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Original poster

How much is 'a drink' in payment terms for a tradesman?

315 replies

cockapup · 30/03/2024 10:20

My elderly parents contacted a tradesman on a local FB group as needed an outside light replacing. The tradesman said he'd pop round after finishing another local job to assess. As it turned out it was a bulb needing replacing so took him less than 10 mins. He kindly said no charge but just give me a 'drink'.

How much would you give? Just wondering if what my parents gave was excessive- I'll reveal amount later.

OP posts:
SabreIsMyFave · 30/03/2024 12:53

Where on earth are people drinking where they charge £15 for a glass of wine - and more than a tenner for a pint of beer? My DD's 2 friends live in London (one the Brixton area, one near Oxford Circus,) and the MOST they pay is around £7 for a pint of beer, and £8-9 for a glass of wine.

Gettingonmygoat · 30/03/2024 12:51

£20, any less and they won't help again.

Missamyp · 30/03/2024 12:48

DP did a call-out for an elderly woman-the job took less than 30 mins including travel. He waived the fee, but she insisted on giving him a £10.
His normal fee is £120 hr plus VAT.
I think this chap was a tad unkind and ruthless.

DragonFly98 · 30/03/2024 12:48

£10

Kalevala · 30/03/2024 12:43

OwlCityisthemostunderrated · 30/03/2024 12:41

It really doesn’t!

Show quote history

I wouldn't think this, but I'd think it meant the price of a pint, so £5.

CrotchetyQuaver · 30/03/2024 12:43

I would say it's a euphemism that's generally £20 cash these days...

MrsSlocombesCat · 30/03/2024 12:43

She gave him £60 and he accepted it? That was a bit mean of him.

OwlCityisthemostunderrated · 30/03/2024 12:41

Soigneur · 30/03/2024 12:41

It literally means to buy him a drink next time you see him in the pub. How is this confusing?

It really doesn’t!

Soigneur · 30/03/2024 12:41

It literally means to buy him a drink next time you see him in the pub. How is this confusing?

StormingNorman · 30/03/2024 12:40

cockapup · 30/03/2024 11:02

My parents gave him £60, which is what cash my mum had in her purse. So although I think too much I do appreciate he did come at fairly short notice and sorted it there and then.
The bulb was actually provided by my parents, as my mum is one of those that has the stock of a supermarket in the under stairs cupboard 🤣

£60! I think your DM was a bit generous.

Willmafrockfit · 30/03/2024 12:39

surely he would have realised at some point, it obviously wasnt E20

Needanewname42 · 30/03/2024 12:38

Did your parents try to change the bulb or as you or someone else to change it before they called someone out?

The man might have been thinking they were loaded and were happy to pay him generously for coming out. Especially as it was just a bulb they could have done themselves or got a friend to fix.

Depending on the money new money can be really bad for sticking together. He may not have realised it was £60.

Boomer55 · 30/03/2024 12:37

£20 is pretty normal.

Willmafrockfit · 30/03/2024 12:36

PerfectTravelTote · 30/03/2024 11:29

In an example of cultural differences, I would literally have handed him a drink 😂

well that was my first thought, nice cup of tea?

Todaywasbetter · 30/03/2024 12:34

i’d make a complaint direct to him, that’s taking the Mick. Although I could imagine your parents would say no, no leave it

stayathomer · 30/03/2024 12:33

There was a pub in Dublin in the newspaper as the first place to charge ten euro for a pint. Can’t believe there’s so many places more expensive!

GoldenSpraint · 30/03/2024 12:33

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Computercalendar · 30/03/2024 12:33

I thought he meant an actual drink like a can of coke or something 😂. Why would he say no charge? It there anyway you could post a negative online review?

MumblesParty · 30/03/2024 12:32

£60 is ridiculous. What a nasty man.

For changing a lightbulb I’d give £10. Something a bit bigger I’d give £20.

For example, my regular boiler man came round to check my boiler last week as it was making a funny noise. He listened to it for about 15 minutes, had a think, decided what was causing it, explained it wouldn’t do any damage and could be fixed, but would be unnecessary and expensive. I gave him £20 for his time and expert opinion.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 30/03/2024 12:32

DSD9472 · 30/03/2024 11:21

OP- I'd also speak to your parents about showing their cash to tradesmen! He shouldn't have taken the £60, but what if your DM had £100 or £200 in there? Would she have got that wad out and showed him the lot? 😬

Absolutely!

OP should definitely talk to her DM about that. She is an elderly woman, which (unfortunately) means that some people will consider her an easy target and try to take advantage.
showing people a “wad of cash” therefore really isn’t a good idea.

KeepingItUnderTheRadar · 30/03/2024 12:28

A tenner or twenty quid.

It's difficult to say if the bloke was unfair or not without knowing the exact interraction. Did he literally snatch it up as soon as shown? Did he hesitate but your mum was pushing the notes towards him in a confident/determined manner? Impossible to day really.

It's easy to say he shouldn't have accepted it but some people over-pay or give very generous tips to SE people and become quite upset if it's refused.

Dh is a cab driver and this happens at least once every couple of weeks to him - a journey of £6.50 and someone gives 30 quid for instance. In the early days of driving he'd try to decline when this happened and the responses he got were very often NOT good. Everything from high indignation and anger to tears from one woman who was very upset at him trying to 'control' what she was willing to pay.

Dontjudgeme101 · 30/03/2024 12:25

He is horrible. That is outrageous. Can you back some money for them from him?

Solocup · 30/03/2024 12:11

A ‘drink’ is typically £20.

Kalevala · 30/03/2024 11:42

£60 is what it costs for a yearly gas check, that requires qualifications and equipment and takes longer than changing a bulb!

CurlyhairedAssassin · 30/03/2024 11:41

And the fact that OP's parents have done that, and not asked for some of it back when he took it all, means that they're now marked out as people who he can "get away with things with."