Sparklingbrook · 25/10/2019 22:07

Have done this loads, and it's always been fine. So much better to be out of the way and then they can get on with it.

MrsJBaptiste · 25/10/2019 22:08

Definitely! So much easier for them and us. I honestly can't see why you'd want to be around all day every day, getting in each others way.

TheFaerieQueene · 25/10/2019 22:09

No. There are always issues that come up and unforeseen decisions that need to be made.

BettaSplenden · 25/10/2019 22:13

I did when we had the house rewired but we'd only just moved it and had no valuables in the house. Plus we knew the electrician and trust him.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 25/10/2019 22:16

No way