ᐅ Small Gifts for the Construction Team at the Topping-Out Ceremony

Chocolate tools? You can buy them in some stores or order them online.

Every craftsman who was present received 20 euros in an envelope. This is the usual practice. Around 10 were present with us, plus the boss later on, but the boss did not receive anything. They all stayed until almost the very end and could barely speak afterwards...

We have now decided on a personalized carpenter’s pencil (with a name engraved) and there will be a small gift included, either a pack of 10 or something sweet. We’ll see.

Thanks for the input! I wasn’t aware that this is obviously so unusual.

I would ask yourself: to what extent will the potential recipients still be involved in the house construction in the future? If these people will still have a lot to do on site, you shouldn’t hesitate now—an appropriate gesture could significantly boost their commitment and the quality of their work in detail.

People you probably won’t see on your construction site again… sure, they will appreciate a gift, but the benefit for you is basically zero.

Please don’t judge me harshly for this pragmatic approach. That’s why I think it’s better to give something to the "right" people with a handshake during the construction process, rather than waiting until it’s almost finished.

Climbee schrieb:
We decided on a personalized carpenter’s pencil (engraved with a name) and a small gift, either a 10-unit note or something sweet. We’ll see.

Thanks for thinking along! I wasn’t aware that this was apparently so unusual.

That’s a nice idea, the personalized carpenter’s pencil.
However, I think the happiness of the recipients might be less than your own joy in giving.
Therefore, I would skip the sweet treat and prefer the 10-unit note.

Don’t get me wrong: I also like little gifts like this, just as I appreciate homemade baked goods (especially if they come from someone I know), as long as they don’t arrive in crumbs. But often, these feel like bazaar-quality items, and you wonder in what kitchen they were made.

Giveaways are also often items that just sit around before eventually being thrown away.
About the carpenter’s pencil: I imagine receiving a personalized version of a common work tool while working in the field... For example, I always have those Ikea pencils: used once, they get dirty, end up at the bottom of a bag or fall in the dirt... If someone engraved my name on one, it would be like casting pearls before swine.

If it’s a construction team and the topping-out ceremony (or building completion event) is not already enough of a celebration, I would give each person a cash note plus, depending on the season, a chocolate Santa. The latter can at least be eaten by their children if necessary.

I don’t really understand the point either. People do the work they are paid for, probably without cutting corners. So why give anything extra? When I deliver a project, no one gives me a gift, and if the client handed me a ten-dollar bill on top of that, I would actually feel a bit mocked...