<p>How much? Does it depend on the weather? Does the driver or chief mover or the one who seems to have carried the heaviest stuff get more? </p>
<p>Please advise!</p>
<p>We moved recently in Manhattan. The mover told us how much to tip. It was 20-25%. He included it in his total estimate, which was still lower than what I got from other movers. We were very happy with their service, so I didn’t have any issue with it. I gave the tip to the head guy and I left it up to him to give it out.</p>
<p>Wait a minute, 20-25%? So if you spend 10k to move across the country, you’re supposed to pass over 2K+ to the movers? I sure wouldn’t do that! Though I suspect you’re talking about a local move, much cheaper.</p>
<p>As far as giving out a tip to the head guy, I’d be careful about that. We gave a tip to the head installer of a hot tub we got delivered. It was a very complicated job, and we gave him $120. He slipped it into his pocket and said in front of the other guy, “Thanks, that will buy us some coffee.” Uh…my husband laughed and said, “Yeah, quite a bit of coffee.” Weren’t sure why he said that, as it was a very generous tip, except we figured that either he didn’t really look or wanted the other worker to think it was much less. Another time, a furniture delivery guy asked me to please give the tips out individually, as otherwise the lead guy would not share the tips. So now I’m really careful to give each person a separate tip, or do it in front of everybody.</p>
<p>I think that expectation is higher in the city (like so many other things). I moved last week and went to this website–
<a href=“How Much Should You Tip Movers? - Moving.com”>http://www.moving.com/tips/much-tip-movers-explaining-tipping-etiquette-moving/</a>
which recommends 5%. I always figure that’s the minimum and if you think the service is good you should tip more. I also tipped the piano movers more because I feel like they are specialists.</p>
<p>My move was around 5K, but we had a lot of furniture and a baby grand. The move was local. Few years ago when I moved from overseas, I tipped the local guys in NYC $10/hr/person. My company paid for the actual move, so I tipped. They also did a lot of extra things for me.</p>
<p>I never understood tipping movers. Not trying to be cheap here, I tip in those cases where there is either a genuine need (like servers, who are otherwise essentially unpaid) or where there is some real difference between “okay service” and “exceptional service” (like most artistic endeavors). I just don’t understand why movers should be tipped - they are already getting paid, indeed labor is the largest expense, and there is little or no difference between great service and mediocre service. So why tip?</p>
<p>We tipped the guys (3?) $50 each for the truck load-up – it was a partial load, but wrapping/packing took a couple of hours, so they were there about four hours. Tipped the two delivery guys $40 each as I recall. </p>
<p>DH always tips our movers. I don’t know how much, but it’s not 20-25%. We also bring them lunch. Nothing fancy, pizza, burgers, subs, or whatever they say they’d like.</p>
<p>^^^that too, food and drinks.</p>
<p>We tipped ours a couple of years ago. And gave them Gatorade- it was 95 with 95% humidity. A long haul and some damages. Part of me was upset by the mover’s lack of respect for our goods ( I made him find the lost end cap to the 30+ year old dinette table we have since replaced, and other problems we were financially reimbursed for but weren’t fixable- all old/mediocre stuff, but ours). Perhaps paid $100 to the two or three unloaders. </p>
<p>There is no way I would consider a percentage for a tip, especially when thousands of dollars are involved. The labor is in loading/unloading not the charges for the distance traveled. Also- tough luck if they don’t appreciate it, I would choose to never use them again and be sure to complain about attitudes if need be.</p>
<p>Sometimes we can forget how some are well compensated for their job, even if it seems lower educated. Just had a new dishwasher installed this week and it was good, efficient service- no tip. In talking to the man I found he makes 75 to 100K per year doing this job!</p>
<p>Last move was my mom’s. We tipped the main mover $100, and each helper (there were 2) $50. This was in 2003. In addition, we provided breakfast, and lunch, and beverages all day…and gave them a gift card for food on the road. </p>
<p>These movers were employed by a family friend, and the same crew actually moved us locally. Apparently our tip was more generous than most! We got a very nice note!!</p>
<p>I’m so glad for this thread! Movers coming next week, for a 2000+ mile move that will cost about 10K. How much to tip? What if it’s a different crew on each end, do we tip both? Should I call the moving company and ask? I always feel guilty for all the boxes of books we have.</p>
<p>I helped D2 do a local move recently and we tipped the movers but I can’t remember how much and somehow this seems different since it’s a bigger company.</p>
<p>On a similar note, I was going through receipts recently and noticed 2 restaurant bills where we hadn’t been charged for the tip we had written down. Mentioned it to a friend who sometimes bar tends. He said it’s very easy to make a mistake since it usually takes him MORE THAN AN HOUR after the bar closes to tally all the tips that are charged on cards. Another reason to tip in cash if you really want to make sure the server gets it. </p>
<p>Tip movers? Why? Because their employers might not be paying them adequately? Because they want money they don’t have to pay taxes on? Because you’re going to employ them again shortly? </p>
<p>We’ve moved many times and I have never been approached for a tip, nor have I ever paid one. </p>
<p>Yeah, this was something else I never knew until I read it on here. I had never used movers until recently when we moved my MIL from one apt to another and we didn’t tip. Then we moved my S to New York, using a U-haul but paying some guys to help get his stuff up to the 4th floor. It didn’t take long (was a studio apt) but we did tip them $20 each as we paid a service and not them directly.</p>
<p>I don’t remember exactly but when we moved this year I think I tipped about 15%. My SO was more of the “we tip movers???” mindframe. </p>
<p>I still haven’t seen why we should tip movers.</p>
<p>We tipped our movers for providing excellent service during our moving day. They were outstanding, and deserved a tip. </p>
<p>We tip waiters and hairdressers, and taxi drivers too. And lots of others. </p>
<p>I was thinking of no more than $50 each for the crew members. I did slip the lead packer $25 so the two of them could get themselves some lunch at the nice place up the street - it also was all the cash I had on hand at that moment. I completely ran out of time to get any cash to tip the load-up crew, so all they got was all the icewater they wanted to drink (blazing hot day).</p>
<p>Thanks for the link! That article seems to be describing what is appropriate for a local move, and I do agree I’d be more likely to slip in a tip for that kind of a job. If I were happy with a local mover, I’d use them again and recommend them to friends. This is a halfway-across-the-continent move, so local move notions don’t apply. Our building has an elevator, but the stairs are significantly closer to our apartment, and parking for movers is restricted to certain locations/times. </p>
<p>Tipping movers should never be a percentage of your total cost. Your costs include not only the loading and unloading but any storage fees and the company’s truck wear and tear plus the gas needed. There is no more work loading/unloading after a 10 or 1000 mile journey. But- there are significant cost differences. Likewise- should a dinner charged at a higher price with less work by the wait staff garner them more money? </p>
<p>We had movers several years ago who emptied out my in-laws’ house, brought it all to our house and moved stuff in and out of our house. They were amazing and I was grateful. I hope I tipped them.</p>