What drinks or food do you provide for anyone doing work in your home/garden?

[Geepee71]

I'm having an old shed replaced and part of the work is having a new concrete base dug out, starting next week.

I want to ensure workers are happy etc, but want to know what provisions you would provide?

I have tea and coffee and will chill some water for squash etc (if it's warm and sunny) However, I was wondering about food or snacks.

I'm going to be wfh so don't want to get into making bacon sandwiches etc, would a couple of packets of biscuits or some cakes be ok? And if so which types?

We had our garden done last summer and it was during a heatwave and we have a fully south facing garden! They worked incredibly hard for 12 hours a day and barely stopped for a break but I regularly took out a couple of jugs of iced squash which they were very appreciative of. Any biscuits or cake went down well as well. They definitely weren’t fussy!!

I just offer tea/coffee and water and get a couple of packs of biscuits in - chocolate digestives and custard creams seem to go down well, but since Covid I notice fewer builders/electricians/repair men etc. accepting something. I don’t know if some companies don’t allow them to eat or drink on the job?

I always offer tea / coffee / squash but that's as far as it goes.

I mean, if I have some left over cake for some reason I am happy to share, but I don't tend to have cakes and biscuits in, generally. I would expect anyone who goes out to work to sort out their own lunch / snacks if they want.

I've offered custard creams and chocolate digestives. For workers I know better, ie those who've worked at my house over the years, I've even offered apple turnovers and pastels de natas from Lidl (they have the best pastries).

You sound lovely! I also wfh, when we had some garden work done I offered drinks at regular intervals but after day 2 decided easier to set up a tea/coffee station in the garage so they could sort themselves out, I did leave a packet of biscuits but tbh they also came with their own drinks and snacks so didnt really need or want too much other than tea or coffee or cold water on the one warm day. so I think what youve suggested is fine and I wouldnt go overboard with snacks.

Tea, lots of (or coffee/ water/ squash if they prefer) plus access to the loo if it's an all day job.

My experience is that they like to bring their own stuff. Tea, coffee, water jug, offer use of your fridge for their lunch and drinks, if it’s a hot day, maybe some hobnobs out on the side. And let them help themselves. A tea/coffee station sounds perfect.

I don’t have time to do anything for them but they know they can help themselves to tea milk sugar and biscuits.

Coffee, tea, coke, water, biscuits, snack bars, fruit. Depends on the extent of work, of course

I remember one of the first building teams i ever hired, I'd bought brand-name tea and biscuits (i normally use store-brand), thought i was being fancy - offered it to them and they said no we're ok thanks, and they brought out their own Fortum & Mason tea and biscuits 😂

We have a weekly gardener and occasionally have workers in the house for one reason or another. We always offer a choice of drinks (coffee, tea, mineral water, juice if we have it) every couple of hours. If we have been baking we will sometimes offer a snack to somebody we know very well, but less since COVID.

I just offer a choice of drinks - tea, coffee, cold drinks and biscuits if we have any in the house

I offer tea and coffee but not food.

I've always offered tea/coffee and biscuits. I normally buy a couple of packs and put a large selection on a plate, which is normally all consumed.

I just wanted to say that that's incredibly thoughtful & kind of you OP. My hubby is a builder & not everyone does this for them, but the people who do are greatly appreciated. Tea/coffee/cold drinks go down well. They wouldn't be expecting food, but if you wanted to offer it any sort of biscuits would be great.

Tea, coffee, water. If you can stick a spare kettle in the utility room or somewhere, so they can do their own, they’ll appreciate that and it’s less bother for you.

Biscuits are a nice gesture but not needed

Normally a can of something cold like coke.

I have a trade and work in people's homes (no longer bother with site work). When working outside in hotter weather, I most appreciate a pint of cold squash a couple of times a day, and this has been true of both other tradespeople I've worked with over the years and people I've employed myself at home. The odd one or two will choose tea/coffee but it's unusual if they've been sweating away in the sun IME.
Biscuits are a very welcome offering, but secondary to a well-timed icy squash. If you offer biscuits, I'd ration them between tea breaks. I've known some builders who will eat a whole packet per tea break if left to self-serve (and not leave any for the rest of us 🤬), but there are an increasing number who are watching their waistline and won't touch them at all. I don't keep biscuits in the house as a matter of course, because DH is an eat-the-pack-in-a-sitting type, but will buy in a few packs if we've got work booked in. Yesterday's lucky tradesman came on a day when we had an abundance of homemade birthday cake, so had a slice of that.
But the biggest thing for me is leaving the back door open so the toilet can be freely accessed without having to ask like a small child at school. I always ask if it is OK to pop in to refill my water bottle as needed too, so it's great if I'm able to just come in and do that quickly without needing to disturb anyone.

Bacon sandwich offerings, and even full home-cooked lunches on a couple of jobs, are incredibly rare IME. I could count them on my fingers and toes over my 17yrs experience, and most of those were in the first half of that. Those are never expected.

I have workers periodically and drive to the local burger van for their lunch to include drinks . I'm not one for making tea / coffee through the day so buy cans of red bull , monster etc the stuff young lads drink .
It's all been very appreciated.

Blimey, you’re all very hospitable. This wouldn’t occur to me. I’d make the first cup of tea, and then point them to the kettle and say they’re welcome to help themselves

Thanks everyone, we have a toilet in our utility, which is right by back door, so they can have free access to that. I like the idea of setting up tea/coffee station too.

Think I'll get a box of individual packs of biscuits, the ones with a few different types of biscuits in little triple packs, more hygienic than a communal packet of biscuits And if they don't get eaten, I can put in lunch boxes etc.

They are due to be here for four days, so want them to feel appreciated.

I offer coffee and tea when I have it. Last year when we had workmen in they asked for cold drinks - luckily DH has squash sometimes and they seemed happy with that.

Tea, coffe and biscuits. If its going to be hot then I would probably offer an ice lolly, tip top or choc ice, with plenty of cold drinks.

Tea, coffee, squash and access to the toilet!

Perfect, thanks all.