As long as I'm paying for the work they do in my house, I don't consider tradespeople my guests. If they donated their work, it would be a different thing entirely. If I invited them to come dine or hang out...but that's not what's happening.

I'm not saying they're not nice people, but I have a situation in my small house that doesn't lend itself to offering up my bathroom facilities. Of course I would make an exception. But as a plan, I'd rather they didn't, esp. if I'm not home.

Edited to add: A few years ago I had my entire front yard redone. There were often 2-3 workers here for most of the day. None of them ever went into my house, as it wasn't part of the worksite. As far as I know, they made other arrangements and didn't poop in the dirt.

This post was edited by linelle on Fri, May 16, 14 at 12:10

I used to live next door to a gal that operated a landscaping company. She often worked with her crews and had to potty in the yards where she worked. She often worked in "nice" areas (i.e. Mercer Island, if you know Seattle) - apparently no one ever complained.

Having said that, some companies have it written into their work contracts that their crews be allowed access to some type of facility, even if it's just a porta jon. We hired a potty, of course, when we were building our house. That's an OSHA requirement for new building projects - apparently not for basic repairs/remodling?

gladys 1924:

OSHA should have a requirement assuring the dignity of all workers. You shouldn't have to "hold it" or pee in the bushes as a term and condition of keeping a job.

In addition, who wants your workers running off to find a McDonalds or Target or someplace where they can use the facilities. I like to make it as convenient as possible for them to stay put (and finish the job!)

There is a certain irony in working on a bathroom but not being able to use the bathroom. Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to pee in.

This post was edited by jerzeegirl on Fri, May 16, 14 at 16:48

I think you're being perfectly reasonable, linelle. But, then, I understand both your point about strangers traipsing through your private space AND making sure your pets are safe. I feel the same way, on both counts. I've had tons of work done over the years and I've had to sequester pets, too, and I absolutely won't budge on the issue of letting anyone open the door to the room where the pets are. I've seen firsthand that no one is as careful or observant or conscientious as I am when it comes to not letting pets get outside.

I feel the same way you do. I would definitely get a porta potty - and put a lock on the door to your bedroom. otherwise, good chance they'll use the dirt and they'll go through your personal things or let the cats out.
Have peace of mind and do it. We learned the hard way.

I don't want to be an a-hole about this. I have no reason to expect the workers to be anything less than professional. My main concern is the safety and security of my cats. I might be able to sequester them in a different room, but it's not a good option for all day. I'll talk to my GC and we'll figure something out.

linelle:

Were I your GC, I would tell you my crew and I are in no way responsible for any animals. Board them, lock them in a room, or let them run loose, none of it is our business.

If you won't let my guys use a bathroom, that's fine but a porta-potty's $x.00 per day plus my markup. Here's your change order and sign here.

I'm on the fence on this.
Recently I hired someone to repair a broken window in our master bedroom. Two guys showed up. One was in the bathroom a long time. I heard a flush. Then he remained in the bathroom a really long time....and I heard another flush. What was he doing in there all that time? Recently there was a TV show on hiding hidden cameras; consequently I was paranoid to use our master bath for awhile after that. Even tho it was only a 3 hour project, the extended use of our bathroom irked me.

Although the contractors are not guests, they still deserve the respect of access to adequate facilities. You can provide or ask the contractor to provide a porta-potty (at your expense) or you allow them use of another bathroom. If there happens to be a general bathroom for use in a multi-unit building, then great. I wouldn't expect a nearby business to provide the facilities for a multi-day project- the business would be an innocent party and incur costs with little benefit.

I would pay for the porta potty personally.

Stranding them with out a bathroom and tp might end up being an issue. Unless you like to pay for extended trips on YOUR time to use the restroom a few blocks away or your hedge. No tp and bet they can find some paper towels and you will have one nice clog to deal with.

Try spending a day where every time you need to use the restroom you have to head to those same places and see how it goes.

No way would I want anyone but myself, husband, and immediate family to use our master bathroom, particularly if it would mean walking through my bedroom to get there.

We recently completed our master bath remodel. The trades were invited to use our powder room as needed. The last item to be installed was the frameless shower glass. While the installers were here, I became aware that they were using the new master bath toilet instead of the powder room toilet. I was LIVID that they took it upon themselves to use my brand new bathroom before I got to.

Yes, it was mere feet away from where they were installing instead of a short walk down the hall to the powder room, but they should have realized that the homeowner (who just shelled out thousands of dollars in remodeling costs!) would appreciate being the first/only ones to use their master bath toilet.

Don't they have to walk through your master bedroom to get to the master bathroom they are working on?

Jerzeegirl -- They did, since there was no other way to get to the bathroom that was being remodeled. We had moved out of the bedroom for the duration. They were invited to use the powder room bathroom; all did except for the ones that installed the glass at the end. Not happy about that at all. If the contractors were working elsewhere in the house (like in Linelle's case), I would not want them walking through my master to use my bathroom. It's just too private of a space.

"Then he remained in the bathroom a really long time....and I heard another flush. What was he doing in there all that time?"

Have you checked that all your prescription medications are still there?

I think a porta-potty will be the best bet. I can get one, including pickup and delivery for less than $120 and it makes the most sense in my situation. Everybody gets to use a toilet as often and for as long as they like. My cats are safely sequestered. And I have access to my own bedroom and bath without worrying if anyone else is in the space. Hope this is acceptable to everyone.

That sounds like an excellent plan all around.

Chatted with my GC. He said he does this all the time, so will make the arrangements. It is not a major expense and seems a very just and workable solution all around.

Some of you ladies are very naive to allow strange men free access in your home. (Women too for that matter; I have known of a couple thefts by female workers in my small circle). Aside from that, expect to be wiping up their peesies off the toilet and floor when they disrespect you, your house and the gracious privilege of use you gave them.

It's a shame but, unfortunately, a reality we have to deal with on our end. Blame the bad guys and the slobs, not the homeowners.

Thank you snookums2. There was no way I liked the idea of someone I don't know using my bathroom in my bedroom when I'm not there. Or even when I am, maybe more so then. My cats are my biggest concern. My house, my rules. So, yay for porta-potties that take care of everyone's needs. $100+ is a drop in the bucket for what the damn bathroom is costing me.

Just a note about portapotties...
We had one for a remodel/addition. It worked great! Apparently so great that the UPS guy (who didn't have a package for me) decided he'd stop and use it too!

(just an fyi. Apparently when you have one, people decide they can use it.)

(shrug) Our porta potty was parked out by the road. Our mail carrier used it often - her route covers 45 miles through a largely rural area; when she can't find a porta potty or helpful neighbors along her route, she goes behind a tree. What else can she do? I apologized to her when we were done building and had the potty removed.

We have walkers and runners in our neighborhood; they also used our porta potty. No big deal. We never had a large building crew here, so the extra users were not a problem.

Runners, students walking to and from school, the nearby school sports teams out for their daily exercises ... seemingly everyone used our porta-potty. That didn't bother me as much as coming out of the house one morning and finding it tipped over on it's side. Thankfully it had just been pumped out the day before. When we "righted" it, we sat it closer to the garage so as not to be such a temptation (for using or tipping) to passers by.

As long as they're neat about it. I've used them at events and they can get pretty messy, like public restrooms.

"she goes behind a tree"

That would be my tree and it's in clear view from my house! How people think it's alright to do this in a residential area is beyond me.

I work in the office of a home improvement company. While we've never had anyone refuse the use of facilities, we've had one lady tell the men if they had to pee then they would have to sit. She would not clean urine of strange men off her floors. Then said her husband sat down too. Our men opted to go to the quick trip near by.

everyone used our port a potty too - the garbage men, the guys who were paving the street, even the neighbors who were outside drinking beer (they loved it!) Our contractor had it cleaned every week and I always asked the workers if it had paper etc inside. One of my neighbor works in the trades and he said it was like the Cadillac of potties compared to ones he has to use on other sites, like high rise construction sites which are apparently filthy.

Once it was removed and small things being finished up inside the house, we let the workers know it was OK to use the inside bathroom, because by then we had a new one so it wasn't the only one in the house. They tried to be very neat but as itltrot's client found, there are still areas that need to be cleaned.

I barricaded my dogs. Cats are a more difficult problem. though.

Our mail carrier goes behind a tree because we are in a rural area. No businesses out here; just a lot of large forested properties. What else is she supposed to do? Some of us have offered her our homes, and when she sees a porta potty along her route, she may use that.

If a carrier's route is in town, s/he can probably find a business that will help her out.

I'm the original poster. My contractor got a porta-potty that was in my driveway for the duration of the project. I'm sure it was built into his cost, because he didn't charge me extra. For my guest bath remodel it would have been untenable to have workers going into my bedroom to use my en suite master bath.

Workers don't just have to pee, know what I mean? Plus they like to chat on the phone during.

It's the only way to go. Just make sure you're upwind and close your windows when they come pump the potty. :)

Becky, you need to contact whoever is in charge. That is not normal. Who knows what they are up to in your house like that.

Curious, are they being respectful of your home and hospitality or having accidents and otherwise making a mess?

There are no free porta potties. If you don't want workers using your can, pay up. Simple.

Joseph, who's saying they're free? I was going to pay out of pocket to have one for my workers. Before I could make the arrangements, my GC asked if I'd like to have one onsite. I said yes, and one arrived. No extra charge, which led me to believe this possibility is already built into his total cost, because I know they don't grow on trees.

It isn't really fair, though, that we have to pay for a porta potty because some of these guys think it's okay to pee on your toilet and floor or otherwise make a mess of things. Not to mention rifling thru your drawers. And the stories around here are just unbelievable. I mean, really. Have some decency and respect or you lose your privileges and you or the boss should pay for other facilities yourselves. For the ones who go out of their way to be obscene about it, they should simply be fired.

I just asked my husband what he does in an occupied house. If there is a portapotty, they use it. If not, they ask. He said they have never been turned down. I asked if he's ever had to use the master bathroom. He said yes and it's uncomfortable to have use a personal space like that. I asked if they ever go to a McDonald's, (etc) he said no. But on the days they leave for lunch, I know they take advantage facilities off site.

"some of these guys think it's okay to pee on your toilet and floor or
otherwise make a mess of things. Not to mention rifling thru your
drawers"

Oh Joy. is this poster over the top with assumptions? or simply mad at the trades . ill tell u what, talk about blanket assumptions LOL

Buy a package of adult diapers. Hand them out to the workers as they show up on site. If drywall is to be installed, don't be surprised to find suspicious odors coming from inside the walls after the drywall is installed.

And for the literalists out there, no, that's not a serious recommendation.

Or maybe it is... ; )

telluwhat:

It's obvious you're new here. Nothing gets more panties in a bunch than a "contractor peeing" thread. This thing is going to 150, guaranteed. And then they'll start another; we're always doing something wrong.

I was all for a porta potty when I posted last year. But after having one on my site, I'd much rather let them use my toilet if there's a reason for them to be in my house. It's so freaking wonderful to have to pay for extra cleanings because random people that have no connection to your site think it's a public facility. They'd leave the construction fencing open, so we started tying it together with zip ties. So they broke the fence. Actually, physically broke the fence panels to get in. I'd suggest that if this is how they treat a site they're taking advantage of, no wonder homeowners don't want them in personal spaces. But most of them were from city road crews. Why the $&@+-# isn't the city providing facilities to their crews? The foreman refused to answer that.

Ironically, our plumber used it the most. He'd stop by for a quick chat, and make a b line for the john when he arrived, and then use it again on his way out. How does he function at work sites that have no water whenever he's there? :)

Remind me never to start a thread about toilet facilities. Because, over a year later, it's bound to turn into this. ^ ^ ^

Tell you what, TYW, before making assumptions about people making assumptions rather than having real experiences, read up on some of the toilet threads. You will really see what over the top is - how people's homes have been treated by workers. From using unfinished closets as a urinal to bathtubs and disconnected toilets as waste receptacles, BM's buried in the attic insulation, to using yards and entrances and a pile of basement rags. Even when facilities are available. Regardless, there is no justifiable excuse, make them and blame the customers as y'all will.

There is a whole lot more going on there than the people in the biz here who post on it are willing to acknowledge.

Peeing on the toilet and floor is also totally unacceptable, no matter who or where it is. Like it or not, it happens. Get after your fellow peers. They bring this all on themselves, whether people here are able to accept it or not.

What is so hard to understand about that is beyond me, but y'all sure turn a deaf ear and try to gloss over it all in your favor.

Don't tell us how we are not to feel or react to such things or to not protect our property from such abuse.

And do note I said SOME workers, not all. What a lame knee jerk reaction, with no substance. Ridiculous.

Once you have had the joy of workmen peeing on your home or in the yard and garden where you place your bare hands (not to mention helping themselves to your personal property, or other obnoxious things), you are not going to be the same after having your trust and confidence and home violated like that. It is just a simple fact of life and human nature.

Mongo-your posts are such a breath of fresh air (no pun intended . . .)

I hadn't thought about this. We only have the one bathroom that will be updated. We are in NYC so I suppose they will use public facilities at local restaurants or maybe the bathroom in the basement that the door staff uses. I guess I need to ask management about that.

Ms. Tate:

Don't worry, we lowly blue collars know our place is in the basement. Other professionals like lawyers and doctors have to use facilities at local restaurants; we're no better than they are.

For Christ's sake, Joseph. She's got 1 bathroom in a NYC high rise. And it's undergoing renovation. Do you expect her to add a second bathroom to her probably small apartment so that the trades have somewhere to go? Making sure they can use a bathroom in the building where other staff go seems like a very sensible solution.

now everyday I doubleback to each bathroom in this palace im working in and give the lids A proper wipedown. In one the dog laps up water and spills it around at random will, in another the kids get home from school and hit the head, still i go clean em both up end of day. Ill tell you what

No strangers are welcome in my master suite. For one thing, my *pain meds* are in there.

When did *gentlemen* object to urinating while seated -- especially in another person's home?

Nothing wrong with having boundaries with opening your home to personal use by services or businesses hired for jobs, especially if they will only last a few hours. If you’re uncomfortable with it it’s ok to say just that. It’s a private space and use of it should not be assumed.

Part of being a professional service person is building those stops to public restrooms into the day, before arrival or during breaks.

i made the Mistake of letting My contractors use our bathroom ! it was like a gas station bathroom ! skids ! piss, blood on seat ( female) rolled up kotex! in trash ! skids on seat !! Next time they will find a gas station or rent a porta potty ! to hell with that Nasty S*** nowhere does it say i have to clean their S***!!!!

@Alan Kenneth. You might find it more productive to discuss this with your licensed, vetted contractor with whom you have a contract for all work.