to think this attitude is is odd to day the least?

[OrmIrian]

DH is working renovating a manor house near Bath at the moment. Yesterday that owner was walking round the house with the interior designer discussing what she was going to do. She was overheard to tell him that she would be bringing in her own workpeople as 'these oiks' (ie DH and the rest of the workman) wouldn't be up to the job?.

Am I unreasonable in thinking that:

a. The attitude that places someone who can slap paint about inside a house on a higher plane to someone who can actually build a house is breathtakingly stupid.

b. DH should have let down the tyres on her Porsche?

Tell him to put in a bigger bill .

Silly, self-important woman. Being rich doesn't make people decent (but then again, we knew that!!)

I would go with the bigger bill option!!

How ridiculous, I do not imagine that the interiour designer will be doing the work herself, so how can she be so disparaging of your DH and the other tradesmen. She has probably never had a paintbrush in her hands in her life.

The only compensation is that, from what I have heard, decent builders/plumbers/carpenters can earn a lot more that snobby interior designers.

you mean he didn't let down her tyres?.... when he is just about to leave the job could he plaster some stinking fish into the walls?

Good ideas all! But I think the huuuge bill and the stinking fish would punish the owner more than the interior designer and her skilled craftspersons

It was just code for "Your bill is going to skyrocket, madam, I am going to use my own people as I know they won't dare blab about how outrageously I am overcharging you, because they know I'll sack them."

I really hope the painters do a crappy job!

totally agree it is all part of the patter leading up to an oversized bill.

'oiks' cheeky little madam who does she think she is

May her walls be forever festooned with magnolia.

Some very sound advice I was once given by a wise man who worked amongst 'yah' types:

Never confuse affluence with intelligence.

sorry, confused the owner of big house with interior designer.

still, sound advice

sounds like new money to me!
loathsome - surrounded by it here (and vinegar knickers - you know who you are.........)
get your DH to strike up a convo and ask about her folks, or ask if he can detect a slight northern twang in her accent
this is what i do and it works like you wouldn't believe
billy sitch

If I was him I'd say something like 'I'm only an oik' next time he is speaking to her.

minouminou - I'm worried now. I had a plumber working here for about 6 weeks, and he asked me if he could detect a hint of a northern accent in my voice!

Orm, it really winds you up doesnt it. My DP and im sure yours too, is a very talented man, i would rather have a talented oik than some stuck up silly tart who needs an interior decorator to actually advise her on what should be something she takes on herself. He has to put up with the most appalling attitudes sometimes.

Something said about a stinking fish?? ? You have to be more subtle than that, when your DP and his gang of oiks are alone in the house, get them to sew some raw prawns into the linings of the curtains, they wont be able to detect where the foul smell is coming from for months!!! Oh now ive seen the actual post, that is quite subtle too - ha ha. Mind you, you realise she might not notice the smell - i mean, these rich bitches are known not to wash arent they oooh meoooow

Interestingly, my DP only ever has problems with delays in payment with his more affluent clients. More down to earth working class types tend to pay up straight away, and are not tight with the tea and biscuits either

lucy - DH would agree with you 100% about the tea and coffee. He puts it down to the fact that some of the wealthier ones doen't actually know where their kitchen is He says he can forecast the number of cuppa's he'll be offered as he walks in the door...

the northern thing works two ways - if you have got a twang, and you're not snooty and affected, it's a good opener for a friendly talk
or....if it's something you're trying to hide - it brings you right back down to earth
i wouldn't worry about it - i only use this technique in the way i do because i'm a bitter twisted ball of aggro

What are you trying to say about northerners then, that we're all thick? LOL

I think your other half should do the 'what do I know, I'm only an oik!' thing.

Amazing how everyone is slagging off the rich houseowner when itis clear from the OP that it is the interior designer who is the snobbish one. Knee jerk reaction?

Nicole Kidman took a newspaper to court a while back for saying that when she had workmen/builders in to renovate her house, she made them turn to face a wall so they couldn't look at her

She said by the public knowing this it would demean her in the eyes of the right thinking man... it would put pressure on her around technicians on film sets etc....

Not good publicity for her, but at least she is someone, not someone who owns a manner house that is full of her own self importance

"She was overheard to tell him"

Does this not mean that the houseowner was overheard to tell the interior designer??

i knew that LNSHL, the owner of the house is a man (if you read the OP) the interior designer is a cheeky bitch

"She was overheard to tell him that she would be bringing in her own workpeople as 'these oiks' (ie DH and the rest of the workman) wouldn't be up to the job?. "

Obviously the designer has the workforce, not the home owner. Plus OI's point a), about someone slapping paint around, clearly refers to the designer.