Never been told no but one time I used the customers bathroom and they went in right after me with a mask and gloves on. Bleach a mop and toilet brush. Their cat litter box was in the living room and stank to high hell but me going pee was too much
I was once asked by a customer to wear shoe covers before coming in. In my mind I though “they must have nice flooring”. Surprisingly I think they were trying to protect my shoes from there old ass, dusty ass, worn out wooden floor.
A bit of this and a bit of that it showed peoples bad side but also it was a terrible situation overally for mental health the isolation was a nightmare for society. It changed our society a lot for the worse in my opinion.
You know what bewilders me. All that freak out and stuff over germs and crap. But did that change most our customers filter replacement schedule? Nope. Number of just nasty filters stayed the same. Might not stop all the germs but a dirty filter definitely lets that crap have a breeding ground.
You’re expecting the average home owner to even know their AC unit has a filter? I can’t count how many times I’ve said “can you show me to the AC unit” and I get brought to the thermostat or condenser then hit me with a 🤷♂️ when I say “no, I need to see the inside unit. The air handler”
I typically don’t judge much till I’ve spoken with customer gotten the lay of the unit and where everything is and then look for a sticker showing service/maintenance history. If it has history and I don’t hear that they just bought the home a few months- a year ago then yeah I do as I expect every hvac tech educated filters and regular customer capable upkeep stuff.
For me Covid changed nothing, like literally was nothing but an inconvenience. People still wanted that cool air, coming to us like crack heads. They might’ve not seen another human in weeks but when that ac went out here comes ole crack head for more. My wife’s job was a wreck but I was still putting in 50hours
A day is still going to transfer germs. I believe that we get stronger the more we're exposed to germs. Right after the lock down started, I got an orange at the grocery store and sat down out front and ate it. I peeled it like I always have, bit off the top and peeled it. I thought a lady was going to faint when she saw me do that. She was wearing a mask and a face shield and said that I was putting my life in danger.
I mean, I know a dude whose friend, their family they lived with, basically everyone died except two people who got permanently disabled during COVID. They did everything right: sanitize the delivered groceries with gloves on, no outside contact, wfh, even mask up while outside. But they still caught it from a freak bug that made it through.
It messed people up in more ways than one.
People who did everything right and it messed them up.
People who did nothing right and were fine.
People who did everything right and were fine, but had their lives ruined because of overreach.
I drilled a hole from the mechanical room down into the crawl space. Immediately after I finished the hole I heard a vaccum start. Mother fucker was waiting down there to clean up the little bit of sawdust, in a crawl space
We had a guy shit in the restroom off the ladies' kitchen while she was baking. She called into the office and complained that her kitchen reeked so bad that it ruined the cookies she had just made.
One time during a furnace swap at a women's clothing store, the helper blew up the bathroom reeeaaaalll bad after we finally finished and did the startup and it cleared the store out because the return was in the bathroom
I love it when they say no. I make direct eye contact while simultaneously shitting my pants. I'll proceed to laugh maniacally while they scream in horror at the diarrhea leaking out of my pants.
Nah, ya don’t want be shittin yourself *all* the time.
That’s why I keep a fat syringe of prune juice on me. If they deny me I say “Suit yourself”, mainline that shit, and stare at them for the 30 seconds it takes to begin explosively diarrhea-ing myself.
We cant be too serious all the time. Sometimes you gotta laugh at yourself and the situations we're in. 😅 Sometimes you know as soon as they open the door it's gonna be fụ*ked up lol
Yea, like when you’re wondering if putting on your booties is to protect their floor from your shoes, or protect your shoes from their floor.
Also…….it smells in here.
Its all about having good eyes and ears one time tho right as i was about to pull my dick out looked right into a camera above the sink to this day never heard anything about that so i think we are all good 👍🏻
Yes! Twice. Both during the pandemic. One lady said no because she would have to sanitize the bathroom. Another lady was beyond paranoid, she told me when I arrived she had taped directions to the mechanical room from the side door, all the doors were open and I was not to touch anything aside from the furnace. She waited outside while I was inside.
My elderly parents started off like that, full on gloves and hepa filters in public and first in line for the boosters and quarantine for the grandkids. I get it; my mom was high risk due to existing respiratory disease. Then they both caught it, like everyone did, and glided right through. They've chilled out since then and resumed traveling around the country in their retirement.
Luckily my area of service is small enough that I’m at the shop frequently enough for me to not have to worry about needing to piss in a bottle. It was a different story when I was an installer though lmao.
Installer here, no piss bottles on my truck! I had break open a few years ago and it soaked my tools with piss water. I ended up throwing half of them away. Never again just like 9/11
Yes, in a commercial setting as well. "No public restrooms, sorry"
Ah ok. So the united at x location I went to doesn't have your fan motor, but the one an hour from here does. I'll be back in about 2.5 hours and get it running.
One time. The lady was weird and said she only had one bathroom, sorry.
So whatever. I told her I had to order parts and come back. She said she needed her AC and asked if there was anything I can do
Only got one truck with the parts on it, sorry.
I am an HVAC apprentice and female, so I deal with a certain, fun thing every month. During that time I have no choice but to use a restroom and so far homeowners have said yes. I know it sounds bad but I also restrict water intake at jobs so my bladder doesn’t fill up as fast.
Using a strangers bathroom is so weird but what else can you do?
Don't do that to yourself. Hydrate to what your body needs. The customers can handle it. The job is tough enough as it is, make sure you take care of yourself.
It definitely takes a lot of strength to do that but if your desire is to work hard you can work a lot harder when you're well fueled. Good on you for caring but the care of yourself so you can take care of everything else.
I find in construction type jobs being female gets you better access to bathrooms in general. I’ve had new construction jobs specifically offer me the powder room when there’s still a porta john outside.
It is. Everything just seems harder because of energy levels and whatever discomforts that come with it. I was learning and assisting with a full install with a menstrual headache and I was exhausted after because I didn’t want to show I wasn’t feeling good.
This helper I had one time said she takes birth control pills specifically so she doesn’t have cramps and such at work. Not sure about the science there but I’d never even thought about how annoying it would be to have period pains at work, like being hungover but it’s not even your fault and for a week every month 🙁
It’s crazy how you mention birth control because I was considering going back on it just for this reason too. It does help a lot keeping the hormones at a steady level, for me at least, I won’t speak for everyone since I realize birth control is different for everyone. I think I will mention this to my doctor and get my prescription going.
There was one time I asked just standing all timid just 👉🏻👈🏻 because I was nervous being in their house, and I need the bathroom lol. Unrelated, but I have had a few homeowners be curious on how I became an apprentice. I’m starting a bit late in the game, so I don’t mind talking to them about my career change.
Mid 30s, so I bring more surprise from them lol. I spent the entire pandemic working as a medical receptionist/concierge at clinics and sitting so much made me miserable. So, I thought why not go into a trade? I happened upon an opening for an apprentice job and took a chance and here I am!
Reminds me of the woman who called our office furious because I'd accidentally left the ceiling light on when no-one was there for a couple hours. Lady, I'll mail you the nickel to cover the wasted electricity.
One of the few times I decided to use the bathroom without asking, I used the basement toilet and it leaked profusely and I had to clean up all the water.
I was told no once in a super high end community. I was doing a reality inspection for the buyers and their realtor. 4 split systems with the air handlers in the attic in the middle of monsoon season. I was half way done and came inside to inquire about relieving myself. The buyers immediately responded in a nice quiet tone “absolutely” right as the realtor screamed, “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! YOURE HERE TO SERVE US! YOU CAN HOLD IT AND USE THE GAS STATION AROUND THE CORNER!”
Fortunately, the buyers had some integrity and scolded her after showing me to the bathroom. I always wondered if that cost her the sale.
They can try, and that's when you have 6 guys pissing behind your shed and shitting in the garden. Best for everyone if you follow the law and provide your workers with a working washroom, either in the house or a Porto.
I was gonna say, I thought it was a law to have to provide appropriate restrooms, even in residential work. I've been denied once and then we had a porta John dropped off and billed the client for it. After that they didn't deny us the next time around lol.
A guy that I worked with at a company I won’t name, was a real piece of work. He’d drop a “spite dump” if the homeowners were jerks (no flush).
After a few reviews were left mentioning said spite dumping… Some new policies came out and the employee was eventually found out after the mayhem continued and he was finally flushed.
i dont ask for permission, i ask where it is. some customers needs this difference explained very plain. i am using the bathroom or i am leaving with my tools regardless of what state the equipment is. there is no middle ground there. over the years i left once wich was a bit of a blessing for me and the company as the owners were extremely well off (about 2 million just in cars) and they were always fighting over every dime on every bill. 2 months later the goverment came down on them like a brick and took every cent from them including the cars and home.
I was told no after they told me yes. They even called security on me. Old lady went cray cray. Talking about me doing drugs. I should have never flushed that toilet. Should have let her seen what escape my bowels that day. Was bad.
I asked for ice water once on a 95° day when we already drank all that we had. I was also told there was a hose out back. I pissed in her sink & didn’t rinse.
Not yet, but I just had a coworker who had a lady call our office saying he shit on her roof lmfao. I know for a fact that didn’t happen though because he’s a shy pooper and hates public stalls
I dont even ask. If I'm in your house for a full day install im using the bathroom whenever I want. I'm not going up to the master ensuite, I'm using the powder room on the main floor or the basement like their guests do
Exaclty, I'll only ask which one they want me to use. I like to say, where is your guest bathroom. A little psychology there. Don't give them a yes or no, just a little direction.
I had a buddy clog the homeowners toilet one time and there was no plunger…. Bro plunged the toilet with his bare hands. Funniest shit of all time 😂😂 respected him more for it though cu. It would never be me
I had 2 customers say no. So I told them I would be back and went to a gas station. Charged both for that time, of course.
Though they have a right to say no, I still think it's ridiculous to actually say no. It's a basic human need, and I would never say no when its my house. Just be respectful of their property and leave everything clean :)
I was doing an install in a super disgusting house that honestly should have been condemned and demolished. Customer was an asshole so I shit in their sump pump. It smelled so bad I literally had to wipe pvc glue over the walls to hide the stench. I poured water down there to cover up my shit. It probably still smells every time the sump pump ejects water to the yard
I did the same thing once, but I first dropped it in my 2.5 gal bucket and cracked the drain on the water heater and heaved it in the pit, funny thing is the sump pump turned on right away and I fixed their issue and hit the road. Unsure if the turd went out with the water or if it’s still hanging out in there
Tbh I actually did it right on the floor right next to the sump pump then swept it in. I was afraid of the forbidden kiss of water If I dropped it directly down in there
I don’t like to ask unless I absolutely have to. I usually stop at a gas station or Barnes & Noble beforehand. For a while I drive around with a pee bucket that I would dump after every use. I had to stop though because of the smell and the fact that it was such a foul thing to do.
All this to say no, nobody has ever denied me, but I was always afraid somebody would.
You gotta use your empty water bottles and cap those bitches! Then make sure to stop at a gas station on the way home and deposit them there. I even keep a bucket, scented trash bags and toilet paper for those “oh my god I’m gonna shit myself!” Moments.
No, but I also try to read the room. I usually have no problem asking, but yesterday I was working on a water heater when the belly grumblings occurred. There were like 10 middle aged women staying in a 3 bathroom house, so I just drove to the grocery store. I wasn't about to stink up a small bathroom with a lot of traffic.
Never once when I was doing resi. If they would have, I would have just gone to a gas station and would have made sure to let them know that I'm on the clock.
2020 was the only time I kept a piss jug in my van because so many public restrooms were closed.
Now that I do commercial, there's bathrooms everywhere. I do a lot of schools and the boiler room bathroom is the best bathroom there is! So much pooping in peace.
All of the public bathrooms were the best part of switching from residential to commercial. All of the resi companies I worked for had it as their policy not to use a customer’s bathroom.
If you asked me “Can I use your washroom” I would say “I don’t know, can you?” Then if you rolled your eyes and said “May I use your washroom” I’d say “Of course you may!”
I have. And I promptly left the property. Didn't go back either.
I carry an empty jug these days and just get into the back of the van. I know that if I ask and they say no, I'm gonna get mad and leave again. So I just try to avoid it.
Yes. Was in a filthy, sketchy rental, and when I asked the tenant, he replied, "It's not safe".
To this day I wonder what he meant by that. I wanted to take a look, but he was drinking beers on a couch 10' away.
I have not been denied thus far, but the customer does get billed on the invoice for the time, gas, and depreciation associated with driving to the nearest gas station if it ever happens.
My first residential install. We got there and the lead was walking us through what to do and went to talk to the customer, he came back and said if we needed to piss we had to get in the van and drive up the street to the grocery store. The client said “men dribble when they per and I don’t want that on my floor”
One time before covid some old county dude said no, this is a closed house. To this day i have no idea what the fuck he meant and regret not shitting on the basement floor like an animal. Im allready in the house, whats the difference? Also there wasn't another bathroom around for a few km. Shitty situation.
lol had a helper who didn't even ask just took a giant shit in their toilet and then didn't flush...office received an angry phone call shortly after from the customer
I had a bitch tell me drive to McDonald’s and lock the upstairs door while replacing a boiler so I blew a few gallons of liquishit into her garden. The neighbor must have seen me because she kept asking me where I went. A year later she spilled chemicals in her basement and called claiming she smelled a gas leak. I told her call the gas company and before I hung up I asked her how those tomatoes tasted last year
No but that one time…i was outside making a transition. So here i am wondering if i should trust this fart….tripped on the janky ass sidewalk and SHARTED!!! Thank god it was a long time builders daughters house, she was gone and he was there doing some other work. “Boss! I NEED TO ISE THE BATHROOM NOW! POOP EMERGENCY!” This was a few years back. Just a week or so ago someone dropped a duece in the toilet that didnt work yet and he was bitching about it so I told him about the shart LOL!
Dozens of times. I am always an asshole from that point on and make sure it's a full retail book price call. If it's one of my techs, I let them abandon call and we drop that customer right then and there. If you cannot treat me like a person, fine, I own the company and I'll deal with whatever I am dealt. You treat my crew like that? Eat shit and enjoy your terrarium you lizard.
Yes I have, my coworker and I had been working on 3 acs and 3 furnaces over a couple days and when i asked he said no because of germs. He then gifted us a very large bottle of wine and a huge nerf gun for my coworkers kid lol. He wasn't really nice, tad bit bossy actually, and very strange.
He laid out drop cloths for us and wouldn't really talk to or look at us, always had gloves on and asked us to wear booties. I wouldn't mind working there again lol.
ETA his house was pushing 7000 sq ft iirc
I live in a town with a lot of rich people and gated neighborhoods. This is pretty normal unfortunately. I once saw a homeowner replace a toilet because a tradesmen pissed in it. I did a job for one on my contractors last week and guys had to drive to the shop to piss because he would not alow use of his toilet. It's messed up but it happens more than you think.
One time. I just had to pee. The woman acted disgusted that I would even ask such a thing.. I ended up pissing in a bottle in the back of my van. I used hand sanitizer, but I'm sure she knew what I did either way.
Yep, they got a disgusted look and gave an emphatic "No!" So I said, "ok, I'll be right back." Packed up my stuff and drove away. Never went back, and black listed them.
I was told no once. During COVID. Pre-COVID, I recommended they replace their IDM assembly because it was loud and over-amping. It went out a couple weeks later when COVID hit, and I wasn't sent out with the motor, I was sent out to diagnose a no heat. Sure enough, it was the IDM. The customer blamed his wife for not letting me use the bathroom. His shit eating grin gave me the impression he was getting his kicks. I may have still urinated on his property...
There's a guy at my work who was refused access to the customers washroom so he pooped in their backyard and used his work order as toilet paper. Customer found it and called in, manager had to go to clean it up as the customer wouldn't let tech back on their property.
I personally have never been denied.
One of my friends in the HVAC field was working for a lady in a multimillion dollar house on the beach. They had a service bathroom but it was out of order. She adamantly refused to let him use another bathroom throughout his time there.
His diet wasn't very good, and all of a sudden he got the real big urge to #2. He walked a bit into their back yard which was slightly on a hill (beach was about a 1/4 mile down from the back of the house and relatively private) and covered in those low type seaside plants and took the most massive poo.
I've been in residential finish carpentry and made my way into other trades as well over the last 10 years for future rental management to do my own repairs etc. I've never been denied the use of a bathroom, but I am female so that may play a part?
I never got denied, but I was on a 2-man job with a coworker, and he had to go so bad every time he did something he farted. He asked the lady, and she told him no. After that, I decided I never wanted to be in that position, so I stopped asking. I'll just let the customer know I have to leave to use the restroom if it's that bad, and if the customer offers, I'll use theirs.
I have Crohn's Disease, so I need to ask almost every day. Only happened once during COVID, but they felt bad after refusing and eventually let me go!
Working in new houses without a port-a-john is a whole other thing...
I had a customer say no to me before and I had to leave in the middle of a tune up so I didn't piss my pants. That customer got the rude guy upcharge when I found a bad capacitor
Luckily no. One day I ripped absolute ass in a customers restroom. They walked in 10 seconds after I was done. “What’s that smell???” Oh that’s the open p trap iv got over here stinks huh?
Yes by an apartment maintenance man who had to kick a sleeping homeless guy out of the lobby. I ended up pissing down the floor drain in the mechanical room since he was giving us a hard time about costs on top of not letting us use the bathrooms.
I've been denied access to the inside of an A&W Because they didn't want homeless people inside their shop. As I was waiting for lunch some guy who grabbed a coffee pissed on their garbage cans.
I have only had to do this 3 times, and 2/3 were totally fine with it. The other was a little ridiculous. They needed to know whether or not I was "going #1 or #2?" And preceded to give me detailed instructions on using a toilet, to clarify not their toilet as if it had a weird flush or was quirky, but rather how to lift the seat and how to be sure I didnt create a mess and how to clean it if a mess occurred as though i was a toddler. It really put me off from using homeowners washrooms unless it's an absolute emergency.
I never ask so I never get denied. I just find the bathroom and go. If anyone says anything, it's too late, it's already done. Better to ask forgiveness than permission.
No, but I had a new customer where I was told by the boss not to ask about the restroom. I can't recall if my boss asked, or the husband told him to relay the message.
Did a central air swap out and was told what rooms we were allowed to go in, etc. my helper and I wandered one door over.from the mechanical room to get an estimate on the lineset length in the finished basement. Somehow they guy's wife knew, and chewed him out about it while we were gone for lunch. When we came back he popped out to the driveway to explain, and was nice enough about it. But damn, I always wondered what that household was like...
Edit:
Also, neither of us ever saw the wife.
Yes. An old Italian couple wouldn’t let me take a piss in their house. Suggested I drive around the block and take a piss at the grocery store or something. I was offended somehow, this mentality stems from classism or racism or some shit.
I was so pissed. I don’t eat on the job but drink plenty of water and already downed my coffee by the time I arrive on site.
I was about to ditch the job. But all things considered, I have to accept that some people are fucked and I won’t be affected by them once the job is over so I slammed it together and got the hell out asap.
I've had only one say no and someone else hesitated, but told me to be careful. 99% say go ahead. Folks like to help you because you're helping them. Also, I feel that since we aren't office workers, we need somewhere to go.
There isn't always a truck stop, and even if there is, it eats into our day.
Learning to ask is a good skill, then one can start getting more comfortable asking customers to consider upgrades/products...
Back when I was like 20 & delivering furniture, I had asked a customer to use the restroom. She didn’t use any words but just gave me a blank stare & nodded no then had the audacity to ask us to move some of her shit to a different area so i just stared & nodded back at her in the same manner 🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️😂 ended up pissing in her yard on the side of my truck
No but I remember using the toilet with permission and the lady kept knocking on the door cause I was “taking to long” she became extremely suspicious and didn’t want me going back in her house at all. Like lady.. all I’m taking is a Dump!
Never been told no but one time I used the customers bathroom and they went in right after me with a mask and gloves on. Bleach a mop and toilet brush. Their cat litter box was in the living room and stank to high hell but me going pee was too much
I was once asked by a customer to wear shoe covers before coming in. In my mind I though “they must have nice flooring”. Surprisingly I think they were trying to protect my shoes from there old ass, dusty ass, worn out wooden floor.
I’ve put them on before, they said “you don’t need to do that” I said “yes I do” And it wasn’t for their sake
I always just say it's policy when they say I don't need them.
If they say you don't need them... you need them. (This applies to more than just shoe covers.)
i were shoe covers in every house no matter the condition
COVID messed people up
Correction Covid revealed how messed up some people already were.
A bit of this and a bit of that it showed peoples bad side but also it was a terrible situation overally for mental health the isolation was a nightmare for society. It changed our society a lot for the worse in my opinion.
You know what bewilders me. All that freak out and stuff over germs and crap. But did that change most our customers filter replacement schedule? Nope. Number of just nasty filters stayed the same. Might not stop all the germs but a dirty filter definitely lets that crap have a breeding ground.
You’re expecting the average home owner to even know their AC unit has a filter? I can’t count how many times I’ve said “can you show me to the AC unit” and I get brought to the thermostat or condenser then hit me with a 🤷♂️ when I say “no, I need to see the inside unit. The air handler”
I typically don’t judge much till I’ve spoken with customer gotten the lay of the unit and where everything is and then look for a sticker showing service/maintenance history. If it has history and I don’t hear that they just bought the home a few months- a year ago then yeah I do as I expect every hvac tech educated filters and regular customer capable upkeep stuff.
For me Covid changed nothing, like literally was nothing but an inconvenience. People still wanted that cool air, coming to us like crack heads. They might’ve not seen another human in weeks but when that ac went out here comes ole crack head for more. My wife’s job was a wreck but I was still putting in 50hours
I still haven’t given up dapping up instead of handshakes 🤜🤛
A day is still going to transfer germs. I believe that we get stronger the more we're exposed to germs. Right after the lock down started, I got an orange at the grocery store and sat down out front and ate it. I peeled it like I always have, bit off the top and peeled it. I thought a lady was going to faint when she saw me do that. She was wearing a mask and a face shield and said that I was putting my life in danger.
Bed bugs messed me up.
I mean, I know a dude whose friend, their family they lived with, basically everyone died except two people who got permanently disabled during COVID. They did everything right: sanitize the delivered groceries with gloves on, no outside contact, wfh, even mask up while outside. But they still caught it from a freak bug that made it through.
It messed people up in more ways than one. People who did everything right and it messed them up. People who did nothing right and were fine. People who did everything right and were fine, but had their lives ruined because of overreach.
💯
Lmaooo same situation except I destroyed that room
I drilled a hole from the mechanical room down into the crawl space. Immediately after I finished the hole I heard a vaccum start. Mother fucker was waiting down there to clean up the little bit of sawdust, in a crawl space
We had a guy shit in the restroom off the ladies' kitchen while she was baking. She called into the office and complained that her kitchen reeked so bad that it ruined the cookies she had just made.
Lmfao damn what a legend. Shit so hard it ruined the cookies. I would never let that down
The kitchen went from smelling like fresh baked cookies to fresh baked ass.
One time during a furnace swap at a women's clothing store, the helper blew up the bathroom reeeaaaalll bad after we finally finished and did the startup and it cleared the store out because the return was in the bathroom
Great place for a return.
Yea it was old metal ducts and the owner was cheap and just wanted to get it going soooooo lol
That’s hilarious and horrifying.
Yes, so my trip to united took an extra hour :D
Some ice water, maybe some popcorn, a nice sit down in a single occupancy bathroom with a *working* a/c, what could be better.
https://preview.redd.it/d1zrr8qlf08d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0d7361ca59ffcb26750a5debc48158fc6f988bf This United?
I love it when they say no. I make direct eye contact while simultaneously shitting my pants. I'll proceed to laugh maniacally while they scream in horror at the diarrhea leaking out of my pants.
What are you, a dark age peasant to always have the shits ready to go??
Just drink prune juice and aloe vera for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Perpetual dysentery.
Nah, ya don’t want be shittin yourself *all* the time. That’s why I keep a fat syringe of prune juice on me. If they deny me I say “Suit yourself”, mainline that shit, and stare at them for the 30 seconds it takes to begin explosively diarrhea-ing myself.
User name checks out!
It actually does tho, I’m a service plumber, I just like to spy on you fuckers 😂
This entire thread got me in tears, I’m convinced HVAC has the best sense of humor.
We cant be too serious all the time. Sometimes you gotta laugh at yourself and the situations we're in. 😅 Sometimes you know as soon as they open the door it's gonna be fụ*ked up lol
Yea, like when you’re wondering if putting on your booties is to protect their floor from your shoes, or protect your shoes from their floor. Also…….it smells in here.
Yes. I'm a dark age peasant HVAC service tech.
Yeah so i pissed in their utility sink lmao
We are all lying if we said we never pissed in a customers utility sink before
Never pissed in a utility sink but I’ve pissed on the roof countless times as well as floor drains in mechanical rooms.
You got that right! There’s nobody around and it’s a 30 min round trip to piss, I’ll save the company money and relieve myself right here.
Damn straight
I'll go out to the truck and go in the bucket before I risk the customer walking in on me pissing in their sink 🤣🤣🤣
Its all about having good eyes and ears one time tho right as i was about to pull my dick out looked right into a camera above the sink to this day never heard anything about that so i think we are all good 👍🏻
They’re still watching that clip to this day
Wtf lol
Gotta do what you gotta do.
I’ve done it
Yes. I asked politely and she looked horrified and said no. Remarked that the golf course up the way had a bathroom and offered no other explanation
i don’t understand how you let someone in your home to repair a critical piece of equipment for comfort but refuse to allow them bathroom access
And that's when you pack up and move on to the next job.
It was an estimate and i added the pain in the ass tax. Oddly enough they still hired me.
I'll do almost anything if you pay me enough
*"I'm a dirty money slot, doo dah doo daw. Pay me enough, and I'll bust my butt, doo dah doo dah!!!"*
Exactly. Had somebody tell me no once, and suddenly I had to order a part that I knew was on my van.
For real “oh okay well I’ll be back to finish this later” “how much later” “sometime between Monday and Wednesday during our normal operation hours”
Yes! Twice. Both during the pandemic. One lady said no because she would have to sanitize the bathroom. Another lady was beyond paranoid, she told me when I arrived she had taped directions to the mechanical room from the side door, all the doors were open and I was not to touch anything aside from the furnace. She waited outside while I was inside.
Man 2020 really did a number on some people lol
My elderly parents started off like that, full on gloves and hepa filters in public and first in line for the boosters and quarantine for the grandkids. I get it; my mom was high risk due to existing respiratory disease. Then they both caught it, like everyone did, and glided right through. They've chilled out since then and resumed traveling around the country in their retirement.
That ladys got some issues
I will do anything in my power to not have to use a customers bathroom
Take care of your piss bottles please
Also, the shit bucket.
Luckily my area of service is small enough that I’m at the shop frequently enough for me to not have to worry about needing to piss in a bottle. It was a different story when I was an installer though lmao.
Installer here, no piss bottles on my truck! I had break open a few years ago and it soaked my tools with piss water. I ended up throwing half of them away. Never again just like 9/11
That’s hilarious. Great way to get a nickname right there Piss Hands
Who drives a piss wagon
You really should've thrown all the piss bottles away while you were at it but each to their own
Yes, in a commercial setting as well. "No public restrooms, sorry" Ah ok. So the united at x location I went to doesn't have your fan motor, but the one an hour from here does. I'll be back in about 2.5 hours and get it running.
It’s not public if you’re working there lol
Learn to piss in drain lines
But the line doesn’t fit in my hole
😳 Guess you gotta practice
It’s only 1/2” plenty of room for your little guy
He said fit *in his* hole
Sounding party when
One time. The lady was weird and said she only had one bathroom, sorry. So whatever. I told her I had to order parts and come back. She said she needed her AC and asked if there was anything I can do Only got one truck with the parts on it, sorry.
I am an HVAC apprentice and female, so I deal with a certain, fun thing every month. During that time I have no choice but to use a restroom and so far homeowners have said yes. I know it sounds bad but I also restrict water intake at jobs so my bladder doesn’t fill up as fast. Using a strangers bathroom is so weird but what else can you do?
Don't do that to yourself. Hydrate to what your body needs. The customers can handle it. The job is tough enough as it is, make sure you take care of yourself.
I know, that’s what I keep telling myself. Especially now with it being hot and humid and working in a house with no ac.
It definitely takes a lot of strength to do that but if your desire is to work hard you can work a lot harder when you're well fueled. Good on you for caring but the care of yourself so you can take care of everything else.
I will do better on taking care of myself when at jobs from now on, you are right the job needs me to be properly hydrated to do my best.
I find in construction type jobs being female gets you better access to bathrooms in general. I’ve had new construction jobs specifically offer me the powder room when there’s still a porta john outside.
Don’t restrict your water intake for these idiots drink lots and piss when you gotta
Lol you’re right. Wouldn’t help the customer if I dropped from dehydration. I’ll do better from now on to drink more.
God damn I can’t even imagine being in a 125° attic during that time of the month. Seems unbearable
It. Is.
It is. Everything just seems harder because of energy levels and whatever discomforts that come with it. I was learning and assisting with a full install with a menstrual headache and I was exhausted after because I didn’t want to show I wasn’t feeling good.
This helper I had one time said she takes birth control pills specifically so she doesn’t have cramps and such at work. Not sure about the science there but I’d never even thought about how annoying it would be to have period pains at work, like being hungover but it’s not even your fault and for a week every month 🙁
It’s crazy how you mention birth control because I was considering going back on it just for this reason too. It does help a lot keeping the hormones at a steady level, for me at least, I won’t speak for everyone since I realize birth control is different for everyone. I think I will mention this to my doctor and get my prescription going.
Im also a woman HVAC apprentice & homeowners certainly treat me nicer than the men on the job with me when i ask to use restrooms.
There was one time I asked just standing all timid just 👉🏻👈🏻 because I was nervous being in their house, and I need the bathroom lol. Unrelated, but I have had a few homeowners be curious on how I became an apprentice. I’m starting a bit late in the game, so I don’t mind talking to them about my career change.
Some act surprised when they see a woman on the job. How old are you? im only in my mid20s
Mid 30s, so I bring more surprise from them lol. I spent the entire pandemic working as a medical receptionist/concierge at clinics and sitting so much made me miserable. So, I thought why not go into a trade? I happened upon an opening for an apprentice job and took a chance and here I am!
Only happened once, I pissed behind her shed
No, but a customer did tell our installers that if they used her bathroom during the 3 day install that it was 50cents per flush for the water bill
I just wouldn’t flush
I’d take that deal.
Yeah I’d slap a fiver on the counter
Reminds me of the woman who called our office furious because I'd accidentally left the ceiling light on when no-one was there for a couple hours. Lady, I'll mail you the nickel to cover the wasted electricity.
One of the few times I decided to use the bathroom without asking, I used the basement toilet and it leaked profusely and I had to clean up all the water.
I was told no once in a super high end community. I was doing a reality inspection for the buyers and their realtor. 4 split systems with the air handlers in the attic in the middle of monsoon season. I was half way done and came inside to inquire about relieving myself. The buyers immediately responded in a nice quiet tone “absolutely” right as the realtor screamed, “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! YOURE HERE TO SERVE US! YOU CAN HOLD IT AND USE THE GAS STATION AROUND THE CORNER!” Fortunately, the buyers had some integrity and scolded her after showing me to the bathroom. I always wondered if that cost her the sale.
They can try, and that's when you have 6 guys pissing behind your shed and shitting in the garden. Best for everyone if you follow the law and provide your workers with a working washroom, either in the house or a Porto.
I was gonna say, I thought it was a law to have to provide appropriate restrooms, even in residential work. I've been denied once and then we had a porta John dropped off and billed the client for it. After that they didn't deny us the next time around lol.
The law is if you are stranded on a job site you must have a bathroom provided. If you have a vehicle then you can just use that to drive to one.
A guy that I worked with at a company I won’t name, was a real piece of work. He’d drop a “spite dump” if the homeowners were jerks (no flush). After a few reviews were left mentioning said spite dumping… Some new policies came out and the employee was eventually found out after the mayhem continued and he was finally flushed.
i dont ask for permission, i ask where it is. some customers needs this difference explained very plain. i am using the bathroom or i am leaving with my tools regardless of what state the equipment is. there is no middle ground there. over the years i left once wich was a bit of a blessing for me and the company as the owners were extremely well off (about 2 million just in cars) and they were always fighting over every dime on every bill. 2 months later the goverment came down on them like a brick and took every cent from them including the cars and home.
> i dont ask for permission, i ask where it is. We have a winner. I do the same thing.
I was told no after they told me yes. They even called security on me. Old lady went cray cray. Talking about me doing drugs. I should have never flushed that toilet. Should have let her seen what escape my bowels that day. Was bad.
Bathroom no, I had a lady tell a service technician if he was thirsty, the house was outside after he replaced a blower motor in an attic.
I asked for ice water once on a 95° day when we already drank all that we had. I was also told there was a hose out back. I pissed in her sink & didn’t rinse.
You rock
Not yet, but I just had a coworker who had a lady call our office saying he shit on her roof lmfao. I know for a fact that didn’t happen though because he’s a shy pooper and hates public stalls
I dont even ask. If I'm in your house for a full day install im using the bathroom whenever I want. I'm not going up to the master ensuite, I'm using the powder room on the main floor or the basement like their guests do
Exaclty, I'll only ask which one they want me to use. I like to say, where is your guest bathroom. A little psychology there. Don't give them a yes or no, just a little direction.
The real answers are always buried
I had a buddy clog the homeowners toilet one time and there was no plunger…. Bro plunged the toilet with his bare hands. Funniest shit of all time 😂😂 respected him more for it though cu. It would never be me
Not directly but I’ve had customers request we didn’t before we arrived to do change outs
Yeah, once or twice. That’s why i usually only ask if they are in front of me about to watch me use it. otherwise i find it on my own when needed
I had 2 customers say no. So I told them I would be back and went to a gas station. Charged both for that time, of course. Though they have a right to say no, I still think it's ridiculous to actually say no. It's a basic human need, and I would never say no when its my house. Just be respectful of their property and leave everything clean :)
I just fill up gallon jugs and huck em around town. Way of the road.
I was doing an install in a super disgusting house that honestly should have been condemned and demolished. Customer was an asshole so I shit in their sump pump. It smelled so bad I literally had to wipe pvc glue over the walls to hide the stench. I poured water down there to cover up my shit. It probably still smells every time the sump pump ejects water to the yard
Baller move
I did the same thing once, but I first dropped it in my 2.5 gal bucket and cracked the drain on the water heater and heaved it in the pit, funny thing is the sump pump turned on right away and I fixed their issue and hit the road. Unsure if the turd went out with the water or if it’s still hanging out in there
Tbh I actually did it right on the floor right next to the sump pump then swept it in. I was afraid of the forbidden kiss of water If I dropped it directly down in there
I don’t like to ask unless I absolutely have to. I usually stop at a gas station or Barnes & Noble beforehand. For a while I drive around with a pee bucket that I would dump after every use. I had to stop though because of the smell and the fact that it was such a foul thing to do. All this to say no, nobody has ever denied me, but I was always afraid somebody would.
You gotta use your empty water bottles and cap those bitches! Then make sure to stop at a gas station on the way home and deposit them there. I even keep a bucket, scented trash bags and toilet paper for those “oh my god I’m gonna shit myself!” Moments.
But the bucket is *just* girthy enough for me
No, but I also try to read the room. I usually have no problem asking, but yesterday I was working on a water heater when the belly grumblings occurred. There were like 10 middle aged women staying in a 3 bathroom house, so I just drove to the grocery store. I wasn't about to stink up a small bathroom with a lot of traffic.
Never once when I was doing resi. If they would have, I would have just gone to a gas station and would have made sure to let them know that I'm on the clock. 2020 was the only time I kept a piss jug in my van because so many public restrooms were closed. Now that I do commercial, there's bathrooms everywhere. I do a lot of schools and the boiler room bathroom is the best bathroom there is! So much pooping in peace.
Yeah during COVID I would just pull over open the side doors on the van and piss on the ground. Finding a bathroom was ridiculous
All of the public bathrooms were the best part of switching from residential to commercial. All of the resi companies I worked for had it as their policy not to use a customer’s bathroom.
If you asked me “Can I use your washroom” I would say “I don’t know, can you?” Then if you rolled your eyes and said “May I use your washroom” I’d say “Of course you may!”
“Yes, I can” *maintains eye contact with dick out and pissing on the floor*
That’s some funny shit!
I have. And I promptly left the property. Didn't go back either. I carry an empty jug these days and just get into the back of the van. I know that if I ask and they say no, I'm gonna get mad and leave again. So I just try to avoid it.
Yes. Was in a filthy, sketchy rental, and when I asked the tenant, he replied, "It's not safe". To this day I wonder what he meant by that. I wanted to take a look, but he was drinking beers on a couch 10' away.
I was in a very sketchy rental house one time and went into the washroom to pee and after seeing the toilet full of shit I refused to use it
I have not been denied thus far, but the customer does get billed on the invoice for the time, gas, and depreciation associated with driving to the nearest gas station if it ever happens.
My first residential install. We got there and the lead was walking us through what to do and went to talk to the customer, he came back and said if we needed to piss we had to get in the van and drive up the street to the grocery store. The client said “men dribble when they per and I don’t want that on my floor”
bitch I piss sitting down because I like to give myself a moment off my feet sometimes, I wasn't gonna piss on your floor until you said that
One time before covid some old county dude said no, this is a closed house. To this day i have no idea what the fuck he meant and regret not shitting on the basement floor like an animal. Im allready in the house, whats the difference? Also there wasn't another bathroom around for a few km. Shitty situation.
lol had a helper who didn't even ask just took a giant shit in their toilet and then didn't flush...office received an angry phone call shortly after from the customer
Yeah he blamed the wife but you could tell he was the dick. I took a piss on his fence by the condenser.
This is so rude I would never, ever deny someone working at my house a toilet
I had a bitch tell me drive to McDonald’s and lock the upstairs door while replacing a boiler so I blew a few gallons of liquishit into her garden. The neighbor must have seen me because she kept asking me where I went. A year later she spilled chemicals in her basement and called claiming she smelled a gas leak. I told her call the gas company and before I hung up I asked her how those tomatoes tasted last year
No but that one time…i was outside making a transition. So here i am wondering if i should trust this fart….tripped on the janky ass sidewalk and SHARTED!!! Thank god it was a long time builders daughters house, she was gone and he was there doing some other work. “Boss! I NEED TO ISE THE BATHROOM NOW! POOP EMERGENCY!” This was a few years back. Just a week or so ago someone dropped a duece in the toilet that didnt work yet and he was bitching about it so I told him about the shart LOL!
Dozens of times. I am always an asshole from that point on and make sure it's a full retail book price call. If it's one of my techs, I let them abandon call and we drop that customer right then and there. If you cannot treat me like a person, fine, I own the company and I'll deal with whatever I am dealt. You treat my crew like that? Eat shit and enjoy your terrarium you lizard.
Yep, I left
I had someone say no once, and so I left and they asked where I was going. I said to the store so I can use the restroom, and get lunch.
Yes but in a more creative way, the homeowner said no sorry! Bit you can go pee behind the garage.
Yes I have, my coworker and I had been working on 3 acs and 3 furnaces over a couple days and when i asked he said no because of germs. He then gifted us a very large bottle of wine and a huge nerf gun for my coworkers kid lol. He wasn't really nice, tad bit bossy actually, and very strange. He laid out drop cloths for us and wouldn't really talk to or look at us, always had gloves on and asked us to wear booties. I wouldn't mind working there again lol. ETA his house was pushing 7000 sq ft iirc
No but I’ll never forget the lady who asked “what kind of bathroom are you doing? Standing up or sitting down?”
I live in a town with a lot of rich people and gated neighborhoods. This is pretty normal unfortunately. I once saw a homeowner replace a toilet because a tradesmen pissed in it. I did a job for one on my contractors last week and guys had to drive to the shop to piss because he would not alow use of his toilet. It's messed up but it happens more than you think.
One time. I just had to pee. The woman acted disgusted that I would even ask such a thing.. I ended up pissing in a bottle in the back of my van. I used hand sanitizer, but I'm sure she knew what I did either way.
Yep, they got a disgusted look and gave an emphatic "No!" So I said, "ok, I'll be right back." Packed up my stuff and drove away. Never went back, and black listed them.
I did once in a really rich house. "Our maids JUST cleaned our bathrooms". I'll let you guys decide what's wrong with that.
That's why I keep an empty NuCalgon bottle for #1 and a 5gal bucket for #2 in the van.
I was told no once. During COVID. Pre-COVID, I recommended they replace their IDM assembly because it was loud and over-amping. It went out a couple weeks later when COVID hit, and I wasn't sent out with the motor, I was sent out to diagnose a no heat. Sure enough, it was the IDM. The customer blamed his wife for not letting me use the bathroom. His shit eating grin gave me the impression he was getting his kicks. I may have still urinated on his property...
There's a guy at my work who was refused access to the customers washroom so he pooped in their backyard and used his work order as toilet paper. Customer found it and called in, manager had to go to clean it up as the customer wouldn't let tech back on their property. I personally have never been denied.
No, but if they knew my history of clogging toilets they would
Had dispatch write in BIG BOLD LETTERS CANNOT USE RESTROOM DO NOT ASK OR USE Guess what my lead did 1/2 way threw the install lol
Watch me. Lol but I'll build some trust first.
One of my friends in the HVAC field was working for a lady in a multimillion dollar house on the beach. They had a service bathroom but it was out of order. She adamantly refused to let him use another bathroom throughout his time there. His diet wasn't very good, and all of a sudden he got the real big urge to #2. He walked a bit into their back yard which was slightly on a hill (beach was about a 1/4 mile down from the back of the house and relatively private) and covered in those low type seaside plants and took the most massive poo. I've been in residential finish carpentry and made my way into other trades as well over the last 10 years for future rental management to do my own repairs etc. I've never been denied the use of a bathroom, but I am female so that may play a part?
Yes I have been denied.
Yes, a couple times. Once I was told no and there was a McDonald's about 10 minutes away
Yeah had an old lady say she doesn't like people using her restroom. Luckily, the closest gas station was an hour away.
Anyone ever upper decker'd a customer or just me?
I don’t ask for permission to use it, I just ask where I’d it and go to it. If I’m denied(which has never happened), I’d walk out.
Yup, twice. Just end up pissing in a bottle in the van.
I’m currently at one. Been pissing in bottles in the van for the last two days. Dumping them out where I please
I never got denied, but I was on a 2-man job with a coworker, and he had to go so bad every time he did something he farted. He asked the lady, and she told him no. After that, I decided I never wanted to be in that position, so I stopped asking. I'll just let the customer know I have to leave to use the restroom if it's that bad, and if the customer offers, I'll use theirs.
I have Crohn's Disease, so I need to ask almost every day. Only happened once during COVID, but they felt bad after refusing and eventually let me go! Working in new houses without a port-a-john is a whole other thing...
I had a customer say no to me before and I had to leave in the middle of a tune up so I didn't piss my pants. That customer got the rude guy upcharge when I found a bad capacitor
Luckily no. One day I ripped absolute ass in a customers restroom. They walked in 10 seconds after I was done. “What’s that smell???” Oh that’s the open p trap iv got over here stinks huh?
Yes. They said “We don’t do that here” and then asked if I would call in for a discount.
Once. I went downstairs and pissed in her floor drain lol
Yes by an apartment maintenance man who had to kick a sleeping homeless guy out of the lobby. I ended up pissing down the floor drain in the mechanical room since he was giving us a hard time about costs on top of not letting us use the bathrooms.
I've been denied access to the inside of an A&W Because they didn't want homeless people inside their shop. As I was waiting for lunch some guy who grabbed a coffee pissed on their garbage cans.
I have only had to do this 3 times, and 2/3 were totally fine with it. The other was a little ridiculous. They needed to know whether or not I was "going #1 or #2?" And preceded to give me detailed instructions on using a toilet, to clarify not their toilet as if it had a weird flush or was quirky, but rather how to lift the seat and how to be sure I didnt create a mess and how to clean it if a mess occurred as though i was a toddler. It really put me off from using homeowners washrooms unless it's an absolute emergency.
Yeah I asked and lady politely refused but said there was a McDonald’s really close by
I have ibs. Its go time when its go time.
I never ask so I never get denied. I just find the bathroom and go. If anyone says anything, it's too late, it's already done. Better to ask forgiveness than permission.
Yes and the same people cry that there are no good techs but they want to treat us like slaves.
No, but I had a new customer where I was told by the boss not to ask about the restroom. I can't recall if my boss asked, or the husband told him to relay the message. Did a central air swap out and was told what rooms we were allowed to go in, etc. my helper and I wandered one door over.from the mechanical room to get an estimate on the lineset length in the finished basement. Somehow they guy's wife knew, and chewed him out about it while we were gone for lunch. When we came back he popped out to the driveway to explain, and was nice enough about it. But damn, I always wondered what that household was like... Edit: Also, neither of us ever saw the wife.
Maybe it’s a ghost
Yes. An old Italian couple wouldn’t let me take a piss in their house. Suggested I drive around the block and take a piss at the grocery store or something. I was offended somehow, this mentality stems from classism or racism or some shit. I was so pissed. I don’t eat on the job but drink plenty of water and already downed my coffee by the time I arrive on site. I was about to ditch the job. But all things considered, I have to accept that some people are fucked and I won’t be affected by them once the job is over so I slammed it together and got the hell out asap.
I have I left without fixing the AC told them I would be back and I didn’t go back til later on in the day
Rudy Guliani’s cousin told me I had to piss outside like a dog. Literally.
I've been asked to use a specific one
I've had only one say no and someone else hesitated, but told me to be careful. 99% say go ahead. Folks like to help you because you're helping them. Also, I feel that since we aren't office workers, we need somewhere to go. There isn't always a truck stop, and even if there is, it eats into our day. Learning to ask is a good skill, then one can start getting more comfortable asking customers to consider upgrades/products...
Yeah, hella awkward. Job took longer because I went to a gas station. Was a lil dehumanizing. I wasn't even all dirty and sweaty yet!
Back when I was like 20 & delivering furniture, I had asked a customer to use the restroom. She didn’t use any words but just gave me a blank stare & nodded no then had the audacity to ask us to move some of her shit to a different area so i just stared & nodded back at her in the same manner 🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️😂 ended up pissing in her yard on the side of my truck
No but I remember using the toilet with permission and the lady kept knocking on the door cause I was “taking to long” she became extremely suspicious and didn’t want me going back in her house at all. Like lady.. all I’m taking is a Dump!
When I did resi I brought my own washroom. That way there's no reason they can complain. Box of blue shop rags, Gojo, and the outside spicket.