az.....that's a great idea! On some days you can bring them ONE beer each at 5pm especially when it's hot.

We had the excavators out during our polar vortex this winter (just to do some prep work for a day. But the weather nwas rotten cold and the wind was just whipping. So my husband stopped by with coffee in the morning, then came back with chili at lunch.

We will probably drop by regularly with weather appropriate beverages and food. I'm also pretty sure my husband is planning a pannenbier. (A Dutch tradition where the workers hang a regional flag from the rafters when the last bit of framing is done. It stays that way until the building owners bring food and beer)

Good stuff above.

Make working for you a priority by:

1. Keeping their workplace cleaned and organized.
2. Keeping the job on schedule & changes minimal.
3. Keeping them paid promptly.
4. Knowing each by name.
5. Being the first one on site when possible & be there often.

Just be careful to not undermine the authority of the GC; its important that he maintain control of the job site. An owner should communicate with the GC rather than the subs other than to say hello, unless the GC is present and OK with it. I would also advise an owner to not serve alcohol to a group of workers in any setting. Maintaining professional relationships can be as important as making friends.

I was once asked to take over a job where the original architect had suddenly quit. I called him to ask some questions and the line when dead. After interviewing the female owner and the male GC I discovered they both thought the other was being too familiar to the point of flirting. I told them to only communicate through me and there were no more difficulties.

Having workers in your home is a very personal experience so its natural to want to be friendly but its also important to set some boundaries.

I've never had workers who didn't bring their own water. If they had not, I would have been glad to put out a big cooler. They all went out for lunch and bought fast food. Whatever happened to workmen's lunch boxes? I guess those went away when their wives started working outside the home and told them to make their own!

In the past, I have allowed them to use the toilet in our basement (accessible through the basement garage) but I wouldn't do that again. Tools from my late husband's tool bench sure did vanish - even a power tool. I'd tell the GC to get a porta potty.

I kept thermoses of coffee full when we had some cold snaps during framing (You know, Texas cold snaps- it was 35-40F, lol). I washed a few hoodies that were left over a weekend and got rained on. I had a bag of fresh picked oranges available as they were framing during picking season. I also let them know to help themselves to all the pecans they could eat. The workers were kind to my kids, speaking spanish slowly with them (my kids are learning), kept neat piles of debris, and made a few small changes with smiles. When our last few guys left, I gave them bottles of our honey as a thank you for going above and beyond and being so trustworthy. We had the best framing crew.

Holly what a fun tradition. Like the party after a barn raising.

Robin, my mom bought us a couch (for a different home) and when they could deliver it the same day she was so excited she wanted to buy them a 6 pack. But being in Utah I didn't know how that'd go over so they got Coke instead.

Cyndy that's great!

I bought some plastic outdoor chairs when they were on sale, and brought them to our home site. I didn't even realize how appreciated they would be by the workers, so they had a comfortable place to sit while they ate lunch, etc. The GC told me later how much they liked those.

Never serve an alcoholic beverage to a contractor or his help. The liability is enormous. That doesn't mean that you couldn't provide a cooler filled with soft drinks and cold water. Once they finish, I follow up with passing a trash bag. They get the hint. Especially if I am holding a broom or a rake in my hand.

Workmen will use your toilets. Don't ever open a drywall bucket. Many times, there is a "present" in it. Leaving an open drywall bucket filled with water will allow them to flush. I would rather they do this than being surprised by a fermented present.

I make it a practice to advise workmen as to which bath they are welcome to use. When I renovate or do a custom build, I provide soap, water, toilet paper, paper towels and a trash can in one bathroom. You can place a sign that says to use this toilet. Then, put a piece of tape over the other toilets, sinks and shower drains.

I have also pitched a fit on multiple occasions to my GC, away from his subs, about the condition of the job site. I am of the school that at clean job site is an efficient and safe job site. I want people to take pride in their work.

If I have a tree or a septic field that I want to keep trucks or tractors away from, I'm proactive and erect silt fencing around that area. I make it clear to the GC that I will stop by randomly and there will be hell to pay if I see a truck or equipment parked beyond the fencing. Contractors are encouraged to eat under the shade of the tree. I bring some chairs, that I use, too. One home had a large stocked lake. I invited subs to bring their kids back with fishing poles. Some of them took me up on it.

When i was a little girl every person doing work in our home(apartment) would have a proper dinner at our table. whatever we had that day

if tradespeople/handyman spends several hour in our place now-yes there'd be pizza or whatever they'd like for lunch, Coke or beer and of course there's plenty of water and I'd offer it right away.

when we had our two year gut remodel-that all was harder to do..you've house gutted to studs, no electricity, no water for the most part..you do have blue port-a potty which everybody uses including yourself(was the cleanest spot of them all. btw)..subs appear and then dissappear for several weeks..different teams sometimes changed in the middle..your builder is not too crazy of you chatting with them too much unless you decide the layout of tiles or something..he prefers communication to go though him..

so, if we did see someone for a longer time and/or had more communication with them, and it was more or less closer to the end -with water stored and beer and Cokes, then yes we'd ask what lunch they want and all. (they'd mostly refuse. Maybe the builder told them to)

I was sick as a dog half of the time ..as I was in charge of design of the damn house..every time we went to look at yet another materials(it was cost plus contract..finishes on us. Gives freedom..eats tons of time), I had to be put carefully in some cafe, during another long day like that, and fed and watered, like a dying bird.

(I don't go nowhere alone anymore, would always go with my husband everywhere)

We're in So Cal too..poor workers would spend sometimes two hours each way just getting to our place, traffic and all..then two hours getting out of it..my heart went out to them.

It was quite an experience for everybody. I think.

yes I cleaned "the site" sometimes-actually it was under their job description, but whatever. Depended on a team. Some would be very nice, and some would drop empty beer bottles wherever. Of course I'd pick it all up. I'm a type who cleans public restrooms..)) I feel compelled to clean. Not everything, but some things are highly irritatating to me. I won't wait for it to be done.

And yes we were very often first in this house in the morning, and last in the evening.

So to summarize this illegible post: yes I think it's normal to think how to accommodate any person who's in your place/place to become yours, you know? Worker or not.

Then under some circumstances you'll do better job than under others.

During our build we had the requisite porta potty and no toilets till thisclose to the end so no issues with that.

DH was always the first in, last out and brought a huge (5 gallon?) thermos with ice, water and cups every day. I would text before heading there daily and ask whichever crew(s) were there if they wanted me to make a coffee run. Once or twice/week I'd either bake cookies or go to Dunkin Donuts and bring them for whoever was there at that time. I was the Broom Queen, the Trash Collector and the Nail/Staple Magnetizer and seeing me cleaning up after them made the guys think twice (maybe?) before just tossing things on the ground. A custom build is a collaborative effort and just like with family, after spending a lot of time together you can start to get on each other's nerves so little things like cookies can go a long way towards knocking the sharp edges off a tough day.

Sure had porta potty, brought cases of drinking water and often coffee and subway sandwiches or pizzas Etc. but I gave them something they all cherished and were grateful for. Except the painters whose work was beyond reproach, I taught even the most experienced subs, something or techniques to help do their jobs better, at times easier, while maintaining the highest standards. They were all so grateful for my coaching and thanked me, even though it took a few guys a while to realize what I was showing them was not necessarily interference and criticism of their work but to make them even better at what they did.

Personally, I bought lunch every Friday for the workers on my house renovation.

Professionally every time I show up on a job site, the workers ask if I brought the doughnuts.

Whatever happened to workmen's lunch boxes? I guess those went away when their wives started working outside the home and told them to make their own!

My Husband is a Trades Carpenter. He doesn't pack a lunch because he doesn't have anywhere to warm something up, and he doesn't want to eat a bologna sandwich. Doesn't have anything to do with being too lazy to pack a lunch.