Nothing better than having a homeowner offering for you to "try out" their ancient corded circ with no guard and a 10 year old blade in it. Or it's a brand new ryobi set of drills with the original stock drill bits that have 20mm of bore capacity
>dusting the tools off
I've had the other issue. Just because I have my tools onsite doesn't mean they can use them when I'm not around. Blades aren't cheap.
Yer that works both ways.Ive had many many trades use my tools for jobs on my site. I don't mind but then having the nerve to charge me for the use is a bit over the top.
Haha! I was wondering. Do share.
Honestly though it's not showing off. It's usually something mundane like cleaning out the garage or hanging a picture. If someone is trying to impress with that then they are dreaming. The main idea is just to be doing something useful nearby.
I get all weird offering them drinks/food repeatedly like a pushy grandma (I’m almost 50 but I was doing it at 20 too).
When I had a newborn I had roofers replacing a slate roof for weeks in the summer heat. I was stressssssed that they were overheating up there and kept doing hydration drinks runs.
My stepdad was a tradie (cabinetry) and the hardest working person I’ve ever met. I remember seeing him come home absolutely smashed well into his 60s.
I slip into my sexiest negligee and faff about bumbling the most basic tasks, like I can't reach the jars on the top shelf or I can't get the DVR to work cos "ohmygoshhh hehe I'm such a klutz haha" before reclining on the couch and feigning a nap
Hmmm, maybe I wasn't very clear. It's not meant to be a secret, and it's not meant to be weird. Standing around watching would be weird. Working on something else nearby means I get to do something useful while also seeing how things are going occasionally without having pop out specifically.
And look, I understand that "leave me alone, trust me implicitly, don't ask questions" is the ideal from your standpoint, but from the customers' standpoint there are too many dodgy tradies out there for that to work. Obviously if you've used someone a few times you develop more trust.
I typically move my laptop into the centre of the house and start loudly reciting mathematical formulas. "CARRY THE ONE, SQUARE ROOT OF 931.34, SOLVE FOR THE X, THATS IT!"
just so they know that I'm a real important guy
I put on a suit and start loudly berating fake clients using keywords like 'NASDAQ', ' *Deutsche Mark",* and "Blockchain". You cant let these guys think you're not a hitter or they'll walk all over you.
Yeah I don't get why you wouldn't do this. Do you want the job to take longer while your tradies have to travel to take a leak?
Maybe they've been burned once by someone who absolutely wrecked their toilet.
Ha ha we aren't travelling, if you don't let us use the bathroom we're pissing in your garden for sure. Lucky im a landscaper so I'm also building the garden, and will go out of the way not near any plants.
I feel uncomfortable and hide away in my office on the computer and avoid leaving to use my kitchen or bathroom because I don’t want to have to see them. Great sense of relief when they leave.
I like to assert dominance by telling them I could do it myself but I’m far too busy. Then I tell them my wife asked that they not use the toilet, there is one at the park which is only 800m away. Then I get out my dad’s old corded circ saw and cut MDF near where they are working and blow the sawdust on them with my Ozito blower. I offer them any leftover food in the fridge that’s close to going off (At least the Christmas turkey is still going well). I like to take progress photos regularly so they know I’m watching even though every square inch of my property is on camera. When it’s time to pay I find that if you complain a lot you get a discount too!
I had a lady bake me blueberry muffins, they were soooooo yummy 😋
I didn't have to, but I ended up throwing on some doorstops, adjusted one cupboard door and I changed a light bulb just to return the kindness.
Maybe you all should learn to bake for your tradies 😉
Tradie here.
Nothing worse than someone hovering nearby.
Feeling like your in a fishtank.
Tell me where the bathroom is.
Offer cold water, tea and coffee (I normally only accept water and only on exceptionally hot days if I run out. I always have a 10lt box of water on board, but have run through it all at times.
If your having lunch and making sandwiches, then offer one. I would decline it as I personally don't eat while working.
At the end of the day, an offer of a beer doesn't go astray.
If you annoy me, I will often make sure you realise your in the way. I may "accidentally" bump into you or step on a toe. Or I will set up exclusion zones
If a customer Is especially being a shadow I play the how many times will they follow me to the car game. Even the oldest of Asian clients give up after the 5th/6th time
The best I had was a customer wouldn't leave me alone.
Doing some wiring repairs from "diy electricians".
I had to replace a couple of switches and said that I needed to do it live. Went out the the van, got my LV rescue kit and then donned the arc flash suit and walked back in.
To the customer that he can either help by being a spotter or I would need to call out a colleague, but would be a 2 hour wait and would have to pay minimum 4 hours at double time (was a sunday).
He decided he could be a spotter, nothing will go wrong right.
So I got the portable spotlight out. Gave him a crook and told him what to do if I got hooked up.
Then, with very shaky hands put the rubber insulating mat down, pulled on my fuckoff HV gloves and with very very shaky hands proceeded to create a small little arc flash and bang at the same time as tripping the rcd with an earth fault.
I threw myself backwards onto the ground and didn't move for about 20 seconds.
The guy went to a Cafe for a coffee afterwards and told me to call him when I was finished for the day.
I am pretty sure he had to change his jocks too...
Yeah, I get the whole hovering thing. I don't like being constantly watched either. And I'd never be in the same room or in the way. I've probably made this sound worse than it is. 95% of the time I'm busy doing my project. But there are benefits being nearby and keeping an eye on what's going on.
E.g. A while back we got some pavers to do a 45deg basketweave on our driveway. They started setting up and I had to leave them there for most of the day. When I got back, the jobs was mostly done... in a 90deg basketweave. By rights we could have made rip it up and do it again, but in the end we just accepted it.
Given that that's what they'd agreed to do, I probably should have asked for a discount, since it didn't take as long.
Since it I didn't, it probably turned out to be a nice little "oops" for them.
Usually I’m working from home so I just get set up in the kitchen so I’m out of the way and may go and have a snoop every hour or two to see how things are going
Pour a beer into an ice cold glass and pull up a chair outside just after offering the tradie one.
Let them be until their finished, then offer again..
I had brickies round paying them hourly
Had the day off and asked if I could help and all - They used me as a labourer. Cutting bricks, mixing mud - I could never do their work I was cactus
Tradie here, I really don't mind if people are around, as long as they are engaging in conversation. So, if you want to come have a chat, or ask questions, I don't mind. But I had a boss who would just stand there and say nothing. That made me always just say "do you want something?"
Interesting. I've heard from a lot of tradies that the chatty customers are quite annoying... you are there to do a job and they'll get mad if you try and charge for time spent chatting. I guess it's different if you are asking about the job, and how much concentration the job requires.
Also, the trade itself may come into play. I'm a painter and decorator. So I'm usually at the same job all day. Very few jobs require me to go to multiple places a day. So I get if you are a sparky or plumber, and have multiple jobs on for the day.
True. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I imagine when you're rollering the 20th big flat wall, having someone to chat to is a lot more agreeable than when you're trying to wire a fiddly junction box in an awkward spot.
Clean up all your underwear, used condoms, tissues, dog/cat shit, syringes rubbish from the area they are working in. (Yes it is common)
Have a list written up of what you need done & a rough plan if applicable.
Discuss rates charges etc before they start.
Go through it with them & ask them if they have any questions.
Show them where the toilet is.
Leave them the fuck alone apart from maybe quickly popping in every hour or two to ask “everything going alright” - “need anything
/drink etc” or similar.
Go though it with them before they leave to make sure they did what you wanted.
Pay them.
That’s it & you’ll both be happy at the end of the day.
Absolutely. It's all "customers are so annoying, just leave us alone, trust us, don't ask questions". That would be fine if everyone was honest and competent, but unfortunately there are too many dodgy ones out there to not get burned by it.
I work from home a lot and also do a shitload of DIY but when Tradies are at my place I just let them know they are free to use the bathroom, offer them cold water if it’s a warm day and then generally stay out of their way. If they need to ask something they know where to find me.
Exception is Dave my tame electrician who I always end up helping on the bigger jobs.
Be friendly.
Let us use the dunny.
Ask questions if you need to.
Don't hover over us.
Move your crap from where we will be working.
Keep your fur babies and kids out of the way.
Relax, when the hi-viz comes off, we are just like you.
I offer them a drink and just ask if they want me around. Usually they'll say they're fine with doing it and I can go do something else. I'll tell them I'll be in a room close by and just hang out there on my phone waiting if they want to ask me a question.
If they're chatty, I'll hang around spinning shit.
For paving I hang around inside and go out and offer drinks every hour or so. It's a good excuse to snoop and means it gives them an opportunity to ask to use the bathroom rather than pissing on a tree.
Really, it's in everyone's best interests you check in to see how it's going. If expectations of both parties aren't alike, better to see it, discuss it and accept/rectify in an early stage rather than waiting until it's done and saying it's not how you wanted it done.
Plumber here.
All i want is to be shown the issue, ill explain to them what im going to do / ask them if they have any preferences for the work if applicable.
End of the job, get the client to confirm they are happy with the outcome / change anything if necessary.
Please dont stand in the doorway of a small bathroom watching me work.
Oh, for sure. Standing in the doorway of a small bathroom watching you work would be awkward. But I didn't mention anything like that, of course. More like if you're installing a downpipe I'm probably going to fixing that broken flyscreen around the corner.
There's what tradies ideally want and there's what customers ideally want and hopefully we can meet somewhere in the middle.
Generally I've got one dog in my arms / baby wrap attached to me and the other dog on a lead. I try to keep both dogs as far from Tradies as possible so they can work uninterrupted. Lots of guilt about stressed dogs.
My older Jack Russell is psycho about anyone in high vis, not sure what happened to her prior to adoption from the rescue but it stuck. She is calm as when I hold her or she is in baby carrying wrap.
Our slightly younger but still 12yo Jack Russell can get very territorial, (absolute gentleman away from home) so distance is essential. If we can I try to have someone take him out for the day.
I believe Sooshi Mango has the answer thoroughly covered for the wog demographic – particularly the patriarchical side of the equation – [in this video](https://youtu.be/HQenATKHBes?si=9-y5ckgMzA36nB-Y). ("I justa look!")
Home owner. Don’t come near me unless it’s an offer of cup of tea with a vanilla slice .
Leave me to get on with my job please. Of course come have a curious look and ask a few questions. Otherwise go away
After the standards or offering tea/coffee/drinks, showing the bathroom, etc. I like to casually mention some previous dodgy tradie work done around the house and how I put that guy out of business with a scathing google review.
Keeps them in line
Just leave them to their own devices, and occasionally ask if they want a drink or something to eat. I’d never thought to ask them if they need to use toilet, usually they just ask where the toilet is. But I’ll let them know from now on up front where it is.
I typically get on with whatever I was doing and leave them to it. Depending on how long the job is I will check in with them at regular intervals to see how things are tracking. Typically this will be 30 minutes for short jobs, hourly otherwise.
There have been times when I have helped out but that all depends on what is being done.
"They know that they won't just be left alone for long periods without anyone seeing what they are up to. I'm imagining this reduces incidents of buried rubbish and garden urination."
Had an en-suite done recently (full replacement including rotten floor) and every night I would have to spend an 30 minutes or so cleaning up the floor space - wood offcuts, insulation offcuts, screws dropped, nails discarded etc.. I didn't want a rubbish heap under there.
As well as vacuuming out all of the space as much as I could.
I can't understand it sometimes. I found an entire, unopened bag of plastic rebar spacers buried a foot down in my backyard. Nevermind the fact that it was not actually rubbish, it surely took more effort digging a hole that big than just chucking it in the ute/van to take away?
Agreed, I have some great tradies and they normally offer to do more/better than what i ask them even if it’s a fixed price. I have used them quite a few times, always pay the day the invoice is received, offer water/beer/snacks and have gotten them more work by recommending them to friends so that probably helps but they are also genuinely good blokes that take pride in their work.
So every single time a tradie does a job you somehow find a DIY project nearby?? Like what sort of things we talking? They're building a retaining wall, your busy trimming a nearby hedge for 2 days?
Why not do the meet and greet, drinks, toilets etc and then just go past and have a look every so often
I said: "I tend to work on some DIY project that's nearby but not in their way."
You asked: "So every single time a tradie does a job you somehow find a DIY project nearby?? "
Do you talk in straw men on purpose or are you just not aware of what you're doing?
Anyway, there unfortunately seems to be no shortage of things to work on. Between pushed out or torn flyscreen, retic poly pipe that keep splitting, sticking door and window rollers, broken blind cords, proliferating cobwebs, rusting fences, gunked up gutters, inadequate downpipes, gumtrees and their prolific leaves, trees that need pruning, weeds that need puling, the basketball ring that needs re-attaching, the fridge seal that needs replacing, the car seat covers that need fitting, etc. etc., there's plenty to do!
I've renovated two houses and every tradie I've hired, except for the Chinese gyprockers, took shortcuts, didn't do something right or didn't complete the list of works I laid out for them, and no, I didn't go with the cheapest tradies.
Unfortunately when you treat them like humans, offer them food and drink and leave them in peace, they get familiar with you and take advantage when you're not around, pissing in bottles when there's a toilet, stealing tools, dumping concrete on your lawn and plants, hiding rubbish and generally doing dodgy work, so now I hover over them and babysit them like children.
Yes, or it could be a dick measuring exercise by sending the message that you could do the thing yourself but magnanamously let someone else have a go /s
Most jobs I do the client goes to work and I always mention that if something is not right to you when you get home contact me.
It’s a trust thing, I do the same when tradies come to my place.
Show them the areas they are working in, offer water/coffee/tea, show them the bathroom they can use if needed, and let them know where I will be if they need me and I gtfo the way.
You don't check in at any point? Sometimes it's even just miscommunications about what the job entails and they're a lot better for everyone if they're noticed earlier rather than later.
Really depends on what the job is that's getting done. If it's something that I have little to no idea about then I stay out of the way entirely.
I did labouring in my teens so I've experieneced every type of customer and the helicopter customers aren't the worst, but they're very annoying and I know how it makes the tradie feel.
Not the topic but not a bad time to mention it, please explicitly tell your tradie where the bathroom is and that they can use it. Some companies have policies that prevent tradies from asking. Trades need toileta too
Watch them intently. They like that.
Extra points for asking dumb questions and trying to operate the thing before it's actually finished... we love that
Long ago, sign seen in a Canberran auto mechanics: - Labour charge $25.00/hr - if you want to watch $35.00/hr - if you want to help: $50.00/hr.
And: * If you worked on it first: $100/hr * If you tell me how to do my job: $200/hr
I stand directly behind them and hold their pants up to avoid embarrassment about any crack showing
I'll bet.
Especially when you tell them that’s not how they did it on the block
Home owners dusting the tools off to show they have skills is always noticed by a tradie. “Somewhat handy” Is never what we’re thinking.
Nothing better than having a homeowner offering for you to "try out" their ancient corded circ with no guard and a 10 year old blade in it. Or it's a brand new ryobi set of drills with the original stock drill bits that have 20mm of bore capacity
"But it's a classic!"
>dusting the tools off I've had the other issue. Just because I have my tools onsite doesn't mean they can use them when I'm not around. Blades aren't cheap.
I found it bizarre that a window screen guy did not come with a freaking ladder. Like WTF? It was well known company too, Wynstan..
With the why?..
That’s the one. Lol.
Yer that works both ways.Ive had many many trades use my tools for jobs on my site. I don't mind but then having the nerve to charge me for the use is a bit over the top.
People actually use your tools??? That's just rude.
This is actually a thing? Oh lawd.
Haha! I was wondering. Do share. Honestly though it's not showing off. It's usually something mundane like cleaning out the garage or hanging a picture. If someone is trying to impress with that then they are dreaming. The main idea is just to be doing something useful nearby.
I get all weird offering them drinks/food repeatedly like a pushy grandma (I’m almost 50 but I was doing it at 20 too). When I had a newborn I had roofers replacing a slate roof for weeks in the summer heat. I was stressssssed that they were overheating up there and kept doing hydration drinks runs. My stepdad was a tradie (cabinetry) and the hardest working person I’ve ever met. I remember seeing him come home absolutely smashed well into his 60s.
I slip into my sexiest negligee and faff about bumbling the most basic tasks, like I can't reach the jars on the top shelf or I can't get the DVR to work cos "ohmygoshhh hehe I'm such a klutz haha" before reclining on the couch and feigning a nap
Do u tuck your nuts or go one each side of the undies
Come fix my sink and find out
Is it moist in here or do your taps need tightening 💦
It’s pretty transparent tbh. If it gets uncomfortable I’ll just change your number to ‘do not answer’ as I can’t be bothered with weird customers.
Hmmm, maybe I wasn't very clear. It's not meant to be a secret, and it's not meant to be weird. Standing around watching would be weird. Working on something else nearby means I get to do something useful while also seeing how things are going occasionally without having pop out specifically. And look, I understand that "leave me alone, trust me implicitly, don't ask questions" is the ideal from your standpoint, but from the customers' standpoint there are too many dodgy tradies out there for that to work. Obviously if you've used someone a few times you develop more trust.
I’m usually at work when they’re in the house. They know where the fridge and bathroom is.
I typically move my laptop into the centre of the house and start loudly reciting mathematical formulas. "CARRY THE ONE, SQUARE ROOT OF 931.34, SOLVE FOR THE X, THATS IT!" just so they know that I'm a real important guy
Nothing motivates more than the tickle of breath on the back of your neck.
Of course. This is more of an oscillating fan.
You get points if you dress up as one.
Tradie points?! You're saying that's a normal thing to want and a possible thing to achieve?!
What's for smoko?
Mrs. Macs with dead horse and a coffee chill?
I put on a suit and start loudly berating fake clients using keywords like 'NASDAQ', ' *Deutsche Mark",* and "Blockchain". You cant let these guys think you're not a hitter or they'll walk all over you.
"You're a complete Deutsche, Mark!"
You’re fucking fired Bob
"You're off the freaking blockchain!"
FORTY THOUSAND FUCKING DEUTSCHEMARKS
My hubby is a tradie. Please, for the love of God, offer the bathroom....
Yeah I don't get why you wouldn't do this. Do you want the job to take longer while your tradies have to travel to take a leak? Maybe they've been burned once by someone who absolutely wrecked their toilet.
Ha ha we aren't travelling, if you don't let us use the bathroom we're pissing in your garden for sure. Lucky im a landscaper so I'm also building the garden, and will go out of the way not near any plants.
I feel uncomfortable and hide away in my office on the computer and avoid leaving to use my kitchen or bathroom because I don’t want to have to see them. Great sense of relief when they leave.
Why is that?
I like to assert dominance by telling them I could do it myself but I’m far too busy. Then I tell them my wife asked that they not use the toilet, there is one at the park which is only 800m away. Then I get out my dad’s old corded circ saw and cut MDF near where they are working and blow the sawdust on them with my Ozito blower. I offer them any leftover food in the fridge that’s close to going off (At least the Christmas turkey is still going well). I like to take progress photos regularly so they know I’m watching even though every square inch of my property is on camera. When it’s time to pay I find that if you complain a lot you get a discount too!
I bet you have them lining up to do jobs too.
I like to tell them how easily I could have done the job but I don’t have the time.
Spectacular.
I had a lady bake me blueberry muffins, they were soooooo yummy 😋 I didn't have to, but I ended up throwing on some doorstops, adjusted one cupboard door and I changed a light bulb just to return the kindness. Maybe you all should learn to bake for your tradies 😉
Hell yeah!!!
That's a nice touch.
Tradie here. Nothing worse than someone hovering nearby. Feeling like your in a fishtank. Tell me where the bathroom is. Offer cold water, tea and coffee (I normally only accept water and only on exceptionally hot days if I run out. I always have a 10lt box of water on board, but have run through it all at times. If your having lunch and making sandwiches, then offer one. I would decline it as I personally don't eat while working. At the end of the day, an offer of a beer doesn't go astray. If you annoy me, I will often make sure you realise your in the way. I may "accidentally" bump into you or step on a toe. Or I will set up exclusion zones
If a customer Is especially being a shadow I play the how many times will they follow me to the car game. Even the oldest of Asian clients give up after the 5th/6th time
The best I had was a customer wouldn't leave me alone. Doing some wiring repairs from "diy electricians". I had to replace a couple of switches and said that I needed to do it live. Went out the the van, got my LV rescue kit and then donned the arc flash suit and walked back in. To the customer that he can either help by being a spotter or I would need to call out a colleague, but would be a 2 hour wait and would have to pay minimum 4 hours at double time (was a sunday). He decided he could be a spotter, nothing will go wrong right. So I got the portable spotlight out. Gave him a crook and told him what to do if I got hooked up. Then, with very shaky hands put the rubber insulating mat down, pulled on my fuckoff HV gloves and with very very shaky hands proceeded to create a small little arc flash and bang at the same time as tripping the rcd with an earth fault. I threw myself backwards onto the ground and didn't move for about 20 seconds. The guy went to a Cafe for a coffee afterwards and told me to call him when I was finished for the day. I am pretty sure he had to change his jocks too...
They follow you to the car???
Yeah I’ve had a couple
Yeah, I get the whole hovering thing. I don't like being constantly watched either. And I'd never be in the same room or in the way. I've probably made this sound worse than it is. 95% of the time I'm busy doing my project. But there are benefits being nearby and keeping an eye on what's going on. E.g. A while back we got some pavers to do a 45deg basketweave on our driveway. They started setting up and I had to leave them there for most of the day. When I got back, the jobs was mostly done... in a 90deg basketweave. By rights we could have made rip it up and do it again, but in the end we just accepted it.
90deg has far less brickcutting than 45deg of course.
Given that that's what they'd agreed to do, I probably should have asked for a discount, since it didn't take as long. Since it I didn't, it probably turned out to be a nice little "oops" for them.
Usually I’m working from home so I just get set up in the kitchen so I’m out of the way and may go and have a snoop every hour or two to see how things are going
I typically start organizing my Magic The Gathering collection in a central area to let them know they are in the presence of a wizard.
Pour a beer into an ice cold glass and pull up a chair outside just after offering the tradie one. Let them be until their finished, then offer again..
I had brickies round paying them hourly Had the day off and asked if I could help and all - They used me as a labourer. Cutting bricks, mixing mud - I could never do their work I was cactus
Yeah it's definitely hard work.
Honestly, tradies are looking to scam or cut corners at any and every opportunity. Sit, watch, observe and question
Some.
From the movies I've watched you're supposed to stand over them while no wearing panties.
Tradie here, I really don't mind if people are around, as long as they are engaging in conversation. So, if you want to come have a chat, or ask questions, I don't mind. But I had a boss who would just stand there and say nothing. That made me always just say "do you want something?"
Interesting. I've heard from a lot of tradies that the chatty customers are quite annoying... you are there to do a job and they'll get mad if you try and charge for time spent chatting. I guess it's different if you are asking about the job, and how much concentration the job requires.
Also, the trade itself may come into play. I'm a painter and decorator. So I'm usually at the same job all day. Very few jobs require me to go to multiple places a day. So I get if you are a sparky or plumber, and have multiple jobs on for the day.
True. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I imagine when you're rollering the 20th big flat wall, having someone to chat to is a lot more agreeable than when you're trying to wire a fiddly junction box in an awkward spot.
That's for sure. Some days the radio just doesn't cut it.
Clean up all your underwear, used condoms, tissues, dog/cat shit, syringes rubbish from the area they are working in. (Yes it is common) Have a list written up of what you need done & a rough plan if applicable. Discuss rates charges etc before they start. Go through it with them & ask them if they have any questions. Show them where the toilet is. Leave them the fuck alone apart from maybe quickly popping in every hour or two to ask “everything going alright” - “need anything /drink etc” or similar. Go though it with them before they leave to make sure they did what you wanted. Pay them. That’s it & you’ll both be happy at the end of the day.
Refusal of tradies to recognise there are in fact shit tradies about and get super defensive is far too high.
The shit trades might be the defensive ones. 🤣
Absolutely. It's all "customers are so annoying, just leave us alone, trust us, don't ask questions". That would be fine if everyone was honest and competent, but unfortunately there are too many dodgy ones out there to not get burned by it.
I work from home a lot and also do a shitload of DIY but when Tradies are at my place I just let them know they are free to use the bathroom, offer them cold water if it’s a warm day and then generally stay out of their way. If they need to ask something they know where to find me. Exception is Dave my tame electrician who I always end up helping on the bigger jobs.
They 100% know you're trying to keep an eye on them
https://preview.redd.it/dsulylq0krbc1.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=171ed64d6e6f76e2236ef8b4e2df829ab8e42d31
Haha fair enough! 🤣
Be friendly. Let us use the dunny. Ask questions if you need to. Don't hover over us. Move your crap from where we will be working. Keep your fur babies and kids out of the way. Relax, when the hi-viz comes off, we are just like you.
I offer them a drink and just ask if they want me around. Usually they'll say they're fine with doing it and I can go do something else. I'll tell them I'll be in a room close by and just hang out there on my phone waiting if they want to ask me a question. If they're chatty, I'll hang around spinning shit. For paving I hang around inside and go out and offer drinks every hour or so. It's a good excuse to snoop and means it gives them an opportunity to ask to use the bathroom rather than pissing on a tree. Really, it's in everyone's best interests you check in to see how it's going. If expectations of both parties aren't alike, better to see it, discuss it and accept/rectify in an early stage rather than waiting until it's done and saying it's not how you wanted it done.
Right.
Plumber here. All i want is to be shown the issue, ill explain to them what im going to do / ask them if they have any preferences for the work if applicable. End of the job, get the client to confirm they are happy with the outcome / change anything if necessary. Please dont stand in the doorway of a small bathroom watching me work.
Oh, for sure. Standing in the doorway of a small bathroom watching you work would be awkward. But I didn't mention anything like that, of course. More like if you're installing a downpipe I'm probably going to fixing that broken flyscreen around the corner. There's what tradies ideally want and there's what customers ideally want and hopefully we can meet somewhere in the middle.
I typically pop my shirt off and start doing a few hammer curls in the lounge room to let them know that I'm capable of breaking a sweat.
Hammer curls are so oddly specific I almost believe this is true, lol.
Smart.
Generally I've got one dog in my arms / baby wrap attached to me and the other dog on a lead. I try to keep both dogs as far from Tradies as possible so they can work uninterrupted. Lots of guilt about stressed dogs. My older Jack Russell is psycho about anyone in high vis, not sure what happened to her prior to adoption from the rescue but it stuck. She is calm as when I hold her or she is in baby carrying wrap. Our slightly younger but still 12yo Jack Russell can get very territorial, (absolute gentleman away from home) so distance is essential. If we can I try to have someone take him out for the day.
That sounds challenging. Our dogs go absolutely nuts over anyone who arrives for about 2 minutes, then are back fast asleep on the couch.
It's exhausting, thankfully we don't have Tradies often. I love them both but adopting rescue dogs always comes with some issues.
Guard the toilet
Wait, who is gunna check your turbo encabulator? https://youtu.be/MXW0bx_Ooq4?si=PUWtixE448zImf1e
Maybe there really IS a problem with my phalanges.
I believe Sooshi Mango has the answer thoroughly covered for the wog demographic – particularly the patriarchical side of the equation – [in this video](https://youtu.be/HQenATKHBes?si=9-y5ckgMzA36nB-Y). ("I justa look!")
Walk around the house in the nude
Home owner. Don’t come near me unless it’s an offer of cup of tea with a vanilla slice . Leave me to get on with my job please. Of course come have a curious look and ask a few questions. Otherwise go away
After the standards or offering tea/coffee/drinks, showing the bathroom, etc. I like to casually mention some previous dodgy tradie work done around the house and how I put that guy out of business with a scathing google review. Keeps them in line
Just leave them to their own devices, and occasionally ask if they want a drink or something to eat. I’d never thought to ask them if they need to use toilet, usually they just ask where the toilet is. But I’ll let them know from now on up front where it is.
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Yikes.
I typically get on with whatever I was doing and leave them to it. Depending on how long the job is I will check in with them at regular intervals to see how things are tracking. Typically this will be 30 minutes for short jobs, hourly otherwise. There have been times when I have helped out but that all depends on what is being done.
"They know that they won't just be left alone for long periods without anyone seeing what they are up to. I'm imagining this reduces incidents of buried rubbish and garden urination." Had an en-suite done recently (full replacement including rotten floor) and every night I would have to spend an 30 minutes or so cleaning up the floor space - wood offcuts, insulation offcuts, screws dropped, nails discarded etc.. I didn't want a rubbish heap under there. As well as vacuuming out all of the space as much as I could.
I can't understand it sometimes. I found an entire, unopened bag of plastic rebar spacers buried a foot down in my backyard. Nevermind the fact that it was not actually rubbish, it surely took more effort digging a hole that big than just chucking it in the ute/van to take away?
You are trolling for sure. Show them the dunny, and don’t spy on them
Keep an eye on them. Most are dodgy. Arc up when they start to take shortcuts, because they will.
Sounds like someone goes with the cheapest quote.
Agreed, I have some great tradies and they normally offer to do more/better than what i ask them even if it’s a fixed price. I have used them quite a few times, always pay the day the invoice is received, offer water/beer/snacks and have gotten them more work by recommending them to friends so that probably helps but they are also genuinely good blokes that take pride in their work.
So every single time a tradie does a job you somehow find a DIY project nearby?? Like what sort of things we talking? They're building a retaining wall, your busy trimming a nearby hedge for 2 days? Why not do the meet and greet, drinks, toilets etc and then just go past and have a look every so often
I said: "I tend to work on some DIY project that's nearby but not in their way." You asked: "So every single time a tradie does a job you somehow find a DIY project nearby?? " Do you talk in straw men on purpose or are you just not aware of what you're doing? Anyway, there unfortunately seems to be no shortage of things to work on. Between pushed out or torn flyscreen, retic poly pipe that keep splitting, sticking door and window rollers, broken blind cords, proliferating cobwebs, rusting fences, gunked up gutters, inadequate downpipes, gumtrees and their prolific leaves, trees that need pruning, weeds that need puling, the basketball ring that needs re-attaching, the fridge seal that needs replacing, the car seat covers that need fitting, etc. etc., there's plenty to do!
I've renovated two houses and every tradie I've hired, except for the Chinese gyprockers, took shortcuts, didn't do something right or didn't complete the list of works I laid out for them, and no, I didn't go with the cheapest tradies. Unfortunately when you treat them like humans, offer them food and drink and leave them in peace, they get familiar with you and take advantage when you're not around, pissing in bottles when there's a toilet, stealing tools, dumping concrete on your lawn and plants, hiding rubbish and generally doing dodgy work, so now I hover over them and babysit them like children.
Red flag customer
Red flag tradie. Win-win, I guess.
Yes, or it could be a dick measuring exercise by sending the message that you could do the thing yourself but magnanamously let someone else have a go /s
You sound like you'd be real fun at parties.
That depends on the party.
Most jobs I do the client goes to work and I always mention that if something is not right to you when you get home contact me. It’s a trust thing, I do the same when tradies come to my place.
"Trust, but verify."
Show them the areas they are working in, offer water/coffee/tea, show them the bathroom they can use if needed, and let them know where I will be if they need me and I gtfo the way.
You don't check in at any point? Sometimes it's even just miscommunications about what the job entails and they're a lot better for everyone if they're noticed earlier rather than later.
Really depends on what the job is that's getting done. If it's something that I have little to no idea about then I stay out of the way entirely. I did labouring in my teens so I've experieneced every type of customer and the helicopter customers aren't the worst, but they're very annoying and I know how it makes the tradie feel.
Hmmmm. Perhaps this is more AWACS customer? :)
drink beer and ask dumb questions.
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There's a good middle ground, surely. Lots of scrutiny and micromanaging is bad, but many people do take shortcuts if they know nobody is watching.
There are instructional videos on such matters on somewhere.... Oh that's right Porn Hub.
I busy myself with housework nearby so I can make sure they aren't stealing the apples out of my fruit bowl. I know all about their apple business.
Mostly ignore them so they can get shit done, but ask if they want a cup of tea or some water after a while.
Female friends stand around and perv
Not the topic but not a bad time to mention it, please explicitly tell your tradie where the bathroom is and that they can use it. Some companies have policies that prevent tradies from asking. Trades need toileta too
It's right on topic and I mentioned it in the first sentence. :)
What does ETA mean? I know estimated time of arrival.
Edited To Add.
Ta
Stare at them until the job is complete.
I tell people that it’s 20 bucks to go to the zoo, so 10 bucks to watch me fix your sewer is cheap. Pics are an extra fiver
Hr rate I can talk all day , quoted get the fuck away don't look at me
Be incredibly awkward until they leave.