To not employ a tradesman who smokes

[Pob13]

We are trying to find a carpenter to do some work. First one came today to have a look, he seemed good but absolutely stank of smoke. He's been gone over an hour and I can still smell it. I just dont think I could have him in our house for several days.
So, would you be honest and give that as the reason or just say you are going with someone else?!

He may not be smoking cigarettes, he might just be burning his wood shavings at the end if the day?

How Dramatic

My double glazers were smokers but not in my house. (Would have put a stop to that soon enough!)

On first morning I gave them some pointers about my expectations and queries of the anticipated two days’ work. 🙄 We had an amicable chat & they happily explained things.

One pointer was:
“If you sit in your van for a fag break, please don’t discard yr fag buts on my drive.”

They were lovely men & I didn’t find a single fag end. Bless ‘em.

the charmed lives some people live

Yup.

Hopefully it wasn’t my husband, who’s a carpenter and has meant to have given up smoking recently! 😅
If you’re a non smoker then smelling smoke on others, and the smell lingering in your home, is truly vile so YANBU. But good tradesmen are hard to find, so if you haven’t found a good alternative then it might be worth just booking a week away when the works taking place, and spraying some febreeze when you get home! 😅 or you could request all windows be left open as you’re still worried about Covid or something?

Amused at the naive people saying it might be second hand smoke or burned wood, no, if someone smokes fags all day, you can tell cos they fucking stink and it does linger. I'm on your side OP as I'd be able to smell it in my house for ages but given that it's hard to book tradespeople I'd put up with it and keep all the windows and doors open and pray he's a fast worker!

Sorry, a deal breaker for me, just as if he stank of booze or BO.

Fair enough if it's someone working outside, but not in your home, especially if you're living in it.

I think your being a bit precious and I bet he can pick and choose which jobs he wants so if you tell him you are not using his services because of his lifestyle choices you will be the one missing out .

This😂

But at the end of the day its your choice OP so I can't fault you. Do you.

Whether you tell them or not depends on how you’d feel if you find a tradesperson you like but they tell you they don’t want to do the work as found you to be overbearing and obnoxious and it would just be too unpleasant to be in your house.

I've never smoked in my life, but to be honest, he could be blowing smoke out of his arse for all I care, so long as he turns up and does a good job.

I love it.
The wit of Mumsnet.

It is your choice.

He won't change his lifestyle or suddenly recover from his addiction because he has lost some work.

Echoing pp's good available tradesmen for hire are rare.

You're not being unreasonable to go with someone else. It's your home and you have every right to decide who will come into it.

But you are unreasonable to think that you should subject someone to a personal evaluation of their habits or smell.

Married to a carpenter. . . Just read him this post... . He is wetting himself laughing .... at all of the replies, not particularly the OP ... he said he only has one cigarette before work, and one after, so if you're anywhere near Lewes, (East Sussex), he's your m

Totally your choice ro hire him or not but can't really see any benefit in telling him the reason why. It probably has occurred to him at some point that smoking isn't the best habit, doubt this would be a light bulb momemt for him 😉

I mean, it's your choice but I do think it's an utterly daft reason not to have someone come and do the job.

I think i'd prefer a carpenter who smokes rather than one who wets himself when he laughs!

Although he should at least have plenty of sawdust to soak up any spillage.😁

😂This.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles ... now you're making me chuckle with him

As long as they did not smoke in my house, it would not stop me asking for work from them.

If he seems competent and reliable then yeah, it’s a pretty stupid reason to forgo his services.

Unfortunately I would have to agree here. It's shit though. We bought a brand new family car last year. Absolutely brand new and is our dream car (still under £20K though so not a Ferrari or anything). I bought it by saving like crazy (going without more often than not) working crazy hours and also using an inheritance from a loved one.

And that lovely, unique new car smell? Fucked. Gone. Ruined because of begrudgingly giving lifts to smokers. Now the car has that yucky stale smoke smell even though no one actually smoked in it. I've since given up the free rides (not like anyone ever offered petrol money anyway) but a tradesman who we actually need? I'd put up with it but I wouldn't like it. Just -very politely-make sure he knows not to smoke outside near open doors or windows so the stink doesn't get in.

Maybe he doesn't like your perfume? Honestly some posters on here are ridiculous. I'm a non-smoker and can smell it on others. There are lots of smells of other people I don't like, such as over bearing perfume, animals, body odour, weird cooking smells etc. Get over it, people are beyond precious.