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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Builders and tea bags

102 replies

londonchick · 14/06/2012 08:17

DH thinks IABU. I, on the other hand am pretty annoyed!!

Builders in our home for the last 2 months. The first month we weren't living here. Now we are back and living our normal lives - going to work, etc.

Got up yesterday afternoon for night shift to find no tea bags left in caddy. Builders have been helping themselves so I asked if they could get some more for DH in the evening and me this morning. Head honcho states yes he'll go out for them.

I get home this morning to find a few tea bags in the caddy - but from a box I had stored on the top shelf in our food cupboard. DH didn't open box so it appears builders have rifled through our food supplies and found them. They would have had to search well as I had them tucked out of sight for emergencies!

I am really quite annoyed that they have gone through our belongings and that they haven't actually put their hand in their pocket for once and stocked up. DH thinks IABU as 'you have to keep builders supplied with their tea'. Invasion of privacy (albeit v minor) obviously isn't an issue for him!

Sorry such a long story but AIBU really? Really? They managed to supply themselves with tea and milk when we weren't living here!!

Milk is another story. Don't get me started on that!!

OP posts:
Toughasoldboots · 14/06/2012 09:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
londonchick · 14/06/2012 09:22

I won't be saying anything to them (they'd probably just stick the drill on permanently sll day while I'm trying to sleep) but glad not everyone thinks I'm being a complete fruit loop!

OP posts:
RunsWithScissors · 14/06/2012 09:28

I have to say, if someone left me without ANY tea bags, I would be pissed off. Yes, I agree you provide tea... but using up the very last of something and leaving the family with nothing for themselves is just rude.

But then I'm a foreigner that's had to get used to supplying every person that crosses the threshold with unlimited hot drinks. Grin

glastocat · 14/06/2012 09:36

My husband is a builder who always brings his own tea bags and a flask. But if he is working on a private build he is always brought tea. He wouldn't go poking in cupboards for teabags though! And he does notice when he is served up cheapo teabags, as he is a bit of a tea afficionado, like most builders I suspect!

sixlostmonkeys · 14/06/2012 09:40

I really wouldn't make an issue out of this tea-bag saga. Builder's really want nothing more than to be able to do their job and yes, eat and drink.
No doubt they simply forgot to buy tea-bags (or didn't have time like yourself).

If they were in the middle of work (which presumably you would prefer them to get on with ) they have done the logical thing and 'looked in a cupboard' rather than down tools and go to the shop.
If you had said you kept your special emergency tea-bags at the back of your wardrobe then I would raise and eyebrow, but, they were in a cupboard. Simple thinking = we need tea bags > lets look in a cupboard. Doubtful and malice intended or indeed any interest in what was in your cupboard.

Upset a builder and they will get revenge, trust me. Builder's humour is quite unsavioury at times.
My friend once watch a plasterer in his neighbour's house (who obviously wasn't providing the right tea Grin ) piss in a bucket and the proceed to make up the plaster for the walls in it.

My advice would be to calm down, buy more tea-bags, thank the builders for finding the emergency tea rather than lose work-time, and move on.

MamaMaiasaura · 14/06/2012 09:41

YABU!!! When we had builders in taking down walls etc I provided tea/coffee and never ending supply of biscuits. I always offered a bit of lunch when I was making ds2's and mine too. They never had lunch but offer was there.

It's good manners!

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 14/06/2012 09:41

Actually my DH is a builder and I dont think you are being U!

He would never ever ever rifle through someones cupboard, clients either make him cups of tea (the norm) or if they go out and about and tell him to help himself he only will if they leave stuff out on the worktop for him.

I do think its mean when he doesnt get offered any drinks at all but no, he would never go through someones stuff hunting for t bags, thats a bit off!

SPsFanjoHarboursDeadCats · 14/06/2012 09:47

My dad is a builder and when he was doing work on our house with a few work mates it seemed like all I did was make tea! The only builders that I have round doing any work I know as I've grown up with them so them going through cupboards wouldnt bother me as they are all more like uncles.

Original poster
londonchick · 14/06/2012 09:57

I wish they were in the middle of work. One was sitting on his backside watching the other paint a wall. They haven't exactly been stretching themselves this week - and that was before I ran out of the sacred tea!

And they weren't 'special emergency teabags' just extra supply that I store away. If I hadn't been running out to work I would have realised they were there and got them out myself. As it was I saw we had run out and asked them to get some cheap ones to keep us all going until today.

I won't be making a big issue out of with them. Figured i'd just vent my frustration on here instead!

OP posts:
BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 14/06/2012 09:59

I hope they are on price work and not day work Wink

EssexGurl · 14/06/2012 10:01

Our builders brought their own kettle, tea bags, coffee, milk, sugar etc when we had our extension done. They set up in the utilty room as "their" space and that meant the kitchen was for us. I was, however, all set up with enough tea, milk etc to keep an army marching. Would never have occured to me not to do so but they preferred to do it all themselves. Much nicer for me as well!

Original poster
londonchick · 14/06/2012 10:01

Ha ha yes. Not paying them by the day or anything price all agreed!!

Just as well really. They've now 'popped out for breakfast' :)

OP posts:
melika · 14/06/2012 10:04

Look at the bigger picture, the nicer you are with them the quicker they will get their big builders bums out of your gaff.

Don't be such a mingey git, get a great big bag of teabags from aldi and leave them out, job done in more ways than one!

melika · 14/06/2012 10:07

I plied mine with bacon sandwiches and ham sandwiches at regular intervals. Had a lovely job done for me.

Tee2072 · 14/06/2012 10:09

They must have forgotten to buy some but rummaging around in your cupboards is definitely not on.

And why don't you just order groceries online?

verlainechasedrimbauds · 14/06/2012 10:19

Are you absolutely certain that they didn't go out and buy the same brand as your "emergency stash"? Could your emergency stash still be there?

I would be a little bit (but not majorly) peeved about someone hunting through cupboards in the kitchen if I had asked them if they could get some more.

Probably best to shrug shoulders and get on with it though.

hamncheese · 14/06/2012 12:15

SERIOUSLY you all need to read what she is posting... she is NOT pissed about providing tea... she IS pissed because they went through her cupboards!

And it's actually pretty rude to generalise and say that all builders will do a substandard job unless bribed to work with food and drink.

From what the OP says she IS being nice to them and wanted to vent on here about what happened. More posts about how it's "the law" to provide tea for builders are just pointless.

SoupDragon · 14/06/2012 12:18

"I am really quite annoyed that they have gone through our belongings and that they haven't actually put their hand in their pocket for once and stocked up"

It's not just about the cupboard.

fruitysummer · 14/06/2012 12:22

I get pissed off when my own brothers raid my fridge the cheeky fuckers so i'd definately be pissed off if a non family member/close friend went through my cupboards.

It's rude and they have no right. What else have they been rooting through whilst left alone?

As for the provison of tea, a lot of workers see a tea break as an excuse to skive! Be that on a building site or an office!

Laquitar · 14/06/2012 12:47

When i run out of something i leave the coins jar on the counter and ask them if they can get tea bags when they pop out.
You didn't offer money so it could be interpreted as 'oi, you finished my tea bags now go and replace them'.

I always give tea/biscuits/toast and cheese and they usually do extra things for me.

threetequilafloor · 14/06/2012 12:54

Yes YABU, I wouldn't dream of asking any tradesperson coming into my home to supply their own drink ingredients. You are also being very tight.

valiumredhead · 14/06/2012 12:55

YABVU

I can't believe you don't know that the first thing you do is stock up on builder's strength teabags and lots of cheap biscuits.

You are asking for a shit job if you ask them to replace teabags! Shock I would've have loved to have seen their faces when you asked them to replace the teabags!

Noqontrol · 14/06/2012 13:28

I thought it was the law that you had to provide a never ending supply of tea for builders? And provide lots of extra toilet roll as well? Grin

valiumredhead · 14/06/2012 13:29

It IS the law.

samandi · 14/06/2012 13:32

YADNBU. I'm all for offering cups of tea but it's incredibly rude and entitled to go through your cupboards and open a new box.