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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not allow the plasterer to play his radio?

417 replies

Shedbuilder · 13/07/2021 10:22

I have a plasterer booked for four days of fiddly work all over the house, repairing the mess left by the so-called specialist fitters we paid a small fortune to install triple glazing —but I'm not going there!

We both work from home and around us we have other households with people working from home and noise-sensitive older people. It's a hot day and our windows are open because it's hot and to keep the air moving just in case of Covid. So when he arrived yesterday with his giant radio we nipped the problem in the bud early on and said sorry, both working from home, both need to be able to think and make calls without background noise — no radio. Which he glumly accepted. Today he's had a brief conversation with us about how tedious his work is without music in the background, so we suggested he use his phone and some earbuds. But no, he doesn't want to run out of data and he doesn't have earbuds.

We've ordered some cheap earbuds and we'll see if we can rig up some kind of free wifi connection for him tomorrow, but he's really huffy and I'm wondering whether we'll see him again tomorrow. He's a good plasterer and we've waited two months to get him. Are we being unreasonable?

Yes = we are unreasonable
No = we're no unreasonable

OP posts:
IllForTooLong · 13/07/2021 17:47

@Shedbuilder radios are only loud when you put the volume up.
It’s not because you have a radio that can be loud that automatically the sound will be loud. You can CHOSE to have it a lower volume…..

IllForTooLong · 13/07/2021 17:51

He seems slightly bemused and it occurred to me that he may not have a smartphone. I've known others involved in wet trades who've ruined so many phones they've gone back to the easily-replaced dumb variety at work.

That just occurred to you @Shedbuilder
Are you sure you are working in the building industry? Because the issue with having a smart phone on-site came to me quite quickly and I’m not even working in that environment…..
It would obvious that doing site which are dusty and full of hasard of all sorts are not compatible with a smart phone…. Hmm

Plus, not everyone has a smartphone. Why did you assume that? Because he dares charging more than you as a daily rate?

warmfluffytowels · 13/07/2021 18:36

DH is a plasterer and using headphones/earphones/earbuds is banned on site as they block out too much surrounding noise and can potentially be quite dangerous.

roxisolerenshaw · 13/07/2021 18:47

I've always got tradesmen in and out of the house and just accept that it's part of the package that they have the radio on. I work at home most of the time and if I'm in meetings etc or need to concentrate I use headphones to block out background noise. If noise is really bothersome I'd go to the office. Tbh it's never crossed my mind to ask anyone to make less noise or turn their music off.

Zlk02 · 13/07/2021 19:03

OP, this is very timely because we have had the exact same issue very recently. I had a decorator start here the other day. He’s been before and plays music without asking, which is generally fine as I don’t work so it doesn’t bother me. DH is generally WFH these days. The decorator was in a massive strop with me the other day as apparently, DH had caught him on the way in and told him not to play music as it would disturb him. The decorator told me he was about to walk out! I had to explain to him that my husband has calls with various governments etc and he can’t exactly have Magic FM playing in the background. Hardly professional!

But this decorator doesn’t get it at all. He says, “I’m a music man and I’m going to play it anyway with the door shut.” Confused His attitude has really annoyed me actually (more than the music itself). So entitled! When you enter someone’s house, surely you are respectful of the people who live there? I couldn’t imagine imposing my workplace habits on a family, let alone when in someone else’s workplace. Many people are WFH these days and workmen are going to have to adapt accordingly. Luckily, he’s been right up at the top of the house so far, but as he works his way down, I know that at the first sign of the radio being on, DH will confront him and probably tell him to leave. He’s very blunt (I’m not)! How can I avoid this confrontation?

Alcemeg · 13/07/2021 19:41

I just don't know why headphones are such a problem. Especially bluetooth. My husband wears headphones so as not to disturb me when I'm working. I don't see why someone doing a job in the house can't do the same.

Macncheeseballs · 13/07/2021 19:44

I would have lent him a bluetooth radio with headphones

Macncheeseballs · 13/07/2021 19:45

Warmfluffytowels - that's not really the same scenario

chocolateorangeinhaler · 13/07/2021 19:54

Yes YABVU. Good trades are like gold dust. You treat them like gods. Cup of tea, radio on, feed them.
This ensures that they will come back again and again when you want any more silly fiddly jobs done that nobody else will touch.
You never treat good trades poorly. Word gets round quickly, nobody will want to work for you.

BillyShears · 13/07/2021 19:56

This is pretty tight on your behalf in my opinion.

Macncheeseballs · 13/07/2021 19:58

People have to change with the times, and now more people are wfh, trades people need to adapt, he sounds like a brat

Bombalinabimba · 13/07/2021 20:06

You don't have to, theoretically, but it'd be much better and nicer if you allowed it, and can always ask for it to be low volume.
Don't you have a room you can work in and shut the door? It's just a few days, tbh, you sound way too uptight. As you're working he's working too and has an optimal set of circumstances he prefers. You also risk that he might rush it, and you get a bad job done in the end...

moovinon · 13/07/2021 20:09

I would just let him play his music. It's only for a few days.

TomForddr · 13/07/2021 20:17

Omg OP I could never be you. What a drain over such a simple thing that was already 50% over when you posted.

What a load of drama over a non event.

ancientgran · 13/07/2021 20:18

@Macncheeseballs

People have to change with the times, and now more people are wfh, trades people need to adapt, he sounds like a brat
But a very good much in demand brat.
TomForddr · 13/07/2021 20:20

@Macncheeseballs

People have to change with the times, and now more people are wfh, trades people need to adapt, he sounds like a brat
But they actually don’t though. They will always have their work in demand.

I know most who will quote a stupid amount because they actually want the client to say no. But if they do say yes then they are getting paid more anyway.

mathanxiety · 13/07/2021 20:33

YABU, do you want your walls repaired or not?

You can't be working that hard or you wouldn't have time to post this thread.

onlyhereforthecake · 13/07/2021 20:34

But they actually don’t though. They will always have their work in demand.

No really. Competition is paying attention, and when there's demand, there's a pool of people interested to work, who will learn a new trade if needed.

onlyhereforthecake · 13/07/2021 20:35

@mathanxiety

YABU, do you want your walls repaired or not?

You can't be working that hard or you wouldn't have time to post this thread.

are you the plasterer or his wife? Grin
mathanxiety · 13/07/2021 20:35

Also, if you agreed to go ahead with the window work knowing they didn't have the equipment they needed to do a neat job, you probably don't have a small claims case unless you can prove that the window company doesn't actually have that piece of equipment and you based your decision to hire them on the promise of a neat job.

ThinkIveFoundYourMarbles · 13/07/2021 21:20

There's a real Poor Menz vibe in this thread.

Indeed. I am staggered at how many people are so concerned about the tradesman's working comfort over the next few days but have no interest in the OP's working comfort. In her own home?

igelkott2021 · 13/07/2021 21:25

@Shedbuilder

These are what we're talking about: www.dewalt.co.uk/categories/site-equipment/radio-audio/radio

They're a thing in the industry. Some of them are very loud.

Yes that's the one I've seen. They have volume controls.
TomForddr · 13/07/2021 21:32

@onlyhereforthecake

But they actually don’t though. They will always have their work in demand.

No really. Competition is paying attention, and when there's demand, there's a pool of people interested to work, who will learn a new trade if needed.

You’ve clearly never worked in trade or construction.
celandiney · 13/07/2021 21:41

@Cuppaand2biscuits

I come from a family of tradesman and I'll assure you, you'll get a much better finish and quality of job if you let him have his radio playing. If you've passed him off he might finish the job but not as carefully as he might have done.
So basically he's had a good old sulk,and if he doesn't get his own way now he'll do a bad job? Well,that's real professional! ( and he might piss in the plaster as well,apparently Grin)
TatianaBis · 13/07/2021 21:41

@ThinkIveFoundYourMarbles

There's a real Poor Menz vibe in this thread.

Indeed. I am staggered at how many people are so concerned about the tradesman's working comfort over the next few days but have no interest in the OP's working comfort. In her own home?

Totally bizarre. But then it explains how many women end up in dire marriages.