Working with a moving company is one of the best ways to ensure that your move goes smoothly. They are professionals after all! From strategically packing and loading your belongings to relocating everything safely within your desired moving schedule, their job is to make your life easier. You want the best residential movers to help you with all your questions along the way, but when all is said and done, there’s one final decision you have to make on your own: How much to tip your movers.
Tipping Movers
While it isn’t required to tip your movers, not doing so may send the message that you weren’t satisfied with the service. Moving companies are in the service industry just like restaurants, contractors, driving services and hotels, all of whose employees’ livelihoods rely heavily on tips.
Moving requires a lot of hard work, and there’s a lot riding on their performance to keep your most valuable possessions safe and unharmed no matter how many miles, flights or reloads it may take . If you were happy with their work, go ahead and show your gratitude with a little something they’ll certainly appreciate.
How Much Should You Tip?
Just like any other service, the tip really depends on performance. Here are a few things to factor into how much to tip your movers:
- Did the crew arrive on time and ready to work?
- Were the workers friendly, helpful and sociable or were they rude and off putting?
- Did they act professionally throughout the entire process?
- Was there a high attention to detail and level of care in the handling of your items that you’ve observed throughout the process?
- Did your movers take all precautions necessary to protect your belongings?
- Did they work hard and efficiently to finish your move quickly or did they draw things out with frequent smoke and bathroom breaks?
With these things considered, you can begin to make a decision on how to tip your movers. Unlike restaurants and car services, percentages don’t really work quite as well in calculating the right number. The costs of a move are largely determined by the distance the truck has to travel and not as accurately for the time and effort spent loading all types and sizes of items. That means mileage may be the primary difference between $1,000 and $10,000 of relocation services.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: if it’s a half-day (approx. 4 hours), $10 is appropriate, and for a full-day (approx. 8 hours), $20 is common. The complexity of your move may also inspire you to add a little more to the amount. If they have to navigate tight corners, winding hallways and multiple flights of stairs, or handle a lot of large scale items, consider a little more.
When you do go to tip, try to give the workers their tips directly. This is a great way to recognize their hard work individually and also make sure the money gets into each deserving pair of hands.
Other Ways to Show your Gratitude
No moving crew will ever turn down a complimentary pizza lunch break or a refreshingly cold water or soda during the heavy lifting. Whether you decide to do this in lieu of a tip or in addition to, the friendly gesture will definitely help make their job easier.
Follow these helpful tips on tipping to make sure you and your crew are both happy when all things are said and done. For more information to prepare for your next local or long distance move, contact our team of expert relocation movers today.
