Tradespeople, what ‘goodies’ do you always appreciate?

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discoveredunknown@reddit

I saw a TikTok video where a customer had clingfilmed over all their bogs and left a note stating they darent piss or shit in the house whilst they were gone. Thought it was hilarious.

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Mr_Ham_Man80@reddit

Really makes me wonder about some people. Basic human decency out of the window.

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Weak-Clothes3844@reddit

As well as basic human rights surely?

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Big-Finding2976@reddit

Is that Articles 1 & 2 of the ECHR?

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oynsy@reddit

Shitting and pissing in the garden it is then

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LouisCheesecake@reddit

Didn't cling film the sink though....

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Tea and coffee is always welcome. Did a job a few months back and as we were packing up got treated to home made kebabs which was a very pleasant surprise but in all honesty just a tea or coffee first thing goes a long way for us tradies.

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saigon2010@reddit

We had some roofers in recently to do a complete reroof... Chocolate digestives...tea, decent coffee made for them, of course you can use the loo. Then one of them slipped and put his foot through our bedroom ceiling... I showed my displeasure by downgrading their biscuits to rich tea...

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msminelli@reddit

My husband sometimes puts on his headphones even when they are out of charge to be left alone to work 🤣

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variosItyuk@reddit

Somewhere close to the property to park is always a bonus. No one wants to park the van 100m up the road and lug their gear into the job in the rain, when the customer has a drive and hasn't thought to park one of their cars up the road to leave space for you.

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chocolateybiscuit81@reddit

Yes, this is also one of my pet hates. I arrive, their car is on the drive. I’m half unloaded and am asked if I can move the van so they can get out of the drive to go to work. You could’ve come out and moved it off the drive before I arrived so I could’ve parked there. Its especially annoying when this happens every morning even though I’ve hinted at an easy solution every single day.

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Lizzie-P@reddit

People probably just didn’t think of it ahead of time. Busy lives and all

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chocolateybiscuit81@reddit

The first yes, the rest of the week its just a lack of intelligence or being really unorganised.

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Dramatic_Chelsea1288@reddit

My neighbour is doing this currently lol. The same guys have been round every morning for the last 2 weeks, at the exact same time, and every time they have to chap on the door and ask him to move his car. If he goes away somewhere, when he comes back he parks right up behind the work van. And they have to ask him to move it yet again so they can leave...I'm impressed at their patience with it to be honest. Honestly a lack of brain cells

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FitSolution2882@reddit

You're already paying them ffs

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Ambitious_Equal_1603@reddit

Just treat them with respect. The various TV programs and bad experiences with bad or dodgy builders has done the industry no favours. We are not animals, we're parents, business owners, highly skilled individuals who just want to do our job. We want to be paid on time and just want to be respected. We're not thugs with a toolbox. A brew, a little chat and let us crack on. Believe us, we do not want to be in your home longer than we need to be.

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PervertedTroller@reddit

Bored housewife in negligee or chocolate digestives whichever is handier

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JennyW93@reddit

I always wear chocolate digestives when the tradies are in

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Ah-Thats-Life@reddit

Same here!! But, they never seem pleased to see my hobnob..

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JennyW93@reddit

They’re just annoyed you’re keeping your ginger nuts hidden

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Ah-Thats-Life@reddit

I think you’re right, it must be that.

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PervertedTroller@reddit

Tre chic

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Hyperbolicalpaca@reddit

Username checks out?

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PervertedTroller@reddit

✅

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I_am_Relic@reddit

Looking at some of the replies it seems that I _may_ be a decent customer/host to tradies. ....Yup, bog is there. Go for it if you need it (just let us know cos we don't have a lock).... ....Wanna brew? We have filter coffee (permanently on the go cos I'm a coffee monster) or I can dig out teabags from the cupboard (also a selection of green and Chinese tea). Just want water? There's the filter jug, so go ham. (They can either help themselves, or ask if they feel uncomfortable just taking proffered stuff). ... And we will keep out of your way, but we will also be "around" (wife and I probably playing videogames) if you need anything or need to ask a job related question. We fail at supplying biccies though as we never have any in the house (I'd say it's cos of diets, but realistically I turn into a ravenous biccie monster and nom the lot in one sitting).

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Former_Intern_8271@reddit

Biccie monster

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cari-strat@reddit

We don't have a toilet lock for various reasons but we do have a little slider button on the outside of the door that you can put to green or red to show if it's in use.

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I_am_Relic@reddit

We don't even have one of those council house if that makes a difference). It's also insanely rare that we have anyone visiting our very small flat, so internal locks anywhere seem pretty much redundant.

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inide@reddit

Go to a Premier/Londis, where they have the little plastic packets with screws and curtain hooks and stuff. There will usually be a cheap brass deadbolt for £1

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cari-strat@reddit

We had the main bathroom refitted and needed a particular sort of lock as the wall/door position is unusual, just never got round to it as the kids were small and needed a parent to help back then, and as they grew up we just got used to assuming if the door was tight shut, there was probably someone in there and to check first. We also have a downstairs loo so visitors never use the upstairs bathroom. I bought the slider off Amazon when the oldest kid started bringing her boyfriend round to stop over and he was a little alarmed by the lack of loo security!

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betineri@reddit

I think the having to notify you every time they use the toilet isn’t ideal.

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I_am_Relic@reddit

Oh yes I totally agree that it's not ideal, but needs must if one has to "go" 🤷🏻 Ideal would be a lockable bathroom, or a house with two toilets. We have neither. We are very aware of other people's needs _and_ the limitations of the household facilities for (incredibly rare) guests. Basically we try to accommodate as best as we can.

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Rekyht@reddit

Surely you just have the “doors open, no one is in there system?”

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I_am_Relic@reddit

Our doors have kinda "safety hinges". They are designed so that the doors automatically close somewhat. Probably to slow down fire spread. But it's a very small flat with just the two of us. Therefore the "system" would be one of us calling from one end of the lounge with a casual "you need the loo? (her gaming setup is one end, mine the other). The codeword means that "someone" will disappear for a while (you know what I mean)

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lonelydata@reddit

During the Summer, cans of cold drinks. I don’t trust some peoples hygiene. It’s easy to take and lets us crack on.

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pencilrain99@reddit

A couple of lines

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gorillas_finger@reddit

Only for the scaffolders

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Fantastic-Medicine11@reddit

I am not a tradesman. But I go. "Bog there, dog there, drink there and grub if you want it." The gas guy asked for some bacon, so I did bacon. Most of the time they always talk about the massive ass TV on the wall and rope me into a conversation, which I love that goes off on a tangent.

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ThickTadpole3742@reddit

Just leave them alone to get on with the job and make sure all your stuff is out the way. No "goodies" necessary.

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Commercial-Choice-31@reddit

Honestly , im a Carpenter when I’m doing domestic work a tea/coffee is lovely but I’m more than happy just to be left alone to do my work . Just make sure everything is out the way so there plenty of work room 👍

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Voodoopulse@reddit

In my experience being left alone to get on with their job goes well

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thinginthemouthface@reddit (OP)

Yeah, we’re giving him a key and sodding off till he’s done.

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TheDawiWhisperer@reddit

He's gonna leave a massive turd and not flush and piss all over your floor

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Total_HD@reddit

Bangers and mash in every bog!

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Current_Scarcity_379@reddit

It doesn’t get much better than that. If you’re actually away on holiday and not returning every night is perfect !

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Annual-Owl4313@reddit

That’s the perfect thing to do. Bit of small talk over a cuppa first thing then head out for the day and let him crack on. He won’t be bothered about any goodie’s.

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Dissidant@reddit

Its this, also if they have small children and/or pets to keep them away too

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MassiveHampton@reddit

This everytime, just leave me alone, in fact this goes for pretty much all aspects of my life. And the worst thing you can say is ‘while you’re here’ just as we’re finishing up.

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Munchies-@reddit

‘while you’re here’ is the worst

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Current_Scarcity_379@reddit

This is one of the biggest bugbears. Customers standing looking over your shoulder, especially the ones who “know better “ !

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_poptart@reddit

As the customer, I also appreciate it when the bloke painting my front door or putting in my bathroom doesn’t give me his whole life history while I’m trying to work from home. I ended up knowing more about Mark’s ex-wife and Sean’s Nan than I know about my brother’s

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terahurts@reddit

My dad was a sparkie for a while and that drove him nuts. I do my best not to hover around past 'Can I get you a drink while you're getting your stuff out of the van?' then a quick poke of my head around the door every couple of hours to ask if they want a fresh one.

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Simbooptendo@reddit

My dad is terrible he literally joins in with the work. Dude is 70 and he gets on the roof with them

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Traditional-Roll-102@reddit

Surprised no one has said a nice bacon sarnie when you get in only had that once but it was legendary

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Hopeful_Example2033@reddit

I made a sausage and bacon sandwich for two trades fixing my shower thinking that’s the done thing and they looked so pleasantly surprised! They ended up doing more work than originally planned. Very sweet of them. It’s in my culture to feed guests no matter what type of guest.

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TheDawiWhisperer@reddit

There was a guy on here a few years ago who genuinely got the hump on because a customer wouldn't provide him a cooked breakfast every morning - I'd love to see his perspective on this haha

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Lizzie-P@reddit

Food is expensive!

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LifeMasterpiece6475@reddit

In hot weather a large glass of cold water or squash, especially if there's ice in it.

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Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit

Ice lollies have been very popular with delivery drivers, postie, etc recently. We had some people working on our roof a couple of years during a 35° heatwave. We got through BOXES of lollies and jugs and jugs of squash with ice in it.

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BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit

Quite a few won’t even attempt to try and use the toilet nowadays because they’re aware of what a big drama it is for some customers, so use of the toilet without aggravation along with free use of tea/coffee/juice/water probably just about covers it. Snacks and the likes are a nice touch but, honestly, the free use of the toilet without hangups - so long as they don’t leave it like a shit tip - along with drinks is fine.

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TheDawiWhisperer@reddit

In my experience there is a high chance a tradesman will just piss all over your floor and not clean it up....I'm not surprised some people are funny about it. Now I'd never say no to someone using the toilet and if like them to use it freely but I'd also expect them to be toilet trained. Maybe I'm just unlucky, I dunno

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teeth_grinding_teeth@reddit

I just don’t get it. It’s vile, and they often do it just before they leave. I had one piss all round the seat hinges I couldn’t believe it. I thought the floor was bad

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BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit

I suppose it depends how many tradesmen have let you down with their toilet behaviours to be fair. If you’ve had a string of them pissing all over the shop then you’ve obviously reached a pretty just conclusion 🙌

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CheeryBottom@reddit

Imagine how those customers would feel if their employers denied them use of the company toilets during their work shifts?

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BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit

It’s a combination of a few things really but I do think the bad ones give all tradies a bad name and truthfully some customers just can be a bit snobby - which is ironic considering some tradespeople earn more than them.

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Unusual_residue@reddit

Weirdos hovering around, asking stuff like this on Reddit are not appreciated at all.

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DuckPicMaster@reddit

Misread this as ‘Transpeople’ I was horrendously confused.

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JennyW93@reddit

I’d say the current top comment - just leave them alone to get on with it - would be equally appreciated

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Jamza@reddit

Not tradespeople, but I've had the police round a few times recently (long story, as the victim). They never want tea of coffee, but more than happy to tuck in to my digestives!

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Worldly-Bicycle-7343@reddit

I've been offered/given instant coffee on many jobs, only to hear the posh Nespresso in action when the customer makes their own drink. Cold soft drink or bottle of water is always appreciated. I'm often given water to take for the journey home (normally by Turkish or Pakistani customers) always appreciated. Several Bangladeshi customers try and cook for me too, really not needed though.

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Reesno33@reddit

You not being home is already great. "Here's where you'll be working, the toilets over there, any problems give me a call" ah bliss.

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rev-fr-john@reddit

Honesty and a pint glass. If you don't know exactly what you want, say so, I'd rather waste time discussing that than waste infinitely more time and materials building something you're not totally in love with.

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Tall-Rush1384@reddit

It all depends on the individual. But I would always prefer to be left alone to get on with work, I don’t drink tea or coffee and usually have my own food and drink with me. But sometimes my customers leave me with a selection of biscuits and squash to help myself, this is always appreciated (if they aren’t consumed you can always have them). Apart from refreshments, make sure the work area is completely decluttered and clear. This is probably the most important thing for me apart from being paid.

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