Builders are here, leaving muddy boot prints on my carpets

[Calling]

They are in and out and changing radiators etc. I did ask the boss to remove his boots but he said that they 'aren't allowed to remove boots inside in case they step on something for health and safety '. Ok. They turned up without carpet protection.
It rained heavily yesterday and the builders are leaving muddy footprints on the carpets!

Would the best thing be to say to the ultimate boss in the office that he has to pay for carpet cleaning? I don't fancy talking to the boss of the two men here as he is intimidating.

Put down some old curtains/ dust sheets.

He is right they can't take their shoes off as it is part of their PPE, but they should be wiping their feet etc. Personally I always put a dust sheet down for them to walk on.

Every tradesman we've had for work or even just a quote has taken boots off or had shoe covers. Everyone whose done work has laid out dustsheets and left the place cleaner than it started.

I'd be taking photos and definitely contacting boss.

Afraid I am one of those who would never rely on a contractor putting down dust sheets (and no, they can't remove their boots) and always cover everything myself, stairs included.
Many years ago we invested in a large number of proper dust sheets and they have paid dividends over the years. Huge rectangular ones, long narrow ones, medium ones etc etc, whatever the task I know my carpets & flooring are completely covered. Even have some clean ones for covering furniture.

Contractors appreciate the fact we have made arrangements and anyway, how clean do you think their dust sheets are going to be if used daily in numerous houses?
Yes of course they should take care but they are doing a job of work and that is probably low down their list of priorities, especially when the weather is like it has been down here recently.

I see about keeping the boots on.
Just went into the room and found the younger one (not the boss here) trying to clean the carpets!!! I hadn't said anything!
I asked whether they had dust sheets and they said yes, so asked them to use them, nicely.
I will go out and get some newspapers...

Not happy but...

Some tradesmen will bring their own (most these days), but you're supposed to be prepared and ready put down dust sheets when you've booked for work to be done. If neither of you has dust sheets, it's you that ends up with the muddy carpet. So best to be prepared.

At the first sign of a muddy footprint you could have stopped them until they went away and fetched their own dust sheets if you didn't have any of your own.

(no, it's not reasonable to expect them to clean the carpet or pay for it to be cleaned - but equally, the kettle will be mysteriously u/s until the situation improves)

Newspapers won't help at all op, they'll get wet and turn into paper mache. If they're now going to use dust sheets that'll help, alternatively cut the end off some black bin bags and op
en them up over the carpets.

Whizz and buy some decent dust sheets fgs

I have mixed feelings here because whilst OP could have had dust sheets in an ideal world, it doesn't seem as though the people working asked. Nor did they say they had their own, before trampling mud all through.

I haven't had any work done for a while but when we had patio doors put in, the workmen brought their own dustsheets, which they put down through the house. When they'd finished, they packed them up AND hoovered!
We did have dustsheets, which we offered, but theirs were wider and thicker.

Yep, dust sheets.

Builders that did my bathroom brought sticky back plastic and covered the stairs and upstairs hallway (fully even though they weren't near the bedrooms). The heating guys didn't but all carpets/flooring had to be lifted.

Pretty unprofessional if they haven't covered or asked for carpets to be lifted.

The sticky stuff isn't expensive and I've used it for decorating since.

All my builders have covered my carpets and stairs with a film wrap so basically cling filmed

Turns out that they had a pile of dust sheets etc but kept them in the van outside. After the muddy boot prints, one of them brought sheets in and left them in a pile!

I didn't buy newspapers. I found some old coloured cheap sheets and have laid them out. The younger one has laid out his sheets now.
The older one, boss, apologised and said that the younger man will make good and was told to lay sheets etc down before! Younger one looks v sheepish.

Most of the trades I have used these days seem to take keeping the house clean and cleaning up after the job as an important part of doing the job in a professional manner.

DP puts down carpet protector roll first.

The first thing they do is take the boots off and install the protection and then the boots go back on.

Thing is that it costs money and he quotes slightly more than others because the quality os better and because of this type of thing.

He loses a lot of work because others are cheaper but you get this type of problem. He’s still booked solid anyway.

Well, the younger man has shaped up!
Now, its very dusty etc, all what
is expected.

The cat left muddy footprints!