Rant: The day a homeowner in Denver tried to 'help' with my power stretcher

They cranked the tension way past the red line while I was grabbing more tack strips, and I spent two hours fixing a ripple in the middle of a 20 foot seam. Anyone else have a client who just couldn't leave the tools alone?

3 comments

3 Comments

palmer.zara2mo ago

Is it always about respect though? In my experience, sometimes it's just pure curiosity. They see a tool they don't understand and their hands just move. I've had a client pick up my seam roller just to feel the weight, not to be rude. It's still super annoying when they mess with settings, but I try to see it as a teaching moment if I can.

tyler_hunt722mo ago

Honestly, why do people think touching a pro's tools is okay? I see it everywhere, like someone grabbing a chef's knife to "help chop" or leaning over a mechanic's shoulder. Tbh it feels like a basic respect thing, like you're paying for the skill but then you act like you know the gear better.

elizabeth4381mo ago

Yeah, and it's part of a bigger thing where people don't see tools as part of the job. Like @palmer.zara said, curiosity is one thing, but it's also about not seeing the workspace as a real, active zone. They'd never just grab files off someone's desk in an office, but a mechanic's bench? Suddenly it's a free for all. It shows they don't get that the tool is an extension of the skill they hired.