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Original poster

Workmen alone in your home

51 replies

Dumdidums · 03/09/2025 13:10

Im having a new bathroom put in but the company says i dont need to be here whilst they do it. Its a bit inconvenient for me to take time off work but at the same time im a bit concerned about leaving a stranger alone in my home all day. What do you think

OP posts:
housethatbuiltme · 03/09/2025 13:19

Whats your concern?

IAmNotASheep · 03/09/2025 13:31

I’m always in the house if there are strangers about
You don’t know them so I agree with your concern

sbplanet · 03/09/2025 13:44

I hate being around when trades are doing work in our house, I panic about what all the bangs and crashes are! So we tend to leave them to it. I guess there has to be a degree of trust but that should be there from choosing them.
We did once have something stolen by a worker, but that happened when we were actually in the house, so there you go.

ChasingThePuck · 03/09/2025 13:45

I normally WFH the first day and then mostly bog off and leave them to it. And I give them a key.

pretty much every single tradesman I've used though has been recommended and done work for other friends so I already feel I have a level of trust with them.

bootle96 · 03/09/2025 13:57

What’s your concern. I try to avoid being home if work is being done in the house if at all possible. It’s never occurred to me to stay home. Although I can’t work from home and it would be a waste of annual leave. We had two different tradesmen in at different times this summer while we were on holiday abroad. It never occurred to me to worry. Maybe I’m missing something?

Original poster
Dumdidums · 03/09/2025 15:12

I just dont feel comfortable having strangers in my home for long periods of time without me being there. I dont like the idea of them snooping around the rooms. Its not about theft of things of financial high value as id notice if the TV or robovac is removed its just the idea of them reading stuff or snooping around the rooms i dont like. I have never had this sort of work done and had no idea people normally let this happen.
Im ok with the company as its a relatively large one but its the individual thats coming round im not so sure about

OP posts:
FullLondonEye · 03/09/2025 15:32

Dumdidums · 03/09/2025 15:12

I just dont feel comfortable having strangers in my home for long periods of time without me being there. I dont like the idea of them snooping around the rooms. Its not about theft of things of financial high value as id notice if the TV or robovac is removed its just the idea of them reading stuff or snooping around the rooms i dont like. I have never had this sort of work done and had no idea people normally let this happen.
Im ok with the company as its a relatively large one but its the individual thats coming round im not so sure about

My husband is a tradesman. They are normal human beings and, unless they are shit tradesmen which is a different problem anyway, they will be respectful of your home. They don't have any spare time to or interest in snooping through your things.

housethatbuiltme · 03/09/2025 15:33

Dumdidums · 03/09/2025 15:12

I just dont feel comfortable having strangers in my home for long periods of time without me being there. I dont like the idea of them snooping around the rooms. Its not about theft of things of financial high value as id notice if the TV or robovac is removed its just the idea of them reading stuff or snooping around the rooms i dont like. I have never had this sort of work done and had no idea people normally let this happen.
Im ok with the company as its a relatively large one but its the individual thats coming round im not so sure about

They will be too busy working to snoop.

They might occasionally wander around, I found a work man had popped into a bedroom to eat his lunch (because the rest of the house was loud and dusty from the work) but they have ZERO urge to read your Dairy or check if your a Ann Summer thong or George briefs girl or see what brand of hemorrhoid cream your use. They are burly tradesmen trying to get the job done as fast as possible so they can get paid and go home not nosy teen girls looking for gossip.

I'm one of those 'mumsnet' people that HATES hosting, never has people over and will even ignore the door if I'm not expecting a package because I don't want random guests etc... but honestly builders aren't guests they are just their to work. I have had 4 weeks of builders and tradesmen in and it is far more awkward and anxious if you are there because then you feel like you should be helping (it awkward to sit and ignore everyone else doing hard graft) but also like your just constantly in their way.

AncientHarpy · 03/09/2025 15:40

Well, take a day off, stay at home for the first day (or work from home, if that's possible), get a feel for the workman/men, answer any questions, make sure they understand exactly what you need. Then go back to work, and let them get on with it. Lock bedrooms if you really imagine them wanking in your knicker drawer.

tarheelbaby · 03/09/2025 15:41

If you're not comfortable having them there when you're not around, then you'll have to make plans to WFH or pop back at lunchtime? It's a good idea to be there at the start in case there are any questions.
If you have things you don't want them to see/touch, put them in a separate room and lock it? In general, you'll want to clear the area/room where they're working so you'll be moving your shampoo, etc.
If you're offering the traditional cup of tea, leave the things they can use in an obvious place in the kitchen.
Sometimes I'm around at the same time but sometimes I'm not. It can be a bit cringe if they're working flat out and I'm just chiling on the sofa reading a book or surfing the 'net.
FWIW
mainly they will be too busy to do anything other than the job; they want to finish it ASAP, get paid and get on to the next job.
also, they know that if ANYTHING happens other than the job, they're first in line to be accused. (see today's thread about a carer who's been sacked over a missing spoon)
top tip: label your bins or they will chuck any- and every- thing in to the wrong bins and you will have to sort it out, literally.

LittleCarrot12 · 03/09/2025 15:42

I only left a workman once . Came home to a shit job that he’d outsourced. Was fuming and it would never have happened if I’d been there.

sweetpickle2 · 03/09/2025 15:46

Tradespeople have absolutely no interested in 'snooping'.

Wot23 · 03/09/2025 15:49

you sound like the sort of person I would want to be there the whole time preferably sitting a few feet behind me so there can be no "accusations" about stuff going missing or being broken. I'm more vulnerable to you than you are to me.

Meantime in the real world, people leave them to get on with the job you want them to do.

SeaAndStars · 03/09/2025 16:05

DH and I were both tradespeople before we retired. Honestly, we were so respectful in client's homes, it would never have crossed our minds to go into any area unless it was absolutely essential to the job.

We were both so busy we got the job done and were out of there asap.

IAmNotASheep · 03/09/2025 18:31

Dumdidums · 03/09/2025 15:12

I just dont feel comfortable having strangers in my home for long periods of time without me being there. I dont like the idea of them snooping around the rooms. Its not about theft of things of financial high value as id notice if the TV or robovac is removed its just the idea of them reading stuff or snooping around the rooms i dont like. I have never had this sort of work done and had no idea people normally let this happen.
Im ok with the company as its a relatively large one but its the individual thats coming round im not so sure about

I completely agree with you. It’s perfectly fine to be cautious and concerned

IAmNotASheep · 03/09/2025 18:35

sweetpickle2 · 03/09/2025 15:46

Tradespeople have absolutely no interested in 'snooping'.

and yet
During covid to make sure plumbers kept their masks on we had cameras inside
This was just because they said they would and I caught them not doing so when I passed by a room.

So we put up cameras

Not only were they not wearing the masks They snooped ! in cupboards and our chest of drawers in the bedroom.

So
Whilst most will be OK and just get on with the job I think having this concern is absolutely fine

Papricat · 03/09/2025 22:18

Trust issues?

Wot23 · 04/09/2025 07:55

Papricat · 03/09/2025 22:18

Trust issues?

seems so, well to remember that trust works both ways though. Unpleasant to have to prove you didn't break something when the householder saw an opportunity to blame it on the tradesperson

I wonder how OP would react to seeing me taking before and after photos as a lesson learned in protecting myself

Linenpickle · 04/09/2025 07:57

I’d want to be there so I do t think it is an unreasonable request.

NetZeroZealot · 04/09/2025 08:00

Dumdidums · 03/09/2025 15:12

I just dont feel comfortable having strangers in my home for long periods of time without me being there. I dont like the idea of them snooping around the rooms. Its not about theft of things of financial high value as id notice if the TV or robovac is removed its just the idea of them reading stuff or snooping around the rooms i dont like. I have never had this sort of work done and had no idea people normally let this happen.
Im ok with the company as its a relatively large one but its the individual thats coming round im not so sure about

They are there to get a job done. They will want to do it quickly and competently so they can get paid and move onto the next one.
They are not going to be remotely interested in rifling through your drawers.

KiwiFall · 04/09/2025 08:00

I’m 50/50. I hate being in when workmen are around as hate the banging and mess but also it’s handy being home in case of any issues or decisions you have to discuss with them as easier in person than on the phone. When we had an extension (we’ve had 2 with different builders) we had no choice as I had to go to work some days. I trusted them to be in without me there. If it was only a day thing I would try and book it for a day off but more than one day it’s not practical.

Original poster
Dumdidums · 04/09/2025 08:12

NetZeroZealot · 04/09/2025 08:00

They are there to get a job done. They will want to do it quickly and competently so they can get paid and move onto the next one.
They are not going to be remotely interested in rifling through your drawers.

Show quote history

this is interesting as my another concern is that the quoted duration is longer than i would have been expected

OP posts:
NetZeroZealot · 04/09/2025 08:19

Are they charging for the job or by the hour?

Lennonjingles · 04/09/2025 08:28

My DH is a retired bathroom installer, honesty he was way too busy to go snooping around, but would often find old newspapers in lofts which he would read. Some clients would go away on holiday whilst he worked, which I never could, but it did make the job so much easier. He did also work in houses where there was cctv so presumed the owners were watching.

KiwiFall · 04/09/2025 08:47

Think it boils down to picking the right people in the first place who you can trust. If they have been recommended by word of mouth I wouldn’t give it a thought. In my experience tradesmen are very respectful of anything they are not there to deal with. Ie taking boots off in the house even though I tell them they don’t need to as we have hard floors. Returning cups to the sink if I have told them to make themselves drinks and left out the stuff. I tend to only be there if I think I may need to be called upon to discuss something about the repair or it’s just a quick job and they will be finished before I am back from work.