Builders requesting drinks

[crazydiamond222]

We are having an extension built whilst I am on maternity leave. I have a 3 month old. We have 2 builders on site laying foundations who started on monday. I have been making them a drink first thing and on one occasion made them a bacon sandwich. I don't offer drinks all day because my son keeps me very busy and only naps on me and it is a 4 month job so I don't want to have to do drinks all day for this period.

This afternoon whilst I was playing with my son in the living room one of the builders walked past the window and requested a coffee and tea. I thought the request to be a bit cheeky as a) he shouldn't have been looking in the living room and b) he shouldn't been requesting. I made him the drinks anyway leaving my son on the playmat getting upset. I rushed outside as my son was upset and I wanted to get back to him. When I took the drinks outside I tripped over rubble breaking a cup and scratching my arm. The builders reply was you should have passed it through the window. I remade the drinks but suggested in future setting up a kettle in the garage for them but they said they can just bring their own drinks. I am now feeling pretty upset with them.

Just needed to vent really but what do people feel is reasonable regarding builders and drinks.

All you cry babies, complaining at making a drink....

They ain't in an office, with a fucking drinks machine, and definitely not able.to disappear to go get a Costa, or you'd break down.... Don't.you dare walk off site to get a drink... How dare you!

Fucking hell people, it's half a dozen cuppas when you're free, not talking about hosting the fucking olympics!

We are at YOUR house, and unless you're happy for us to go off site to get refreshments, then you make them cz simples, you CANNOT have it both fucking ways.

*Builders have an unwritten code, no tea... Work to minimum

One cuppa, still basic work, and standard price, no extras

Tea n bacon/sausage butty, and at least 2 more cuppas .... work hard and do any little extras either free, or v cheap.

This is a daily thing. So if you start of well, then go to no cuppas, then you go back to min standard.

You have/had breaks at work, didn't you? Then why can't builders?

So even if come to service the boiler, minimum is a cuppa!

Setting up a self serve tea n biscuit station is ok. Remember how.you want to be treated, then you treat others*
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No wonder the building industry is so poorly perceived in this country and often ridiculed about abroad. This is the maddest comment so far and there has been some corkers. I'm thinking you MacBlank is on a wind up! So you don't have any professional integrity, it all depends on if the client soothes you with "a cuppa"? I am embarrased for you.

If you are lucky enough to have good builders working for you then you need to do all you can to keep them happy, fed and watered - they are doing tough manual work and they are human.. You are not only unreasonable but also stingy if you fail to give them regular drinks, biscuits, cake, and for long term workers even bacon and egg sandwiches occasionally..

Just tell them to make their own as you are busy with baby.

You are being a bit unreasonable. I get the impression you think they are being cheeky asking for drinks at all. You probably don't want them using the loo, or making too much noise either. None of these will endear you to builders, upon who you will rely for good quality work.

I always feel obliged to make drinks for anyone working in my home. When I had my kitchen done I regularly made drinks for the joiner. However I would’ve been unhappy if they asked for one and would’ve been reluctant to do it from then on. I don’t think it should be expected though. People have to provide their own refreshments in a lot of jobs so why should this be any different.

All you cry babies, complaining at making a drink....

The only cry baby should have been the newborn one in the house, not fucking adults hired and paid for their skills that they were not being served a fucking hot tea when, well, they weren't in a cafe.

God, no wonder DH always hires foreign builders and the like, never had a one give over with this fucking 'make me a hot drink or I won't work' nonsense. FWIW, we do put out a station with a huge box of those biscuits you get in Costco, but we're paying them to work, not paying to play at being tea boy/lady.

let me tell you now, you get happier builders and better work if you provide tea/coffee and biscuits.

So now you don’t just pay for work, you have to pay extra for “better work”? Yikes.

Icepinkeskimo But I do appreciate the builders and their expertise. And I made sure they had access to facilities (the builder himself suggested hiring a portaloo too). Paid on time and was flexible with delays and other issues. I was also very kind when couple of them had some personal issues to deal with. But you are implying it's not somehow enough because I didn't personally made them drinks. That's how it comes across.

I am self employed and my days are busy because I have to get everything done within the school hours, every day I am chasing my tail and feel under pressure because my customers expect their orders delivered quickly (I'm not an Amazon driver even if it sounds like that ) So, why is it so hard to understand that I simply don't have time to cater to several adult, able bodied people? Why the builders aren't appreciating the fact that I also have my responsibilities and I am under a lot of pressure?

I take it you don't get breaks at work, and you go thirsty all day, cos work doesn't offer drinks in any form.

I work for myself. I do not expect my clients to make me drinks or pay me for anything other than my skills and the time it takes me to complete what they want and any expenses necessary to completing what they have hired me to do. They are my employer, my clients. Adults sort themselves out in real life and see to their own needs, we are grown ups.

Don’t you eat or drink during the working day Lovepoppy?
@Scarlettpixie
Sure I do. Which is why I pack my own food each day.

PatellarTendonitis

Sorry, where did I say that?
I never directly quoted that part of the poster I was replying to?
Grow up

What are you talking about, Pardon, I never referred to you personally.

I'm grown up, thanks! I do the job I'm paid for without expecting my customer to serve me a hot drink 4x/day or I won't do the job to the best of my abilities, though; it's what most adults do for money or they get sacked .

Milk of human kindness often refreshes parts briskness can’t reach.

@crazydiamond222 I don't blame you for disappearing from this thread, there's some pretty awful replies here. Telling you to wean your baby so you will be more available for the Menz. Practically shouting at the first time mum with a new born to get a grip

I have two DC now but I remember when my first was 3 months old and everything seemed to be a big effort in the fog caused by the sleep deprivation and having 0 family help. With my 2nd it was a lot easier as I was already more confident and experienced. You will look back one day and marvel how easy it was with just one new born but it doesn't make your current feelings any less valid

I'm going to try that on with my client. 'Where were you? I have been trying to vid ring you?' 'I have to to serve up 8 cups of tea 4x/day or the builders I'm paying won't do the best job they can.' Client: 'And I am not paying you to be tea lady to randoms you hired who are not connected to the fucking job I'm paying you to do with this deadline over us! You're sacked!'

Meeting with client for the first time. 'Hello, I'm bidding for you to hire me for this job. Get the kettle on! Milk and 1 sugar, there's a love, or I won't do it.'

😂😂😂😂

They can make their own. I had people here for four weeks. They just had breaks and used my kettle etc, own cups. They were fine.

No you weren't bu at all to a) think they were being nosy looking through your window and b) cheeky to ask I would be exactly the same! If your busy then your busy what would they do if you weren't there they generally already have flasks etc drinks with them no doubt and as for all these mumnetters saying about making drinks etc they all seem to run around after the builders but god forbid if there dh or whatever wanted tea/breakfast/coffee etc making they would soon turn round and tell them to make it themselves it's all so bloody hypocritical!

I hate all the posts berating OP about letting her baby sleep on her too. It's HER baby, in her own home. She doesn't have to prioritise everyone else's whims. It's up to her. All that rod for your own back stuff is bollocks anyway. My dds slept on me when they were babies. By 6 months they slept in their cot, they were happy at nursery and they've slept through since 12/18 months. The OP can make changes when it suits her and her baby.

I always make tea and was really shocked when my posh friend told her workmen to bring their own.

But bearing in mind how shoddy some workmanship is, I don't the niceties don't count for much.

It’s important to be on good terms with your builders. It’s hard, physical work and they’ll need tea/coffee. I think it’s a pretty horrible attitude. Having a baby does not mean you can’t make a cup of tea!

There isn’t always someone home during renovations, they can prefer that. Then they make their own tea anyway.

Sign of a good builder someone who can be trusted and relied upon to do a quality and efficient job foe the price quoted.

Fuck all to do with blackmailing over teas and coffees, fucking scones ffs, and bacon butties!! Ffs who has time.or inclination to pander to de.poor.menz like this.

You treat them.like children. Do you takes them out cotez for de freezing wevver and de woolly gloves tied togethrr on eladtic so dey dont loozez dem
Ffs get a grip. Held to ransom by builders who demandz tea be made for them...just cos you are scared of being bad mouthed by bully builders down the pub.

Get a better builder. Why do women believe they have to.live by bully builders codes whatever they are.

This thread has made me.vow to speak to buildwrs in future ahead of works to ask their view and consequences if I'm not able to wait on them all day with teas and coffees or provide refreshements station with scones etc, because I am in my own private living space and don't want walking in on! You know, private, private conversations, private changing and so on.

Some.are.making out builders to be right fucking arses. Maybe some or many of them are, based on whats been said on here.

Bumbles They NEED tea/coffee do they? If they di, why not be prepared and bring a flask then? To make sure your working day is going smoother rather than rely on someone else's good will. There's many number of reasons why the customer can't/won't offer drinks, doesn't mean they are being precious.

It's besides the point anyway as the OP has explained she offered to set up a drink station but the builders declined it. But rather than read properly, it's easier to berate the OP of course.

For most jobs you have access to a Kettle etc. As builders are often in someones house they don’t. If you offer a kettle/facilities that’s absolutely fine. But why should they buy tea/coffee if they don’t have access. I just don’t get the big deal on basic kindness. To be honest they probably requested it to make a point. I do think you need to offer access to tea/coffee facilities or make it for them if you don’t want them in your kitchen.