Do you sit and watch your tradesmen?

[Newhousecrying]

We’ve had numerous trades people in and
because the house is empty, we’ve been giving them the key to one of the doors and left them to it (and then we lock the other doors on days they’re not working). And then we visit the house some evenings and at the weekend.

now, I know one of them has damaged one of the windows. I know which trade it was, but the person in charge is denying it.

So would you sit in a dusty house with no hot water/ fridge to ‘watch’ them work? I’ve always thought it starts a bad relationship, which is why we’ve settled for visiting the house later, but now I’m really not sure. I can work from home there if absolutely required but not ideal for my job.

We’ve asked this person to not do any further work and we’ll pay for the days labour, which is super annoying for the schedule but can’t have someone who we can’t trust in and out of the house.

No, I don't but I am lucky enough to have most trades that I've ever needed to use either known to me for years or recommended to me.

I would sit and read a book or go for a short walk, browse Mumsnet on my phone, do summer cleaning (last choice) or generally look busy in an empty house while the tradesperson did their stuff.

When we had an extension done, I initially left them to it but started working more and more from home as they weren't following the plans properly, and the work was getting sloppy and needed redoing a few times.
I'd pop in every now and then to say hello and general check it was all looking ok. Some of them clearly hated me for it but after 2 months of complaining and shit workmanship I didn't care anymore!

I forgot to say, in a non empty house I used to make them tea every hour or so, mainly to check on progress of the work.

Long since stopped, but at the start of my career in woodbashing spent a fair bit of time fitting domestic kitchens. Used to drive us fucking mental being spyed on (and occasionally being told we were doing it wrong - WTAF?) You either trust us to do a professional job (in which case leave us to get on with it) or you don't. U

No, can't think of anything worse than being watched on the job. Let them get on with it.

Thanks everyone.

i agree. I’d be miserable and resentful if someone was clearly staying in to watch me. BUT that was before they broke my window!!

I’m anxious what this person will say to us asking them not to come back.

When we were doing a house renovation whilst living in rental we'd 'pop in' once or twice a day. So we weren't sat staring at them, but were aware of what was happening each day. We couldn't vary the time much because of work but with the current house renovation we'll do the same but try and make it at different times each day. We found it was quite useful anyway as questions invariably arose in the course of each day.

Also used it as an opportunity to top up tea/coffee/sugar/biscuit supplies so hopefully the tradesmen appreciated it!

Generally at start leave to get on with it, but we had a decorator who was making mess after mess after mess... In end he was sent on his way.

We had a plumber in once and I couldn't get away, he kept asking me to help him with his work!

In my experience, the challenge is that lots (not all) of tradesmen are pretty rubbish at (or don't prioritise) communication. That means, unless you are going to talk to them you can spend days/weeks in the dark about progress and risk not finding out about delays or issues until some time has passed.

Coupled with the issue of some tradesmen being cowboys and all the horror stories that go with that and it feels like the world's worse gamble.

I suspect this sometimes feels like being watched but it's honestly awful to not know. I suspect a ten minute clear and honest update at the end of each day, with a couple of pictures, would go a long way to allaying people's concerns and mean there was less checking up.

We had an extension built, most of the time one of us was working from home, it was handy as they could shout upstairs if there was a question. But other days they'd be left to it, they had a key.

Most times I'd leave someone to get on with a job.

There was a bit of damage while work going on - but they were always up front about it and did a repair.

When we had our extension built DH worked from home twice a week so would often pop down to see how things were going, however we mainly left them to it. We also went away for two weeks while majority of the building work was taking place.

I'm a sahm so the more recent work we've had done I've been in the house but I do try to keep out of trade people's way as much as possible.

Had a builder in for the first time ever recently and I was very wary about giving them a key to the house. Not because of them personally, but it didn't feel natural. They did a couple of days work while I was at home on annual leave, and I left them to it and sat downstairs watching TV. Then once I felt I knew them a bit I gave them a key and couldn't check on them while they were in the house because I was at work.
It's a tricky one, I'd probably pop in a couple of times and use tea and biscuits as an excuse.

@abovedecknotbelow this! It’s horrendous yet so many do it.
then you get the annoying blokes trying to be clued up and “one of the lads” offering ridiculous anecdotes about diy he’s done or trying to discuss recent sporting events. Usually from men obviously uncomfortable with both diy & sport.

I do leave tradesmen to get on with the job but most of the ones I use are very local and if not known to me personally then they are known to people I know or have come highly recommended.

When we had our extension built we even went abroad for a week on holiday so they could knock through to the main house without us having to endure the mess. By this point though, they'd been working here for a couple of months and the main man had very clear expectations of the sub contractors. In fact I overheard one of the subbies telling a separate trade whom I'd contracted directly what the expectations were - which made me laugh but also gave me confidence.

I've also had an issue in the past with a tradesman who caused 2 lots of damage and denied it when challenged even though the evidence was quite clear. Fortunately they were part of a wider job and the contract lead accepted the evidence (hard not to) and got the damage put right. Needless to say I have never used that tradesman since.

I don’t stand over them and watch every move. But no way would ai let them have access without me being there.

I would’ve on-site, offering refreshments every so often. So, enough to keep an eye, but not enough to be a PITA!