Tipping builders - stupidity or benevolence

[peterd]

Hi - the builders working on my dormer conversion have nearly finished and I'm wondering whether or not I should give them a tip (no quips please) when they're done. They don't run/own the company, just work for it.

Any opinions ?

Cheers

Peter

PS I'm not American

[screamin]

I wouldn't neccesarily give them a cash tip, maybe a couple of cases of beer to share between them?

[Guy King]

The message from "peterd" contains these words:

Have they been helpful, friendly, clean, tidy, prompt etc? If I were happy with 'em I'd sling 'em a case of beer or two.

[Huge]

Are you pleased with the work? If so, why not show them by tipping them?

I always do.

[hicks]

I thought about doing this after our extension build. They did a good job, but I paid a fair amount for it too, so I didn't tip. I did offer to provide recommendations for the builder to any future customers though.

[Paul Andrews]

I did this for a guy who came around and dug out the trenches for my garage with a digger. He did a superb job (that I would have taken at least two days - or more - if I'd done what I originally intended to do - just to hire a mini-digger). Turned out he was teetotal (following over-consuption earlier in his life), so I had to drink it myself :-) Meant a trip back to buy him a carton of ciggs...

He did seem to be very surprised by it all though..

Paul

[tony sayer]

In article , Guy King writes

Yeah why not?, come on handy for this weekends shenanigans;)

[John]

The time to tip them is when they're about 3/4 finished. That way you get a REALLY good finish and maybe a few bits left over like the odd box of screws or tube of mastic.

John

[peterd]

Thanks for all the advice - they're due to finish this week so will get a couple of crates of beer in.

Cheers

Peter