To not give builders food

Why?

Feed the workers!

The best, most sensible post of the entire thread!

Not read the whole thread yet but I do let builders know they can use the kettle if they wish (and there's coffee and tea if hey want it). I don't generally make them anything as they usually just want to get on with things.

I don't let builders use the loo. I know it's a pain for them to go off and find somewhere else but I made the mistake of letting a British Gas man use the loo once and he completely scummed up my bathroom. Wasn't quite that scene out of trainspotting but the loo and sink were filthy.

Goodness that’s overthinking on a grand scale. Clearly I meant they didn’t leave a mess, and fresh in terms of a drink means just made with freshly boiled water.

surprised I need to explain that to be honest.

It was more of a building site than a home but our most expensive possession anyway is the dog and they come with us everywhere!

Sorry read whole thread.
Toilet access, along with breaks is for their employer to sort.
If the employer or the person you are dealing with has not asked then they will not be expecting you to provide it.
It's kind of you to offer, but these guys are used to working outside every day. They probably won't bother....and if the are desperate they will probably ask anyway.
You will find it is built in to how they work. They will do 3 hrs work then go off somewhere to get lunch/use toilets, come back do another 3 hours. And they find they don't need the toilet in that time (which is why they often refuse tea and coffee)
My company has guys working in vans all day....they are given lists and maps of public and supermarket toilets, not expected to use customer toilets.

We had a fair bit of work done, with different contractors here for different periods of time.
It was simply not possible to consistently offer drinks, and often they said no. I found they often just wanted to get on with the job and tea and coffee literally got in their way.
I wouldn't go to the lengths of leaving a flask and tea coffee facilities personally.

We would offer to make a drink - only if we were around and not busy or obviously making one for ourselves. And typically no more than twice a day.

We had builders in for 9 months, no way was I doing drinks and food for them for that long 😄 their work didn’t suffer at all as we chose professionals. It’s nice if it’s only 2 days as in your case OP but certainly not necessary.

I would make the first cup of tea/ coffee when they arrive and let them help themselves after that, I should have said.

What you suggest is fine! A table outside with tea, coffee and biscuits (or crisps or something if you want - i got some cans of sprite or similar in when we had work done in the summer). Then you don’t have to worry about them. Also less awkward for them to be able to help themselves and not ask you.

You do need to give them access to the loo or pay for a portaloo though

My DH often went out with teas for the lads working on our street last year! We live on a dead end street and when they were resurfacing and fixing the road the street basically took it in turns to keep them going with tea and biscuits even though they weren’t in any of our houses… we were kept updated and we even offered up our outside loo if needed as that could be accessed down the side of our house (always let the window cleaners use it too!).

it’s common courtesy and kindness and we’re down in the south/central so not a northern friendliness thing either!

And to educate your husband that it’s not acceptable to expect workers to pee in bottles in the back of their van when there are toilet facilities nearby.

And then have nowhere for them to wash their hands afterwards - eww!

I think the more pressing issue for you is to allow the workers access to your loo. And to educate your husband that it’s not acceptable to expect workers to pee in bottles in the back of their van when there are toilet facilities nearby.

We have had loads of workmen in over the last 2 years and I always go overboard to make sure they have drinks and biscuits. My dad was a builder and was treated really shoddily by some of his clients who made it clear he was only welcome in their home to do work and get out. I’ve never wanted anyone to feel like that.

I always point out where the loo is and leave a key if I’m out etc but really weirdly, some of them NEVER use it. I’m like where are you peeing then?! Maybe best I don’t know… 😂

I’ve had a lot of work done here, and they always always accept a fresh coffee or tea.

however, I hate to say it, a couple of them told me they decide whether to accept based on the hygiene factor they think is in place.

and many of us work from home or can work from home if we have work being done.

Nooooooo!

That’s ok for instant coffee , but absolutely minging for tea. Tea needs boiling water.

If you’re leaving a flask, don’t offer tea. Tea from ‘hot’ flask water is worse than no tea at all.

If they need to make it themselves, my experience is that they just don’t bother and drink from the flasks they bring with them. If you offer a freshly made tea or coffee, they generally say yes.

One mid morning, one mid afternoon. I never have biscuits in, but I have sometimes made cake or offer toast if I’m doing some for me.

@Notthatcatagain Since covid when we absolutely relied on deliveries to keep us going, I have kept a plastic box on the front step with bottles of water and (well wrapped) home made snacks. We aren't directly on the street so it's quite safe there. Our posties, in particular, pick something up most days, even when they aren't delivering to us, and sometimes will make a special trip up the drive to do that, which is absolutely fine by me.

I had a lot of work done a couple of years ago. Some of it was inside, some outside. For the inside work I pointed them towards the kettle/tea/coffee and said to help themselves (the work was in the kitchen and I put out mugs I didn't care about). For the outside work there was only one man - we offered tea/coffee when we were making it for ourselves. We also had a pasty delivery once a week and offered him one of those when it arrived, plus gave him a flapjack when I happened to be cooking them, but I didn't provide anything else.

I was brought up to be hospitable to trades people- offer tea, coffee, snacks and even send them home with beer/ bottle of wine. My DH thought I was nuts when we first had trades people; he does not offer anything (and his extended family is in trades); I did notice that all of them bring their own flasks of hot drinks , water and lunch coolers so guess he’s not being unreasonable.