Having the builders in

Having the builders in can be one of the most stressful times of your life! But does it have to be...

Having the builders in ranks as one of the most stressful times of your life - almost half the population say its as stressful as arranging a wedding, buying a house or even having a baby and, would you believe, worse than spending a week with the in-laws!
Top of 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. "Its a massive invasion of your personal space. 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 psycologist Donna Dawson. "the key is to keep cool, keep talking and keep it freindly."
Some of us, though, have sorted the stress, around 20% of us move out during building work, 16% go on holiday, 22% use a recommended builder and 11% use a written contract.
Asked about other ways of finding solace from the stress, 40% say they would visit the gym, 14% say they would turn to alcohol and one in ten say they would get counselling. The best way of getting a good builder is through word of mouth.