How not to talk to builders

It’s week eight of the installation of a cheap Ikea kitchen in my flat, and an Albanian builder is slumped in an armchair in my sitting room. He’s shielding his face with his hand, Princess Diana-style, to hide the fact that he’s weeping.

My kitchen sink drama began when I rang a firm of local builders and they sent round a chap called Dave with a twinkle in his eye and a plan to rip off his employers. ‘Here’s what you do,’ he said. ‘Hire me for a day, tell the boss you’ve changed your mind and sack me. Then I’ll come round after work, charge you half the original quote and we’re all laughing.’ I did sack him – but after five weeks, not one day, and there were no merry chuckles when I screamed down the phone that I wanted him out of my life, for ever.

At first I thought I’d struck gold.