When you have a tradesman in your house...

[Traveller]

...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?

[Arimeh]

Nope I offer

[Khaleesi]

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

[Beatrix]

I ALWAYS offer a drink...

not food but def fluid...

[feeb]

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!

[Danielle_NZ]

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

[briggsy's girl]

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

[Party-of-five]

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

[Traveller]

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

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

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

[Laranna]

I always offer cold water or a coffee.

[Traveller]

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

[AliBaby]

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.

[Ahurani]

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?

[Laranna]

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

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.

[human bean]

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!

[MummaSue]

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

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

[MamaPan]

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!!