Wwyd??

[Parkers_girl]

We have two guys who are redoing our deck and stairs, and they chain smoke throughout the entire day. Right now I have all the windows open in the house and they just showed up to start working and I can smell the smoke throughout the house already. Common sense obviously is to close the windows, but it's getting really annoying to have deal with the lingering smoke smell and ciggarette butts outside my house. No one in my home smokes, so we don't have an ashtray and I don't know how to approach them about the situation. I consider it a bit rude to stand around smoking outside someone's house while on a job. Am I wrong?

 

[Goofyluver]

Your property, your rules, darlin'.

Tell them.

 

[happygirl]

We have two guys who are redoing our deck and stairs, and they chain smoke throughout the entire day. Right now I have all the windows open in the house and they just showed up to start working and I can smell the smoke throughout the house already. Common sense obviously is to close the windows, but it's getting really annoying to have deal with the lingering smoke smell and ciggarette butts outside my house. No one in my home smokes, so we don't have an ashtray and I don't know how to approach them about the situation. I consider it a bit rude to stand around smoking outside someone's house while on a job. Am I wrong?

No, I wouldn't like that either, I would tell them they can smoke in there vehicles on breaks

 

[Allison]

Just tell them no smoking.

 

[singleinthe city]

I would make it very clear that the smoke bothers you and that you would appreciate it if they would stand at X spot (that is away from your windows) to smoke their cigarettes. Then get an old bucket or butter tub, fill with sand and tell them to place any used butts in that receptacle.

 

[JessicaR]

If you like their work and price quoted and they actually show up I would give them each an ashtray, close the windows closest to where they are working,and open the windows on the other side of the house. Thats just me I'm sure you will get differing opinions.

How long will they be there?

 

[Carly_Roach]

We have two guys who are redoing our deck and stairs, and they chain smoke throughout the entire day. Right now I have all the windows open in the house and they just showed up to start working and I can smell the smoke throughout the house already. Common sense obviously is to close the windows, but it's getting really annoying to have deal with the lingering smoke smell and ciggarette butts outside my house. No one in my home smokes, so we don't have an ashtray and I don't know how to approach them about the situation. I consider it a bit rude to stand around smoking outside someone's house while on a job. Am I wrong?

I'm a smoker and you are absolutely NOT wrong. If they are on your property and the smoke bothers you, it would be prudent to politely ask that they not smoke near the house. In fact, I'm surprised their company doesn't have a policy on this.

Now, if you're like me and are loathe to offend anyone even if they are offending you, one possible solution would be to take an empty coffee can or some other receptical outside and ask that they use that recepticle for their butts. Then put it as far away from the house as you feel comfortable. If they're in any way intelligent or concientious, they'll get the hint.

Most people when they find out that something they're doing is upsetting someone else, they'll stop. Most people don't go out to intentionally bother others and feel badly when they find out they are bothering others. Especially if those others are paying them money to do a job for them. Being polite and pleasantly asking them to concede to not doing something that's bothering you will go a long way. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they stopped smoking around your house altogether and smoked in the truck.

 

[SandrA9810]

Are they their own contractors or with a bigger company?? I would make a complaint with them first, and then to their boss (if there is one). You're not paying for them to smoke, which probably adds another 30 minutes or so to their "break time" over the course of a day if they always have one in their mouth.

 

[2binak]

Yup, your property, your rules! They can smoke in their private vehicles on the street while on break if they want. I have family members who smoke outside when they visit us. Even with windows closed, the smell can still get into the house.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Are they their own contractors or with a bigger company?? I would make a complaint with them first, and then to their boss (if there is one). You're not paying for them to smoke, which probably adds another 30 minutes or so to their "break time" over the course of a day if they always have one in their mouth.

You would be wrong about that. The time it takes to walk away from a job to smoke, eat or drink is actually longer.

If you can eat, drink and smoke in one spot, you're less likely to walk away from it for any breaks which results in a job being done sooner.

But my opinion still stands. As someone who smokes outside her own house when repairmen are here to fix something, I totally get where the OP is coming from. She should ask them to smoke further away from her windows.

 

[ols386]

I would ask them to go to their vehicle if they wanted to smoke. I can't stand the smell of smoke.

The other thing is that I think it's very rude for them to throw their cigarette butts down on your property. I wouldn't like that either. They should have enough sense to bring something with them to place the butts in, even if they think it's ok to smoke right outside your window/door.

 

[Carly_Roach]

I would ask them to go to their vehicle if they wanted to smoke. I can't stand the smell of smoke.

The other thing is that I think it's very rude for them to throw their cigarette butts down on your property. I wouldn't like that either. They should have enough sense to bring something with them to place the butts in, even if they think it's ok to smoke right outside your window/door.

Yes, that burns me, too. It gives all smokers a bad reputation.

I hope the OP got it worked out.

 

[LuvLDM]

Your property, your rules, darlin'.

Tell them.

This.

 

[Agri]

I'd be highly ticked about the butts. They're poisonous to dogs/animals in general and the idiots who worked on our house kept throwing them in our yard even after asking them not to because of my dog. UGH. We even provided a pot with sand it in, but the butts still went into the yard.

I was SO GLAD to see them gone.

I'd just tell them in a straightfoward and polite manner that with the warmer weather you are now keeping your windows open and their smoke is coming directly into the house and its making it smell bad. If you have pets, mention them in your reasoning as well. If they aren't receptive, call the company and talk to them about the problem and the stink its bringing into your nice clean-smelling house and ask them to do something about it.

 

[frijolefrito]

I don't allow anyone to smoke in or around my house especially when dealing with cigarette butts in my lawn. I find smoking around my house as offensive as if someone were taking a dookie on the lawn. What I would tell those people is, "I'm sorry but I don't like smoke and I don't want it around my house. If you can't work like this go home." I also would call the company and explain to them that you have already talked to their workers and if this happens again they aren't getting paid and you are going with another company.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would shut the windows and give them an ashtray. Then again Dh smokes and would be smoking out there with him.

As a PP said, "smoke breaks" will take time away from completion of your deck. Not worth it to have them there LONGER than you need to.

 

[kathie859]

Ask them to smoke in their vehicles (or away from your windows) and instruct them to dispose of the butts properly....NOT leave them in your yard. You're not responsible for providing an ash tray for these workers.

 

[2binak]

As a PP said, "smoke breaks" will take time away from completion of your deck. Not worth it to have them there LONGER than you need to.

Smoke breaks will take time away from their work so if the op doesn't want them smoking near her windows, they should only smoke during their lunch break. There's no need for them to take time from work to smoke and if they "have" to smoke, then they better work twice as fast when they get back from their smoke break.

 

[Colleen27]

I'd take out a coffee can for the butts and close the windows for a couple of days. It is still very normal for blue collar men to smoke and most will be polite about it if you bring it up politely ("I don't have an ashtray, but this is better than nothing"), but I don't think it is reasonable to expect they'll call a halt to the day every time they want/need to light up when the job is outdoors.

 

[Parkers_girl]

Thanks for the advice, they are smoking while working, not taking breaks so that's not an issue. I'm gonna talk to them tomorrow about maybe holding off until their done with their work. I would hate to say "go down the street" because I don't want them leaving the job every 20 minutes to take a smoke break. I was hoping that by closing all the windows they would sorta get the hint that the smell annoys me. I can handle closing the windows while they are here, but I just find it extremely rude to throw cigarette butts on the ground right outside someone else's house. I guess I'll grab an old coffee can and ask them to dispose of their butts in there. Thanks again!