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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Builders starting tomorrow, top tips please

47 replies

tasmaniandevilchaser · 03/01/2019 10:44

Hi, we’ve got builders starting tomorrow, we were expecting them to start in a few weeks so it’s a bit of a surprise!

I’m not really prepared, any top tips? Apart from getting in industrial quantities of tea, coffee and biscuits?!

OP posts:

Original poster

tasmaniandevilchaser · 03/01/2019 20:37

TSSDNCOP, all the neighbours know, if they’re not on our Whatsapp group, I’ve knocked and told them today. Your situation sounds awful.

OP posts:

JacketPotatoQueen · 03/01/2019 20:47

Definitely get a cheap kettle and toaster. And cheap mugs.

JacketPotatoQueen · 03/01/2019 20:49

Also ask them what they plan to do each day and move / cover stuff accordingly. I have found that our builders make a half hearted attempt to cover or move our possessions but invariably they don’t protect things as well as I would!!

IShouldBeSoLurky · 03/01/2019 21:20

Don't even think about catering for them. Either show them where to make their own hot drinks or let them bring their own. Otherwise you'll have a bunch of millennial snowflakes asking politely for cappuccinos with one sugar three times a day and you'll resent them even more than you will anyway. Ours have used our loo throughout with no problems. They are builders, not a herd of wildebeest.

IShouldBeSoLurky · 03/01/2019 21:29

Oh and ours brought their own hoover, and have been really pretty good about clearing up after themselves. If you have a DCat put it on a diet or hide the Dreamies - ours have been buggers about stuffing her with treats to make friends.

MarmiteTermite · 03/01/2019 21:32

Personally I’ve found they are happier to come back/do a few extra things for you etc. if you look after them and treat them as you would like to be treated (tea/coffee/nice biscuits/weekly bacon sandwiches etc). Think our hoover might be fucked though.

TSSDNCOP · 04/01/2019 00:25

Thank you tasman

I never imagined the effect someone else’s work could have. In both cases I was told it was just the roof tiles being replaced.

One side has been scaffolded since May and gutted the interior. The other side has been scaffolded since September and doing the same.

I’m told one day I will be able to laugh about it.

bigbluebus · 04/01/2019 08:07

We had a portaloo when we had our extension built but builders were working from outside most of the time. When we've had other work done internally, they've used our downstairs loo with no problems of the sort you read about on Mumsnet!

Oly5 · 04/01/2019 15:59

Don’t they bring their own mugs and kettle! Surely I can hide mine!

Original poster

tasmaniandevilchaser · 04/01/2019 17:25

TSSDNCOP, both sides at the same time?!?!? That really is stressful, yes one day you will laugh.... just not that soon, I imagine. I will carry on making an effort to keep my lovely neighbours informed.

Well our builders were great, they get their drinks and use the loo at the petrol station across the road, so they didn’t come in the house! We were all hugely entertained by them knocking down the conservatory and shed, so glad to see the back of both of them!

I will get some bacon in for them tomorrow.

OP posts:

HughLauriesStubble · 04/01/2019 17:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SpaceBergerac · 04/01/2019 20:29

Ooh yes, air purifier is a good shout, we bought one after a few weeks of dust and fumes and realising how much we were all coughing, worked really well.

We also saved the many cardboard boxes from deliveries and used these to cover our existing oak flooring for extra protection, worked a treat. And then we made sure we knew when the last skip was being picked up so we could get rid of it all without our green bin overflowing!

We had a few weekend workers in the run up to Xmas, so we got beers for them as a thank you. Never made any bacon sandwiches, but then we don't eat meat, but always had plenty of biscuits (and mince pies at Xmas!)

Sounds like you've got off to a good start anyway, hope it all goes well!

llangennith · 04/01/2019 20:47

Start as you mean to go on. Don't be too obliging. You can be nice without being soft. And yes hide the hoover.

Ariela · 04/01/2019 20:59

If you get on well with any neighbours, negotiate the builders or you use any spare parking. Don't let them clog up the road, it irritates everybody else.

fuzzyduck1 · 05/01/2019 18:28

Go on a long holiday and only come back when they are finished

AppleCrumbleCake · 06/01/2019 20:49

As well as hiding your hoover, hide your mop and bucket (or give them an old one and hide your good one!).

I left 3 packets of nice biscuits out on the first day and they ate them all that day - no way I was keeping that up 5 days a week for 3 months! We ended up moving out for a while so it provided the perfect time to stop the biscuit supply!

HughLauriesStubble · 06/01/2019 23:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrsed1987 · 06/01/2019 23:18

We are week 13 in to an extention and kitchen which was meant to take 9 weeks. Got about another 2 weeks to go and our baby is due in 3 weeks!

Our builders havent used the toilet although the plumber did (tbf he had come at 6pm after a full day in london).

Ill be honest its been a nightmare but more so because ive been on leave and dh is unwell and off work.

Hopefully yours goes more smoothly than ours has.

Sillybilly1234 · 07/01/2019 00:50

Whatever you do don't piss them off. Be firm but fair.

Try not to change things as you go along but if you do, make your own list of add and omit items so you can sort out the extra money they will ask you for at the end.

Have a signed contract and drawings and a detailed list of what is and isn't included in the price at the start of the job.

If you are having under floor heating a current little scam some builders use is to say at the end of the job that the electrics to the under floor heating was not included. Make sure that it is included up front.

If possible get them to supply everything themselves. We sorted out our own sliding doors and when there was an issue with the date of installation the builder used it against us. Also there was a leak. Door people said it was the builders fault, builders said it was door people's fault. Catch 22. If the builder had supplied our sliding doors it would have all been his issue to sort out.

Happy builders are more accommodating. Try to keep them happy.

Try not to get too stressed.

Good luck.

johnd2 · 07/01/2019 20:51

All good advice above I'd add dust gets everywhere especially if you have an old house and even more if you're having chimneys knocked down through 4 rooms. Dust sheets and cardboard boxes are no use as the dust floats underneath and inside, even the walls get a thick layer of dust that floats around for weeks. The only solution is to use the garage or shed, or seal all the boxes with tape or use lidded plastic boxes.
The other one is don't change things as you go along, you'll suddenly get a bill at the end for extras that weren't discussed. Even if you write it in the contract the extras must be quoted and agreed in advance the request will still come.

chickenfeathers · 08/01/2019 14:35

Marmite Termite bacon sandwiches on Friday? Our jeffin builders had bacon, egg, tomato and sausage sandwiches every day! Plus gallons of tea and coffee. And cake. And surplus homemade stew. I think the food cost more than the building work!

They were a good bunch of lads though, and cracking workers, so I didn't mind.

Oh, and they were partial to fish finger sarnies too.....😋

chickenfeathers · 08/01/2019 14:36

Sorry....that wasn't in the least bit helpful was it...

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