It’s part of the common etiquette to show appreciation for someone’s work, particularly when manual labor is involved, and cross-country moving services involve a lot of physical exertion. Hence, you might be wondering how much to tip movers, especially if this is your first experience with this kind of service.
Good relocating crews will make your relocation much easier, and they deserve recognition for their hard work
How much should you tip movers? You can always follow the unwritten rule, which states that you should give at least an additional 15% of the total cost. However, there are many factors that can influence the decision on how much to tip movers for long-distance relocations. All things considered, customer satisfaction will certainly be the most important one.
Is It Necessary to Give a Tip? Does the USA Have Any Gratuity Laws?
If you are relocating for the first time and have hired long-distance moving services, these questions may arise, especially if your moving budget is tight. The answer to these questions is that giving gratuity is not compulsory in the USA. Furthermore, cross-country movers do not have any customer regulations that state that you must provide a gratuity, and some companies may even have policies that ban their crew from receiving tips.
However, this is where common courtesy must be taken into consideration. As you have gotten used to showing gratitude to a waiter or a person who has mowed your lawn for a job well-done, a relocation crew will also deserve appreciation for their hard work. Don’t forget, for example, that your home furniture will have to be packed, and the task of large items is by no means simple.
What Is an Appropriate Tip for Movers? Here Are Some Common Rates When Deciding How Much to Tip Long-Distance Movers
How much do I tip movers? If you were to ask a certain number of people who have already had experience with a long-distance moving company, there would probably be a lot of different answers. However, an average figure can be calculated, and here are some general guidelines that you can follow when relocating to a new state:
- If 4 hours (half of a working day) were needed to complete everything, the gratuity should be at least 20 dollars per mover.
- If 8 hours (a full working day) were needed, the gratuity should be at least 40 dollars per mover.
- If more than 8 hours (overtime working) were needed, the gratuity should be at least 60 dollars per mover.
For people who are new to relocations, we would like to say that these guidelines are much better than the 15% rule. The 15% rule can increase the overall cost of relocation a lot, and no one will ask you to invest unreasonable amounts of money in tips.
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Here Are the Main Positive Characteristics of Long-Distance Movers That Should Be Considered When Tipping
What long-distance mover near me will provide the best services? This is one of the main things to consider when relocating to a new state. First of all, a reputable cross-country moving company will follow all the national standards and regulations. However, different customers will have different demands for their relocation, and it’s exactly here that a moving crew earns their gratuity. Let us see what deserves to be recognized as good service.
Willingness in answering questions
Relocation is a complex procedure that includes many different things. If this is your first experience, there will certainly be a lot of questions about how to move. For example, you’ll have to prepare your car for shipping if you have booked the auto transport service. Naturally, having no prior experience, you’ll have to ask a lot of questions in order to perform everything correctly. Renowned relocation companies understand this completely, and they will be willing to answer any questions that you might have and give relocation advice.
Heavy lifting
We have mentioned furniture, but there will also be home items like kitchen and bathroom appliances. All this requires a lot of energy, and it gets even more difficult if workers have to go down some stairs. If you see that workers are being really careful when heavy lifting, this definitely deserves some recognition.
Good packing services
When moving, you’ll have to move all your smaller home items as well. There will be a lot of fragile items to pack like glasses, kitchen plates, glasses, or even Christmas ornaments. The quality of packing services depends on whether the relocating crew will provide all the best packing materials, wrap carefully, and place everything in boxes that will provide the necessary protection. That requires a lot of patience and concentration, and most importantly, you will not have to worry about the safety of your home items.
Efficiency in performing relocation tasks
Relocation efficiency is important. Of course, it depends on how many objects need to be prepared for transportation and relocation. But, reputable companies will show determination and professionalism from the very beginning of the process, and that will be easily recognized. This is especially important if you are relocating with children. They usually find the relocation experience quite stressful, and the sooner the workers finish their job, the better. The same applies when moving with pets.
Helping with unpacking
Unpacking after arriving at the new home can also be quite stressful and difficult. There will also have to be a lot of heavy lifting, reassembling of furniture, and furnishing. Relocating crews who show a willingness to stay and help with unpacking should be recognized and shown some gratitude.
Consider Writing a Review Based on Your Experience
In the age of the internet, reviews are quite important and usually assume an important role when choosing a relocation company. If your relocation was truly successful, consider leaving a review of the experience. It’s a lovely gesture to recognize someone’s efforts in this way. But also, don’t hesitate to leave a negative review if the experience hasn’t been the best. Constructive criticism is always welcome, and a business cannot improve without it. Here is a useful video on how to find a reliable moving crew.
How Much to Tip Movers if I Am Not Satisfied? There Are Situations Where You Should Consider Not Tipping
Is it ok not to tip movers? Above all, relocation companies have to meet certain standards, and if they fail to do so, the service will most likely be poor. Unfortunately, there are some common bad practices, and if you recognize them, it’s absolutely justified to think about not tipping. Here are some of the things that a relocating crew should definitely not do.
Not sticking to a schedule
When organizing your move, having a schedule is absolutely important for efficiency. Therefore, you will also expect a relocation company to meet the deadlines that have been, after all, imposed by them.
Lacking equipment
A relocation company will require an inventory list according to which they will determine what size of a trailer and how much materials are needed. It may happen that workers, for example, haven’t brought enough bubble wrap and have to waste additional time in acquiring more. It can even happen that they come with a small trailer that can’t transport your entire inventory. This is all highly unprofessional and shows that a certain business hasn’t even bothered to look at the inventory list before the relocation day.
Carelessly carrying and packing
If you see, for example, that workers have lifted your sofa and started banging it against the wall, or you repeatedly hear that some glass is being shattered, there is absolutely no reason to show any gratitude. We mustn’t disregard that accidents can happen, but they happen rarely, and workers will immediately try to rectify the mistake
Being inefficient
Workers have to take a break, especially if there is a lot of heavy lifting involved. But, taking frequent breaks and constantly finding new reasons to do so is often plain slacking, and that is completely unacceptable.
Being impolite
Of course, in order for workers to be polite, you also have to show some respect. However, if for no reason, they are acting impolitely by refusing to answer your questions, for example, this definitely is a sign of unprofessionalism.
Aggressively asking for tips
f for some reason a worker wants to ask for a bonus, it has to be done politely. After all, workers have the right to ask this, but usually, if the job has been performed successfully, gratuities will be automatically included without any questions.
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Learn moreAlways Distribute Gratuities to Each Worker Individually
Relocating crews are often composed of a foreman and a certain number of workers, which is decided by the difficulty of a particular relocation. People often find it convenient to shake hands with a foreman and to trust him with the task of distributing tips once the workers have completed their tasks. Unfortunately, we must point out that there are many dishonest foremen that will keep the money for themselves. Therefore, after the job, greet and thank each worker and give the gratuity. This is the best way to show appreciation.
Here Are Some of the Most Common Questions Asked by People Who Are Relocating for the First Time
Here is some additional information about the common practices when it comes to tipping relocation crews. All in all, it will be your responsibility to decide what is the most appropriate thing to do.
Do you tip movers when they load or unload?
The traditional and the best method of tipping is to show gratitude once everything is done. In this way, you’ll be able to evaluate the service justly and decide whether gratuities are deserved. Some people like to incentivize the workers by giving them bonuses before the job starts, but this is entirely up to you.
Is it customary to buy lunch for movers?
Although it doesn’t necessarily have to be lunch, providing snacks and refreshments is a lovely way of showing appreciation. By refreshments, we of course, mean non-alcoholic beverages as companies have rigid regulations against alcohol. Also, since we are relocating during corona now, relocating crews will certainly appreciate some basic hygiene supplies.
Can you tip too much?
Certainly, the answer is no. However, no one expects you to break the bank. Decide what suits your budget the best. A lot of money has to be saved for relocation, and a worker will appreciate any kind of gratuity. We completely understand that someone might not be in a position to give tips, and there is no need to feel uncomfortable. Being polite and thanking sincerely after the relocation is done is more than enough.
Do you tip movers on both ends?
It might happen that different relocation crews will perform packing and unpacking. Of course, if they display professionalism and politeness, the appropriate gesture would be to show gratitude to both crews. However, we are aware that this will raise the cost, and no one will force you to do something which will hurt your budget.
Professional Help Is Invaluable When Moving to Another State
How much should I tip movers? As you can see, there are no strict rules about tipping. However, we need to acknowledge that relocation would be much harder without relocation crews. Carrying heavy furniture and filled boxes the entire day is difficult. And, if you see that people truly care about your possessions and want to make the relocation experience easier, it would be nice to show appreciation in any way that you can.
