Do you make a drink for anyone who comes to do a job in your house?

[batmanladybird]

Eg window cleaner
Cleaner
Person servicing the boiler
Plumber
Etc

I do, I was brought up to believe it's good manners to do so. If I'm having work done that takes more than a few hours, I make the first one and pop everything out on the side next to the kettle so they can help themselves.

No. Not to most of those.
Back on the days we had a cleaner, she came while I was at work.
The other jobs are usually in the house for less than an hour.
If the plumber was doing a longer job - there for half a day or more, I would.

I also do one for the window cleaners if I see them.

Our gardener asked our son to help him out in the summer holidays very large garden they were there for six hours (they brought water) just as well as they weren't offered a single thing.

Gardener has a theory that the further up the food chain the people he works for are the more chance there is of being anything but invisible.

Oh yes I always do.
I was chatting to someone and she said she has never made a cuppa for a repeat visitor (doing a job) and I was just a bit surprised And wondered if I was the odd one out
Glad to see it's her

We also have an outside fridge and tell the gardener, cleaner, window cleaner to help themselves to the cans of pop.

I used to but not nowadays because of Covid transmission.

If they will be there a while I offer eg plasterer. Not the boiler service or anything else where they will only be there half an hour or so.
We don’t have a window cleaner, should probably look into finding one.

I offer drinks. That’s just the standard social protocol as far as I’m aware.

If someone is in the house for a while then I do, but not for shorter jobs.

Oh this is one of my hated scenarios. I do offer drinks but I hate it - I don’t drink tea or coffee and hate making it for people. I feel really awkward about it somehow! I find it really triggering of my social anxiety (which isn’t a big issue these days, but making drinks rears it for me).
I am so relieved if they want water or nothing if DH is here I leave it to him to deal with it. He makes good tea apparently.

Yes always.

I always offer. I never have biscuits in though (no self control) so always feel a bit guilty if someone is here a while that I can’t offer them a biscuit with their tea

Not the window cleaner but all the others yes. In fact that’s how I met my husband😊

Always. Made window fitters at my caravan bacon sandwiches, and always made the gardener a bacon sandwich or sausage rolls at my house. I like to feed, and they're always happy to accept! When we were living abroad, I always used to send our housekeeper home with lunch for him and his wife. Usually soup.

Lol all the builders I have used bring their own kettles, tea / coffee and mugs & just make their own. I think having refreshments and lunch provided seems to be a way a lot of the contractors need to operate now to keep staff. Lol the contractor I use even supplies comfy ergonomic office chairs for his builders to take breaks on

Yes always. I just think it’s polite. I usually give them a biscuit or something as well if they’re here for a while.

I always offer but I don't mind if they decline. When I was having a chair delivered and set up (needed due to disability) I offered and the person setting up said that it was the first one he had been offered that day, it was about 4pm.

Then he took my old chair away FOC so I didn't need to call the council.

I've been known to give beer (non alcoholic) to the bin men in summer.

Always offer. Give the food delivery driver a coke as they are usually in a hurry.

Yes, always offer something. Last load of brews I made were for the council team doing the verges further down the street, and the roofers doing next door (next door were at work, otherwise they would have made them a brew).

I like offering, it costs pence to do, and there's the added benefit that if it's a trade and the neighbours were happy with the work, then it's handy to have a name to be able to call on and they often remember you. Was very useful a few weeks ago when I needed someone at short notice, and he managed to fit me in even though he wasn't 'officially' taking new clients because I'd made him a cuppa!

Yes. Plus biscuits.

Yes always offer a drink and even biscuits sometimes!

I know that if I was in a job which meant that I didn't have access to a kitchen all day (like in an office job) then I'd really appreciate being offered a drink.

People providing these services are human after all and little gestures like offering a drink go a long way, and often help them get the job done if they are well hydrated.

On the very rare days we get scorching hot weather in the UK and I have parcels delivered I offer the delivery person a cold drink.

I certainly offer.

Although I did once have a police officer comment rather rudely that we hadn’t offered him a drink after he and a colleague attended my house about half an hour after I’d been mugged. Yes it was clearly the first thing on my mind at the time.

Yeah, I always offer drinks - except our window cleaner. Hes only here 5/10 minutes and 9x out of 10 it’s while I’m at work. If I happened to be in when they arrive and it’s a particularly warm day I’ll ask if they want a cold drink though.

People working in the house for a few hours I’d usually offer biscuits or something and if we have tradesmen in doing a longer job then I usually offer rolls/sandwiches & soup 🤷🏻‍♀️ Especially if it’s over lunchtime.

My parents never did (for any guests - not just workers 😬) and I found it really rude and awkward so I always make a point of doing it 🤣

@Megan2018
Completely understand this. I put so much thought into which cup ( how many non chipped cups of similar size do I have?.) Who gets the biggest mug? Does it matter if it's a girlie mug? /strength of brew/who said sugar?How many though?/where do I leave the tray? On the floor? On the bins? ( outside only jobs )

Always a relief when they say no thanks

Yes, and my decorators (known them for years) always get a slice of cake at 3pm too. And a bacon roll on a Friday morning. They’re excellent, gotta keep them sweet