What do my builders want? I got it wrong last time!

[HuggedTrees]

Had builders in for a week last time, I bought crisps/biscuits and was going to make bacon rolls one day. They didn’t eat any of it/want tea and coffee.
Have builders again for a week, what do I want to get in for them?

Just ask them. I did and that went down well. Plus one was newly dx diabetic so stopped me shoving biscuits in his face every five minutes.

I just say 'here's the kettle and biscuits help yourself'. I'm not going to be encouraging any excuse to stop work. I'm also not going to wait on them. I renovate buildings for a living so it's a business for me.

It's very variable.
I'm coming to the end of building works that started in July.

Bacon sandwiches were not offered frequently but were always accepted.
Kitchen fitters couldn't go more than 50 minutes without a tea or coffee. But patio blokes are out in the cold and wet and still turn down a hot drink.

Tea and biscuits, maybe some cans of coke in the fridge but dont go out of your way, theyll bring everything they need.

We literally just give free access to the kettle etc, space in the fridge for any lunches etc they bring and use of the microwave. Obviously use of loo etc (all in utility).

If one of us is around and available we'll offer a hot drink, but other than that 🤷

We had 4 guys in over the summer redoing our bathroom. They were offered tea/coffee/water/can of pop when they arrived along with a pack of biscuits. They'd be offered the same drinks again in the afternoon.
Except on the 2 super hot days we had when I put cans of pop and bottles of water on the fridge we have in the garage and told them to help themselves And use the fridge for their own food & drinks

The only tradespeople I've offered bacon sandwiches to are the decorators we use, and that's because it's DH's best mate & his dad!

Offer them one cup, then just leave tea making stuff for them, dh loves that as no carrying a flask.
You don't have to feed them.

Just leave stuff out for them, kettle, tea/coffee, milk, biscuits, water and pop. They're getting paid to do and get on with the job, not have someone wait on them.

ours politely refused tea/coffee as he explained his wife makes him up a flask every morning, and he is obliged to drink that. (or she'd feel sad and unwanted i think). bless them.

"What do my builders want?" They're not cats, op, you can just ask them!

I don't think builders expect their customers to feed them, so the bacon rolls and crisps were probably over the top. They probably bring a packed lunch, or plan to have a break at the nearest fast food place etc.

If you're around when they're there, offer them hot and cold drinks and maybe biscuits, which they may take or leave. Most are probably used to being fairly self sufficient, either due to their customers not being around, or not everyone being as hospitable as you OP.

I must be a monster. I don’t eat biscuits, grind my beans one cup at a time for pour-over coffee, don’t (and won’t) have milk in the house, and the only tea I have is a couple of varieties of loose leaf green. I did not buy anything for the builders or ‘point them in the direction of the kettle’ and I would have thought it very strange if they’d asked for anything other than water.

We’ve had builders a few times and they rarely eat anything that’s offered. Just the odd tea and coffee - I’d just stick with that.

You are all spoiling them! I'd expect builders either to bring their own, or bugger off to the local cafe at lunchtime. Oh, and they can use the toilet there while they are at it.

They won’t have access to the kitchen, so it’s either me making them tea or none at all, and seeing as the forecast is going to be near zero and they’ll be outside a bit, figured warm drinks were just being nice.

I just asked mine. Jaffa cakes were their biscuits of choice so I kept them topped up. I think they got fed up with them in the end and only ate them to please me. They made their own coffee, that I supplied, plus milk. They had to use their own sugar, didn't have any!

I come from a family of tradesmen and while they don't expect waiting on they would think you very mean if you didn't offer them a cuppa.
Definitely dont expect food though would absolutely accept a bacon sandwich if offered. If I'm at home while we've got tradesmen here I'll give them a cuppa on the hour, every hour. I offer everyone a cuppa though, even the workmen digging up the street outside and the window cleaner.

I show them where the tea/coffee etc is and usually make their first one of the day, plate of biscuits, fruit. I dread it a bit as I don't want to get inviegled into chit chat if I'm paying for a job by the hour/day.

In the past few years though my cafetiere of coffee is not passing muster and plumbers/electricians etc have been annoyed I don't have a bean to cup machine or nespresso machine!! I'm often asked for orange juice though only if I have fresh juice or tropicana at a pinch (we don't drink juice). My brother is a builder he hates doing domestic work when the commercial stuff dries up in case he has to chat over tea.

I get in decent instant coffee, normal tea bags, milk, a bag of sugar and a packet of biscuits.

I’m the same, in that when it was heatwave I offered the post person a can of cold coke, the same with the people cleaning the blocked drains outside for a neighbour (who was out). And tradespeople who are only in for an hour I’ll offer a cup of tea. Figured being nice for 5mins for me usually gets a great reaction, and I just like being nice I guess!

I've never offered lunch

I've found offering tea/coffee & a slice of homemade bana loaf always goes down very well though. A bit too well when we had our kitchen done as we had the full team, half of which had finished, turning up for tea break by the last day

We had builders over the summer when it was a mini heatwave so a fridge full of cold canned drinks went down well. Otherwise I just left biscuits and tea and coffee etc.

Nothing.

Nowadays they bring their own lunches, you are just as likely to find one that is vegan or has allergies or trying to go on a health kick so avoiding the bacons sarnies/biscuits.

I say where the kettle is but generally they have all brought flasks as well.They can probably get fancier coffee at home than they can at mine - no Nespresso here - so again most bring what they really like themselves.

Get a value-brand kettle, teapot, mugs and a tray, and 24 value-brand teaspoons. Explain that the mugs are clean and it's up to them to wash them. Like the toilet you have dedicated to their use for the duration.

Show them where they can fill the kettle and wash up.
Provide hot water, sink, drainer, WUL, brush, kitchen roll, bin; unless you are going to wash up for them (I don't recommend it) and tell them that if they bring you the tray at the end of the day, you will wash whatever's on it ready for the next day (you will not be hunting round for mugs growing green mould that they've put down somewhere).

Provide a biscuit-tin with PG Tips teabags, jar of Nescafe, and a carton of fresh milk. Provide one carton a day.

And a box of cube sugar. This is important. Granulated sugar they will spill and trample to attract ants.

Do not provide bacon rolls.

If you feel the need, provide one pack of biscuits per day, on their tray. If asked, say you unfortunately have no more.

Do not allow them to touch your hoover. Take it apart and distribute the components between the locked garden shed, the boot of your car, and under your bed.

I had the rudest builder once ask me to make him an omelette.

He was 100% serious. (He did not get an omelette.)

I would be prepared with tea and biscuits but wait until they’re working and see what they’re like.