When you have builders in, do you make them cups of teas ?

[LovelyYellowLabrador]

Or give them snacks ?

Yes. I offer everyone if I think they will be here long enough to drink one.
When we've had people in for bigger jobs lasting multiple days we've set them up their own tray with mugs, spoons, tea, coffee, sugar, biscuits and a kettle so they can do their own. This was particularly when we had our decorator in (whole house). Also when we had our roof and repointing done we set it up in our shed with a couple of seats as well so they could have a tea break outside.

My husband is still moaning about the job he did a couple of weeks ago in extreme heat , not one drink offered , he takes his own but that's not the point.
We always offer drinks and a snack if person here a while .
Also as someone else mentioned we would also offer a water/ electric worker a drink ,and the postie on a hot day .
Its just good manners.
He also gets lots of people who are generous , he's also been given lovely indian food too , most people are nice .

@tstsmainsqueeze good point. Hot weather especially working outside we have bought big bottles of water etc too. Inside just let them know help themselves to water.
I do ask people to take off their shoes if they're coming up to use the loo though. Our carpet was expensive and the bathroom tiles are pale coloured so I don't want dirty tracking though. If we had a downstairs loo I wouldn't mind.

I'm usually not there but set up kettle, mugs, coffee jar, tea bags, sugar, biscuits, spoons on the counter before I go (and bottles squash and glasses in summer). Point them in the direction of milk in fridge. Tell them help themselves and leave th to it.

Sometimes lots is gone, sometimes they bring their own. Sometimes mugs re washed, sometimes dirty ones neatly stacked for washing, sometimes grungy ones scattered around to be found and decontaminated.

I used to until they started say8ng “Thanks, you’re a star!”. Uh no. Make your own.

No. I don’t drink hot drinks so it wouldn’t occur to me to offer. They are capable of bringing a flask.

I'll make the first one, then set up a wee 'station' with a kettle, tea, coffee, diluting juice and biscuits etc and let them help themselves.

In my experience, though (and maybe I've just been lucky), tradespeople do tend to just want to crack on and get the job done and / or bring their own flasks.

Yes teas snacks sandwiches.
When we had kitchen fitted it was manic but i left my old kettle in garage with all the stuff, and the 'garage' fridge full of snacks to help themselves.

Do you not have tea and coffee in for visitors?

Yes, cuppa on arrival and then hot/cold drinks offered every 90 mins or so. I usually would take a tray of snacks for the day too, cakes/biscuits/crisps. If i had tradies for the day or more, bacon butties/sandwiches would also be on offer and ice lollies for hot days.

i think a cuppa is a minimum personally, its just good manners.

What about if you were having a renovation done that would take six months? I get the drinks station, but biscuits, every day for six months? For 4-6 trades? How about bacon rolls and cake on a Friday, would that be stingy? I’ve been thinking about this in advance of it all starting and I want to start as I mean to go on.

@waveyourpompoms poor builders

I can't be arsed to make hot drinks I don't even do them for myself but I leave out a box with different cans of pop and chocolate bars.

@PerseverancePays

You can literally buy a packet of biscuits for about 30p and tea/coffee/sugar will last.

I'm sure if someone's getting a 6 month renovation...they've got the coin to shell out for a few bickies!!

Builders don't have little fancy kitchenettes in a cushy office...so it's always so appreciated when the customer offers drinks. It doesn't go unnoticed when they don't offer anything.

I do because I think it makes them work harder for you if they like you and you are really nice to them

but I also think it’s quite a working class thing
to do
as generally imo the working class have better manners
and also keep the homes cleaner and tidier
but that’s just my observations on the people I know

We weren’t living in the house when they started work so no. And when we moved back in we kept out of their way as much as possible, and half of the house was still inhabitable. So again, no.

But I did get them treats from the bakery every Friday, and bottles of wine and chocolates at Christmas, and an Easter egg each when they were still with us at Easter….

We do. We offer tea, coffee, juice or can of coke/Fanta.
We've also made butties in the past as well. Or picked up pies from the shop if we go out that day.

Yes and bacon sandwich at 10am. I want a good job done.

Yes of course

No I’m usually too busy working myself, I end up skipping lunch myself too often

Don't you offer friends or family hot drinks either?

I either make drinks or leave the means for them to make them.

My employer supplies tea, coffee, milk and sugar and hot water, so why shouldn't I do the same for people working for me?

Well then you’re wrong, it’s fuck all to do with class and if this was just a class thread and rhe whole working class is The salt of the earth shit then quite frankly you should have said.

What exactly do you mean by builders OP?

If I called in a single tradesperson to fix plumbing/electrics etc then yes, I would offer tea/coffee/cool drink maybe biscuits/cake if I had them.

We are currently renovating a derelict property and living in a tiny, static van. Renovations have been going on over 18mths. Some days there are 8 or more, different tradespeople here. At the start, I started making teas/coffees. I WFH full time- in the van and after requests and banging on the van door 5+ x a day- i refuse now.

They have their own kettle, cups and supplies in the house now.