building a new house - should the contract builder supply a portaloo!The surrounding land by my new house smelt of urine for weeks They didnt even have the decency to walk 10 metres to nearby bush
captaingraham,
Nov 27, 6:56pm
I thought that was a legal requirement these days
ksam,
Nov 27, 7:47pm
It certainly is here.
ninya,
Nov 27, 7:50pm
I think it's simply unkind not to provide access to your house for someone that is going to be working there all day.The world would be a much nicer place if everyone trusted each other a little more.I mean really, these guys know that you know who they are and how to get hold of them.
ksam,
Nov 27, 9:06pm
I wonder if the attitude would change if the builder put a portaloo on the bill, and to be honest, if a customer is looking at me like I'm dead keen to hunt through the undy drawer, I'd prefer to skip to the next job, trust works both ways, usually the tradesman is clocking up a large bill for materials, trusting the customer will pay at the end of the job.
sossie1,
Nov 27, 9:07pm
call your insurance company, to tell them you have workmen on the property. Saw something on the TV about this, apparently you may not be covered if something goes wrong.
zak410,
Nov 27, 10:43pm
Personally, and from experience, I'm very wary of untrusting people.
t_naki,
Nov 28, 12:12am
I like the idea about the portaloo, then you see how much of a problem it really is. And completely agree, I have never so much as gone into a room that I did not need to but if a customer doesn't trust me then I would also be very tentative about doing any work for them.
gabbysnana,
Nov 28, 12:23am
i take my holidays when i get the builder in, he has the keys and i pay the bill when i get back. He also signs an insurance indemnity.
aloha3,
Nov 28, 1:25am
I won't be letting tradies I don't know, have a key to my house while I am not there. Learnt my lesson.
bergkamp,
Nov 28, 1:33am
naaa just more video cameras
payntr,
Nov 28, 1:36am
ropmsl
jezabeel,
Nov 28, 2:08am
Personally, and from experience, I'm very wary of untrusting people.
Same its like they think everyones as dodgy as they are!
spiritofgonzo,
Nov 28, 1:22pm
Well I'm sorry, but I also think twice about opening my doors to anyone I didn't know if I'm not there, whether they're a builder or not.I've worked a lot with builders and landscapers in the past, and sometimes they have no access to the house and so pop down the road to the bp, or park if they need to go to the toilet.Some also go to the shop to buy lunch, no big deal.I wouldn't feel pressured to open your house to them if you feel uncomfortable with it. they probably won't mind.
antoniab,
Nov 28, 1:30pm
My husband is a builder and he would never ask for access to your house if you have outside power. People wondering where they go do #2 - in a plastic bag in a bucket (not kidding lol) then chucked in the skip or taken home unfortunately if no skip lol if not rural then he will just pop into town. TMI probably but some were wondering :)
funkydunky,
Nov 28, 5:10pm
just leave your panties on the line - problem solved
naphtha,
Nov 28, 8:59pm
The list of " would you trust this person " has added tradesmen. Now reads-- Politicians, Car salesmen, Tradesmen
floralsun,
Nov 29, 2:51am
Do you have someone who could be at your home for the time they'll be there.
maibuy,
Nov 29, 5:33pm
I have tradies doing jobs for heaps of things - I meet them for the quote or estimate and I can tell straight away if they are a good sort or not - it's called gut instinct. I also usually get 3 quotes if it's a big job and go with the ones I feel most likely will get the job done acoording to the brief. Therefore I feel secure if they're left alone. Sometimes I do baking and at the least a bought packet of biscuits. When I've had uni students doing land clearing I've provided free lunch. Lighten up. You have their details and contact numbers if anything goes wrong. If at this stage you are unsure call it off or work out an alternative for power and ablutions. I like to treat tradies as I would like to be treated if I was doing their job.
shiyo,
Nov 29, 5:34pm
all builders in our area are required to supply there own portaloo on site. think it council regulations.If you arent home then it your right to not let them in.
veronica94,
Nov 29, 6:02pm
I don't like the idea of handing out house keys to strangers either. So i take time off work when tradesmen come round. Sometimes this means scheduling in 5 lots of things in one day (plumber, carpenter, arborists) but it works for me.And I let them use my bathroom although there is a public one 200meters down the street.
I would recommend you discuss the job in detail with your builder - if there is this sort of miscommunication (what he expects and what you expect re: access) it would be best to get it all on email and out before the work starts.
veronica94,
Nov 29, 6:08pm
The reason I prefer to be at home when tradesmen are working is because if, the house was broken into or left unlocked or my animals got out while they had access or keys, I wouldn't want to have to deal with suspecting them. Or them having to take responsibility for such things.
sooby,
Nov 29, 6:15pm
This sounds like a great solution!.
As much as I understand the original posters mistrust of tradesmen after target-type shows, leaving tradesmen without any means of using a toilet is asking for trouble & just mean - how would you like to work for 8 hours without a toilet!
blinker69,
Nov 29, 8:06pm
yup get someone to be home while they do their work.Or even ask your neighbour to hold the key for you and they can come ask him/her to use the loo.So she'll open up your house and let them use the loo or make a cuppa. etc etc.It is better than nothing.
crab2,
Nov 29, 8:17pm
We too had that problem, we even had the neighbour complaining when the builders were here that they were using the back of the skip in full few of her lounge and we told the building company but they refused to put a portaloo in site
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