Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Just get me a drink....

32 replies

Leakygutter · 17/10/2022 17:45

I wish he'd just named his price.

I know a man who has set himself up as a handyman. As a widow he's a very useful man to know, for those jobs that frankly need more brute strength than I have.

He recently replaced my fence for me and charged (I thought) a very fair price.

Today he's been to do a small job that I could have done myself except that it needed a big ladder and I don't do heights!. He was here about 15 mins.

Initially he said don't worry about it when I asked what I owed, but he quickly changed that to "just get me a drink".

I know a pint is about £5/£6 these days, but I suspect that's not what he means! £20? £30?

He's had to drive here, about 8 miles from home.

I need to keep him at my beck and call, it's not easy finding people to do little jobs 😆

OP posts:
StrictlyAmazing · 17/10/2022 18:13

Why couldn’t her just say ‘call it ten or twenty pounds’ life would be so much easier!

do you see him in the pub?

omg maybe he fancies you and wants this buy me a drink as a date type thing

justthecat · 17/10/2022 18:16

Yh I was thinking he fancies you …

FamSender · 17/10/2022 18:19

There was a thread about this exact topic about a month ago.... off to advance search.

Sarahcoggles · 17/10/2022 18:23

I wouldn't assume he fancies you because I've had this comment several times from local handymen and a car mechanic too. In the case of the car mechanic he's young and hunky and I'm middle aged and frumpy, so it definitely wasn't a come-on. I agree OP, it's difficult.

Original poster
Leakygutter · 17/10/2022 18:24

Sarahcoggles · 17/10/2022 18:23

I wouldn't assume he fancies you because I've had this comment several times from local handymen and a car mechanic too. In the case of the car mechanic he's young and hunky and I'm middle aged and frumpy, so it definitely wasn't a come-on. I agree OP, it's difficult.

I am absolutely not assuming he fancies me. I'd just like to know how much he's asking for!

OP posts:
Luredbyapomegranate · 17/10/2022 18:26

I think he just means it’s a small job he did between other jobs.. Just ring a local company, ask what they’d charge and give him an approximation of that.

Original poster
Leakygutter · 17/10/2022 18:35

Luredbyapomegranate · 17/10/2022 18:26

I think he just means it’s a small job he did between other jobs.. Just ring a local company, ask what they’d charge and give him an approximation of that.

If I got a proper quote from a building company, I reckon £200 at least.

OP posts:
BMW6 · 17/10/2022 18:38

£30 I reckon. Or if you know what he drinks some of that?

pilates · 17/10/2022 18:39

£30

Colderthanever · 17/10/2022 18:42

Just buy him a bottle of something nice next time to say thank you. That’s what he means. A good red or something.

Original poster
Leakygutter · 17/10/2022 18:44

Colderthanever · 17/10/2022 18:42

Just buy him a bottle of something nice next time to say thank you. That’s what he means. A good red or something.

I don't think it is. He definitely means cash, I just don't know how much.

OP posts:
CantFindTheBeat · 17/10/2022 18:57

Agreed, that's hard, OP!

'Give him a drink' definitely means a cash sum where I'm from.

If you think about a labourer having a day rate of around £180, then you could give him £40-£50 for a quarter of a day including travel?

icelollycraving · 17/10/2022 18:59

Of course he means cash 🤣 The last thread about this made me smile too.

Plinkity · 17/10/2022 19:03

My DH works in the trades. 'A drink' means 20 quid

tiredofthiisshit21 · 17/10/2022 19:09

Plinkity · 17/10/2022 19:03

My DH works in the trades. 'A drink' means 20 quid

Wouldn't it be easier to just say £20 though? Most of us wouldn't know what it meant.

Plinkity · 17/10/2022 19:25

tiredofthiisshit21 · 17/10/2022 19:09

Wouldn't it be easier to just say £20 though? Most of us wouldn't know what it meant.

Show quote history

It's off the record undeclared cash in hand, so an actual amount isn't said out loud. Saying 'just get me a drink' is essentially code for 'just chuck me 20 quid. I won't declare this to the tax man, and by not declaring it I'm able to let you have this quick job dirt cheap.... favours for favours and all that'

Nobody is being chatted up, tradesmen aren't asking anyone to take them out on a date. They're letting you benefit from a super cheap rate because it's undeclared cash.

Quitelikeit · 17/10/2022 19:30

Nice of him to give you such discounts. If he did a £200 job I’d be giving him about £30-£40.

otherwise where is the motivation for him to return?

in his shoes I’d much rather earn £200 than £20!

Original poster
Leakygutter · 17/10/2022 19:37

Plinkity · 17/10/2022 19:25

It's off the record undeclared cash in hand, so an actual amount isn't said out loud. Saying 'just get me a drink' is essentially code for 'just chuck me 20 quid. I won't declare this to the tax man, and by not declaring it I'm able to let you have this quick job dirt cheap.... favours for favours and all that'

Nobody is being chatted up, tradesmen aren't asking anyone to take them out on a date. They're letting you benefit from a super cheap rate because it's undeclared cash.

Show quote history

Oh. I didn't give him cash. I don't have any. I said I'd send him something. He didn't say not to.

OP posts:
Original poster
Leakygutter · 17/10/2022 19:39

Quitelikeit · 17/10/2022 19:30

Nice of him to give you such discounts. If he did a £200 job I’d be giving him about £30-£40.

otherwise where is the motivation for him to return?

in his shoes I’d much rather earn £200 than £20!

He's a handy man doing odd jobs and he knows if he looks after me, I'll have him back and recommend him to friends.

If I asked for a quote from a "real" building company it would be at least £200 because IME they don't want small jobs. The work he did wasn't worth £200. It took 15 mins and nothing in materials.

OP posts:
MintyGreenDreams · 17/10/2022 19:41

I'd take a drink as a drinking session so £30/40

PuppyMonkey · 17/10/2022 19:50

I feel a bit out of the loop on all this “he means give him £20 cash.” If somebody said that to me, I’d take it to mean “buy me a drink some time,” and I’d go “okay, he’s really saying don’t worry you don’t need to pay me” and then I’d forget all about it as the chances of me being in a pub at the same time as him would be very low.Grin

Thruandthru1 · 17/10/2022 19:59

We had a neighbour handyman say no bother when we asked how much. We insisted and he said the ‘get me a drink’ phrase. Tbh, We took it literally and delivered him a big box/crate of lager. Now I’m wondering if I was naive and in fact he wanted 20 quid :/

Plinkity · 17/10/2022 20:06

Thruandthru1 · 17/10/2022 19:59

We had a neighbour handyman say no bother when we asked how much. We insisted and he said the ‘get me a drink’ phrase. Tbh, We took it literally and delivered him a big box/crate of lager. Now I’m wondering if I was naive and in fact he wanted 20 quid :/

Yeah, he wanted cash. Sorry

Luredbyapomegranate · 17/10/2022 23:15

Leakygutter · 17/10/2022 18:35

If I got a proper quote from a building company, I reckon £200 at least.

Show quote history

Ha. Well then £30 - 50

and on his own head be it