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Blog June 8, 2022

To Scrooge or Not to Scrooge – How Much to Tip Movers

Posted in Moving 101
Steven Rogers

Apart from sharing Captain America's name, our freelance writer Steven is also a big fan of moving, history, and geography.

Hast thou resolvest to change thy abode? If so, the ensuing perplexity mought assaileth thy faculties – “To scrooge or not to scrooge once the servants hath concluded thine tasks?” Even in Shakespearean times, people wondered how much to reward workers, and if you’re thinking how much to tip movers after they have completed their cross-country moving services, this article will provide you with all the necessary information about this topic.

How much to tip movers for long-distance moving services? In the USA, there is no definite answer to this question. However, you can find some commonly accepted figures that most of the people who are moving follow. All in all, the quality of service will matter the most.

Are There Any Gratuity Laws or Regulations in the USA?

Is it necessary to give a tip? Before you start thinking – “How much do I tip movers?” it’s good to know whether you’re legally obliged to do so, especially if you are new to the process of relocation. The answer is no, the USA doesn’t have any gratuity laws and regulations, and it will not matter whether you choose East Coast movers or West Coast movers. Moreover, a long-distance moving company won’t have any gratuity policies as well.

Be that as it may, tasks like packing services, disassembling, and relocating large home items all involve a lot of physical labor, and long-distance movers deserve gratitude for diligence. After all, you have certainly grown accustomed to tipping a waitress or some other service provider that has been helpful. You can be sure that cross-country movers will provide you with the best assistance if you have decided to relocate to a different state.

How Much Should I Tip Movers? Are There Any Common Figures to Consider When Deciding on Gratuities?

What is an appropriate tip for movers? As mentioned before, a lot will depend on your personal experience, but there are average numbers that could be considered for tipping. First of all, there is the traditional 15% rule for tips that many countries in the world have even incorporated into their legal system. However, this rule might not be ideal for your budget, particularly if you want to save on the relocation cost.

If you want to have a clearer idea of what is considered an average gratuity, these are average figures that have been derived from the experiences of many relocating crews across the USA:

  • If the crew has been working for half a day (4 hours at the most,) the average gratuity for each movers is around 20 dollars.
  • If the crew has been working for an entire working day (8 hours,) the average gratuity for each mover is around 40 dollars.
  • If overtime work is needed to complete all relocation tasks, the average gratuity for each mover should be around 60 dollars.

Of course, these figures are completely flexible, and everything will depend on the level of customer satisfaction as each relocation brings new challenges.

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How Much to Tip Movers?  These Are the Positive Aspects That Every Good Moving Crew Has

Reputable companies have certain standards, but relocating work is by itself hard, and relocating crews need to invest a lot of energy and patience in order to meet these standards and render a quality relocation service. These are some characteristics of a moving enterprise that definitely deserve recognition and gratitude when relocating to a new home.

Being polite and patient

How to relocate for the first time? When the time to move has come, you’ll most likely need to ask plenty of questions. The relocation process consists of many different procedures. For example, if you’re transporting your car from state to state, certain preparations have to be performed in order for auto transport services to be rendered. Hence, you’ll need to ask for relocation tips, and the best relocation crews will always be open to answering any questions.

Being careful when lifting heavy home objects

You’ll certainly include furniture relocation on your relocation to-do list, and this is where a moving crew shows their true worth. This task is by no means easy. Moreover, if there are stairs along the path to the truck, the lifting becomes all the more difficult. If the workers are doing everything carefully and are trying their best not to damage both the object and everything around them while carrying, this most certainly deserves appreciation.

Quality packing

Ensuring that all small household objects are secured for transportation is important. On your household inventory list, there would be plenty of fragile objects that need to be packed. If the workers have brought all the needed packing tools and new protective materials and are carefully storing each glass in containers, that is always a sign of a moving crew that cares for the quality of their work. Packing items like plates or glasses demands great patience and attention if you want to prepare them adequately for transportation.

Following the schedule

You’ll have a lot of things on your mind when organizing your move, and any sort of delays can aggravate the relocation stress. If you see that a relocation company is performing everything on time, that is always a good thing. It’s important for a move to be efficient, and much depends on the workers who are doing the job.

Showing the same dedication when unpacking

If the workers are displaying the same dedication during unpacking as they have shown during packing, that is always a welcome sight. After all, unpacking after the move is equally difficult as there will be plenty of lifting and carrying again, reassembling, and furnishing.

Leave Comments of Your Long-Distance Moving Experience

Reviews mean a lot these days when the internet is the main place for advertisement. They can definitely influence the decision whether to hire a certain relocating enterprise or not. If you are satisfied with the relocation, the crew would most definitely appreciate writing a positive review about their services. On the other hand, if the experience was not good, you are absolutely entitled to leave just criticism. Reviews are important, but check out this video that shows you what should be considered when looking for a good relocation company.

YouTube video

Is It Ok Not to Tip Movers? There Are Cases Where Tipping Is Not Deserved

How much do you tip movers when unsatisfied with their work? If the standards above have not been met, moreover, if workers are displaying negligence, tipping should definitely be omitted. Unfortunately, there is recurring unprofessional behavior, and we will show you the most common things that definitely do not deserve appreciation:

  • Being late – As mentioned, if you want a stress-free relocation day, following a timetable is really important. When hiring an enterprise, they will set all the deadlines. Hence, one would expect punctuality. Being late can really mess up your plans and bring unneeded stress.
  • Being careless with your home possessions – First of all, accidents do happen. However, with conscientious crews, they do not happen often. And if they do occur, the company will immediately assess the situation and try to fix it in the most suitable way. On the other hand, if the workers are repeatedly breaking your plates and knocking the edges of your table against the surrounding items and walls, this is definitely a sign of unprofessionalism.
  • Taking too many breaks – Of course, people must rest, especially if they have been carrying plenty of sturdy objects. However, if you see that your relocation is slowly progressing because workers are frequently taking a break for no reason, you should definitely remind them why they are being paid.
  • Answering questions reluctantly – First, if you expect someone to show politeness, you have to act polite as well. But, if workers don’t want to engage in a conversation and answer some potential questions about relocation, that is highly unprofessional and impolite.
  • Demanding tips in an aggressive manner – There is no policy that bans a mover from asking for a gratuity, but it must be performed in a polite manner. All in all, these situations are rare since people by themselves recognize a job well done and distribute tips.

Every Mover Should Receive an Individual Gratuity Once the Service Has Been Completed

Many people give all the money intended for gratuities to the foreman once the relocation has been completed as it is certainly the most comfortable way of distribution. This, however, is not the best method for distributing gratuities. There are, unfortunately, many cases where people have entrusted this task to the foreman, only for him to keep all gratuities himself. The best way is to shake hands with each mover individually and distribute gratuity.

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People Often Ask These Questions When Trying to Figure Out How to Show Gratitude for Help With Long-Distance Moving

There are similar situations that often happen when hiring relocation crews. Here are some frequent questions on how to approach the issue of tipping. All things considered, nothing is obligatory, and it’s your job to make decisions about this:

Do you tip movers on both ends?

Sometimes, it might be the case that a relocation enterprise has to switch crews for packing and unpacking. Now, if both crews have displayed professionalism and politeness, they would definitely deserve gratuities. However, we are aware that this can potentially raise the relocation cost a lot, and no one is forcing you to do anything that you are not financially capable of.

Is it customary to buy lunch for movers?

Buying lunch would be a genuine display of appreciation. However, snacks and refreshments would be more than enough. Of course, you shouldn’t offer alcoholic beverages to workers as relocation companies have strict policies against alcohol. Another nice gesture, particularly when taken into consideration that the relocations are performed during the pandemic, is to provide essential toiletry for workers to use.

Can you tip too much?

Well, in theory, there is no upper limit to gratuities. But, nobody is asking you to act unreasonably and give money that you’re not financially capable of giving. Finally, don’t feel ashamed if the relocation cost has already taken up your entire budget and there is nothing left for gratuities. Politeness and sincere gratitude are enough to give thanks for someone’s hard work.

Do you tip movers when they load or unload?

The customary method of tipping is to distribute gratuities after the job has been completed. There are cases where people give some small bonuses before the job starts in order to motivate the workers, but there is no need to do this, especially if it makes you uncomfortable.

Showing Appreciation for Someone’s Hard Work Is Always a Lovely Gesture

How much should you tip movers? First of all, as we stated, nothing compels you to give gratuities, but it’s common courtesy to do so, especially if you are satisfied with the service. Lifting heavy stuff and packing for hours while acting politely and answering someone’s questions is not easy at all. Therefore, if you have the means, consider showing some gratitude as it’s the best way to show that you are satisfied with the service.

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