How Much To Tip A Mover?
TIPPING MOVERS GUIDE
Imagine you have arrived at your new house, apartment or office. Your belongings have been transported and placed in a new location, and the residential or office movers have just finished their job. So now it remains only to pay for the service and tip movers. “How much?” — this question is often more complicated than it may seem at first, especially if it’s your first time.
Should I tip 15-20% of the overall cost of the service? Or consider working hours? Or is it worth calculating based on the distance and the number of boxes? Or the quality of service? All these questions and others may need clarification.
Read this guide to avoid the hassle of choosing the tip amount and to learn more about the process and reward for the moving crew.
We will explain the essential details and factors you need to consider to find out how much to tip movers in Canada!
WHAT FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DECIDING HOW MUCH TO TIP MOVERS?
The main thing to remember when considering “Do you tip movers and how much?” is that tips are not a requirement of the service industry, and it’s more of a way to thank the moving team for a well-done job.
Factors to pay attention to
- Distance (long-distance moves take more time and effort, so the tip amount is usually higher here).
- Quality of service (professional movers who do their job responsibly, are polite, and treat your possessions with care deserve good tips).
- The number of items (complex moves with numerous boxes and extras like packing services also may come with higher tips).
- Type of move (tipping movers for residential, office, or commercial moves differs in each case).
- Budget (before the moving day, set aside the amount of tip that suits your budget best).
These factors are the main ones to get the answer to the question, “Do you need to tip movers?”. Then, if you are a satisfied customer, the decision of how much tips for movers would be enough is up to you.
HOW MUCH DO YOU TIP A MOVER?
Since tipping movers is an encouragement, not an obligation, there is no specific standard. However, working hours are often the main factor ($4-5 per hour) during the moving process. That’s why you can use the following pattern to make things easier when deciding to tip movers and how much:
- Half a day (up to 4 hours) — $20 per person.
- Full day (8 hours) — $40 per person.
- More than 12 hours — $50-60 per person.
HOW MUCH TO TIP LOCAL MOVERS?
Short-distance moves usually take at most half a day or a full day, so the hourly pattern works best here. For an average move without additional options or specific conditions, focus on $20-30 per person when deciding how much you want to tip local movers.
HOW MUCH TO TIP LONG DISTANCE MOVERS?
The average cost of long-distance moves ranges from $4000-5000 and more, so it’s best to focus on working hours, which is also a significant cost savings benefit.
In addition, 2 teams are usually involved in moves for long distances: the first one carries out and loads your belongings, while another crew of cross-country movers delivers your items to a new place. That’s why you may need to tip long-distance movers twice, so ask your company about the number of teams before the movers arrive to be well-prepared for the long-distance move.
Also, keep in mind that with commercial long-distance relocations, rates for tipping movers may be higher ($6-7 per hour) since more belongings involve more effort and time from office movers.
DO YOU TIP A MOVING COMPANY?
When considering the question, “Do you tip movers?” some customers can also wonder if they may need to tip a moving or storage company too. The answer is no, as you only pay the company for the service.
Tips are a bonus for movers who work hard to make your relocation successful and hassle-free. Thus, set aside some cash for your long or short-distance movers as a reward for a good job!
WHEN SHOULD I TIP MOVERS?
After we have determined how much to tip movers, let’s look at situations and conditions when you can tip:
- If the team respects your property and is careful with your belongings.
- Movers carry a large number of bulky and heavy items.
- The team works efficiently without numerous breaks.
- Movers help you to disassemble or pack something.
- Team members are friendly and listen to your wishes.
You can avoid tipping your long or short-distance movers if:
- The team arrived later than scheduled.
- Your belongings or property have been damaged.
- The team members need to do their job better.
- The team demands tips from you.
WHEN MAY I NEED TO TIP MORE?
As mentioned, how many tips for movers would be enough is always up to you. Yet, there can be situations where you can tip more.
For example, if the team carefully loads your valuables such as antiques, fragile items, expensive electronics, etc.
Harsh weather conditions such as thunderstorms, snow, or ice on the road can make the process longer, harder, and more dangerous, so that a higher tip will be a good reward for the effort.
A large number of packages or poor accessibility of your house are also factors when you can tip more.
WHICH METHOD TO TIP IS BETTER?
Along with deciding how much to tip movers, predefine the method. Generally, the best option is cash tips. Sometimes you can use a credit card, but some companies may not welcome such a method of tipping, so check all the details before the moving day.
WHAT ALTERNATIVES METHODS THERE ARE?
Besides cash tips, you can thank the movers in other ways. For example, buy drinks and snacks for the team, offer lunch or dinner, present gift cards, etc. So while thinking about “How much do you tip a mover?” pick the tipping method that works best for you.
