Manners cost nothing

I felt compelled to write in with a reminder to be polite to the trades you hire. We offered our builder breakfast the other day and he was shocked. He said that during the last project he worked on, the clients never even provided him with a cup of tea, and were very rude to him on a number of occasions. These people are major players in creating something that you might own forever – so it’s worth keeping them happy to be on site for the duration of your project.

Mary Pennack, via email

Editor’s reply: It’s true that you will be working very closely with your trades, so it pays to find professionals who you click with. Good communication is vital for the successful completion of any large scale project, and maintaining a positive working relationship with your builders will help make any setbacks easier to work through.