Here's how much you should tip your movers

We move hundreds of people every year and were often asked, “How much should I tip the movers?” Deciding how much to tip your movers isn’t as simple as adding a 20% gratuity on your bill. Unlike other tip heavy professions like waiting tables or valet parking, the cost of hiring movers can range from a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousand. Its common for movers to get tipped at 5-10% of the bill. 

 However, lifting heavy boxes and furniture in the blazing summer heat or blistering winter cold isn’t an easy job and if you feel that your movers were awesome then there is nothing wrong with showing a little extra love. To help determine exactly how much love to show we’ve highlighted the most important qualities to evaluate before distributing tips to the moving crew.

The work ethic of your movers

​Moving can be expensive ordeal before hiring a moving company. Therefore, nobody wants to pay between $60 and $120 an hour for someone to take several smoke breaks. Good movers should be doing exactly that; Moving. Movers that you should consider tipping won’t be taking selfies every time you’re not looking. Instead you should see consistent progress. Good movers are usually willing to go beyond their traditional duties and do things like carry furniture you plan on disposing to the curb or dumpster.

The final condition of your furniture

​The universal measurement of quality moving services is the condition that your furniture is in after being handled by movers. After all, you can rip and scratch your own things for free. But you hired professionals that maneuver heavy things in and out of different homes daily.  Before you go around handing out extra money be sure to examine your things to ensure that there is no new damage. Good movers will ALWAYS carry and load furniture in a manner that minimizes the risks of damage and if you discover a bunch of new nicks and scratches then they didn’t do a good job.

The Weather on your moving day

​In the immortal words of Andre 3000, “You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the weather.” This can be especially true on moving day. Providing moving services is already a tough job in moderate weather. Now just imagine how your movers feel carrying heavy furniture and appliances on a hot and humid summer day. If the weather conditions are horrid and your movers still represent grace under fire, then a gratuity would be appreciated.

So how much should you tip?

​Some people tip based on percentage. That percentage is generally 5%, and that’s fine. But there’s a pretty big caveat here: 5% of a $200 move versus a $2,000 move is quite a different number. More importantly, the price charged for your move more often reflects distance driven, versus how much was physically moved by hand.
 
For that reason, the industry standard tends to revolve around $10-20 per mover.