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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:
mathanxiety · 14/07/2021 20:46

A house isn't an open plan office.

In a great many ways, houses resemble open plan offices.

mathanxiety · 14/07/2021 20:51

We're in our 50s. We WFH. Our house is a standard detached with a small garden, so I have to be careful about using power tools during his working hours, too. Does that sound like parody, or just a normal, adult relationship?

It sounds like someone hasn't heard about noise canceling headphones

mathanxiety · 14/07/2021 20:55

Last summer there was a national shortage of multi finish plaster.....literally none to be had

This year it's plasterer tools. Plasterers are working to a backlog. You could lose him over this small thing

Agree.

Also, for various reasons, many plasterers and other tradespeople have returned to countries from which they came.

Angrywife · 14/07/2021 20:56

He needs to grow up and do the job he's being paid for without whinging

Cheeserton · 14/07/2021 21:01

Not using headphones is total nonsense. Expecting you to listen to racket while working from home is even sillier.

LoverOfAllThingsPurple · 14/07/2021 21:18

Listening to music from your phone doesn’t use data if you’ve downloaded already?

HeronLanyon · 14/07/2021 21:32

Also doesn’t use mobile data if he just uses your wifi (you can change the password when job is done)

Tzimi · 14/07/2021 21:44

@Angrywife

He needs to grow up and do the job he's being paid for without whinging
If I came across your attitude as a self-employed tradesperson, I'd just quit & go elsewhere.
Blossomtoes · 14/07/2021 21:46

@Angrywife

He needs to grow up and do the job he's being paid for without whinging
Given the shortage of plasterers, he probably doesn’t “need” to do anything he doesn’t want to. He’s probably got a waiting list.
ScrollingLeaves · 14/07/2021 21:50

No you are not but the ear-buds and wi fi are a good idea or buy him a good quality mini radio small enough for a pocket as a good will gesture. I can see he uses the radio for his flow.

Mumofsons87 · 14/07/2021 21:55

I'm surprised he brought a radio into an occupied house, that's odd to me. I would have expected earphones tbh. If someone came into my house with a radio with my baby in the house going for naps etc. I'd run him.

Blossomtoes · 14/07/2021 22:01

@Mumofsons87

I'm surprised he brought a radio into an occupied house, that's odd to me. I would have expected earphones tbh. If someone came into my house with a radio with my baby in the house going for naps etc. I'd run him.
They all do it. It’s the norm. That’s one of the reasons why a lot of people try to get work done when they’re on holiday. Your house becomes a workplace.
ScrollingLeaves · 14/07/2021 22:03

You need to get into a rhythm and zone for something like plastering.

Doodlebug71 · 14/07/2021 22:18

@mathanxiety

We're in our 50s. We WFH. Our house is a standard detached with a small garden, so I have to be careful about using power tools during his working hours, too. Does that sound like parody, or just a normal, adult relationship?

It sounds like someone hasn't heard about noise canceling headphones

it sounds like someone hasn't heard about noise cancelling headphones

We have. You are missing the point. Our house. Our rules. OP's house, their rules.

Tradesperson can either deal with the rules, or refuse the work. Town pages are full of tradespersons looking for work.

warmfluffytowels · 14/07/2021 22:20

@Angrywife

He needs to grow up and do the job he's being paid for without whinging
On the contrary, I suspect he has a huge waiting list - plasterers are massively in demand and there's no shortage of work, especially after all the hold ups due to supply issues during the first lockdown.

DH is currently booked out for at least nine months if not longer - if one job wasn't working or got cancelled, he'd just move on to the next the following day.

Macncheeseballs · 14/07/2021 22:22

I'm going to retrain as a plasterer

Doodlebug71 · 14/07/2021 22:22

MN strikes again... "noise cancelling headphones"... "use our stock phrases or not..." "agree with us, or YABU". So many people here just trolling. No wonder MN has such a reputation. I joined thinking it'd be nice to share views and experiences with other ladies and mums. Pah. Easier to join the local WI.

LittleBearPad · 14/07/2021 22:24

@Doodlebug71

MN strikes again... "noise cancelling headphones"... "use our stock phrases or not..." "agree with us, or YABU". So many people here just trolling. No wonder MN has such a reputation. I joined thinking it'd be nice to share views and experiences with other ladies and mums. Pah. Easier to join the local WI.
Calm down! It’s really not worth the angst.
Original poster
Shedbuilder · 14/07/2021 22:27

Update: when he arrived today he seemed more cheery. It turns out that he knows my electrician who's apparently told him off for expecting to blast out local talk radio all day and said that earbuds were the way forward and would make him seem more professional.

The earbuds arrived mid-morning and we got him set up with the iPad. He's been working with one earbud in and he's said that it's easier than carrying the radio around. We've told him he can keep the buds and use them when he's working in homes with residents in situ. He's not the most expressive bloke, but I think he was quite pleased because he's left all his gear here...

OP posts:
Pebbledashery · 14/07/2021 22:32

Goodness.. Was it all worth it.

Original poster
Shedbuilder · 14/07/2021 22:32

@Macncheeseballs

I'm going to retrain as a plasterer
Plastering's really hard on the neck and shoulders. Train as an electrician if you've got the maths. £450 a day for electricians and all sorts of careers and development opportunities spinning out from it. The future is all electric.
OP posts:
HalzTangz · 14/07/2021 22:35

iPad will be awkward surely, it can't fit in the pocket whilst he works

MrsPeacockInTheLibrary · 14/07/2021 22:36

Please tell me this giant radio was in fact a Boom Box!

Original poster
Shedbuilder · 14/07/2021 22:38

@HalzTangz

iPad will be awkward surely, it can't fit in the pocket whilst he works
Bluetooth. He doesn't need to carry the iPad around.
OP posts:
Longtimeagonow46 · 14/07/2021 22:49

YANBU OP. And I agree with @strawberrydonuts

We had a carpet fitter here once fitting a new stair carpet. Brought his large and loud radio and had it on full blast on our landing. My son has autism and is really sensitive to loud and sudden sounds and was really upset by the noise and the got a bit huffy when I politely explained and asked him to turn it down a bit. I do find it entitled in a way to just show up with loud music and assume it's ok for the homeowner. A quick "do you mind if I play some music?" is all it takes to be considerate, and to keep it to a reasonable volume.