The homeowner who watched me work for 2 hours and then asked 'so what exactly do you do?'

Last Tuesday I was doing a panel swap in a 1970s split level in Tacoma. Midway through pulling the old Federal Pacific out, the homeowner comes downstairs with coffee and just stands there. Watching. For two hours. Doesn't say a word. I'm labeling circuits, torquing lugs, testing continuity, the whole deal. Finally I shut the main off to land the new panel and she goes 'so what exactly do you do?' I just pointed at the dead panel and said 'that thing, badly, until now.' She laughed and tipped me $60 on top of the invoice. Has anyone else had a customer just stare like that and then ask the most obvious question possible? I feel like it happens to me at least once a season.

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sandra_moore3018d ago

Oh man, that is such a classic. I swear people think we just stand there staring at wires until magic happens. One time I was fixing a leaky faucet in this lady's bathroom, took me like an hour and a half with all the corroded pipes, and she pops her head in and goes 'so do you just tighten stuff?' I almost laughed in her face. I mean, yeah, I tightened stuff, but also I replaced half the plumbing under her sink while she watched me do it. The stare is the weirdest part though, like they're waiting for you to mess up or something. At least she tipped you, that's way better than the guy who just said 'cool' and closed the door on me.