Topping-out ceremony: Gifts for the craftsmen?

Drinks of course as well, I forgot to mention. Small bottles are best.

Drinks would still be obvious.. I was just unsure about food.

Drinks would of course be a given.. I was just unsure about food.

Cake is also gladly welcomed by the craftsman

Having spent many years on construction sites myself, I appreciated it when the clients provided drinks and occasionally brought a snack. Tips are nice, but it was always even better when the client came by with homemade cake and a pot of coffee. It simply motivates a tradesperson when they see that the clients appreciate the work being done on the construction site. Back then, we also preferred being provided for during work rather than having topping-out ceremonies, because spending the evening with family was already a priority.

Neighbors carried things for the craftsmen every day and still didn’t receive the smallest favors. They even took time off or strained themselves during lunch breaks for it. We practically never saw the craftsmen and only bought them drinks 2-3 times. And actually only because it was practically “unavoidable” at the end of the construction period when we worked alongside them ourselves. When we ate sandwiches with cold drinks on Saturday afternoons, we invited the tiler (self-employed) as well. Ice cream in the height of summer was also well received, as were cold drinks. Alcohol is of course out of the question, those times are over. In winter, hot coffee is appreciated.

Do you actually have to hold a Richtfest?