Do you plan to move to a new location? Is the moving day approaching? There must be many things going around your head! Even if you already have everything packed and ready to go, you still have to think about the relocation process, the new place’s cleaning, and how much you need to tip your movers.
However, that doesn’t mean your move has to be more stressful than it really is. Hiring professional movers is the best way to go if you want to cross off some items on your to-do list or don’t have time to do everything on your own, like packing and unpacking.
Don’t panic! Whether you have to move from a huge house with many rooms or across state lines, you can still seek expert help and stay within your budget.
Using services provided by a reliable moving company such as Not A Hobby Moving can relieve all the stress and tension that comes with relocating to a new place. It can bring up many more questions, mostly about your finances and tipping etiquette.
However, you only need to find the correct information to learn everything you should know about tipping movers to solve all your doubts. Fortunately, that’s what you can do here!
Are you worried because you will need a full-day move? Do you want to know how much to tip your movers? Keep reading!
How Much Should You Tip Professional Movers?
There’s a general rule or standard in the moving industry: giving movers 15% or more of the service’s cost, based on its quality and the distance. However, many feel that tipping each mover individually is a better alternative.
The tip you provide should reflect the quality of their job performance and the difficulty involved. Did the experts move heavy furniture or carry items down excessive stairs? You should consider giving the moving crew a fair tip amount!
A good rule of thumb is to tip each individual mover $4-5 for each working hour. If it was a half-day move and they worked four hours or less, you could give each member $20 in cash tips.
However, you don’t have to go by a percentage. Actually, it isn’t the best way to figure out how much to tip movers. Instead, consider factors such as the overall service, the job’s difficulty, and unexpected circumstances.
Hire Professional Movers
You may need help from experienced movers in many scenarios. Do you want someone to pack the items because you’re short of time? Are there many heavy things to move upstairs or downstairs? If so, moving experts can become your best allies.
Furthermore, moving fragile items such as TVs, couches, or glass decorations can be tricky. If it isn’t a risk you can take on your own, hiring a moving company is the best choice.
Moving companies also have extra supplies on hand most of the time. Did you run out of tape? Do you need bubble wrap? They can secure your boxes or pad your belongings in less time than you think!
Seeking professional help is also the best way to go if you have to move your furniture and belongings to another state. Instead of going on a multi-day road trip or multiple flights to move little by little, hire a company and finish the process in a single day or less.
How Much to Tip Local Movers
All moves are different. Therefore, another question that often comes to people’s minds is: “How much should I tip local movers?”
— Not A Hobby Moving (@NotAHobbyMoving) October 20, 2022
First, you must understand that moving within 100 miles or less is considered “local,” even though most companies have a 50-mile range. You can save some money if your move falls into this category.
Since they don’t have to go across state lines, moving experts only work half days if the move is local. In this sense, you can tip each mover $15-$20.
Do you have a reduced budget? Tip based on the total bill. It could be 15% or more. However, remember that these ranges may vary depending on the overall performance.
How Much Should You Tip Long-distance Movers
What if the moving distance exceeds 50-100 miles? You will likely have to fork more and upgrade the service.
Long-distance moves don’t carry a maximum mileage cap, but they are always more expensive. Generally, these services take at least eight to 12 hours to complete. Therefore, it’s common for people to wonder how much they should tip long-distance movers.
When calculating the final tip, you must consider things such as performance, how much stuff you have, and the job’s difficulty, but most workers get $40-60 per long-distance move.
How Much to Tip Other Moving Services
Most moving companies offer additional services, such as packing and unpacking or furniture disassembly and reassembly. Others also provide bulky items handling, appliance servicing, hoisting or rigging, taking items upstairs or downstairs, and more.
If you asked your movers to carry heavy objects downstairs or you weren’t properly organized when the move started, you should give them a better tip for their extra effort.
Also, keep in mind that these additional services are often in the total moving cost. Therefore, you must evaluate the performance of the professional moving company to know how much to tip movers in the end if they provided extra help or did things outside the contract.
Do You Need to Tip Movers?
Tipping movers is not mandatory, but it’s the best way to show them that their work is greatly appreciated. The moving process can be quite overwhelming. Why not thank the people who helped make it more bearable?
Movers also have a lot of responsibilities in a single move. Most not only carry heavy things but handle, organize belongings, and much more.
If you have wondered how much to tip movers for their help, consider all the hard work they put into offering the best service in the industry. All reliable moving experts help hang items as needed, relocate stuff, position trucks in strategic locations to not block customers, and can even help with the clean-up process.
When You Should Tip Movers
All service providers want to do a good job to get a tip or be recognized for their work. Therefore, most hardworking movers go the extra mile to treat your belongings with the utmost care, interact with you, and offer extra help during the moving process.
Don’t know when you should tip movers? The moving team deserves recognition with a cash tip if:
- Offer extra help to sweep or clean up after moving things
- Do a quick move
- Are friendly to you, your family, and your neighbors
- Help assemble or disassemble furniture
- Install appliances
- Handle fragile or antique belongings with care
- Move heavy packages up and down stairs
When You Don’t Have to Tip Movers
You may find yourself tipping movers every time you plan to live in a new place. However, not all experiences are positive. Sometimes, you will not wonder how much to tip moves but if you should tip them at all.
Remember that there is nothing wrong with not tipping movers if you received poor or bad service. Do you want to know when to consider adjusting how much to tip movers? Check out these scenarios:
- The moving crew show up late
- The same crew spends too much time on break instead of moving things
- They put labeled boxes in the wrong place
- Movers damage the walls of your new house or apartment by moving large things
- Includes tips in the lump sum
Additional Ways to Show Your Appreciation to Your Movers
Haven’t figured out how much to tip movers? Don’t worry! There are other ways to show them that you appreciate their work.
The most popular are food and drinks. Whether you’re tipping movers or not, offering them something tasty to eat is a nice thing to do. What about hot weather? If you want to move during the summer, you can also offer them some refreshing beverages or sports drinks for extra energy.
You can ask the movers what they’d like to eat and cook them something delicious instead of ordering fast food. Giving the moving crew lunch is going the extra mile on your side. You can also offer some snacks like cookies or chips!
Also, always have water available. Whether they’re doing long-distance moves or local ones, every crew member needs to drink water frequently to stay hydrated. They are always doing the heavy lifting and need essentials to care for their health even if they are used to doing that.
If you take care of them and show them your appreciation, apartment or residential movers will likely feel more comfortable and do a better job!
Make Sure to Leave a Review for Your Movers
Do you think the company you hired did an exceptional job? In addition to thinking about the tip amount, remember to leave a good review. There is nothing movers appreciate more than referrals, as they bring in new customers.
Therefore, if you want to help them out and thank them for everything they did for you, make sure to leave a positive review for your movers on their website or social media profiles.
You can always tip your movers, of course, but you can’t imagine how much a review can help! If a neighbor needs local moves, they will take into account your experience when hiring a company and will likely choose the same as you.
This really helps them and doesn’t alter your moving expenses at all!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have more questions after reading this article? Find a useful FAQ section below and clarify all the doubts you have about moving services and how to tip your movers.
Do You Tip Movers When They Load or Unload?
It depends on the services you hire. Most movers do the loading and unloading on their own. However, you must make sure that the company you hire includes them.
In some cases, companies only offer transportation. However, most provide complete services that include box loading and unloading. Therefore, you should check the list of tasks that the crew you choose does for their clients.
Should I Tip Piano Movers?
Most of the time, pianos fall into the category of “heavy items.” Again, all moving crews are different. Therefore, you must make sure that the one you choose offers what you need. Do you want the movers to take care of your piano? Ask if it is an additional service. If not, you can consider their extra effort and give them a good tip.
Is It Okay Not to Tip Movers?
Tipping the movers is not mandatory. It’s kind and courteous, but you shouldn’t do it if you don’t want to or if you received poor service. If you think the company did a good job, you can consider rewarding the workers’ efforts.
However, you can skip tipping if you had a bad experience. As mentioned earlier, it’s up to you.
Is It Common Courtesy to Tip Movers?
Yes, it is! Most people know how difficult moving can be and decide to tip movers to recognize their hard work and great service. Movers always go the extra mile to help you move quickly and always take care of your needs. Many even offer extra help all the time, like cleaning things up or packing for you.
Hence, for that reason, tips are very common in the moving industry. In fact, people always try to find information before calculating the sum to give the movers the tip they deserve.
What Is a Good Tip for Movers?
Tip amounts can always be different. If you did a local move, a good tip can be 15% of the moving costs. However, many recommend tipping each crew member.
In these cases, good tips are usually $5-6 per hour if they work half-day. However, you may consider giving them extra money if they work more than eight hours or beyond.
On the other hand, tips for long-distance services are typically above $40. Some people even tip $60 to movers who work all day and have to move their stuff across state lines.
Always keep in mind that tips are a way to show appreciation and recognize the good work of others!
