How much should you tip your movers?

“How much should I tip my movers” is one of the most frequently asked questions we get at Piece of Cake. With our guide below, you can avoid the stress and awkwardness that comes with deciding how to handle gratuity at the end of your move.

How much should you tip your movers? Moving companies don’t factor or take gratuities into the price of your move so it’s a gesture that’s worth considering if you intend to thank your movers for a job well done. Tipping in the moving industry is common and your hardworking movers, like most service industry workers, appreciate the gesture.

Calculating in advance how much you should tip your movers, for an attentive, helpful and professional crew can be a challenge and we recommend taking these variables into account:

Calculate how to tip movers based on these factors:

1. Difficulty of the move
2. Quality of the service
3. Size of your relocation.
4. Number of movers relocating you on the day

With advance planning, you can be ready to make a final decision on the day. The key is to trust your instincts and not feel obligated to provide more than you can afford.

Set aside your tipping budget

While you won’t know exactly how much to tip your movers until your move is underway to gauge how attentive and careful your movers are, it’s a good idea to have cash set aside in advance to be prepared for a job that deserves some recognition.

If you need to document your tip for tax or work related reasons, a cheque or payment to the moving company to distribute the tips would be the alternative course of action. Make this decision in advance so you are prepared and not worrying during the move.

The general rule of thumb on how to tip movers is based on a percentage of your total move cost: 15% – 20% is an industry average.

We recommend a tiered approach depending on whether you’re managing a large relocation, a medium sized move with some challenges or a small local move.

A guide on how much you should tip your movers is to estimate:

• 20% of a large and long distance relocation
• 15% – 20% for a medium or small sized move

For example, a $1,000 medium sized move would justify a $200 tip, shared between the 2 movers, if they’ve shown a genuine commitment to your needs throughout the day.

The complexity of the move should also be factored into the price. If your grandmother’s piano was moved up and down stairs and across cities, that would be cause for recognizing their back breaking work and raising the total tip amount.

Calculating how to tip movers on the day

Most professional moving companies have guaranteed customer satisfaction and quality assurance set by their movers. Many also offer training and custom assistance to set them apart from competition.

Factors to consider when you calculate how much to tip your movers include:

• Movers showing up on time or communicating their updated arrival time
• Finishing the move in a shorter time frame than expected
• Helping you unpack or set up your things
• Navigating flights of stairs
• No damage incurred during the move
• A great work ethic that impressed you
• Engaging respectfully with other family members, your superintendent or neighbors

Red flags that warrant decreasing your tip amount:

• Movers arriving late with no communication
• Displaying a poor attitude
• Made excessive noise, shouted and used profanities around children and neighbors
• Disregarding your directions on your most fragile items, marked boxes piled under heavy furniture in the truck
• Damaged belongings
• Demanding cash gratuity for each mover

If you have hired professional movers, they usually work relentlessly over the course of their shift to ensure your move is incident free and meets your needs.

How to handle the tip

Once your move is complete, it’s worth giving each mover in the team their equal percentage of the tip directly, and thanking them individually. We recommend dividing the tip evenly among the moving crew. If your movers try to haggle with you over the tip at the end of your move, get in touch with your moving company directly to mediate and don’t feel intimidated into meeting their demands at the end of a stressful day.

Other considerations for your movers

If you have a big job ahead, it’s courtesy to be prepared with some bottles of water or soft drinks. Hot coffees are always welcome during cold winter moves. Although most movers just want to focus on getting the job done, the option is always appreciated. If the move is large and long, they will politely ask for a short lunch break to eat their food and drink some water. It is not your responsibility to provide food.

We advise against offering beer or alcoholic beverages to your movers. Most companies disallow their workers from drinking on the job, especially when they work in the transportation business.

In the end, if you can’t afford a tip, good reviews on websites such as Yelp, Google, and Facebook are much appreciated by your movers and go a long way in recognizing their hard work.

By understanding how much you should tip your movers, you can show your appreciation in your gratuity amount and brighten the moving experience for everyone involved.