This Is How Much You Should Tip Movers, According to Industry Experts
December 30, 2024 Executive Insights Moving TipsMake Your Move Easy
Save yourself hours of research and way too many phone calls with all of the different home service providers.
Get StartedAll kinds of factors influence how much it costs to move, from the distance between your old place and new one to whether you’ll purchase extra moving insurance to what time of year you plan to move. But whatever the sum you end up being charged, you’re likely wondering: How much should you tip your movers for a job well done?
While tipping isn’t required, and you shouldn’t expect it to be included in initial price quotes, it is standard practice to tip your hard-working moving crew: “They move all of your worldly possessions,” says Billy Jack Snelson, chief marketing officer of Move Concierge. “Getting your stuff from point A to point B safely is worth showing a little gratitude.”
The question isn’t so much whether to tip but how much. Here’s more nitty gritty info on tipping movers, including how much you should tip, what factors drive gratuity up (and down), even who you should hand the money over to at the end of a move.
What’s The Standard Tipping Rate For Movers?
Moving is typically billed as an hourly rate or a flat rate, and different services such as unpacking boxes, covering floors with protective materials, and hauling extra-large items can tack on extra costs.
But when it comes to tipping, several experts said it’s most commonplace to tip a percentage that’s based on the total cost of the move. Those experts quoted anywhere from five percent to 20 percent.
Matt Graber, co-owner of Cool Hands Movers in New York City, says those moving should plan to tip between 15 to 20 percent of the total cost of the move, no matter the team size. By that reasoning, if a local move cost you $3,000, the tip amount would be $450 to $600, divided up among the crew members.
In other parts of the country, outside of dense cities, a simple half-day move across town, may warrant a tip on the lower end of the spectrum (between five to ten percent), experts say. That would be in places where there’s little traffic; the move is straightforward, with no elevator reservations or traffic restrictions; and the movers can expect a clear driveway accessing a one-story home.
On the other hand, multi-day moves out of state that are more involved warrant the higher 15 to 20 percent tips, Snelson says.
Read the full article on housebeautiful.com.
