Feeding workmen

kwest

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.

Well I"m very glad nobody from your business worked in my house!

It can indeed be a pain having builders in, but to have builders in that aren't allowed to have a chat or a drink sounds more painful.

I'd feel very uncomfortable having people working in my home that weren't allowed a drink or chit chat

I'm glad that your business was successful though!

My daughter is bonkers! Any workmen get a lunch of BLTs ,plus cakes and biscuits x x

Under the present governments regulations, I don’t think you are allowed to give them any drinks. We went to our hairdresser this week in her home and she isn’t allowed to offer tea or even a glass of water

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

the person who leaves out two biscuits, what if they ask for more. why don't you leave the packet out. why be so mean.
here's a tip ; you can get various nice biscuits for about 50p a packet in lidl.
but somehow i don't think it's because you can't afford it.
i've always found that those with the least are the most generous.

Thisismyname1953

My daughter is bonkers! Any workmen get a lunch of BLTs ,plus cakes and biscuits x x

She sounds lovely!

Tea/biscuits/cake. And use of the loo unlike people on mumsnet

But then I will make a cuppa for a postie sheltering from the rain and offer to refil the veg box mans flask or water bottle depending on the weather

We had a workman who liked beer and we made the mistake of getting beer in and he drank like a fish! Lesson learnt and the next time he had some work to do, I forgot to get beer and only had squash or tea/coffee and he sent his mate out to buy their drinks which were the energy ones. I usually offer tea/coffee and biscuits if I have them (but hide the good ones).

You sound lovely as well, Riggie

A month ago we had a couple of builders round to look at some work we want doing and offered them tea or coffee. They told us we shouldn't offer drinks etc at this particular time.

I always feed anyone working in my home, but I had a friend who wouldn’t even let them use the loo. It’s all down to personal generosity and kindliness. My friend was always being ripped off but I’ve always been happy with a job well done.

did she never see there might be a connection; treat em mean, get ripped off. treat em sweet, keep them sweet.

I wouldn’t start this! Just tea and biscuits they normally bring there own lunch .

Tea, coffee and homemade cakes here, plus use of a toilet. My plumber friend says he always remembers who treated him and his colleagues well and is more inclined to be available next time.

Tea and a biscuit are fine. Many workers doing physical jobs don't even break for a lunch these days. They seem to want to crack on to get the job done. Offer of a can of soft drink would maybe be appreciated in the warm weather.

welbeck

did she never see there might be a connection; treat em mean, get ripped off. treat em sweet, keep them sweet.

This is bananas to me

You shouldn’t have to bribe people to do their jobs.

I’ve had boiler serviced and oven cleaned this week, two separate days. Both left in kitchen while I sat in the other room, I apologised and said normally we’d have a cup of tea and chat, both in their masks said fine, I felt rude, but needs must.

Tea and biscuits is enough in my opinion , and always appreciated

Depending on the time they arrived - on a week long job, the 2nd day I found 3 of the 5 lads sat in their van at 7.45 am waiting for the others. I quickly cooked up 5 bacon & egg sandwiches which were eagerly demolished by the 3 lads present. When the other 2 sleepyheads arrived at 8.05 am, they didn’t half get a ribbing for missing out!
Needless to say everyone turned up at 7.40 am every day until the job was finished and I only cooked ‘brekkets’ once again on the final day!
Sometimes it’s donkeys and carrots/strawberries ?? Isn’t it?

Yes. I always offer something to eat and I’m happy to share what we have if they say yes but I’m equally ok if they say no thank you because they have something with them.

When my kitchen was refitted I literally moved all kitchen ‘stuff’ into sun-room.... microwave sat on top of fridge.... I told workman I would not be making endless cuppas BUT they could help themselves to kettle and milk and teabags .... they much preferred this way of going on .... and on the odd occasion ( refit took over a week) offered them a bacon butty if I was doing it for myself. They took the offer over whatever they had in their lunch boxes...which I said they could leave I’n my fridge overnight so as not to upset anybody who had taken trouble for them. Also included them in ‘cream cake runs ‘ once or twice. Also instead of the. Sitting in their vehicle eating their packed lunches ... as it was an extremely hot (2018) summer... I let them use my garden table and chairs/ umbrella..... also kept the spare fridge in garage stocked with bottles of soft drinks and told them that fridge was theirs for the duration, and they kept their lunches in there rather than a sweaty van! Little consideration went a long way to an excellent job done!

Mawbe You are naughty! ?

I have had quite a lot of work done on this house and, as others have said, tea, coffee and biscuits but, they always bring their own lunch

If you are a real coffee drinker do yu offer that or just instant.

One day my husband went to someone's house to look at some furniture or maybe to ploish something too large to move. the people had recently moved from London and bought a rectory. Anyway, the lady of the house was sitting at the kitchen table with a friend and a large cafetiere in front of them and asked him if he'd like some coffee. When he said he would, she got up from the table and made a mug of instant. He drank very little of it. Had that been me I would have said no thank you, I only drink real coffee and thrown the contents down the sink. He's more restrained than me.

If you are a real coffee drinker do yu offer that or just instant

I only ever offer the best of what I have. There’s no two tier system of eating or drinking in this house.

Tea and coffee, squash and biscuits or cake is what I tend to offer.