Water/Electricity Use by construction crews

[DowntownMan]

I live in a new subdivision and a house is being built next door. I keep coming home to the crews plunged into my exterior electric outlets and water faucets.

I have the water faucet covered for winter with a sticker stating owner use only as they broke the faucet once already

What are my options? I have already notified the builder but they don't seem to be around since it's their contract crews doing it.

Sure it's a small expense but should I be incurring any expense for the home being built next door. I think not. Anyone else have an experience like this.

[d-usa]

Eventually I wouldn't be above contacting the police for theft and trespassing, especially if you already talked to the builders about it.

[DowntownMan]

Eventually I wouldn't be above contacting the police for theft and trespassing, especially if you already talked to the builders about it.

They told me their supervisors told them to do it today even thought it says owner use only. There is signs of them washing paint and stain off equipment on my brick now.

I am expecting a call from the area manager from the builder tomorrow.

[Tundra]

Water faucets wouldn't bother me too much, I mean really you'd never notice that amount used on your bill, it's not like they are filling up the pool.... The electrical I'd have a bigger issue with especially since they should already have a temp pole set... It'll be over soon enough,

[DowntownMan]

It's not the expense that bothers me but their continued usage after I've mentioned it. They broke the faucet once so that is why I don't want them using it.
They have a temp pole and they also have electrocution at the house, but my outlet seems to be the convenient outlet for anything they are doing outside.

[Tundra]

Dang how do you break a faucet.... That's just bad luck

[DowntownMan]

They bent the knob. Not sure how. Just came home to the knob bent one day after I had noticed them using it prior in the week

Luckily I think this house will be finished by early March so I'm almost in the clear. They are painting this week.

[Tundra]

They bent the knob. Not sure how. Just came home to the knob bent one day after I had noticed them using it prior in the week

Luckily I think this house will be finished by early March so I'm almost in the clear. They are painting this week.

I had the same fight when the people next door to me were building, I gripped and complained at first and yanked a few cords out of the socket , and those poor guys just looked at me like I was crazy.... The more I thought about it , I was just like **** this will be over soon enough , not good enough reason to act like a crazy man.....

[Tritone]

One could unplug the cords and cut the plugs off. Or, one could shut off the breaker that supplies the outside outlets. One could unhook the hoses and cut the first foot off the hose. Or one could say "They won't be breaking the law much longer." Not sure where I would be on these. The first and third options would likely lead to "accidental damage," considering the lack of scruples demonstrated be these (yes, I'll say it) thieves,... inconsiderate thieves. The fourth option rankles me a good bit. I'd probably shut off the power to those outlets.

[bradh]

shutting those breakers off would be a good idea, just don't understand why they wouldn't use the temp pole.

water...yeah you may just be SOL

[tfvc.org]

Maybe a water faucet lock?

[stile99]

I don't understand the accepting attitude. "Oh, it's OK, it won't go on much longer" and "Oh, it's OK, their supervisor told them to do it".

It's theft. You asked them to stop, their response was clearly something I can't print here. Call the police.

[rezman]

I also don't understand the builder not running a temporary pole. He has to pull power into the house anyway so there has to be a reason why not. Given the fact that he doesn't, the next "neighborly" thing to do would be to personally ask you for permission. It' doesn't matter what the quantity of water and electric they're using .Ask first.

I'd be pissed off too. Is the builder going to offer you any compensation for helping him get his house built, thereby getting it sold and putting money in his pocket? ...

That is the problem with this "anything goes" attitude that is so prevalent these days. You see it everywhere, and read about in many threads here . I'd cut 'em off, period.

[BBatesokc]

Maybe its just me - but I wouldn't stand for that for 10 seconds. Especially considering nobody asked for permission.

I'd go out with my phone recording audio/video and tell them not to come on my property for ANY reason.

Then, the next time they did it I'd get a quick video on my phone, call police and sign tickets.

They won't be doing that again.

I don't want strangers on my property and I certainly don't want people who don't ask permission and have been told to stay off. Next thing you know stuff will be missing or worse.

[Zuplar]

Like others have said it would be one thing if they asked you. I would be irritated and wouldn't stand for it, it's the principal of the matter to me. I had an issue with the crew building the house behind me taking their smoke breaks under the shade of my shop. Granted this isn't theft, but it is trespassing and I don't want to set a precedent that it is okay to come on my property without permission. So I called the builder, explained the situation and they apologized and said he'd see it stopped. Now as far as I know they have, or I haven't seen them anyways. But for good measure I put a No Trespassing sign right on the property edge just so they got my point. I see nothing wrong with protecting ones property especially because when you've worked so hard to call it yours.

[rezman]

This goes back to preschool learning. I vividly recall when my daughter was small, ... 4 - 5 years old, ... and we would take trips over to Stars & Stripes Park. ... She would ask me " daddy, can we go to the big park?", so off we'd go. .... This was back when they still had the big rocket slide. I can't count how many times that when we were at the very top of the slide when other kids would shove their way past her instead of waiting for their turn. So this was a learning moment for my daughter. At an early age she had to decide weather to stand up, or get run over.

I told her right there in front of other kids and their parents. When it's your turn, you take it. Be nice to others and let them take their turn, but you when it's your turn, you take it, and don't let anyone push you aside.

Same goes for this story ... You need to borrow something or need help, be nice and ask. More times than not, you'll get a favorable response. I'd probably said yes if I was asked, and run the hose with the spray gun from my house next door to them so they can do their clean up over there If you just go up and take it, be prepared for a less than favorable response.

It's a shame that that has to be explained to adults

[Just the facts]

Start urinating on the faucet - then in about a week show them a picture of you doing it.

[Tritone]

Who is the builder? Unless powerball comes through for me it's not really likely that I can afford a new home. If it does I'd be glad to not give that builder my business.

[DowntownMan]

Who is the builder? Unless powerball comes through for me it's not really likely that I can afford a new home. If it does I'd be glad to not give that builder my business.

I don't intend to blast the builders name on here because they are a good builder and did an excellent job on my home. They have called and apologized and handled the situation well.

I will however still keep a close eye over the next few weeks as the house finishes up next door.

[stile99]

They have called and apologized and handled the situation well.

Considering the damage to your property, one would assume this well-handling came in the form of a check?

[Bill Robertson]

Start urinating on the faucet - then in about a week show them a picture of you doing it.

Having been in or around construction all my life I can assure you they would only get a good laugh out of that.

[jn1780]

I guess the supervisor doesn't know how to say "Don't plug into that outlet or faucet" in Spanish.

[Anonymous.]

Flipping off the breaker for the outside would be the most adult thing to do. But I really like the poster above saying to snip the cords, man I would pay to see the look on their faces.

[rezman]

Years ago while working a custom residential construction, we had a problem with the floor guys beating the heck out of our woodwork while they worked on the wood floors, mostly along the baseboards and corners. At the end of the day, they would just roll up their cords at the pedestal , and unroll them the next day. One day when we finally had enough of them, after they left for the day, we took their cords and wrapped and tied knots and cinched all their power cords together around the pedestal. No one said a word about it, but they were more careful in their work after that.

[Tritone]

"I don't intend to blast the builders name on here because they are a good builder and did an excellent job on my home. They have called and apologized and handled the situation well.

I will however still keep a close eye over the next few weeks as the house finishes up next door."

Glad to hear they've come around and owned up to the deeds.