Feeding workmen

I found it pretty tiring feeding endless tea and coffee all prepared on my desk in the sitting room which was my temporary food place.

In my experience of workman over the years is the better you treat them, the better they will do their job. The man who fitted a kitchen once told me he was asked to fit some wardrobes, but the lady of the house told him he would have to access the bedroom by ladder as she didn’t want workmen in the house. He declined the job. Just treat them as you would like to be treated.

Same here, topcat. I have always made coffee for window cleaner, grasscutter, but at the start of lockdown they both said they were bringing a flask, and would prefer payment online.
I must admit that with my mobility problems I find it a relief not to have to make coffee and find my purse...we can still have a socially distanced chat through the doorway.

I usually just offer drinks (hot or cold) biscuits and a slice of my homemade cake.
However, one workman asked me how much it would be? Confused I said there was no charge. He then went on to tell me that one lady offered to make him sandwiches etc and asked him what he would like in them. When he gave her his bill she deducted £5 per sandwich and £2 per cup of coffee. He was there over a week!.

Oh I do wish Gabriella was still on here!

She would certainly feed them!
She used to give delivery drivers a snack !

An interesting poster who is much missed on here.

In my experiences with workmen they bring their own lunch - but I would supply them with endless cups of tea or coffee throughout the day, with biscuits a couple of times a day - perhaps once in the morning and again in the afternoon. We had builders here for 2 months doing an extension and on their last day I did bacon sandwiches which we all sat down and enjoyed together.

Sometimes it pays to be nice to them.

You’re right Jennifer- she was darn good value wasn’t she!

Lizbethann I used to embarrass my builder DH by telling everyone about the size of his lunch buttybox , their eyes would drop and he’d cough and change the subject sharply?

Don’t just get him a sandwich as others have suggested! He might have dietary restrictions or food allergies

Havent we had this before? Where a lady was giving workmen meals, snacks, bottles of water even?? I would imagine in this pandemic (it IS still here you know) i dont think its a good idea to give them even a cuppa in the circumstances- let alone their lunch, as said already, any self respecting workman has a butty box /flask dont they,? or they know where nearest caff is?

Do not start buying sandwiches for the builder. He will assume they are free of charge and you will find that the continuous expense and trouble is wearing.

Tea and 2 biscuits is sufficient twice a day with a jug of clean water and a glass inbetween.

Ive missed being on for a bit- i hardly dare ask- what happened to Gabriella?

I only give workmen tea/coffee/biscuits. I certainly would not feed them as well, as they should bring their own.

Normally id not be too mean to dish out cups of tea to workmen, but the situation as it is, just no.They might feel uncomfortable accepting anything anyway.

Entirely up to you. They shouldn't expect it and should bring their own lunch to work. Tea, coffee and biscuits offered by most people they do work for I'm sure, anything more is your choice, appreciated if it's offered but not expected.

If it was me I’d get a cheese sandwich ( cuts the possibility of him being vegetarian, allergic to eggs etc) and offer it to him. But that’s me. I made a cake for my electrician and gave my plumber a bowl of figs. But then they’re sweet and would do anything for me and do go the extra mile. My DD calls it bribery I call it being nice ?

She was Pantglas2!
She could be controversial but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Her posts were never boring !
I wish she would come back.

Drinks and biscuits.
I do love baking and I find home made cakes and scones will go down a treat and as a treat.

When we had our kitchen renovated the fitters asked us if we wanted anything for lunch from the local shop. They felt sorry for the chaos. . Usually we supply drinks, biscuits and cake. Most work people bring their own lunch if indeed they eat any, our plumber doesn't.

It depends very much on the workmen and the job they are doing.
My window cleaner always gets coffee and a snack but we’ve known him for years. Similarly the boiler service man.
Others get offered coffee or tea.
My male neighbour (who does odd building jobs for us) gets nothing after he complained about the size of the cup I made him from my Nespresso machine!!

I'd certainly offer to get a sandwich for the builder

Being pleasant costs nothing

I also miss Gabriella

I always provide tea and coffee (or cold drinks if it's hot !) But not food. However, if I was going out to buy a sandwich I would ask if they wanted anything ...but I would expect to be offered the money for it. (Even if I didn't accept)

They usually bring their own lunch. We had a separate microwave so they used that.

When our building business was much bigger and we employed lots of people, we always made it clear that our men had set break and lunch times and would never ask a client for drinks . After a few days it becomes a real pain to have anyone working in your home, let alone being expected to provide food or drinks for them. We did not allow them to play music either. The idea was that they would do a good job but try to be invisible and not inconvenience the client in any way. If clients keep offering drinks in between normal break times and then having little
chats with the men, it can easily reduce productivity by one and a half hours per man per day. There is a financial implication to this. Now we are past retirement age my husband still works, still has regular clients from over the past thirty years and works on his own. We are very lucky, our clients are brilliant and very loyal.

We've had a LOT of work done in the house in the last ten years. The morning he/they start I get out tea, coffee and biscuits/cake and tell him/them to help themselves. Then they can choose a convenient time to take a break. No one has ever taken advantage of this system. When the job is finished I give them some beer/wine to take away. (I have a friend who doesn't do any of this and even locks the bathroom and loos before she goes to work!)