When it comes to tipping a waiter at a restaurant, most people will have no problem tipping 20%. But when it comes to movers, that's a different story and you may be hesistant.
When you think about it, your moving crew has to perform much more laborous tasks than your average professional in the service industry. And this is why you decided to hire movers in the first place!
Professional movers handle the careful packing of your items, have to take a full inventory of everything, navigate tight spaces and stairwells, blanket and pad wrap furniture as to not damage anything and deal with traffic, weather and driving long hours.
Tipping your movers for all their hard work, while not totally necessary, is a way to show appreciation for a job well done.
One question we are frequently asked is: How much do I tip my movers? This guide will give you a better idea of the industry standard.
So how do you determine how much of a tip to give your movers?
Every move (and every location) is different so unfortuantely there's no formula to calculate you exact tip amount. Although, there are some good starting points so you can figure out how much to tip movers that did a great job.
How Much to Tip Movers:
Most moving experts suggest a range of $10-20 per mover for a standard, one-day move. For moves that take longer than eight hours, $30-40 is considered appropriate. Long distance movers (if they do a great job, that is) might earn up to $50 per person.
Take note that this is based on the length of time it takes and how efficient and hard the crew worked. Most industry experts agree that you shouldn't tip based off the total moving cost because some of the cost goes to fuel, lodging and mileage.
Tipping your movers a percentage of the total amount could become very costly. Instead, you should tip the movers based on their performance, professionalism and job completed.
Once you have an amount to start from, here are some other factors to consider:
- Time – How long did the move take from start to finish? Long-distance moves take place over a few days should warrant a higher tip than a short distance one day move.
- Performance – Was the quality of the work satifactory? Movers that show up on time and act professional and curteous should be tipped more than one that's slacking off.
- Conditions – Did the movers have to navigate multiple flights of stairs? Was it excessively hot or unseasonably cold? Was it raining?
- Attitude – Did they act respectfully, with manners and seem generally happy to be doing their job?
- Extras – Did the crew go the extra mile? Did they help you in any way they weren’t contractually obligated to?
Wait until the end of the day to hand out the tips to make sure you have accessed the overall situation.
You should try to tip the movers individually rather than including the tip on your final bill. This way you show your appreciation to each individual mover for all the hard work they have done.
Is It Okay Not to Tip Movers?
Tipping movers is completely optional and not required. Tipping is a way to show your gratitude for a job well done.
However there are some situations that may make you reconsider tipping.
If your movers:
- Arrived unreasonably late without explanation.
- They were rude or had a bad attitude.
- Items were damaged while loading due to an avoidable occurance.
Remember, you are never obligated or expected to tip professional movers. Tipping movers is meant to show appreciation for a great job. You should never tip movers that failed to perform their jobs well.
If you feel that any members of your moving crew are behaving rudely or inappropriately, bring it up to the main office as soon as possible so they can address it.
There are ways to show your appreciation without a cash tip:
Meals – Serving meals during the move is a good way to say "we appreciate you" to the moving crew and is the best way to keep things moving along. Otherwise they may need to stop working to leave and get something to eat. If you are unsure of what to order you should ask the movers if they have a preference. It's possible that they've had pizza multiple times in the past week.
Drinks – Regardless of job performance, providing cold drinks on a hot day is just common courtesy. You can set out a cooler with bottled water and sports drinks. Maybe offer warmer drinks like tea or coffee on cold days. Just do not offer any beer or alcohol! This could cause your move to go sideways, lead to unnecessary damages and it's totally unprofessional.
Snacks – More than likely your move will be an all day event, so having some snacks on hand is not a bad idea. Make sure that the crew knows that they are welcome to the snacks, drinks and meals that you have provided.
Saying a genuine "thank you" is always enough to make someone feel appreciated.
A good review – After you have shown your apprecaition to the crew, you could write them (and Express Moving Consultants!) an online review. Most moving companies rely on a good online prescence because that's where most of their business comes from - it's always nice to see a customer had a good experience and is willing to go the extra mile to write a review!