When you have a tradesman in your house...

...and you are home, do you offer them a cup of tea? Or something to eat?

My husband is a carpet fitter, and as usual he has come home from a full day working in someone's house. The owner was home all day, had to step over my husband to reach the kettle several times, yet never offered him so much as a cold glass of water. Sadly this is a common experience for him. He had a bottle of water and some lunch in his van, so it's not like he dehydrated, but I just think it's really rude to eat and drink in front of someone without offering to them.

If someone is working in my home I always offer them a drink, and if they are here all day I offer a sandwich too. Am I alone in doing this?

Nope I offer :)

I do the same as you Traveller always offer a drink and food.

I ALWAYS offer a drink...

not food but def fluid...

I offer if they are there for a length of time OR if its a hot day.

Even my dog hair cut lady get offered drinks!

Always a cold drink normally as they are leaving as I haven't had anyone stay for an entire day

i always offer drinks - and leave a glass beside the water bottle for them to help themselves.

a lot of my "tradie" work is done by my brother and his team, so whether he wants it or not, i make them lunch! lol

always offer them a drink even the dog wash man after I saw him drinking from the hose one day :lol:

I'm so relieved to hear this, it must be he just works for some really mean customers recently. He has had some wonderful ones, like the lady who asked if he wanted some pizza for lunch, then proceeded to make her own dough and an entire pizza from scratch :) And many do offer a drink, but not recently. Maybe it's just the area he has been working in, people are less charitable :dunno:

I always offer a cold drink or a coffee etc.

DP is a carpenter and you'd be surprised at how many people don't offer a drink, i'd say he is lucky to have 2 a week out of 5 or more jobs that DON'T offer.
On occasion he will come home and say oh the lady today made us sandwiches or cooked hotdogs etc.
He came home at x-mas with a 'gift' for me, the lady he was doing work for made her own soaps, told him to bring some home to me :) and another job he had been working there for a week and took a few days off when i had DD2 she went and bought a gift for him for DD2.

To the ladies & gents who offer.. good on you, i mean really whats a glass of water and 2min of your time in the big scheme of things :)

I always offer cold water or a coffee.

My mum always told me that when someone is working at your house, the very first thing you do after saying hello is offer a drink before they start. That way you get a better job done :rofl:

I used to all the time but now not always.

I was kind of turned off when I had booked some removalists and they were doing a really good job (but hey that is there job and what I am paying them for) but anyway I needed a coffee and maccas was a couple of doors down from my then unit so I asked if they wanted one (which they said yep, that would be great). I go buy coffees (and dont get me wrong I knew I would have to pay and wasnt wanting the money back or anything) but they seriously stopped working for a good 20minutes to have their coffee and chat and there I am paying by the hour on a Saturday. Also because of my friendliness, they kept stopping to chat to me (at one stage one of them was telling me about his mother who had passed away and then I felt like I had to listen) and all of this just took up more time so then by the end I was probably paying them an extra hour ($75 just to have a coffee and chat).

So I am not as friendly anymore to tradesmen. I will still offer a glass of water though.

I always offer. When we had the bathroom tiled I always made him lunch he was here for like 3 days nearly. Thought it was common courtesy?

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My mum always told me that when someone is working at your house, the very first thing you do after saying hello is offer a drink before they start. That way you get a better job done :rofl:

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My mum used to say the same thing :) As a kid, I remember her always offering any tradies a drink and if it was a mate doing some work for them, they'd pay them with a carton of beer.

Yep I always offer water, a cuppa, food if I'm eating.....

I'm always wary when they ask to use the loo though (I do let them) as a few years back a telstra dude was in our loo for nearly 20 mins after asking to use it. I remember thinking what the heck was he doing in there for that long, but not really wanting to know the answer!

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My mum always told me that when someone is working at your house, the very first thing you do after saying hello is offer a drink before they start. That way you get a better job done :rofl:

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This is what I do! I offer them a cuppa and or a glass of water.

I always offer... its a courtesy when someone is in your house.
it isnt like those of us in an office cant get a glass of water when we are thirsty - your house is their workspace for that time.
with removalists or someone doing a long job i usually buy some snacks and soft drinks and give it to them or leave with a note.
it cant help to be nice!!

I use to offer all the time especially when we had people there for a length of time but I've stopped with the short jobs but thats only because last few tradies through this place have been complete bum holes!

This realestate seems to pick the worst people to work with...oh I can't wait to be back in our own place!

I'd offer a drink, but not food.

If I was working at Big W and someone came thru my check out with a hot dog from wendy's I wouldn't expect them to have bought me one.

No. I don't offer food or drink.
If they are working outside in the heat I may ask if they want some water or if they asked for a drink I would give them a glass of water, but thats it. I am paying them for a service. Not to sit around and consume my drinks and food. I expect them to have thought about those things themselves just like every other worker in the world.

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I always offer... its a courtesy when someone is in your house.
it isnt like those of us in an office cant get a glass of water when we are thirsty - your house is their workspace for that time.
with removalists or someone doing a long job i usually buy some snacks and soft drinks and give it to them or leave with a note.
it cant help to be nice!!

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Same here!

OMG i cant believe that some people dont even offer a drink
It doesnt matter if you are paying them or not- its just grace and courtsey!
FWIW
as soon as we have anyone come to the house they get offered a cupppa or a cold drink
they also get morning/arvo tea and lunch if they are here
do you know how many freebies we have had done extra over the years by doing this???
HEAPS
That is not the reason that we do it, but we tend to get a better job and extras done as they are treated like they would like to be.
It is also nothing for a tradie to be given a cold beer at the end of the day as well if they are hot

They way we treat people is the model for our kids!

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No. I don't offer food or drink.
If they are working outside in the heat I may ask if they want some water or if they asked for a drink I would give them a glass of water, but thats it. I am paying them for a service. Not to sit around and consume my drinks and food. I expect them to have thought about those things themselves just like every other worker in the world.

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When I worked in an office, there was a canteen where we could get free tea and coffee, or water. A tradesman working in your home has no access to a canteen. Ok, so they can (and my husband does) take water, lunch, etc with them. That's fine. But what if they want a hot cup of coffee? The options are that you can offer, and they can drink it whilst they work and get on with the job. Or they can get in the ute, drive to a cafe, have a cup of coffee, drive back, then get back into working. It would be much quicker to just offer to put the kettle on. I mean, how much does a teabag and some milk or a teaspoon of coffee cost anyway?

This is assuming of course that they are not on the clock, like a previous poster found to her detriment. My husband is paid for the job, regardless of how long it takes, so offering a cup of coffee just means he is done faster with less need to leave the house.

That is of course not mentioning the general politeness of offering refreshments to someone in my home. Personally I would be mortified if anyone, guest or worker, in my home had to ask for a cup of tea.

I don't platter up antipasto but I always offer a drink and if I'm having food I ask if they want some.
I would feel rude if I had someone in my home and I didn't offer them refreshments. It's not important why they're there - manners are free (and water is very cheap) and everyone deserves to be treated with courtesy.
I've never had a tradie in my house who was on the clock - that's why you get a quote before hand.

I totally agree with the poster who said that you get a better job done. People will generally respond positively to courtesy.

Traveller - you have a good workplace that provides those things for you, as I am sure many others do too - mine doesn't (my paid employment I am talking about). At home, I don't drink tea or coffee regularly at all. The only reason we ever have it in the house is if we have a 'guest' visiting. So 'yes', it actually can be an inconvienence.

Det - you can still be polite and friendly with out offering food and drink.

Bottom line is: if others want to offer these things, then great. But to imply I am somehow wrong or rude because I don't??? It is like tips, alot of people offer their service personel at restraunts and hotels tips for service. I don't it is part of the job, and expected to be done under the cost I am paying them. And in Australia, I don't feel it is a neccessity with our minimum wage conditions (might be different if I was in the USA). There shouldn't be an 'expectation' of entitlement about these things - it may be nice if it happens, but it is not a prerequisite of hiring a tradie.

Double post.

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Traveller - you have a good workplace that provides those things for you, as I am sure many others do too - mine doesn't (my paid employment I am talking about). At home, I don't drink tea or coffee regularly at all. The only reason we ever have it in the house is if we have a 'guest' visiting. So 'yes', it actually can be an inconvienence.

Det - you can still be polite and friendly with out offering food and drink.

Bottom line is: if others want to offer these things, then great. But to imply I am somehow wrong or rude because I don't??? It is like tips, alot of people offer their service personel at restraunts and hotels tips for service. I don't it is part of the job, and expected to be done under the cost I am paying them. And in Australia, I don't feel it is a neccessity with our minimum wage conditions (might be different if I was in the USA). There shouldn't be an 'expectation' of entitlement about these things - it may be nice if it happens, but it is not a prerequisite of hiring a tradie.

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I see your point but as for restaurants I always tip if they go the "extra mile" with so much awful, unfriendly people in the service industry now I like to reward those that go above and beyond their job description.

When I was tiling we rarely got offered food. I carry a bottle of water wherever I go so I just asked when it needed topping up. Occasionally we were offered coffee and almost always when the person in the house was having it.

I rememebr once we were tiling a lovely old couples house and they MADE us down tools at the same time every morning and afternoon and gave us a cuppa with homemade biscuits...sat us down in the lounge and chatted away! Was good for me because I was paid by the hour (by my friend)...not so good for him lol!

Always. I cook them cakes too. If anyone steps in my front door I offer them a drink, its something i have always done.

It's amazing the difference in service when cake is on the cards. :lol: tradesmen around my place are generally pretty hungry though.

I wouldn't be offering tea or coffee because I don't drink either nor keep any in my cupboards. Why are these suddenly considered a staple?!

I would offer water and food if appropriate (long job, lunch time, if I happened to bake cookies/slice at the time).

They're not a staple are they? (Well actually coffee is pretty much an essential staple for me!) No ones saying you have to have tea and coffee though.

I wouldn't offer something I didn't have, and I wouldn't buy coffee just for that purpose, but I do offer what I do have. If that's just water then that's what I offer.

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Always. I cook them cakes too. If anyone steps in my front door I offer them a drink, its something i have always done.

It's amazing the difference in service when cake is on the cards. :lol: tradesmen around my place are generally pretty hungry though.

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I have (almost) always had brilliant service. The only times the service hasn't been great, the tradies in question have been A**holes who I wouldn't offer then anything anyway. I reward my tradies with repeat customership and referrals if they are good.

Sorry, probably should have included a quote but it was mostly directed towards Traveller's post:

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When I worked in an office, there was a canteen where we could get free tea and coffee, or water. A tradesman working in your home has no access to a canteen. Ok, so they can (and my husband does) take water, lunch, etc with them. That's fine. But what if they want a hot cup of coffee? The options are that you can offer, and they can drink it whilst they work and get on with the job. Or they can get in the ute, drive to a cafe, have a cup of coffee, drive back, then get back into working. It would be much quicker to just offer to put the kettle on. I mean, how much does a teabag and some milk or a teaspoon of coffee cost anyway?

This is assuming of course that they are not on the clock, like a previous poster found to her detriment. My husband is paid for the job, regardless of how long it takes, so offering a cup of coffee just means he is done faster with less need to leave the house.

That is of course not mentioning the general politeness of offering refreshments to someone in my home. Personally I would be mortified if anyone, guest or worker, in my home had to ask for a cup of tea.

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Most tradies Ive had, are only here for such a short time it hasnt been appropriate.

Others who have been there for a long time, came with enough food and drinks for a week anyway. Plus I dont stock Ice Coffee on hand in large containers! They loved the local store instead.

Tradesmen where I live earn about a dollar an hour and are often too poor to eat lunch, they would hardly ever have cake, so that's why it makes such a big difference at my place.

I don't drink tea or coffee but will offer it anyway. I have generally found they want a cold drink eg water, juice, cordial, soft drink as they are hot from working.

I always offer both. I find that they'll usually just take a drink, but a bit of cake or a biscuit never gets turned down! I find the same as you Traveller, DH is a tradie, and it's pretty rare for someone to offer him a drink. He goes equipped, but I think it's only a nice thing for someone to offer, especially on a hot day.

My MIL was once asked to stop putting on so much food for the tradies - they were there for a week doing painting and tiling and plumbing, and she'd make this huge lunch for them which they were grateful for, but they found it too hard to go back to work after lunch! :rofl:

I definitely offer a drink - the other day I gave the RAC towtruck guy the choice between a beer and a coke coz it was 40 stinkin degrees and he looked like he was dying. He lusted after the beer but took water and a coke instead :) I've always offered, not very often taken up on it though. I personally would not be comfortable not offering a drink, but each to their own!

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Tradesmen where I live earn about a dollar an hour and are often too poor to eat lunch, they would hardly ever have cake, so that's why it makes such a big difference at my place.

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I read this and thought, 'Wow, didn't realise it was so bad for tradies in Melbourne!' :rofl: