To lock my bathroom during renovations in the flat

[Hocuspoc]

The flat has just one bathroom/toilet which has just been refurbished. Considering this is in London, the price of the renovation was extortionate.

Now we have painters and decorators coming in to paint the walls, skirting boards etc.
I really don't want them to use the bath or sink for keeping the tools and washing up.
It still bothers me how much the bathroom renovation has set us back and if someone was now to scratch the bathtub or break a tile I think I'd have a mental breakdown.
I want them to use the kitchen sink instead, or to set up some buckets on the kitchen floor - whatever they can come up with - just to stay away from the bloody bathroom.
I am tempted to lock the bathroom to prevent any damage or soiling.

And I feel this is horrible - it is as if I don't want them to use the loo or something (and it is not about that at all).
But then, the guys who did the bathroom had nowhere to go for 10 days while renovating it - so this is not an impossible set up.

I feel I am being unreasonable but honestly with the prices the contractors are charging at the moment I could not care less - they can certainly afford a quick coffee in a nearby cafe and use the loo there.
Thoughts.

Speak to the painters and decorators……..it is not difficult to actually say “ I am perfectly happy for you all to use the toilet facilities but please wash paint brushes etc in the kitchen “. Communication is key here…….unless you tell them they won’t know will they? Be polite, but be an adult……open your mouth and talk to them!!

Exactly.

On a separate note, I think you need to to and calm down about the bathroom. We’ve had two new bathrooms put in recently and we have a few settling cracks and other issues. Being that wound up about a bathroom is going to make you miserable, irrespective of what the painters do.

Op, if you didn’t have a toilet for ten days, how did you manage?!

Came here to say exactly this 😂

Put a thick quilt and a load of stuff in the bath. Books wrapped in towels etc and a note saying please don’t move any of this. A friend of mine did this for the same reason. It worked.

There may be some kind of law about providing basic necessities like loos in a workplace - check up on that.

You're going to need to deal with Precious Bathroom Syndrome. Something will happen if it is meant for human use. Or are you just going to keep it locked forever?
Don't have contractors in if you're not prepared to treat them with basic decency.

I had two lovely guys build our extension a few years back. They never once used the upstairs toilet (they were welcome to though) so no idea where/when they went. They did put in a bathroom, but not until the end of the 8month project. They barely touched the kettle, biscuits etc we left them and whenever we bought them take out coffee/cakes they seemed embarrassed. They also gave us a Christmas gift. In my experience, trades people look after your property.

We are not in London, but have had professional decorators in many times. They have never washed their brushes in our sinks. They bring special buckets fir the purpose. Why don't you talk to them about your concerns?

Yes, that's been my experience too, @Goatinthegarden , in 37 years of home ownership, never a problem. Mind you, I've always treated them with respect, so it's mutual.

This. It's fucking inhumane to deny someone working in your house access to toilet facilities.

They need access to a toilet.
Do you intend to explain how you coped with no toilet for 10 days?
You need to unclench about your precious bathroom.

Can you get a portaloo? My neighbour won't have any workmen in her house and has done this.

I'd lock the bathroom.

We had contractors in painting while having the kitchen refit, they washed their brushes in our old bath (not bothered as it was being replaced a few months later anyway) but in doing that, they caused a massive leak which came down through the kitchen ceiling below in the middle of our kitchen renovation 😩

At their cost they had to fix the leak and replace the just-installed-2-days-prior kitchen base unit - a big pull-out spinning corner one and redo the kitchen ceiling. It added about a week onto our works. Fixing the leak entailed smashing 3 large bathroom tiles to get access, which they then had to make good after (no spare old tiles were left by the previous owners) with the closest tile match from the nearest tile shop. It looked awful 🫣 but it too was being replaced a few months later so we didn't have to put up with it for long.

Definitely lock your bathroom!

I will add that we live along the road to a pub which the contractors were happy to use for toilet facilities, and the pub was happy for them to use them too as they went in for lunch daily and a few times a week after they'd finished labouring for drinks, too.

Why don't you speak to them and discuss your issues and what the solution is.
My dad is a builder and a lot of my cousins. They are decent, intelligent people with nice houses themselves, they don't live in a barn. They will address your concerns.
Explain the fact the bathroom is new and you want minimal use, dont mind them doing a wee, but otherwise no usage of the bathroom.
If you are employing a decent builder they will work with you in the manner that you need.
Just locking the bathroom and not explaining anything is a bit cranky.

No, you can't deny them access to your bathroom. It's irrelevant what the bathroom guys did, the difference is they had control of that situation. They could have put the toilet in on day one if they wanted to. Locking your bathroom when contractors are in is inhumane.

If the issue is the bath and the sink, maybe put some kind of cover over them and tape it down. And communicate with them that you need them to use the sink in the kitchen not the bathroom.

But I agree with PPs, actually speaking to them and coming to an agreement would be the best approach.

Yabu do deny them access to toilet facilities.

The bathroom renovation is irrelevant as the person doing that would have been aware of the situation, and it's inevitable. Though normally the old one is taken out and a new one put in, so there is little/no time without a toilet.

You can ask them/put a sign on the door re washing brushes. You could also cover the bath if really necessary.

A toilet is a must. (Many people have health conditions where they need the toilet regularly/cannot wait for the toilet so travelling to a cafe would not be possible). Also provide hot drinks and biscuits.

As long as you hire a porta loo that's absolutely fine.

Remember there are alas vast swathes of people who, if you ask them not to do something, will cheerfully do it even more.

Buy a big roll of bubble wrap. Cover your bath, sink etc and tape it down. Put a sign on the door no tools to be stored here.

Okay so now we know where the stories come from about mad people not even letting their home professionals use a bathroom.

Obviously you hire a portaloo. And all your reactions here raving on about your bathroom and ignoring everyone who says "fine but give them a different toilet to use" seems to show you don't actually want a reasonable solution.

Yes to the portaloo and if this is your attitude, no wonder 5/5 workmen ignore your requests. I interact with tradespeople normally and have never yet had similar problems.

100% lock the bathroom. I’ve had work done trashed by decorators/workmen numerous times. If they need a loo onsite they can get a portaloo and charge you.

I'm trying to picture workmen standing on the walls 🤔

Most decorators I’ve ever used have been very professional and very careful about mess… it’s their job, they do it everyday without smashing up peoples bathrooms! Maybe just have a word and say please use the kitchen sink rather than the bathroom… pretty simple really