Do you or don't you

**Cherie** · 29-04-2012 08:52 PM

Most definately yes. I always do it. I did have one tradesperson say yes to a coffee and yakked on for about 30 mnutes while he drank it, but not all are like that. He was on a standard rate of pay and it cost me no more except I had to listen to his drivel..

My yougest brother has his own business, and he told me if he is offered a cup of coffee/tea etc. he always gives the client a discount..If there is food he gives a better discount.
His business is quite successful.

**Naomi** · 29-04-2012 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Stormy

Only when it is on a fixed price quote. One time I offered a tradie a cold beverage after he was up in the roof on a really hot day. He spent the next half hour drinking it and having a chat. Then when I got the account in the mail, I got billed for the entire time he was here rather than just the time taken to do the job.

The second to last time we moved, the delivery truck guys sat in our driveway until it ticked over the hour so they could charge us a whole day instead of half a day.

**Mad Old Cow** · 29-04-2012 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Naomi

The second to last time we moved, the delivery truck guys sat in our driveway until it ticked over the hour so they could charge us a whole day instead of half a day.

I hope they never got a cuppa Naomi

that stinks

**Naomi** · 29-04-2012 09:02 PM

No they didn't. They were completely hopeless. We'd itemised what we needed moved when we booked (which wasn't a huge amount as we'd done a lot of it prior to the day, and we were only in a small unit anyway, no kids at that point), but when they arrived they "re-estimated" it to be a "large" job so said they were charging more, and then the "extra time" on top ... we rang and complained to the company who apparently contracted these guys and the company told us not to pay the extra, and that they wouldn't be using these people again. (We actually rang the company while the guys were sitting in the truck in the driveway, to complain

).

**Di Nana** · 29-04-2012 09:04 PM

When we had the farm it was normal to feed any worker that came out to our place, shearers three times a day,

I always take my own smoko some of the places I work don't have power, but I have noticed the ones I least expect to be offered a cuppa do like the big man with no hair and Tatts. but I worked at an old bags hut the other day 5 hrs, the old bag kept coming out with her bloody cuppa in her hand to see how it was looking yapped to us about her self and got in our way,
everyone is entitled to 10minute smoko break if you don't want them to yap for half an hour and bill you don't sit with them just bring them there drink and carry on,If I do get a drink on the job I thank them take it back to the site and carry on working while I drink it, my boss doesn't do hot drinks or lunch so we never have a break unless I throw a tantrum and my hammer at him

**old woman** · 29-04-2012 09:45 PM

Always offer a drink. Have never heard of meals beeen offered.

When the plumber was here the other day,he had a couple of drinks that KP made him then made his own in the afternoon cos we were all at work

**crashtestwoman** · 30-04-2012 07:09 AM

Always offer a drink. Once I even offered a cold drink on a very hot day to some telstra workers in my street (it was well into the 30s') and man were they appreciative.

**redrobyn** · 30-04-2012 09:56 AM

When we had our carport built it was built by a friend of ours his son has a building business he's a cabinetmaker but he works for his son,hubby helped him he didn't charge by the hour or day just a flat price I gave him cuppa's and meals it's handy knowing tradies.

**Sparkles** · 30-04-2012 10:51 AM

ohh yes very handy to know good tradesman...

**Naomi** · 30-04-2012 10:55 AM

'Our' electrician, I so wasn't going to use him because his ad was just a tiny black and white slip he'd put in the letter box but the people I booked (big company, big yellow pages ad!) didn't show up so I called him and he was BRILLIANT. He was quicker than quoted and charged less than he'd estimated. We've used him several times since, and recommended him to heaps of people. He actually 'knew' our house because he'd grown up in the area and one of his friends lived in our house years ago. That was kind of weird initially but he is a really friendly (not weird friendly) and efficient electrician so I always offer him a coffee (he actually put in the 15V outlet for our plumbed in machine

He deserves coffee!).