Last Tuesday was the worst day I've had on a job site in years...

We had a crew of five show up to texture a 2,500 square foot house and the hopper gun clogged three times before lunch. The homeowner stood there watching the whole time, which just made everyone nervous and slow. Has anyone else dealt with a client hovering like that while you're trying to fix a mess?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_nathan2mo ago

Just tell him straight up he's making the crew nervous. Say "Hey man, I gotta focus on this clog. Give me 20 minutes." Most guys back off if you're direct.

finley_price241mo ago

Totally agree with you here... being direct saves so much time. I had this one guy who kept hovering while I was trying to fix a tricky drain, cracking jokes and asking questions every two minutes. Finally I just looked at him and said "Look, I need to concentrate on this or I'll mess it up, give me ten minutes." He just nodded and walked away. No hard feelings at all. Most dudes respect honesty way more than dancing around it. Half the time they don't even realize they're being annoying until you spell it out for them.

reeseperez2mo ago

Respectfully, being that direct can backfire depending on the guy. Some people get defensive or take it personal lol. A softer approach like "hey man, mind if I focus up for a bit? this clog's a pain" usually works without making things awkward.