How would you feel?

[GB]

Lets say you hired someone to paint your bathroom. They came highly recommended from a co-worker you trust. You left the painter alone in your house for the day. You come home and the TV, which is on the opposite side of the house from the bathroom, is not on the channel you left it nor is it on a channel you ever watch and the volume is way higher than you would ever have it.

Question 1 - Would you assume the painter watched TV?
Question 2 - Would you find this inappropriate or would it upset you?

 

[GrillingFool]

Did the bathroom get done to specs?

 

[GB]

Lets say it took an extra day because she underestimated the amount of spackling she had to do. Lets assume that the painting job itself was great and there were no issues with that.

 

[Andy M.]

I'd be annoyed.

If he finished on time and did a good job, I'd drop it. He ma have just eaten his lunch and watched some TV - Not acceptable but a reasonable explanation.

Did you check the fridge and the liquor cabinet?

 

[bethzaring]

one time I traded a large quantity of fresh goats milk in exchange for a woman to clean my house. When she had finished, and she had brought a child with her, she helped herself to a beer in the frig and gave her child an expensive natural soda pop. I am certain she did not know how expensive that soda was, and that I considered it an extreme treat for me. I was flabbergasted.

 

[bethzaring]

I'd be annoyed.


Did you check the fridge and the liquor cabinet?

 

[GB]

Thanks guys. Keep the answers coming. I am curious to get as many different perspectives as possible.

 

[vyapti]

For twenty years, I've worked with contractors ranging from house cleaners to general contractors, from vendors to employees. I would never let a contractor work on my house without some degree of supervision and inspection. People work differently when they know that there is accountability. Your painter may not have seen any problem with flipping through channels while she was taking a 10 minute break or she may have been couch surfing instead of spackling. There's really no way of knowing if they were alone in your house for two days.

 

[kadesma]

GB I wouldn't mind. I would ask them to please leave things as they find them when they leave.Sometimes people don't think and just assume you won't mine them looking at the television when they eat lunch or maybe there was something they just wanted to hear which is why your sound was up. I'd have a chat with them if it really bothered me.
kades

 

[getoutamykitchen]

It would bother me, but as long as nothing was missing and the job was done as promised I wouldn't say anything. I would definitely not reccommend this person to anyone though.

 

[Alix]

I'd guess the TV was on and turned up loud so she could hear while she worked. That wouldn't be an issue for me at all. I would prefer that to someone eating or drinking something without asking.

I'm not a very trusting sort though. I wouldn't leave anyone alone in my house unless I knew them well or they were bonded and showed me their certificate. I offer refreshment always, but am rarely taken up on it.

 

[buckytom]

i would only have objected if she left "the view" or "glenn beck" on.

if so, i'd watch them like a hawk as they certainly have a screw loose.

 

[GB]

I think it was the Lifetime movie channel Bucky. I am not sure if that is better or worse.

 

[FrankZ]

I would not be happy, though I don't leave contractors alone in the house.

They are here to work, not to use my things, eat my food, or drink my drinks. I do offer longer term contractors water and soft drinks.

I would either confront the person or talk to their boss.

 

[CharlieD]

Did you have to pay more for labor?

 

[GB]

Nope Charlie. She quoted us a price for the job and stuck to that price. She was very inexpensive too and did great work.

We normally would not let someone be in our house without us, but in this case it was either that or not get it done and that was not an option.

She finished up the job today and the TV was left the way we left it in the morning so it does not appear that she used it today. We did not mention anything to her either.

I posted this thread because my wife and I had very different reactions to this and I was curious how others felt. I have found this discussion very enlightening.

 

[DaveSoMD]

I'd guess the TV was on and turned up loud so she could hear while she worked. That wouldn't be an issue for me at all. I would prefer that to someone eating or drinking something without asking.

That's what I was thinking....specifically becasue the volume was turned up. She may have just wated some background noise.

I'm not a very trusting sort though. I wouldn't leave anyone alone in my house unless I knew them well or they were bonded and showed me their certificate. I offer refreshment always, but am rarely taken up on it.

Same here. Even if I am home I always find a reason to go into the room or yard or wherever they are working..

 

[GB]

Yep we guessed she was listening to it while working because of the volume. That upset me more than if she had sat down on the couch to watch during a break. I love my toys and I spend a boatload of $ on my TV. I do not want someone blasting the speakers the way they were. They are not made for that.

 

[babetoo]

better than music so loud it shook the house, and in the workers native language.( not english) and my stereo system is definitely out of bounds. he no longer does any work for me.

 

[CharlieD]

Me, I'd say no big deal, as long as it did not cost you any more. I had a cleaning lady once and she always searchet the Internet, if she worked when we wereout. She used to charge by the hour. I set her down once and told her that we are not rich people and can barely affort her. I told her I do jnot care what you do here, i.e. listen to the music, or watch TV, just do not charge us for it and then I kind of exidentely turned the PC toward her and it was set to one of her sites. I know she never overcharged us.

The ones that know how to hide, I'd be afraid of those kind people. If they leave tv on chanel they watch or do not arace the "history" in PC, I know they do a good job, she could have put everythng back to way it was and charge you extra, but she did not.