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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Stupid chores / jobs your DH starts doing late at night?

15 replies

PurpleDisco · 30/12/2025 00:08

My DH has just started assembling a flat pack wardrobe that has been left in the spare bedroom for 3 months! It’s 11:45pm and he’s making an awful racket with his tools. I’m in bed and he’s just called out to ask me to help him hold something steady while he screws. Just why would anyone do this? Can it not wait until tomorrow when it’s already waited 3 months!

This isn’t the first time he’s started doing jobs late at night. Last week he installed a lightbulb in our garage at midnight on a ladder while using a torch. Again the bulb had been blown for 4 weeks so could have waited until the next day during actual daylight. He often says he finds his mojo at night. Luckily we live in a detached house so at least he’s not keeping the neighbours awake!

Anyone else’s DH like this?

OP posts:
ArseSkinForAFriend · 30/12/2025 00:10

Hoovering the stairs.

For some reason he only ever does it at night 😳

crazeekat · 30/12/2025 00:11

Have to say night time is my
most active and creative time. But I would draw the line at him asking you for help and using power tools at this time of night lol

Rosealea · 30/12/2025 00:11

Yup our washing machine has just kicked into top gear 🙄

mrsfollowill · 30/12/2025 00:13

He's just a nob - tell him to go to bed and shut up! what a bloody attention seeker. Total dickhead.

MooPointCowsOpinion · 30/12/2025 00:13

I am a little jealous mine is sleepy by 9pm and wouldn’t voluntarily build a wardrobe ever.
He snores though so is like having someone use powertools all night?

Eenameenadeeka · 30/12/2025 00:13

He was unreasonable to ask you to get out of bed and help, but I think it's good he's getting on with the tasks, sometimes I'm more motivated at night too. Wouldn't be making noise though to be fair

Original poster
PurpleDisco · 30/12/2025 00:15

At least I’m not the only one! Even our kids notice. Our DS asked me recently ‘does Dad know the difference between nighttime and daytime’?

OP posts:
GrinchoftheNorth · 30/12/2025 00:19

I was once awoken at 1am because mine wanted me to stand in the bath. He'd decided to remove and replace the sealant and it apparently required weight in the bath. He has ADHD and won't do minor tasks for months but when he decides he wants to, it has to be right at that moment. He's lucky I didn't drown him in said bath

Hankunamatata · 30/12/2025 00:20

I do this (hides under a blanket)

I have 3 kids with adhd. I procrastinate for ages then I have to do it

OnlyOneAdda · 30/12/2025 00:32

Isn't this malicious compliance? To try and get asked to do less of these things going forward?

Original poster
PurpleDisco · 30/12/2025 13:21

Just to update DH eventually finished making the wardrobe up at 4:30am! How do I know this? Because he came into the bedroom at that time whistling and all cheery and happy asking if I’d like to go and have a look at his handy work! Just why I asked to which he said he was excited to show me and didn’t want to wait until I got up. Obviously the answer was a clear ‘No’ at 4:30am but now that I’ve seen it this morning, it does look good and at least he’d cleared up the mess.

OP posts:
Gasbox · 30/12/2025 13:47

GrinchoftheNorth · 30/12/2025 00:19

I was once awoken at 1am because mine wanted me to stand in the bath. He'd decided to remove and replace the sealant and it apparently required weight in the bath. He has ADHD and won't do minor tasks for months but when he decides he wants to, it has to be right at that moment. He's lucky I didn't drown him in said bath

That's hilarious (apart from the waking you up bit), why on earth did he not just fill the bath with water? Grin

Whowhenwhat · 30/12/2025 18:31

PurpleDisco · 30/12/2025 13:21

Just to update DH eventually finished making the wardrobe up at 4:30am! How do I know this? Because he came into the bedroom at that time whistling and all cheery and happy asking if I’d like to go and have a look at his handy work! Just why I asked to which he said he was excited to show me and didn’t want to wait until I got up. Obviously the answer was a clear ‘No’ at 4:30am but now that I’ve seen it this morning, it does look good and at least he’d cleared up the mess.

Don't mean to sound like I'm wanting to stir, but sounds like he doesn't respect your sleep if he's waking you up at 4.30am look at his handiwork. If this is a one off, may not be an issue.

JudgeJ · 30/12/2025 18:33

crazeekat · 30/12/2025 00:11

Have to say night time is my
most active and creative time. But I would draw the line at him asking you for help and using power tools at this time of night lol

Same here, before Christmas I was up from midnight to about 3 am putting decorations up, I've always had a weird internal clock.

Sunsetseascape · 14/02/2026 22:58

No, can’t say mine does this. He’s a tradie, though, so if he’s doing a job on the house he’ll usually plan ahead and get up with that plan in mind and crack on early. If it’s something minor like a lightbulb he’d usually do it pretty much there and then when it first noticed if possible.

I can’t think of anything that’s been sat ignored for weeks that he suddenly decides to do at bedtime. He would do it if that’s when we found the issue of course (assuming it was necessary to actually need to do something immediate, like a leak or issue with electrics etc).

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