not to offer biscuits

[chelseamorning]

Our builders have just started on a new extension and garden landscaping. They're going to be here 3-4 months at least.

I've set up an area in the garage with everything they need to make their own drinks and, if I'm around, I'll offer them one too.

I mentioned to a friend that I'm not offering biscuits which she says is really mean. Am I?

Even Value biscuits will cost me a small fortune with 3-6 guys eating them on a daily basis for 3-4 months!!!

I had the builders in late last year and allowed them free access to my kitchen so that they could help themselves to the tea/coffee and biscuits, which I kept topped up. I even left them mince pies as it was xmas. Why not? I didn't buy them anything expensive but I wanted them to feel appreciated and it was cold too. I would have appreciated it in if I was working hard outdoors.

I would buy/ have in the past bought the boxes of Fox biscuits and just left them out.

I agree 4plus1. Our builder and his team are lovely and very courteous, which is why we gave him the contract! We already have a good rapport.

As suggested, biscuits or a treat on a Friday might be a nice touch. We usually don't have biscuits in the house and my friends rarely want any if they come round. I usually buy them if we have people to stay or make them from scratch if we want some.

I left biscuits for builders at our old house when doing a loft conversion. They left the biscuits unopened in open loft conversion, biscuits flew out of hole in roof onto conservatory of next door breaking the glass. Which we had to pay for. They also did a shit job and we sued them.

No biscuits for builders

Current builders, don't even offer them coffee or tea as they bring their own. (I don't have fennel tea only builders which they don't like - obviously they are odd!)

I would just buy a selection pack every monday or whatever day you go shopping (about £1 for the value ones in tesco) and that's their lot. It would be a friendly gesture and wont cost you much - but like someone else said it makes for a good relationship.

My dh is a builder/carpenter and he says customers range from those who buy you chips and beer every friday to those who wont even let you in the house to use the loo let alone make/offer a cup of tea.

Laughs at fennel tea, Doodleydoo!

I once gave some builders Earl Grey tea as that's all I had in. They only drank half the cup. Probably thought it was the water or that I was stingy with the tea bags!!

ALWAYS offer biscuits. It's a small extra cost that they will really appreciate. It might possibly make the difference between a bit of a botch and a nice job.
We usually throw in a few packs of snack size Mars and Snickers alongside the Maryland cookies. We also provide the tea, coffee, milk, sugar and old mugs, which we washed every day.
And yes - on one job this was for months and months.

I would like to add that I do always offer them tea and coffee and biscuits etc when we have them, but when in week 1 they said no I just gave up!