Feeding builders

[CourseTheyWere]

We are getting some work done to our bathroom this week. The builders turned up today and seem very pleasant. They arrived at 10 and left at 2.

I have made them three cups of coffee each, they have been provided with bottled soft drinks to help themselves. I bought them a packet of biscuits and I bought them a pasty from the local shop each.

When they left one of them was complaining that he was starving. He then told me he didn’t like the biscuits I’d bought so hadn’t been able to eat any of them. He informed me that he only liked hobnobs.

Have I committed some awful faux pas and not fed them enough? I didn’t realise that you were meant to provide all meals to people doing work in your house, as this is the first major work I’ve had done on my own.

AIBU and should I get more food for tomorrow?

Fuck that, they can provide their own food. When we got ours done they brought their own lunch and had a couple of hot drinks that I provided

He was a cheeky fucker. I would now go out of my way to make sure I never had hobnobs. One cup of tea or coffee each and a packet of biscuits is plenty. They don't need pasties and endless coffees. How did they get any work done! Tomorrow make them one drink a couple of hours after the arrive and give them some biscuits. They are adults they can feed themselves!

Errrrr no! You are not meant to feed them, they should be bringing their own food. He only likes hobnobs!? Well he can very well bring his own then, ungrateful sod. They were only there for four hours, they can’t have got much work done if they also had three coffee breaks.

You were more than generous with your biscuits and pasty, if they don’t like what you’ve offered then that’s too bad

4 hours, 3 coffees each plus access to soft drinks, pack of biccies and pasties? How much work did they actually get done around filling their bellies, op? Don’t let them take the Mickey.

I’m hoping it was just a bit of light hearted banter! Cheeky buggers. You aren’t responsible for feeding them.

You’ve set a precedent now. By the end of the job they will be expecting a three-course meal!

They are taking the piss if they are going to charge you a full days work for those hours, so I’d be asking about that as a bigger priority.

They should sort out their own lunches. I tended to provide tea/coffee/cold drinks, and the odd pack of biscuits or cakes if I was around, but it wasn’t expected.

You don't feed builders. You can make the odd drink if you like, but feeding them is their own responsibility as grown adults.

How long is this work going on for? They're going to have eaten their daily rate in biscuits at this rate!

Wow that is awfully rude from them! We had builders in a while ago and they were ever so polite and grateful for the cakes and biscuits I provided them with.
They were obviously trying to get our job finished so we could be in the garden over the weekend and had to call in back up on the last day to get it done and didn’t take a lunch break so I was very happy to provide them with some sustenance. But not if they’d been rude fuckers like yours!

Absolutely not - also DP is a builder and they aren't allowed to accept anything from anyone so they are defo CF

My OH is a labourer and the few occasions where someone has gone out of their way to provide something like soft drinks or sausage rolls it’s always been very much appreciated (so much so that when he gets home he tells me about it). He’d be thrilled at the thought of a pasty and a coffee! This builder of yours sounds like an ungrateful sod. Just don’t make a rod for your own back if they are coming back for several days this week.

We once went away on holiday whilst our bathroom was being done. My Mum stayed at ours to supervise the work.
She was way too good natured and ended up feeding not only the builder but his wife who came along with him.

Needless to say, the work wasn't anywhere near completed when we returned.

We feed builders. Mostly tea and biscuits or cold drinks.

If I'm baking I'll offer them some.

If they're doing a big job ,they might get bacon sarnies once a week.

Wow that's some CFary!
I wish I had time to stop for that many brews and food.

Tomorrow 1 brew and if you are feeling genourouse a pack of very cheap biscuits ( happy shopper type price range )

@msbevvy did the wife come on all his jobs with him or just yours when she heard about the food?! 😂

Cheeky bastard! 😡

Yanbu

He is a cheeky fuck!

How rude of him. You have provided more than enough and considering they are only doing 10-2 it's hardly so long they can't cope without food

Bollocks to that. Carry on and you'll end up having them in for way longer than anticipated

Coffee is fine, as are soft drinks. I wouldn't be providing them with biscuits at all after that comment.

You were more than hospitable with what you offered the cheeky sod. Most workmen bring their own food with them if they’re working over lunch don’t they?

Sorry op I shouldn’t laugh but they are taking the piss.

So builders in your home:

Cup of coffee or glass of water on arrrival, one mid morning for their break, one after lunch and one mid afternoon for their break, at the very most, over a nine hour day. Alternatively just one in the morning, one after lunch.

Biscuits offer mid morning and afternoon at most, last time mine said to stop giving them them as they would get fat 🤣

They provide their own lunch, soft drinks and snacks otherwise.

A coffee an hour , their choice of biscuits supplied and lunch is just too much, 🤣🤣🤣

If the bloke says he wants hobnobs just laugh and tell him to fuck off.

Are you in Ireland? Somebody told me it was standard to feed builders a full lunch! Over here - packet of own-brand biscuits to last the week and make sure there's a packet of sugar for their tea. Happy to give directions to the nearest sandwich shop.

I would now go out of my way to make sure I never had hobnobs

This made me because it's exactly what I'd do.

You've created the bar too high OP. Next time they're in, allocate them a separate kettle, mugs etc and leave them to it. Cheap packet of biscuits if you're feeling generous. Nothing else

What I have done several times though is if I want some bits and pieces doing extra, which won’t be charged, but will take them say ten mins, I tend to say I’ll make you all a Sandwich if you fix that light, skirting, tap or whatever, which is in another room and they usually do it happily. Or threaten to withhold afternoon coffee, unless they do, but you need to have developed a good enough relationship for those things to work.

If you’ve been quite distant then “ mate, I’ll make you a sarnie if you fix my light switch, or no afternoon coffee Today unless you fix my light switch” is not met with humour.,,🤣

So it looks like he’s being a CF! His mate was actually really grateful but took the remainder of the biscuits home with him. He said ‘I like them’ as he made his way out of the door clutching the packet! 😂🤦‍♀️

I’m not in Ireland - NE England.

I’m paying a fixed fee not a daily rate. They actually managed to get quite a bit done. They had worried about how long it was going to take them to do a particular job but they managed to fly through it.

Ok, so I’m going to make myself less available tomorrow. I did think that they should feed themselves, as what would they have done if I’d had to go out?