Clean as you go

[Thermo]

I popped down to a friend of ours house this evening. They are away for a week while some work is being done on the house. The house basically has a long corridor and all the doorways along it are being rejigged around, with new opeings being cut to reposition doors etc. ALso a few veluxs being put in. So they moved out for a week so that they and the kids can have a normal life and the builders can get on. They asked me to pop in to make sure there were no fawlty tower typs mistakes going on. The jhusband gave me a copy of the drawing which aslo has an itemised list of the work on it. Top of the list is that all openings to rooms are to be sealed and taped up to control the spread of dust.

Went in tonight and i wasnt happy with what i saw. The work was ok, but loose dust sheets had been hung up, with dust all in the kitchen, lounge etc. WHere they had cut one velux opening out over the timber stairs all the crap was on the timber stairs. Now i know the builders have got the house for the week while they are away, but if i was doing the job, i would have sealed up properly and certainly kept it clean as i went along. Not sure if they plan to have a clean up as they go. We leave any job we work on clean and tidy at the end of each day. Its a pain in the backside for 10-15 minutes at the end of the day when your knackered, but i think its professional, cuts down possible damage of crap being trod over and ruining other finishes and its safer as well.

What would you do in the above scenario?

 

[gas4you]

I always hoover/clean up at the end of each day, usually allow about 1/2 hr for this.

Part of the job aint it

 

[Pensdown]

If I’m reading your post correctly, I think your friends have put you in an awkward position. They have gone away for a week and left you to project manage their building work?

I think if I were lumbered, I would do some damage limitation and go back to seal the rooms myself. I would also call back when the builders were on site to tell them I had sealed the rooms and ask them if the guy with the broom and shovel was on holiday.

When I was an apprentice I would moan like hell about having to clear up both during and at the end of the day because I couldn't see the point.

My bosses favorite saying was "I like working in a clean & tidy mess now crack on with the broom because at some stage I wanna get home!"

 

[Thermo]

no not project manage just pop in and have a quick look to make sure there are no disasters going on and let them know if there is! Ive enough on my plate without project managing someone elses work for free!

 

[gcol]

If they owners are outta the way, what difference does it make if they don't clean up at night? So long as it's clean for when they come back it'll be fine. Surely the builders will get more done without cleaning down each night.

 

[Thermo]

point is gcol, theres existing carpets etc down, and the stuff has been trodden in through all of it. all seems a bit lazy to me and not the way i was bought up to do it!

 

[gcol]

So there's no dust sheets down?

 

[Thermo]

nope!

they were supposed to seal off all the rooms on the spec with tape and plastic sheeting......not done!

I know they had a clear house but its still a house not a complete vacant building site, i dont work like that, just wondered if anyone else had any thoughts. Anyway the wifes friends have come back and all hell has broken loose. They were supposed to be finished by the time thye came back, no where near.....oooopppps!

 

[noseall]

we clean up at the end of each day.

a clean builder is not only a rarety, but a builder who is seen to be tidy is going to be remembred for that fact for a long time.

none of us smoke.

no radio.

we make our own tea.

we are rarely later on site past 7:45. a.m.


buiders from heaven.

 

[corgiman]

I always run the hoover round when I am done, I am a smoker but when I am busy I never seem think of a tab, I do partake in my van thou and use its ashtray (before anyone has a pop our vans NEVER have passengers so therfore do not fall under the facist law that is the no smoking law)

do any lads who smoke really dare to smoke on site??

 

[gcol]

nope!

they were supposed to seal off all the rooms on the spec with tape and plastic sheeting......not done!

I know they had a clear house but its still a house not a complete vacant building site, i dont work like that, just wondered if anyone else had any thoughts. Anyway the wifes friends have come back and all hell has broken loose. They were supposed to be finished by the time thye came back, no where near.....oooopppps!

Then that's not on. You have my permission to shout at them.

 

[Thermo]

thanks gcol, dont think i need to bother i think my wifes friend is about to do that!

 

[namsag]

Just finishing a job one day hoovering down the carpets and one of the other local heating guys was quoting next door laughed an said what you doing we don`t even put the carpets back. .
Even if a customer says don`t worry about the mess just leave it we never would

 

[noseall]

Even if a customer says don`t worry about the mess just leave it we never would

us neither. wise words.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Clean van, clean tools, clean cloth, clean worker = happy customer = many recommendations.

But it's a fact that some just can't see the connection between cleanliness and profit (and getting more work is profit, not?)