When contractors work at your house, what is ok, and what is rude?

[Anonymous]

I feel like a Grinch for even writing this post, but today was kind of the last straw for me. We've been doing a bunch of smaller home projects (built-ins, painting, wallpaper) that require contractors onsite for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. We both work from home, and right now, the kids are home too. I saw another post about how contractors have a right to freedom in their workplace, but if their workplace is your home, who gets priority? Here are some examples from the past few months. Are all ok with you, or do you say something?

- listening to music or videos without headphones inside the house
- talking/arguing on speakerphone for 30+ minutes
- sitting at our dining room table for lunch
- pooping in the toilet every day

In my family, we are all pretty quiet/ introverted, so this feels a bit overwhelming. I would never talk on speakerphone or listen to music without headphones anywhere really. But is that just my idiosyncrasy? The last one I feel kind of bad about. I know pooping is a normal bodily function, but we are also very private about that sort of thing. So someone pooping like clockwork every day in our powder room while we are in the kitchen feels gross. Personally, I would drive down the street to Starbucks to avoid that situation.

These are not all the same people BTW, it's different contractors, which makes me think this is normal and I am the weird one. We're close to the end of our "summer of home projects" thankfully, but I wonder if I should have said something along the way. I would hate to get someone in trouble for something that was simply an annoyance.

[Anonymous]

Only sitting at your dining table is weird.

—child of contractor

[Anonymous]

I work from home and I have no problem with telling them to turn the music off if it is disturbing me. Same with speakerphone calls. I'm find with using the toilet as long as they are neat. Ours never want to eat inside but we always offer and often they eat at our table on the patio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work from home and I have no problem with telling them to turn the music off if it is disturbing me. Same with speakerphone calls. I'm find with using the toilet as long as they are neat. Ours never want to eat inside but we always offer and often they eat at our table on the patio.

Would like to add that I am very accommodating in terms of offering them snacks and cold drinks/ice/water - etc. I normally put out a small cooler from them and ask their preference or tell them to hit the fridge.

I just like to be able to work.

[Anonymous]

Are you the same lady that doesn't like the landscapers having lunch on your lawn?

[Anonymous]

- listening to music or videos without headphones inside the house - normal to listen to music while doing manual labor. makes sense they want to be able to hear each other talk so no headphones
- talking/arguing on speakerphone for 30+ minutes - I'd ask them to step outside for their call or lower their voice
- sitting at our dining room table for lunch - if you want them to sit at a different table, just tell them
- pooping in the toilet every day - normal

[Anonymous]

You seriously want to micromanage their toilet use? If you can't handle them using your bathroom, pay for a portapotty.

[Anonymous]

I pay for a portapot for any contractor job over a few hours.

[Anonymous]

The music is normal (I think headphones would be awkward, maybe unsafe), and I don’t think the other things are all that weird. It’s a worksite. It’s on you to clear out and go work elsewhere during the project. I work at home too and am sensitive to disturbance, and I would go to a library or coffee shop in this situation. They can’t do their work elsewhere—you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The music is normal (I think headphones would be awkward, maybe unsafe), and I don’t think the other things are all that weird. It’s a worksite. It’s on you to clear out and go work elsewhere during the project. I work at home too and am sensitive to disturbance, and I would go to a library or coffee shop in this situation. They can’t do their work elsewhere—you can.

And I wouldn’t schedule projects when the kids are home, TBH.

[Anonymous]

Table and toilet are fine with me. The radio and speaker use would not be ok in my house.

[Anonymous]

Bathroom is fine, table and being loud except construction noise is rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:- listening to music or videos without headphones inside the house - normal to listen to music while doing manual labor. makes sense they want to be able to hear each other talk so no headphones
- talking/arguing on speakerphone for 30+ minutes - I'd ask them to step outside for their call or lower their voice
- sitting at our dining room table for lunch - if you want them to sit at a different table, just tell them
- pooping in the toilet every day - normal

+1

If you didn't provide a portapottie, it's not reasonable to expect them to go elsewhere to use the restroom. And in terms of using the dining room table for lunch, I undestand why you might think it's weird, but where do you think they're going to eat? I get it if they go out and pick up fast food or something - they could eat there rather than in your house. But if they brought food with them, what are you expecting? Plus, I think it's good if they've brought food with them to eat on site - if they leave for food, you'll likely get less working time and the job would likely take longer.

Honestly, I think that if you're this bothered by having workers in the house, you should consider working from elsewhere while it's going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:- listening to music or videos without headphones inside the house - normal to listen to music while doing manual labor. makes sense they want to be able to hear each other talk so no headphones
- talking/arguing on speakerphone for 30+ minutes - I'd ask them to step outside for their call or lower their voice
- sitting at our dining room table for lunch - if you want them to sit at a different table, just tell them
- pooping in the toilet every day - normal

+1

If you didn't provide a portapottie, it's not reasonable to expect them to go elsewhere to use the restroom. And in terms of using the dining room table for lunch, I undestand why you might think it's weird, but where do you think they're going to eat? I get it if they go out and pick up fast food or something - they could eat there rather than in your house. But if they brought food with them, what are you expecting? Plus, I think it's good if they've brought food with them to eat on site - if they leave for food, you'll likely get less working time and the job would likely take longer.

Honestly, I think that if you're this bothered by having workers in the house, you should consider working from elsewhere while it's going on.

Contractor daughter here. Manual labor workers do not take food to work they need to eat at a table. I should know, I started packing my dad’s lunch around age 6-7.

[Anonymous]

When you are actually one of the “we” that are doing the work then your opinion on music, phone use or where they eat matters. The pooping thing though, that could have been avoided with a porta potty for about $125 a week.