Beat "Builders' Stress"

Having the Builders in "More Stressful than Week with In-Laws"

Improving your home doesn't have to result in contractor chaos - follow a few simple guidelines and get the best from your builder

Having builders in ranks as one of the most stressful times of your life - almost half the population say it's as stressful as arranging a wedding, buying a house, or having a baby - and worse than spending a week with the in-laws.

Top on the irritation list are builders who don't finish on time, ones who don't turn up when they say they will and those who run over budget.

It's not surprising that living with builders' mess ranks as the top cause for stress amongst homeowners. One in three homeowners still try to live a normal life as they share their homes with burly builders who demand snap decisions on where doors, windows and sockets should go, use the bathroom without asking and need a constant supply of tea.

Having a kitchen or bathroom out-of-action causes the biggest problems - with 53% complaining of the stress caused by having no kitchen and 41% saying the same about not having a bathroom.

"It's a massive invasion of your personal space having builders in. It means you have to adjust your private life to fit in with these strangers and this can put real strains on the family,"
says psychologist Donna Dawson.
"The key is to keep cool, keep talking and keep it friendly."

However there are a number of ways in which homeowners reduce the stress caused by having the builders in - 17% move out, 10% go on holiday, 26% chose a builder recommended by friends and 14% use a written contract.

Asked about other ways of finding solace from the stress, 42% said they would visit the gym or take up yoga, 14% said they would turn to alcohol and one in ten said they would get counselling. Over three quarters said they would employ an accredited builder, such as a Member of the FMB, to keep their stress levels down.

Ian Davis of Federation of Master Builders said:

"We agree that inviting strangers into your home will always be difficult but it helps if you plan well and employ the right builder. If you chose an FMB accredited builder you should be impressed with their manner as well as what they do. We also help you sort out problems should things go wrong and you've employed one of our members."

"Follow the FMB'S Top Ten Stress Busters to make sure your job runs smoothly" Ian added.

N.B. The FMB's FREE Essential Guide to Home Improvement can also be downloaded from this site.