The watchers

[Hawk]

So.... I'm on a job at the minute working and the owner is constantly watching me. I've been working at the boards and he decided to pull up a chair and sits there for the full 8 hours just watching! Bit creepy if you ask me. My only escape is tea time when I get half an hour away from the job! Anyone else ever get this? Doing my head in!

 

[NDG Elecs]

So.... I'm on a job at the minute working and the owner is constantly watching me. I've been working at the boards and he decided to pull up a chair and sits there for the full 8 hours just watching! Bit creepy if you ask me. My only escape is tea time when I get half an hour away from the job! Anyone else ever get this? Doing my head in!

Haha! You poor f......! I have had clients watch me a few times for long periods. One bloke sat watching me for two hours, with intermittent conversation, and strangely I didn't mind as he was a really nice fella.

Another bloke watched me from his kitchen doorway once. When he disappeared for a bit I put some stuff behind the door so he couldn't open it properly. I was then amazed to see his face peering at me for around half n hour through this 6" gap in the door! He disappeared again......then he turned up at the fully open back door....he had made a concerted effort to walk out the front, 60 metres up the street, then back down the back lane again....he had me cornered then!! Very strange..

 

[Andy78]

What I think is odder is that he managed to sit there all day without getting told to sling his hook.

 

[Rpa07]

It can't help to get the job done. There is a lot of thinking and preparing with an install - more so with fault finding, I would have to say something at some point. Besides, I like being on my own!

 

[The Ghost]

Maybe he likes you?

 

[Spoon]

Do you not think that they are interested in how you do things?
I love to know how things work and how people do things but I'm torn between learning how they do things and coming across like a pain in the arse.

 

[Pete999]

I did a job for a couple once, they both had hearing difficulties and the Husband nice Bloke, also had the added disability of not being able to breath without making a noise, poor chap.
The job was to fit a "Silent Door Bell" yes that's right the system would switch the lights off during the dark hours and on during daylight, can't recall how it worked, it was years ago, any how the Husband liked to watch, not a problem for me, but it was the gurgling noise he constantly made, very off putting, as they were both on benefits I only charged them for the materials, but they would have none of it, and insisted to pay for my time, there are nice people out there and these two were included despite their handicaps.

 

[hightower]

as they were both on benefits I only charged them for the materials, but they would have none of it, and insisted to pay for my time, there are nice people out there and these two were included despite their handicaps.

I've ran charity runs etc before and had this couple give me their last £5 - I was gobsmacked. Then I work with teachers who are the most tight fisted sods I've ever encountered.

 

[David M]

I had a fella once who stood at the doorway to the bathroom I was working on. He constantly waffled on to the point that in the end it just became background noise to me. When he did finally move briefly I got my apprentice to stand in the door way for the remainder of the time, it worked a treat.

 

[telectrix]

a good loud smelly fart usually shifts them.

 

[Spoon]

a good loud smelly fart usually shifts them.

Unless they are fart sniffers...

 

[Pete999]

I've ran charity runs etc before and had this couple give me their last £5 - I was gobsmacked. Then I work with teachers who are the most tight fisted sods I've ever encountered.

Yes HT I have the same thoughts, some of these rich/well to do think that the likes of us are like something to be scrapped off there shoes, no comprehension of what it take to be a trades man/woman, you mentioned Teachers, well Farmers take the biscuit as well.

 

[Barry White]

a good loud smelly fart usually shifts them.

Dont say that again while I am drinking tea as most of its on my shirt now

 

[The Ghost]

I had a non-stop watcher through four hours, which I dont really mind. He did say at the end "I had no idea how much there is to doing your job" So at least he knew I'm not charging him without good cause now and in the future.

 

[freddo]

Yes HT I have the same thoughts, some of these rich/well to do think that the likes of us are like something to be scrapped off there shoes, no comprehension of what it take to be a trades man/woman, you mentioned Teachers, well Farmers take the biscuit as well.

There are a few larger places we work and some of the clients are right c****, sticking their noses up and talking to us like we are dirt, there was one place we were working with some builders, and none of us was allowed to speak to the client, everything had to be relayed through the house keeper! Don't forget the types that tell you to work more quietly when you are trying to chase out walls.

People tend to leave me alone for the most part when I'm working, I'm obviously not pretty enough to look at! I don't mind being watched as long as you don't get in my way, or distract me too much, I need to be able to move! One regular, nice lady, but never stops talking, so much so that you can't get a word in!

We had plenty of odd customers when I used to do appliances, some regulars we had given names. One of the watchers was a young ish chap, we knew him as Creeping Jesus. He looked just like a lot of the images of Jesus and he'd creep around silently in his sandals then peer at us through the glass in the doors with an odd grin on his face! At least he was out of the way. Another was The Shuffler, who would follow us around everywhere, but she couldn't walk well so as the name suggests, shuffled through the house. That was from over 10 years ago, it's strange the things you can remember so clearly.

 

[stevethesparks]

a good loud smelly fart usually shifts them.

Thats cheered me up for the day that one, cheers

 

[Midwest]

When the boot is on the other foot.

Ages ago I worked on a construction site for town houses being built on the side of a hill, facing some flats. Someone (think it was a plumber!), spotted a couple in the opposite flats having a romantic encounter, with windows & curtains open. It was a regular afternoon occurrence. The best vantage point was one particular house, which hadn't had the stairs fitted. Eventually, the whole site found out, and it was a big site. At a set time in the afternoon, this particular new house became packed with all the trades 'working' in it. What I thought was comical, was as there was insufficient viewing positions from the rooms, so some guys were hanging from the windows in the stair well. Must of looked rather strange from the other side as well, with all those blokes looking out.

Think the couple secretly enjoyed it, as it went on for weeks. One of the last on the site to be completed.