Are you okay with leaving when people are working in your house?

I don't have a problem with it. I have people come to my house to do work all the time when I'm not home. No one has ever stolen anything.

Thanks, Swimpy. I'm not sure why I have this hang up but it sounds like I need to get over it!

I've done a lot of remodeling, sometimes with landscaping - I once counted seven places, quite a bit of it done by me or my husband, and some by hired recommended electricians or plumbers (well, one, back in Venice was a friend in the first place), landscape people I knew from work.
Sometimes I was not working for a few months at a time (taking no clients) and stayed home to remodel except for errands, and sometimes I was not there at all, off at work and leaving them to it. Only trouble I ever had was with a guy who was on an associate's crew, a previous meth addict, and he was both a fool and full of temper. But even he didn't steal anything. I'm lucky though, knowing people who knew people who were good, if I didn't know them myself already.
I made a mistake on hiring a fellow here in New Mexico, but that was my money saving self in action, and he meant well.

Only person who ever stole from me was one of two people, one a theater director and one a friend's son, both needing drug money, and that was, gads, 35 years ago.

we never let workers into our home when we are not here.
never ever...

How about the dust bunny fairy? How does he get into your house to do his contracted work and leave dust bunnies under your sofas and dining room tables and beds?

No. I'm paranoid that they will do something. I watch them through the third to bottom most slat on the venetians, uno those micro slim ones with the perforations tres chic and not so exxy to clean although now that ive sold the wagon i dont know how i'll get the bigger ones down and out and off to the electrostatic cleaning place even tho its only two miles away as the new car yes so new leather top of the range ooo i so deserve it v8 ive always wanted grunt

Talk to the contractor openly and directly - his people are his responsibility. I'm assuming you're leaving no jewelry, silverware or other valuables in plain view (after movers stole fur coats, gold lighters etc from my home I learned that lesson) and so your main concern is the dog. That's the easiest one to fix - ask the contractor to bring all the people he intends to use on your job to the house at a time when you're there and see how the dog reacts to them individually. Dogs are the best judges of character who ever lived; if the dog likes all the workmen, you can safely leave the house to them.

I don't really have anything that someone might steal so it isn't that I'm worried about things going missing.

But one time they left the front door open while they were hauling stuff in and out and the dog scared the crap out of the mailman. I was here so when I heard the dog bolt for the door I was able to call him back.

One time a guy left for the day leaving the back gate open. My dog is a pretty well behaved dog, he's not going to wander off or anything but he's really protective of the house. There are also a couple of dogs that get walked past the house on a twice daily basis that are not so nice.

But really it just feels weird to know there are people in the house when I'm not here.

My dad was a contractor and I remember him complaining about losing whole days because they weren't able to get hold of the homeowner. Of course this was back before cell phones.....

Actually I was just reading about this re: police dogs -- dogs are extremely good judges of what their owner thinks about other people, which is a little different.

http://reason.com/archives/2011/02/21/the-mind-of-a-police-dog



I tend to not leave workpeople here alone either. It hasn't been an issue very often -- our biggest home improvement project thus far has been getting a new roof -- but I understand your concern, especially in terms of the dog and what might happen with him.

I usually stay home (or hubby), but I will run out for short stints if need be - I wouldn't stay out long, but maybe to run a quick errand.

I'm more like you - it isn't the stealing, but it just seems odd to have some one you don't know in your house alone.

I once was listening to a radio station and some one called in saying that a neighbor told them their gardener was outside wearing their daughter's school uniform.

You never know what sort of odd ball things could happen.

I've been on the other side of this a few times, working on people's computers.

I find it very uncomfortable if there's no one else in the house. On the other hand, I don't like it when people hover over me....

I'm with Swimpy on this about the house.

I won't leave the dogs with anyone I don't know.

yup.

I work at other folks houses quite often too.

I won't do it if there is not an adult present on the property. (long time customers are different)

too many risks both ways.

I'm glad to know I'm not alone!

I have to be out and about a bit this morning. I'm just going to take the dog with me. He loves to ride in the car but hates to sit and wait.

I hadn't really thought about what it might be like for them to be here working when nobody is around. At least today they'll be working in just one area of the house -- over the last week they've been replacing all the pipes so they've been everywhere. Yikes what a mess.

After reading all of the other comments, I can see why you might be concerned. I live in a small city and I know the folks that are working on my house, for the most part. It's probably more of an issue in a bigger city. Re: the dog: One time when I was dog sitting my granddog, who was obliviously sleeping on the couch when the guy came to the door. He took one step inside the house and when he saw her he turned tail ad rushed out the door. He said, "I'll stay here until you put that dog in another room."

I could see workers having a problem with a dog loose in the house when the owner is gone.