Tradesmen etiquette

Yesterday I had two tradesmen here all day installing ducted heating and cooling in our roof. They were here all day and worked really hard and it was only after they left that I thought - should I have offered a cup of tea? Or water? They went out for lunch so I just assumed they would have whatever they wanted then. But perhaps it would have been polite to offer.

And am I meant to show them where the toilet is and say they're welcome to use it? Or is that just a given?

Incidentally when they left they said everything was good to go, but my husband quickly discovered as the truck pulled away that the heater actually isn't working. I can't help wondering if I'd offered them a drink through the day they might have finished the job off properly.

Ummm....yes you should have. Sorry but that's actually pretty bad. They were there all day and not so much as a glass of water?
As for the toilet, if they weren't offered a glass of water they probably didn't feel too comfortable asking to use the loo.

I know you didn't intend it, but you probably made them feel like you felt they were beneath you......

If you had a friend over all day would you show them where the toilet is and offer a drink? Why is this different?

The last few tradesmen I had in our old house always refused my offers of tea/coffee/drinks. They always just had their own water and went back in to their vans or out for lunch.

I'm sure if they were busting they would have asked where the toilet was, or just found it themselves - if they were doing your heating they probably had a good idea about the house's layout.

Don't worry too much, you'll know for next time

I would have offered but like Donuts said quite often they don't accept. Its all in the offer though. I don't think they would have done a bad job to pay you back though.
If they do have to come back and fix anything just apologise and let them know the offer still stands. Don't worry you will remember for all tradesmen to come in the future.
On the flipside I offered our delivery guy of a sofa at the last house a drink of water and I found out in the time it took for him to drink that one glass of water.......he was divorced, she was taking the house and he was planning on travelling around Australia.......there was alot more detail but I won't bore you...ZZzzzzz

Maybe it's not working because the power company needs to change you over to three-phase ? Just a thought.

Gee no water all day, no wonder they didn't need to use the toilet and youll probably find they stuffed up the installation because dehydration had effected their brains! Only kidding, I wouldn't stress about it, I'm sure they would have asked if they wanted anything too badly, I actually do things like that all the time and then after the fact realise I was being rude!

I go too far the other way and have people drinking cups of tea and eating biscuits. I want to make sure they do a good job so I figure a little bribery in the form of a Mint Slice doesn't hurt

I totally understand...I feel the same way whenever tradesmen are at my place (which until now has hardly ever happened)...

I just don't think of things like offering drinks or showing where the toilet is. I really don't mean to make anyone think they're below me or I'm superior. To the contrary, I tend to feel stupid and in the way and like a little girl who has no idea about anything whenever tradesmen or furniture removalists etc are in my home. I feel rude giving directions at all!!!

Also, I feel strange cause I hate beer and don't tend to drink alcohol much or have any at home, and feel lame offering coffee or tea and stuff...some people offer a beer, but...I don't have any. lol

I would HOPE that the tradies didn't not do something correctly just because of your etiquette with them.

Grace_slick - never offer alcohol!! Not until the jobs finished


yes it is common courtesy to offer.



gweluphome, I hate those who feel they need to tell the whole story

Oh my god, I totally didn't think about not offering alcohol till AFTER the job is done! lol

Here’s one for you all……

I went to Sydney a couple of Fridays ago to finish off an email consultation onsite.
2 hours drive up, 1 hour consultation, followed by another a 2 hour drive back.

I didn’t get offered a cold drink, a coffee, or shown to the loo before I left for my drive back!

My client was the loveliest lady…..I truly think she was so excited to finally have me there after 2 months of emailing that she totally forgot to do the etiquette thing!

I went to Goulbourn a month ago for a consult there, 1 ½ hours over 2 hours there and 1 ½ hours back.
The kettle was boiling as I walked into the door, followed by yummy chocolate biscuits, and another coffee before I left.

Maybe that’s the difference between country folk and city people????

Be nice to your tradies ….one day they may need to come back, and their memory is long!!!!

Am I missing something? Or am I really, really old fashioned?
But I honestly can't believe this is even a topic or a question.....

Michelle, thats a long time with no offers for toilet or anything to eat or drink. Especially a drink as I am sure there would have been alot of talking involved.....

I think its just knowing the ettiquet to start with. If you have never really had to deal with tradies through your life and your not one, there is no handbook its more common sense and remembering to offer. I think thats an inbuilt thing with country folk as its always a long drive from anywhere to anything and they all do it. so they know to do it.

I once travelled through the top of Australia to remote Aboriginal communities for an old job. Every time we stopped I ate and drank like a king and that was from people I had never meant before and they didn't know we were coming.

I have always offered tea, coffee and a plate of biscuits, I want to make them feel that I am grateful for their work. Even the pool guys or concretors get asked, the painter, electrician, and showing them the loo is the first thing I do. Must admit though, one guy who was putting in my shutters didn't get offered anything, everytime he opened his mouth he stopped work, and for a bloke, he was a gasbag I was literally walking backward, one step at a time to get away and rang my own phone from my mobile (this was very difficult but very useful) cause I couldn't get away from his yadda yadda yadda!!!

I'm not trying to start an argument, but I'm genuinely interested to understand how people see this. I am truely confused.

I'm struggling to understand why there's "tradesman's ettiquette".
Isn't there simple ettiquette? If someone is in your home at your invitaion, whether it is to provide a service or it is to sit down and have a meal, common courtesy applies surely.

I simply cannot understand the question or the confusion. I'm sorry but we were brought up to believe that everyone was entitled to courtesy and manners no matter what they did for a living..... Am I missing something?

I truly believe it depends on how much time they are there for.

If they are there for an hour……no, I don’t offer them anything, if they are there all day, I do offer them something and show them where the loo is. I know what their likely to do otherwise in my backyard.

Most of the time they say no, but are grateful for the offer.

Ok Jo….maybe the word etiquette was not right….but you understand the principle.

Nah there isn't etiquette for one group of people and not another. I think though, you don't generally have people in your house unless they are either friends or tradespeople, so I guess that is what people mean when they speak of 'tradies etiquette'
I most certainly don't 'look down on tradies', the vast majority of them make a hell of alot more than I do!

What a useful trick, will have to remember this one, could come in handy in all sorts of situations

and we have to put up with not using the loo or getting a drink!!!


only stirring bad joke