providing lunch for builders?

[vguil]

we’ve got builders in for three weeks replacing a kitchen.
We’ve set them up with a kettle and coffee/sugar/tea bags/milk and biscuits. There are three or four of them.
They’ve just asked my husband for lunch/ sandwiches. Is this the done thing; the expected thing?

We have had loads of building work done over the last five years or so. We offered tea and coffee probably twice or three times a day, as much water out of the tap as they wanted and a packet of biscuits on a Friday. That's plenty. Lunch would not have been offered at any time!

we usually do and snacks and tea

If they have worked for you before without expecting lunch, perhaps they were jokng?

Could your husband have misheard them asking where they can buy lunch or sandwiches?

Seems very odd for them to expect to be fed. Tea/coffee and biscuits are often left out for us and occasionally a customer will offer bacon sandwiches or a slice of cake. None of it is expected though.

@vguil have they asked or is it a more your dh's idea ?

I usually leave kettle, tea, coffee, milk and biscuits and tell them to help themselves. Lunch - absolutely not!

Cheeky buggers! We’ve had builders a good chunk of most weeks for 4 months now. It’s been a push to even get them to have a tea or coffee. They have their own little tea/coffee station. It took 2 weeks to finally get them to open a packet of biscuits.

Brilliant! 😂

Nope! First couple of days of ripping out the kitchen all 3 lads had forgotten their sandwiches and asked was there somewhere they could drive to in an hour or so (I’m proper city centre ) or could I make them some to save time

i was WFH and didn’t have time myself for breakfast or dinner most days. I pointed them to the nearest coop that was literally 5 mins away

third day the boss, dad, turned up. I asked them had they remembered their lunches today or did they require directions for a sandwich today. They never asked again

tea/coffee/biscuits/cold drinks help yourself. If I was nipping to corner shops crisps/bar or chocolate but nothing more than that

I personally, wouldn’t deny anyone a meal. They might not get paid until it’s done and be struggling. Karma is real.

What dodgy tradespeople are you employing if they don’t pay their workers for 3 weeks until the job is done!

yes i wont pay until the job is done but that doesn’t stop them getting paid by the firm.

Wow, cheeky.

DH and I own a construction business. Our team either take their own or sends the young fellow to the nearest takeaway.

It is very nice that you are offering the kettle for a fresh cuppa, but do no more except to ensure they also take their food rubbish waste with them or its been placed in a bin.

I think they were probably joking.
I used to occasionally do sausage sandwiches though, and if very hot going them cold cans of coke.

Absolutely not!!! Never heard of such a thing!!!!

Given me a flashback to when my landlord arranged for some external work to be done and the team that came knocked on the door demanding lunch and brews!

And the movers that asked for a brew. Kettle is packed …

I don’t need to employ tradespeople because my husband is qualified as a joiner, plumber and electrician. Before he joined the fire service people would try to pay him on invoice which is 30 days. So it’s not always trade people being dodgy - it’s customers avoiding payment for as long as possible and sometimes not paying at all.

He no longer does any side work now due to it.

Karma us not real and even if it was, it wouldn't be appropriate in thus case as OP hasn't done anything wrong

No, many would say offering drinks is enough.

Factoring in cash flow is a prime part of being in business. Invoice payment periods, retentions, etc are implicit in building works.

Do your tradespeople actually do any work? That's crazy...and I say this as the wife of a carpenter. There's no way he would have that many breaks and eat that much food during a normal working day - he'd never get anything done.

It was a joke...

Wtf? Ive never heard of that.. perhaps they’re a team of retired cricketers turned builders? Are they expecting cucumber sandwiches and a cream tea?

Also, given that they are replacing your kitchen it’s not the simplest request for you to fulfill! My DP is a builder and takes a pack up to work, he appreciates a coffee here and there but is also happy to take a flask. They are definitely CF!

Cheeky bastards 😂😂😂