I have 10 guests coming for over a week...

[Helpfullnelly]

These absolutely wonderful people are giving up a week of annual leave and coming to help me and DH to do some work on our house abroad.
We are paying for flights, transfers etc and all food.
Im planning on doing all food either buffet style or bbq depending.
I want to take care of their every need however small or different to ours they are.
Ive got each person, a face flannel, and a towel. Toiletries, shampoo, etc
What else do I need?
Tell me what you personally would need, its going to be a hard graft week.
The job that needs doing is around €35000 which we don't have, every one doing the work with us is cutting costs including travel and food to around €15000.
So I have more gratitude than I can ever expeess and I want them to go home glad they came to help, rather than tiny hiccups (wrong food/not enough food etc) to send them home annoyed they even bothered.
I will consider all, what good do you want?
Tv in rooms or no? Tell me everything....Go

The cleaner is €200 for the week and is essential as I don't want to be doing it all day.

A TV detective such as Jessica Fletcher/Hercule Poirot for when there is a murder.

Haha! But where would they sleep?

First aid kit. Sounds great.

Curve ball...
Can you get some of them insured on your car/hire a car, so they can have a bit of independence?
Or are you within walking distance of a shop/bar/bakery?

Nothing worse than being stuck somewhere, where you cant even escape somewhere to buy a bar or chocolate without having to ask someone to take you.

Fair point; Hercule ain’t sharing

Honestly you're overthinking it a bit. Make sure there's a plentiful supply of hot water for showers, clean dry towels, meals, drinks and snacks and plenty of seating. Leave some books / magazines etc in living areas. If they are all sharing rooms I wouldn't be too worried about tvs and creating a hotel experience.

Can't believe people saying it sounds brilliant lol !!! I think it sounds like hell . Digging for hours in the heat on my annual leave ! And possibly sharing a bed ?????
You are very lucky OP . To me it sounds like a nightmare for the people and could so easily be a disaster . How could randomers build a pool ??

Good luck !!!

Its Spain, in Spain the car is insured not the person, so anyone can drive so long as they have a licence, we are in a village, loads of shops, bars, bakeries to go to

Won't need it, it was DH, in tbe garden with a spade.
I can guarantee it

No one is building a pool, its a pre fab, and no one is sharing a bed, except my daughters who have been doing that since they were born.
Im sure if my people felt it was a nightmare they would just say no, one of the 50 times I've reassured them they are not obligated and are they sure.
But if that's how you feel, then cool.
I feel differently as do my friends and family.

If they are coming to work , don’t get them too pissed and provide games.

Apologies , I thought I read about a pool
somewhere .
Also thought you said it was 4 double beds plus bunks for 10 people so not sure it was clear they were all comfortable sharing a bed .
Regardless, I wouldn’t do it . Actually if I thought you were very hard up financially then I would . So maybe for a child or a very close pal .
Otherwise I would wonder why you wouldn’t just pay for the work like everyone else .

No apologies necessary, you did read about a pool.
The whole job is clearing and leveling a garden to install a pool, but the actual pool is a steel pool with a liner. Its a doughboy pool if you fancy a nosey 24ft by 15ft.
I don't really know how to respond to the financial bit, as in my family and friends group, we all help out when needed, we've never really discussed finances, other than, they know we saved everything to buy this house and we have put all we had and we can't do anymore financially.
But I did help my BIL and went weekly (100 miles) to batch cook for them, clean the house, do all Laundry when he broke his leg and needed help.
We looked after ones dogs for 6 weeks while she went and did a mountain climbing expedition
And so many more examples

Well then it sounds fair and that’s what you guys do ! Hope it all works out .

I thought it was good/considerate/wise that you didn't put anyone on the spot and told them they should go away and think about it before replying. I also think it must say a lot about you and your DH that you've found so many people willing to help. I hope it all turns out to be a success and that you have fun along the way.

It means a lot to hear that it says a lot about us.
We had nearly 170 people at our wedding and about 120 of those had travelled to stay over night, and many of them commented that they wouldn't have missed out for the world, but I think they are a bit biased!

Perfect. My MIL lives abroad and in the middle of no where with no where within walking distance... So no making an excuse to buy a pint of milk to escape for 20mins.

It all sounds lovely and that you are considering lots of ways to ensure people feel comfortable. Have you checked in with them personally about food, drink and other preferences.

Just in the work itself have you calculated how long it might take a person with plenty of reasonable breaks to dig out per square metre of what you need doing? Plus clearing material and ensuring it’s all level etc? Like how hard the ground is likely to be, some sort of estimate about strength and endurance levels of different people?

Have you also considered you may need to prepare yourself mentally if it just is not possible to get the amount of work done you want to in the time scales? As no one has done this before people may think they are prepared but hours of quite back breaking work each day even with breaks and lovely food etc could very much take a toll and with the best will in the world may not be able to get as much done as they or you would like.

Im sure you have thought of that, it’s a little bit of a gamble because there’s so many unknowns but I really hope it goes well! Be interested to hear more when the project starts!

Sorry can’t edit this but meant to say cubic metre!

Plus digging and clearing until it’s level first and then transporting rubble and soil away from digging site? And then unknown factors like weather or illness and injury and so on - just means the project does have risks attached.

I think as long as you are emotionally prepared for the eventuality it may not get completed then it’s a great plan. I think you should go for it for sure as it could be amazing, but prepping for your guests also includes emotionally prepping for the possible impacts of having that many people, such a time limited project and the chances of it not going to plan. Like how for example would you navigate if people just say sorry but don’t feel up to working today or realise they bit off more than they could chew or are in day four or something with blisters and aching muscles and just not feeling it? Is it going to stress you out and will you feel you have to crack the whip a bit or risk it not getting done?

Will follow with interest I hope it goes brilliantly!

Hi, yeah, its all been calculated to death with tons of variables x

So the only other option is me and DH doing ourselves over a much longer period. Every spadefull is help to us, so what gets done in that week is an absolute bonus.
DH has calculated it all, and if the moved that happens is the top layer gets moved, then even thats a huge help.

I think a trip to local market/beach/historic site. Not all at once but one afternoon ‘off’ will help with the slog. Other than that if you’ve paid all expenses they shouldn’t be expecting four star hotel luxury! Good food, a bit of booze, hot running water and a bed. Sounds great!

I adore these 2 posts BTW xx

If anyone fancies a day off, then thats no problem at all. We have DH who's going to be foreman and has all tbe jobs written down, with drawings and who will assign jobs in the morning depending on who's up for working that day. Towards the end of the week if there are any big jobs that require 2 people, he can prioritise those.