Talking my language

I’ve spent the best part of the day in hospital with my 12-year-old son who had to have a small operation on his hand – let’s just say that boys, muddy hills and broken fences don’t mix…

Anyway, talking to the doctors and nurses and getting my head round the different procedures and trying to understand their language in a relatively high-stress situation made me realise how important using plain English is. Don’t get me wrong, the hospital staff were superb and did a great job explaining to me what was what. But it did make me think that actually this is a problem that can affect all industries, including mine.

Getting the builders in can be a very stressful time (just like my experience today!) and a good, professional joiner should explain things clearly to ensure that there are no nasty surprises, and ease the pain.

Words like baluster, coping and 4B2 may not mean much to anyone but those in the trade.

If you’re thinking of using the services of a joiner make sure that you fully understand every step and don't let jargon put you off. The Federation of Master Builders has a great jargon buster guide, and any joiner worth their salt will answer your queries politely and patiently. I know I do!