Do you offer drinks/food to contractors?

[Anonymous]

We are currently building an addition to our house and we have 4-5 contractors from 8-5 any given day. I work from home so I'm pretty much home all day between those hours.

For others in similar situations, how much do you interact with the contractors? Do you offer food/drinks/snacks? I know they are here to do a job and it's not social hour but it feels kind of rude for me to not offer them anything while they are outside all day (and it's starting to get cold) while I sit in my cozy office. Or am I just being silly? Maybe I should provide coffee and donuts on Fridays or something?

[Anonymous]

Coffee every day. You will be surprised how few people do this and how happy it makes them.

[Anonymous]

I didn't offer anything. People don't offer me food to do my job. Maybe I would have done it if I had time, but I really had no time.

[Anonymous]

I made them a pot of coffee to share every morning and bought them cases of water and Gatorade that I put in their work area. On the last day we ordered sheet pizzas and beer!

[Anonymous]

Not in this lifetime. You pay above the actual costs so let them provide for themselves.

[Anonymous]

I always do - coffee, cold water in the summer, baked goods if I happen to be baking. This summer I offered slices of watermelon to the people building my deck and they were so happy.

[Anonymous]

We are in the process of building a house and once a week I bring them a few pizzas.

We pay above cost so they can make a living. In reality, the workers who are not the builder/architect/foreman are not making as much. It is hard work doing what they do and for me, it's just saying thank you, I appreciate it. I have clients who pay me for what I do and still thank me with something extra. It shows me just how much they value my trade.

[Anonymous]

We didn't live in our home during construction, but once or twice a week we would bring waters (in the summer) or bring some coffees in the winter. Had pizza delivered a few times when I knew the main crew would be there.

Going the extra mile for the people building your home just seems like common sense.

[Anonymous]

It can only help....I bought beer and chips for guys doing tree-work one afternoon. Have bought lunch AND dinner for our movers. For a construction/addition type job, yup, I would buy 'em something. You buying a few guys coffee, costs, what, $10? That $10 is buying you goodwill with them, as they build your $100,000 to $500,000 addition. Seems like nothing, huh?

[Anonymous]

If I'm working from home and making a run to Potbellys or something, I'll ask them if they want something. I don't plan in advance to provide them food.

[Anonymous]

I offered drinks to the construction crew doing an addition on the house and the guy in charge politely said no thank you we bring out own food and drink.

My lawn crew people will ask for drinks out of the garage fridge when I pull in. Of course I say yes but don't offer to them weekly.

[Anonymous]

I have been in this situation (including cold weather outside while I was inside all day). I put out bottled water and coffee every morning. I bake quite a bit and gave them a big tupperware of baked goods probably twice a week. We also bought lunch every Friday (usually pizza or fast food).

Maybe we just lucked out, but every worker was exceptionally polite to myself, DH, and our kids. They were very respectful of our property and were willing to go the extra mile to make sure we were happy with their work. I think it was 100% worth the couple hundred bucks we spent to keep them fed.

[Anonymous]

If they are there working for hours and through lunch, definitely I provide lunch. otherwise, just water

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I'm working from home and making a run to Potbellys or something, I'll ask them if they want something. I don't plan in advance to provide them food.

+1-- and they generally decline

[Anonymous]

Small cooler of Gatorade and cookies.