Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Questions

1. A box of checks came to the house yesterday. A box of checks addressed to the previous owner. What do I do with them? And why is he getting checks with his old address sent to his old house a year and a half after he sold it?

2. The window installers are coming next Thursday, provided the stars align. It will be the owner of the company along with one or two helpers. They will be there the entire day. Do I tip them? How much? A percentage of the cost of the labor? Do I buy them lunch?

3. Is Corona beer made with Mexican water? Could drinking it give me Montezuma's revenge? Just wondering.

7 comments:

~~Silk said...

Checks - Call the owner if possible, or the bank. If they ask you to mail them elsewhere, tell them they've been destroyed, then do so. You shouldn't pay postage for someone else's error.

Tips - I just had the new washer and gas dryer delivered and installed, and I had a few dollars in my hand when the guys finished, but they hustled out so fast I couldn't tip them. I suspect they were not allowed to accept tips.

I guess you shouldn't have to tip ordinarily. You're paying for the installation. Also, I hear one does not tip the owner anyway. I'd say tip only if there's some unusual circumstance, like one of your cats startles a guy, or it's raining, and then maybe $5, and say "I'm sorry about the rain. Here, have a doughnut and coffee on me."

Badass Nature Girl said...

Maybe you can take the checks back to the post office, since the previous owner should have put a change of address in through them.

I agree, don't tip. That was like my husband wanting to buy the septic guy a case of beer as thanks. I think the $3,100 check we wrote him yesterday for the job was thanks enough, considering it took weeks for him to finish the job completely. I'm a big believer that you don't tip or offer treats or anything, because you really won't know how well the job is done until you've gone over the windows and used them for awhile. That just gives the added thought that you loved all that they did, even if you find out later that it wasn't all good. That's just me though and I'm sure I'm biased and jaded.

Unknown said...

I think that ordering in a pizza or something would be appreciated. Has the added advantage of keeping them on-site and...well, sober after lunch. (Not so important with window guys. CRITICAL with roofers.)

the queen said...

Any time I offer lunch to a worker, they refuse. They also refuse the bathroom, and that worries me a little.

rockygrace said...

Okay, so the general consensus is, offer 'em food, don't tip 'em.

Queen, the bathroom refusal worries ME a little, too. Although as long as they don't pee on my new windows, I guess I don't care.

Guys, my computer has gone kerflooey this morning - Thinkpoint, anyone? - so I may be gone for a while. I'll be back as soon as I can!

Anonymous said...

Thinkpoint is malware.

Just have the computer guys remove it.

I always feel like I am in an SNL skit when I deal with tech-y people who try to make me feel inferior.

Good luck w your computer.

Heather said...

The checks..What Silk said.

I have never heard of tipping workers. I guess food would be okay.

Can't help ya with the beer! LOL!