Builders - is this normal?

[NotMondayAgain]

We are starting to get a bit annoyed by what we consider to be odd behaviour by our builders? Am I being fussy or is this normal?
Using our 'tools' e.g Dust pan and brush and leaving them dirty and broken outside the house
Not cleaning up after themselves. Dirt and grit in the house every day
Not telling us whether they are turning up that day or not.
Giving us over optimistic deadlines for completion then missing them.
Going off in the middle of the day to do other jobs with our current day's job half finished.
Is this typical behaviour?

certainly not unheard of complaints
what agreement do you have with your general contractor?
do you have many subcontractors on site?

We are having some of these issues too. I would definitely draw a line at them using my tools. Attention very least they should replace them when they're broken, or clean them when dirty.

Mind you, we had a leek last night a de roofers appeared this morning in order to fix it. They absolutely stank of weed! So maybe you should count your blessings

*at the, not attention...

Yes there have been quite a few subcontractors. I don't think they have been chosen well. I haven't even listed some of the worst issues as too identifying, although I doubt they would be reading MN.

I doubt they would be reading MN.

You never know! Our plasterers have been listening to an album by Mariah Carey all day on repeat, and singing along loud, even the high notes.

This will definitely identify them if they are reading Mn!

Hide your vacuum cleaner! Some builders take absolute liberties. I have had everything you say. Just wait until they don't come back and finish the job at all. It's very hard dealing with builders like this. Withhold payments until they complete each stage. If they don't finish they don't get the money. That usually brings about completion. It is hard work and so annoying. I have even more tales of messy builders! I had better not tell you or you will worry even more.

We're building at the moment and I've grit in my house that's normal when you've got building work going on.
They do actually clean up after themselves and used my mop and broom but I don't care as I can replace them after and I appreciate their attempt but I still have to clean up at the end of the day.
I'm not sure many builders will clean the place spotless after. Or maybe they do I don't really know

They don't use my vacuum cleaner! They have their own Henry.
We've had all sorts of stuff happening here, but they're nice guys and they keep coming back they're getting the job done so I'm very happy, in the beginning I was worried they wouldn't come back!
there's things we've overlooked and others we've had to say about.
We're about 2 weeks over schedule but it's nearing the end. I've actually got no idea when it'll be finished they haven't given a date and I haven't asked but we can see it's getting there so we're happy enough to go along with it.

We had some builders and they were better at hoovering than me.....

stealth boast we chose a contractor with an excellent reputation, all the subs were slotted in like a well oiled machine. we walked through several times a day and they stayed on task. all the subs left their business cards and any instructional forms from the products (which the contractor then but into a binder) all the work was guaranteed for 1 year. ohhhhh and the contractors wife came by at the end of each day and cleaned the house with her own stuff. at the end of the 1 year guarantee the contractor came by to double check if everything was as expected.

Mine started knocking through with no warning, didn't seal anything up! I still has washing drying on an airer!

I don't think there is a 'normal' as far as builders are concerned!