Builders - Agggghhhh. Need to vent!

[herethereandeverywhere]

We've moved back in after 6 months of total renovation. The builders are still in every day "finishing off", and have been for the month we've been in. I'm at the end of my tether. they're starting to undo the nice work that's been done (damaging and dirtying things), I have no privacy as they're all over the house so I can't shower during the day and have to ask where I can nap (I'm 33+2 with DD2). Want to have DD1 home and out of nursery but really can't have her round all of this at the mo. To top it all off we spent the best part of £1k renovating the original Victorian mosaic tiles in our hall last week, have only been allowed to walk on them since Saturday morning. Builders have stuck something to the floor to "protect" them in their infinite wisdom. This has pulled the sealant off the tiles and made the floor look awful. I'm so furious I feel sick.

I am so stressed I can't sleep at night and things seem like they're going backwards not forwards. Aaaaaggggrrrrhhhhhhhhh.

Rant over.

We renovated for four months and moved back in December. I totally feel your pain. All sorts of jobs unfinished and to make it worse the builder keeps asking us for the 'snag retention fee' when the snags are not done.

The snag fee thing is really getting on my wick.

I really, really sympathise. It must be absolutely grim. And I'm sure your builders will sympathise too if they have it pointed out to them.

OK, how about you make a clear list of rules / problems and talk it through with the head builder tomorrow.

e.g.

• builders are not allowed all over the house. Certain areas are worked on, and not others. You need to have a clear list of rooms that are builder free.
• the mosaic tiles are mended by the builders
• builders are told that they are damaging things, have this pointed out to them, have it put on list of things that must be fixed, etc.

I think you need to become very positive and assertive about what needs to happen at this point.

I'm afraid you've made me count my blessings - I was feeling down as the plumbers have traipsed plaster over the carpet, have done something to the electrics, and have used the wrong loo.

Builders are the devil.

Sorry you're having a hard time.

I've had my share of illness, bereavement, job worries, sick children, you name it - but there is a kind of stress generated by building work that no one understands unless they've been through it.