New Chadwicks research reveals that 3 in 4 tradespeople say being watched affects their work

• 84% of tradespeople have wished they could politely tell a customer to stop watching and let them get on with the job
• 60% of homeowners have pretended to be busy so they don’t look like they’re watching
• 74% of tradespeople say being watched affects how they work
• A 10-minute chat at the start is the perfect amount of small talk, but then it’s time to let them get on with the job
• Chadwicks has launched a new tongue-in-cheek video for Halloween, The Watchers

Dublin, 19 Oct 2026: Six in ten (60%) homeowners admit they have pretended to be busy so they don’t look like they’re watching a tradesperson at work. Whether it’s suddenly finding something very important to do in the next room or making yet another trip to put the kettle on, it seems plenty of us have mastered the art of looking busy when a tradesperson comes to call. Its perhaps with good reason: 84% of tradespeople say they have, at some point, wished they could politely ask a customer for a little more space while they work.

New research from Chadwicks, Ireland’s leading builders’ merchant, reveals the slightly awkward dance that unfolds when a tradesperson enters the home, homeowners trying not to hover and tradespeople trying not to feel like they have an audience. Almost three quarters (74%) of tradespeople say being watched can affect how they work, proving that for some tradespeople, having The Watchers lurking nearby can be a little more spooky than helpful.

To make tea or not to make tea?

 For most homeowners, the issue appears to be less about checking up on the work and more about not knowing quite what they are supposed to do. More than half (57%) admit to wondering whether they should offer another tea or coffee, while 35% wonder if a tradesperson thinks they are watching or checking up on them. A third (33%) think they might be distracting the tradesperson but equally want to see what is being done but don’t want to hover. More than a quarter (26%) wonder whether they should stay and make conversation.

 A little less conversation, a little more action please

 The research suggests homeowners and tradespeople are actually more aligned than they realise when it comes to conversation. Nearly three quarters (72%) of homeowners typically chat to a tradesperson for ten minutes or less before leaving them to get on with the job.

Tradespeople have a similar preference. Almost two thirds (63%) ideally want between one and ten minutes of conversation once the job has been discussed.But sometimes the chat lasts longer than intended. Almost two thirds (62%) of tradespeople say customers stay and chat for longer than they would ideally like while they are trying to work.

Keeping an eye on the job

For tradespeople, certain behaviours are more likely to create that feeling of being watched. Standing in the same room while they work and checking the work when they think the tradesperson isn’t looking top the list, both cited by 38%. Regularly coming back into the room follows at 36%, while a third (33%) point to customers asking lots of questions about what they are doing.

Commenting Tara Brennan, Marketing & Development Director at Chadwicks Group said: “Anyone who works in a trade will recognise that feeling of having somebody watching while you’re trying to get on with the job. But what this research also shows is that homeowners are very conscious of it too and in many cases, they’re actively trying not to get in the way. There’s a bit of an unwritten etiquette when you have a tradesperson in your home. You want to be welcoming, offer the tea or coffee and have a chat, but there comes a point when the best thing you can do is give them the space to get on with the job. “With Halloween around the corner, we wanted to have a bit of fun with the unwritten social etiquette with our new video The Watchers.”

The Watchers here: The Watchers