Pan fachowiec już kończy
The renovation, from the quote to the leak. Ten words for dealing with tradespeople — including why zadatek and zaliczka play out differently when the deal falls through.
fuszerka
noun · feminine, colloquial
- EN
- a botched job, shoddy work
- RU
- халтура
Ta łazienka to fuszerka od podłogi po sufit.
This bathroom is a botched job from floor to ceiling.
From fuszer, a bungler, borrowed from German Pfuscher. Fuszerka is both the sloppy work and what is left behind; the one responsible is a fuszer or a partacz.
partacz
noun · masculine, colloquial, derogatory
- EN
- a botcher, a cowboy (tradesman)
- RU
- халтурщик, криворукий
Jakiś partacz położył te płytki krzywo.
Some cowboy laid these tiles crooked.
The person behind the fuszerka. The verb is spartaczyć, to botch: spartaczył robotę. An old guild word for a craftsman working without the guild.
prowizorka
noun · feminine, colloquial
- EN
- a makeshift fix, a temporary job
- RU
- времянка, временное решение
Ta taśma to prowizorka, do poniedziałku.
The tape is a temporary fix, until Monday.
The saying is nie ma nic trwalszego niż prowizorka — nothing lasts longer than a temporary fix. Russian has the same proverb, which suggests the same plumbers.
na słowo honoru
phrase · adverb
- EN
- barely holding together (literally 'on a word of honour')
- RU
- на честном слове
Ta półka trzyma się na słowo honoru.
That shelf is barely staying up.
Trzymać się na słowo honoru — the Russian idiom exactly, but with the accusative: na słowo, not na słowie. Poles also use it, with a wink, of a strapless dress.
złota rączka
phrase · noun, feminine
- EN
- a handyman, Mr Fix-It
- RU
- мастер на все руки
Szukam złotej rączki do drobnych napraw.
I'm looking for a handyman for small repairs.
Literally 'a golden little hand', and it declines as a feminine noun however burly the man: szukam złotej rączki, polecam złotą rączkę. You will see it on every ad offering small repairs.
chałtura
noun · feminine, colloquial, often derogatory
- EN
- a side gig for money; hack work
- RU
- халтура (подработка; небрежная работа)
W weekendy gra chałtury na weselach.
At weekends he plays paid gigs at weddings.
Borrowed from Russian халтура, with both senses: the paid side job and the slapdash result. In Polish it leans towards the gig done mainly for money — the wedding band, the quick commission. Fucha is the broader word for moonlighting.
na czarno
phrase · adverb
- EN
- off the books, undeclared
- RU
- вчёрную, неофициально
Fachowiec zaproponował, że zrobi remont na czarno.
The tradesman offered to do the renovation off the books.
Pracować na czarno, zatrudnić na czarno. It usually arrives as z fakturą czy bez? No invoice does not erase your rights, but it makes proving what was agreed and paid much harder.
kosztorys
noun · masculine
- EN
- a cost estimate, usually itemised
- RU
- смета
Kosztorys jest dwa razy wyższy, niż zakładaliśmy.
The estimate is twice as high as we expected.
The itemised breakdown of expected costs; wycena is the broader word for pricing a job. Whether the final bill may still grow depends on what the contract says — read that part twice.
poślizg
noun · masculine
- EN
- slippage, a delay (against a schedule); a skid
- RU
- задержка, отставание от графика; занос
Remont ma już trzy tygodnie poślizgu.
The renovation is already three weeks behind.
Literally a skid; figuratively, a delay. Mamy poślizg is the softer way to admit you are behind schedule — builders, airlines and software teams all say it. The calendar has lost traction.
zadatek
noun · masculine
- EN
- a (forfeitable) deposit
- RU
- задаток
Wpłaciłem zadatek, więc termin jest mój.
I've paid a deposit, so the slot is mine.
Not the same as zaliczka. Under Civil Code art. 394, unless the contract says otherwise: if the side that took your zadatek is to blame for the deal failing, you can withdraw and demand it back doubled; if you are to blame, they keep it. A zaliczka is a plain advance with no such rule. Check which word is on the paper.
Drill these ten · earlier morning · later morning
Drill these ten