If there is anyone else buying / building in a community with a larger builder, what I did a few months ago was gave our main sales lady a nice desktop business card holder. While it wasn't much, she did appreciate it as it looks a lot more professional sitting on her desk then the plastic $1 one she had. For the subs who had employees, we gave cash bonuses to the actual workers and a promise of referral to the contractors they worked for, (subs). For the subs who worked solo, we gave cash and a promise of referrals. We gave the engineer a gift certificate for him and his family to a nice in town resturant w/ promise of referall as well. I love this idea, and it's what I'm planning to do kind of when we're done with our house. Since it isn't custom, but in a community, I am going to go online and find every site that I can give feedback to, then print it out and give it to the sales lady to bring to their weekly meeting. owl_at_home I haven't exactly decided what to give the two builders. I WAS thinking we would finish around Christmas and I would give them each a combo "Christmas/thanks for finishing the house" gift basket. I was thinking about maybe a ham, some homemade baked goods, and some type of alcohol. I don't think they're wine guys, so I was thinking a nice bottle of whiskey or a case of one of the nicer beers. Make sure this is something they will use. My neighbor gets a lot of these and has so many that he ends up giving them away to neighbors. You also may want to make sure they drink. When my dad was in the gas station business he used to get a lot of booze but never drank a drop. He usually ended up regifting or chucking it. I love the home-made cookies, it's what I usually give as well. There aren't many people that don't appreciate those. lol My MIL always sends us a fruit basket or food related item. Yesterday my SIL called to ask exactly which one she should tell the MIL to order. We told her not to, since the fruit is always too ripe, and none of us being fruit people, it gets thrown out. If she needs to send us something, I would rather have a book of stamps, and don't doubt that some builders would also appreciate stamps as they are something that would get used. ilmbg This is just my $.02 worth. Don't be offended- you asked. One way to look at it, is that you paid these guys dearly, I'm sure. Do we really need to give a gift? Isn't what you paid them for- to do a good job? Is this how we have created a generation of spoiled, lazy people- to pay extra to do a job that should be done properly in the first place? I agree some what. If they come in on time / under budget, then I would give something. My son remembers every person that tips him, even if it's a few dollars. He gives them his card with his tech / cell number on it, and if there is a problem he will make sure that he takes care of it asap. I don't doubt that it's the same with builders.. if a problem happens in a new home, they're more likely to take care of it asap if you give them a little something. sierraeast I wish i could have done more and while true they all make a good wage, their employers dont buy their gas, provide benefits, or pay for their tools when they need replacing as well as items such as blades, bits, etc I don't doubt that a gift card to Home Depot, Sears or Lowes would be very appreciated, no matter what the amount. As you say, bits break, some aren't cheap. My son must have 20 receipts from buying bits from this year alone. kaydles - I just wanted to throw in what I'm planning to give my builder at the end of our build. We all have pictures of our build process, right? At the end, I'm putting together a hardbound scrapbook of it for him. It's definitely not your typical cut out and paste type book... There are a couple of companies online that have templates and you can just upload your pictures and type in whatever captions. It's really very simple. The company then prints the book and hardbounds it so it looks like a nice "coffee table" book. Thanks for the link! I might order one for ourselves. For a builder of a custom home I think it's a great idea; and if you could add some sort of letter of referral on how happy you were and the reasons why, I don't doubt he will use the book often. Nothing says thanks like a nice new Carhartt! Great idea. You're right! If you can't afford one, I know that our Sears stocks them, and JC Penney sells them online. I'm unsure if Carhartt sells gift certificates, but giving one from either there or one of the other 2 stores that sells them, I'm sure would be appreciated. Even if they got a $25 gift card in an envelope with a picture of something made by Carhartt, they'd get the idea of why you gave the gift certificate you did. BTW, JC Penney sells flannel lined work pants & jeans. Cheapest jeans are $25, with the work pants being $30 So far, every person I've bought them for loves them, my hubby especially. I even have some for myself. Those of you using relatives, it would be easy to buy pants for them. I just did a search and didn't see any discussions about this, but should we be thinking about giving gifts to the main players in our build? Especially since I am acting as the GC. Just a small thank you to the main builder, his crew, the electricians, plumbers/HVAC guys? I am thinking of ball caps with the logo from my husband's company on them or they have canvas strap watches with the logo that aren't that expensive. Or should I be thinking of something bigger than that? I have no idea if this is appropriate or not. Is it too cheap and should I be writing bonus checks to some of them for coming in under budget and on time? My son installs DirecTV. I can't tell you how many gifts he gets like this that he brings home & never uses them. It's possible that once the job is finished they won't ever use them again. I look at them thinking that the money that was spent on them could have been used on drill bits I also can understand the point that they are paid a good wage for work done. That is why I am leaning towards something small, like ball caps. I can get them for under $5 a piece, but it still adds up when I consider all I want to buy for. If it was me, I would set it up with the main builder that either everyone would go to the local pizza place for lunch one afternoon, or the pies could be delivered; I'd also have a party perk for coffee. Nothing says thank you like a free meal, and if the main builder works with you, the guys that normally would brown bag it, would be told not to bring lunch. Both my son & step son buy food / coffee out when they don't feel like bagging it, they both spend a "good" $10 a day. It adds up. Not having to pay for food / coffee one day is a nice treat. If there were people that left the job due to being finished, they could come back for pizza.

I like the book of poetry idea, is there an author local to you? Even if she doesn't read English, a beautiful, (illustrated?) slim volume can be treasured. Or, is there a local artist or artisan? I got my brother a handsome artisanal quilt for house/cat sitting while we were in North Carolina for a few months. To your other comment, when I was in Normandy 40 years ago, there was so much appreciation and affection for Americans. It was really eye-opening for me as a teen. My DFIL fought in the liberation, in Holland, and went back every 5-10years for observances that included luncheons, dinners, parades, laying-of-wreaths, staying with residents in their homes, and young parents bringing their children on their shoulders out to the events with "thank you" signs. His was not an American unit, I don't know who he fought under (he was Polish and escaped POW camp to get to England) but the sentiment was for all the liberators. I have always found the French to be so kind.

I am so glad, Sue, I know everyone will enjoy it! Funny you mention the cost. When I first embarked on this, I was thinking it will be a big impact present where the gift is our time not the cost. Yikes, even with the 50% off, each book was $200 OMG. I didn't really expect that, but after all the work putting it together, I wasn't going to go back and trim. I may regret making them so large, 11x14, but I know i usually like photos to be bigger. I also fell for that very pricey for that "lay flat" upgrade that allow you to do those "centerfold" shots. Heck, i actually fell for every type of upgrade they offered, including a storage box. And then I have the engraved USBs and those boxes. But oh they will be so pretty. I actually went with this one because I liked the idea of putting a photo with it. They also have them in navy, grey, and Tiffany blue. I was upset that I had to switch my product to Shutterfly, but I have to give them a big shout out. They have added so many features to their books, and so many options for designing them. Plus, they still had my photos on there from 2005, though I had not done business w them in years. In some cases, they were photos i did not find anywhere else in my files. Whew. One of the best parts of making the book was doing the captions, and adding in things like scans of their footprints, their baby announcements, etc. I also commissioned DH to write a letter to each of them talking about the day they were born and their first few years. He did a wonderful job, brought tears to my eyes and made me laugh, too. We finished yesterday. Finally. Annie - love that tree! we do have a few photo ornaments, but a whole tree! Fab Running - Even from book 1 to book 3 i got better at it and fancier. There are soooooo many options and embellishments and features. And if you have the right dates on your photos, the autofill feature is a great start. Enjoy!

They sound like wonderful neighbors! They must think you are one, too. Of course, if your property looks nice, it improves their view, so they do get some benefit. Not that that’s why they are doing it, of course. TBH, I wouldn’t pay money. But, sometimes when you go out to the cottage, bring them something from, say, a special market (some cool produce, fresh-from-the-field corn), a spice or herb. My friend gave me a starter ”kit” of homemade vanilla, complete with little funnel for pouring the brewed vanilla into a new bottle, labels with space for dates, etc, and an extra pod for making more (she correctly assumed we had vodka!) Or bring a container plant, or yard ornament. Hot cocoa. Fresh bread. My aunt somehow started taking her neighbors’ housekeeper to the train every afternoon, and the housekeeper would bring her a wreath, or flowers, or treats for the grandchildren. If you want to do a gift card, is there a restaurant in your cottage country? A movie or live theater, or some event that they might like tickets or gift card for? On our old block, people were supposed to clear the sidewalks in front of their own houses. When we cleared ours, it was very little trouble to continue shoveling across the neighbors’ sidewalk, too. (My aunt doesn’t understand why the young man next door stops shoveling at his property line between their driveways, instead of continuing the SIX FEET to her driveway, especially considering that she is 87.) In another neighborhood years ago, Mr Cline had the first snowblower in the neighborhood. After he did his driveway and sidewalk, he just kept on going and did the sidewalk for the entire block. He was great! All this to say, they offered, let them be nice, and show your appreciation in a neighborly, not business, way.