Hey by owner builds, do you leave an icechest out for your contractors?

[ddoggphx]

If you do, curious about what you put in there.

I do. Water, sodas, some power aid and a six pack of beer.

We also have a box of chips and such on a table.

Others?

 

[darkrider]

I'm a firm believer in taking care of the crews doing any kind of significant work at your house. It's a small price to pay to keep them motivated and hopefully giving you their best service. No beer in my daily supplies. However, I always have water and soda with chips, pretzels and cookies for snacks. I did let them know that they will also get invited back to a crew day party for them to swim and enjoy what they built. That will certainly have beer!

 

[ddoggphx]

I did let them know that they will also get invited back to a crew day party for them to swim and enjoy what they built. That will certainly have beer!

I love that idea!!

 

[ddoggphx]

They don't usually grab a beer, sometimes at the end of the day or I tell them to take a couple home. I think the fact they are there regardless is a positive engament.

Yeah, I'm in marketing...

 

[thetekgeek]

I was not an owner build. But, we had the same crew every single day. They typically brought their own cooler full of drinks and snacks. Our build took about 3-4 weeks and the crew would drive home each Saturday evening (120 miles). Since I wasn't able to do much for them during the week, each Saturday I would fire up my Big Green Egg and prepare them a feast to eat before heading home after a long week of work. The first Saturday I made them ribs. T-Bone steaks the second and a packer brisket on the last one. All leftovers went home with them to eat the next day or to give to their families. I loved the chance to thank them for their hard work. It also gave us a chance to really get to know the guys that were breaking their backs to give us the pool we had wanted for so long. That was a few years ago, but every now and then when I talk to my builder he still talks about the brisket.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

I encourage all my customers to provide hydration for the crews and a port-a potty. Depending of what time of year it is I’ll supply the hydration if the customer does not. I am always the first one on the job during excavation, Shotcrete and plaster so I also show up with a few dozen donuts for the crews. For me it’s just the right thing to do.

 

[Newdude]

I can tell Y'all that i work at customers houses. I do my work to my standards regardless of the customer, even the nasty ones. But the kind and just generally enjoyable customers will likely get workmanship that belongs in a brochure of some kind.

I'd probably refuse the drinks always carrying many of my own, but the gesture would still get you a few notches up the 'how far above and beyond am i going today' list.

 

[darkrider]

I encourage all my customers to provide hydration for the crews and a port-a potty. Depending of what time of year it is I’ll supply the hydration if the customer does not. I am always the first one on the job during excavation, Shotcrete and plaster so I also show up with a few dozen donuts for the crews. For me it’s just the right thing to do.

I'm not sure if it's a code requirement here, but our PB requires a port-a-potty for all of their jobs, and I agree that it should be mandatory. It's inevitable that crews will be on site long enough to have to use a bathroom. Unless you're willing to open up your house and let them use one of the interior bathrooms, it's really the only humane thing to do. Otherwise, don't complain when they are going behind your shrubs!

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

I only work with Owner Builders so it’s completely up to the homeowners. Most do rent them and supply hydration for the crews. For the ones that don’t then I will supply the ice chest and waters, you are absolutely right about crews using their imagination for the other.

 

[Nikilyn]

We didn’t. We would take them a Gatorade sometimes.

 

[PaAmanda]

We aren't OB, but we'd put out a cooler with water, Gatorade, and Vitamin Water. We also had a bin of various chips, cookies, and crackers. On the days the crews were on site all day, we'd order pizza for lunch.

 

[Foxer]

I'm just at the start of my build, but I left out a cooler with coke/monsters/water for the excavation crew, and plan on it for the rest of the workers.

 

[Wolfepack88]

If you do, curious about what you put in there.

I do. Water, sodas, some power aid and a six pack of beer.

We also have a box of chips and such on a table.

Others?

100%. We put gatorades in there every day in the summer during our build. Made burgers one time and my wife would buy donuts and cookies, etc. Ironically the builder said on the side "the food maybe is a bit much as we want our guys working". I did hang out with them for lunch one day as its my nature to get to know people. But no complaints about the gatorades. The guys working said surprisingly some people never even come out, which is nuts to me. A huge investment and happy workers hopefully are diligent workers. Not always the case but hopefully no downside to doing it. I actually gave the plumbing guys two bottles of wine that I received when I retired last summer and don't drink wine anymore and they really appreciated it.

 

[jark87]

We’re near the end of an outdoor kitchen demo/rebuild. I’ve tipped different crews in cash and also gave the demo crew my offset smoker. It weighed over 500 lbs and I thought I was going to have to pay someone to haul it off - win/win!

My project is small, so the crews are small - no more than 3 people - so tipping each person was easy. I think word got out, as the granite installer knocked on the back door to let me know he was finished and kind of hung around. His work was fine, but he left a bit of a mess, with grout splatters all over the patio. He didn’t get a tip.

 

[Wolfepack88]

We’re near the end of an outdoor kitchen demo/rebuild. I’ve tipped different crews in cash and also gave the demo crew my offset smoker. It weighed over 500 lbs and I thought I was going to have to pay someone to haul it off - win/win!

My project is small, so the crews are small - no more than 3 people - so tipping each person was easy. I think word got out, as the granite installer knocked on the back door to let me know he was finished and kind of hung around. His work was fine, but he left a bit of a mess, with grout splatters all over the patio. He didn’t get a tip.

Agree 100%, tipping is for good service not just mediocre. More than a few times I've tipped an appliance repairman, plumber or electrician and then had to have them back out because it wasn't done right and then the 2nd crew is looking for a tip. I told the one guy, go ask for the money from the first guy who obviously didn't do the job right the first time. Attention to detail in todays world has gone to Crud.

 

[Newdude]

tipping is for good service not just mediocre

The biggest problem is nobody knows they are getting a tip before its too late. And most people don't tip service people anymore, so none of us have a clue its coming.

If you want to get their attention, then pre tip. Even if they arent the best, you'll get better than you would have.

 

[jark87]

The biggest problem is nobody knows they are getting a tip before its too late.

Agreed, but are tips for skilled labor now considered the norm? I always tip waiters because they are paid less than minimum wage. But a stone mason? And I wouldn’t even think about tipping an electrician at today’s rates.

Funny thing about my tip to my stone masons. They worked nonstop and for the most part, did a great job. However, they finished late on a Friday and I discovered on Saturday that they mounted a cabinet on a piece of packing styrofoam instead of a finished stone/cement base. It was the last piece they installed and I’m sure they got in a hurry. Needless to say, they’re coming back to fix that.

 

[Newdude]

But a stone mason? And I wouldn’t even think about tipping an electrician at today’s rates.

It depends who it is. If it's just a worker of the electrician, he isn't getting the $175 an hour you are being charged. The same goes for most 'worker people'.

 

[Newdude]

but are tips for skilled labor now considered the norm?

If anything i think they are non-existent. I'm skilled labor and used to be tipped 40% of the time. Now it's 6-7 weeks between occurances. Usually I'm so surprised I turn it down cuz what is $10 really going to do ? Lol.

 

[jark87]

cuz what is $10 really going to do ?

Exactly! That’s why I used discretion with my tips, as they were generous. I figured the crew was making decent money and I didn’t want to create an awkward situation with a tip that was meaningless.