What should I give to our workers?

[jillybean222]

We did a 4 month project and I brought over a case of water once in awhile and bought lunch a few times. I found that the nicer you are the more talk there is and the project moves slower. I don't live at my house so I show up, go over my list, and head back out. They aren't my friends...they are working for me.

[lavender444]

When we've had work done, no one ever used a bathroom at my house. Despite my offering. I don't know how they did that. I would leave them a small cooler of drinks. Water, Gatorade and soda. The guy I had working perfered soda for the sugar.

Nothing is expected, though.

[sjh722]

I think they plan on their own lunch and bathroom breaks. If you want to offer that's nice but they may not take you up on it.

My h used to work construction and they would bring their own water, lunches, etc. I think sometimes people would bring by cookies or a box of donuts or something like that around break time, but it was definitely the exception rather than the rule.

[trident0]

I don't think you're responsible for getting them snacks and beverages, or especially meals. I think bringing some coffee or snacks when you stop by is nice but anything else is overkill.

[candreco]

Ditto pp's, I think the occasional box of donuts or round of coffee is nice, but they're not guests, not your job to feed and water them.

[TBM]

I offer water and gatorade to all, since it is so hard to stay hydrated here in FL. The GC's people brought their own drinks and lunch, but I brought some out now and then. I didn't want them to think that I would be supplying all of their beverages for the duration, but I didn't want anyone dehydrated because they underestimated how much they would need for that day.

I always offer the tree guys beverages, but the supervisor gets annoyed, because we have already paid for their lunch, snacks and beverages in the cost of the work we are having done. He brings a truck full of drinks, snacks (they take a short break and have snack time like preschool) and provides a hot lunch. Even though I know that I have already paid for it, I feel bad if I don't offer something. ;p

Our GC's people (the few who were practically living here) used our bathroom. I offered it to others and had a few takers. I thought it was better than people using my backyard, which I suspect happened a lot with the number of subs we had working here.

[treedimensional]

I work in sweltering heat all day. I bring my own water and Gatorade.
I would never expect the homeowner to provide these things any more than I'd ask them to supply my saws, rakes, or shovels; and I don't use their toilets either. I don't eat on the job site and would not allow my employees to do so. Eating and bathroom are off-site, off-clock activities.

[thatgirl2478]

My contractors were here off and on for 2 weeks (more on than off during the first week, then as the project got closer to the end there were more off days due to circumstances beyond my control - NBD though). If they needed the bathroom I didn't have a problem letting them use the other one. I'd rather have them be comfortable and finish the job correctly than working quickly with a full bladder and messing something up or doing it half assed.

[pixy0stix]

The guy that did our deck, we made sure he had ice water, that's it.

The guys that did our bathroom we fed a few times, but that's because we knew they were strapped for cash.

We gave them all access to the bathroom.

[nomad100]

We made sure our deck guy had access to water because he was there all day and it was 90+ degrees. H brought a gallon of water with him but that was no where near enough. We offered him use of the bathroom too but he declined.

[Deleted]

Ditto the pp.
I offered up my bathroom because it's pretty much normal/okay here and it's small town America..I know all my contractors from somewhere. It's also the absolute sticks..it's not like there's choices.

As for the rest, call me mean, but I'm paying these people a fortune. Nobody buys my lunch at my job. I've never felt obligated to make sure they're well taken care of. I bought cookies once or twice and offered up my fridge for them to store there lunches but that's as far as I went.