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Original poster

Should I provide breakfast for the removals people?

84 replies

CarolineTheChemist · 06/06/2019 15:39

Help! I'm panicking and need some advice/a reality check!

On Monday we have a removals firm arriving to pack our top floor flat into their lorry and move it to our new house about 80 miles away.

They're planning to do the unload on Tuesday evening and I'm already worrying cos our drive is too narrow for their lorry, so they will have to carry everything up the 20 metre drive too.

When I mentioned this to one of my close friends, she casually remarked that I'd better be ready with the bacon sarnies for them on Tuesday morning. I asked her if this was expected by them and she said she thought it was normal practice. I pointed out that we don't have a cooker yet so I can't make bacon sarnies... nor a fridge or a kettle, or microwave, or mugs, plates, knives etc - you get the picture.

I've prepared by borrowing a cool box and I bought cans of coke and bottles of water. I intend to put them in with some ice in case anyone wants a cold drink, but I don't know what to do about food?!?

I mentioned it to some colleagues today and they unhelpfully agreed that providing breakfast was the done thing... one also suggested we "pop to Greggs for some bacon sarnies" until I reminded him it's a rural location and the nearest town is a 40 minute drive away.

I've moved many times, but this is the first time we've used an actual removals firm. What does mumsnet think is appropriate/expected??

OP posts:

Downunderduchess · 07/06/2019 07:49

No, you are paying them for a service. Offering a cuppa & some biscuits is fine. Good luck with the move.

darjeelingisrank · 07/06/2019 08:27

Why wouldn’t you? It’s basic manners I think.

Because you can't afford it on top of a cash tip after also paying them.

ChiaraRimini · 07/06/2019 08:37

This is mental. Tea/coffee during the day and a cash tip at the end of the job is fine.

IHeartArya · 07/06/2019 08:45

darjeeling

Teabags/coffee & a pack of value biscuits are hardly going to break the bank.

IHeartArya · 07/06/2019 08:45

I accept not everyone can afford sandwiches though/bacon butties as well as a tip.

darjeelingisrank · 07/06/2019 08:50

Teabags/coffee & a pack of value biscuits are hardly going to break the bank.

And nowhere did I say it did . But the OP asked about providing a meal and still others (including the poster I responded directly to) suggested just such a thing (sandwiches, Maccie D's, the ubiquitous bacon sarnie), which will exceed the cost of tea and biscuits.

HaroldsSocalledBluetits · 07/06/2019 09:06

Your cold drinks will go down much better. But get the full sugar variety, especially on a hot day. No need to provide meals and they won't be expecting it. Pretty standard for movers to put together beds etc at the other end - don't think I've ever had a firm that doesn't.

I am however loving the images of mnetters tripping around, Hyacinth Bucket style, bestowing their hostessing largesse on rough handed tradesmen.

AntiHop · 07/06/2019 09:16

I moved recently and this didn't occur to me to do. I made sure I knew where the kettle and tea was to be unpacked quickly. I made sure we had biscuits. And as it was a hot day, when we arrived at the new place, I went to the shop to get cold drinks.

motherofcats81 · 07/06/2019 09:18

Agree this is patriarchy- must feed the hard working men folk hey in case their wives didn’t make them a big enough breakfast before they came to do heavy manual labour etc etc*

I agree! I think several PPs have shown that on this thread, saying aaah but they are away from home and working hard, "bless" . Most people who go out to work are away from home and working hard, do the same PPs make lunch for their cleaners? And they do get their costs covered!

wichitalinemanswoman · 07/06/2019 09:19

No, don't. Tea and coffee if they need it but that's it.

Mummyshark2018 · 07/06/2019 10:02

Whilst I don't think it's expected we are having lots of trades people in and on a Friday or sometimes Saturday I will make bacon rolls, alongside the copious amounts of tea. We always offer them a beer on the Friday afternoon. We have to see these people for 4 months though so we want to build a god relationship with them.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 07/06/2019 10:07

I fed my removal men. I was very grateful for them coming to help me, especially as I was just post-surgery and couldn't really help much. They seemed to appreciate it, and it was pretty cheap. A bit inconvenient, maybe, but so is moving!

HollyBollyBooBoo · 07/06/2019 10:10

I did bacon butties, copious tea and biscuits. But I'd known the crew for a while as they'd moved us a few times and they work so hard.

I'm wondering if there's a correlation between us treating them really well and the fact that in all the international moves we've only had one broken glass!

BlingLoving · 07/06/2019 10:15

I do think this is patriarchy AND patronising. Which I know is a bit ridiculous to be together in one sentence.

Everyone is so grateful to the moving men who "work so hard" and get "paid so little". But are they equally grateful to all their cleaners and hairdressers and caring assistants who also work hard and get paid little? Hell no.

DH tends to fall into this trap. Feeling he needs to make sandwiches and meals for random people in our house. I just don't get it. Absolutely, drinks should be provided - hot and cold. Biscuits are a nice touch but these days I find are very seldom eaten. ie, the same as 90% of other work places where you get water and tea/coffee but have to bloody well feed yourself.

BlingLoving · 07/06/2019 10:16

I'm wondering if there's a correlation between us treating them really well and the fact that in all the international moves we've only had one broken glass!

No, I think it's more likely that you're paying fair prices for high quality removals people. I've never fed a removals man in my life and I've moved cities and countries on more than one occasion. But I've also never had much broken.

HaroldsSocalledBluetits · 07/06/2019 10:21

I've never had anything broken and I can't count the number of times I've moved, including internationally. I did have a hat cut open by customs though.

I dunno, maybe I'm wrong and there really are people out there going around smashing glasses in a fit of pique at not getting bacon butties.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 07/06/2019 10:22

I fed my removal men and my end-of-tenancy cleaners; the same thing.

It was nothing to do with either of them working hard or having to do manual labour. I am well aware that they are already being paid. I just feel like it's a nice thing to do.

For the record, I tend to take a cake or something for my hairdresser, too, and I took biscuits for the only caring assistants that I've really had anything to do with, and a card to thank them.

I don't feed them because I think they'll wilt if I don't. I have never made any type of concious effort to feed anyone! I just like to improve people's days a bit where I can, and a bacon sandwich when you're moving loads of boxes or cleaning someone's house will usually do that.

Whosorrynow · 07/06/2019 10:23

I hope I get a team of bodybuilders next time I move house ...I think I'll put my place up for sale right now 🤭

CanIGoToBedNow · 07/06/2019 10:25

I got mine an ice cream when the ice cream van came and a slab of beers.

You look after then and they will look after you...🤷🏻‍♀️

magneticmumbles · 07/06/2019 10:26

They're not doing you a favour, you're paying them for a service. Providing drinks is generous enough.
Do people bring food for their hairdressers/kids teachers/delivery person/dog walker?

ImpracticalCape · 07/06/2019 10:28

We had a cafe across the road and I got them all a bacon roll and a coffee. They were delighted. It's damn hard work, they are hugely skilled and didn't stop once. They deserved it.

HaroldsSocalledBluetits · 07/06/2019 10:28

@Whosorrynow last time I moved two of them were totally fit. That day, stressful as it was, certainly had its upside.

ImpracticalCape · 07/06/2019 10:38

Addendum. We were up two skinny flights of stairs in a big flat and we hadn't booked them a space so they had to troop sofas and a million boxes of books down the stairs and down a busy london high street to get to their van.
And they packed knowing we were doing a 12000 mile international move and they did it impeccably (not a thing broken after 3 months at sea, no mildew, had handmade boxes for breakables etc and everything perfectly labelled)
We also gave them 100 to share between them for their efforts.

Anyone mentioning hairdressers my current one charges $280 for 45 minutes of highlights and she gets a $30 tip. Probably Significantly more than these guys got as pay or a tip!!

DobbyTheHouseElk · 07/06/2019 14:23

What if they don’t eat bacon, or are wheat intolerant. I provide tea/coffee biscuits. That’s all.

PopWentTheWeasel · 07/06/2019 14:28

When we last moved, there was a squabble, apparently, of removals men who wanted our job as we're near a really good transport caff, so they were all going there after they'd dropped stuff off. They know you're just moving into the house - drinks if you can find the kettle will be fine but they'll make their own arrangements.

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