Should I tip?

How-much-to-tip-movers-RELYBEL-Moving-Co

Do you have to tip your movers?

Let’s get this straight: tipping residential movers is not something you should feel obliged to do. Based on the quality of the move, the (professional) attitude of the hired workers, and the number of items that remain intact at the end of the day, you get to decide whether to tip your moving crew members or not.

Wait a minute! Why should you tip your movers when they already get paid by the RELYBEL Moving Company? What an interesting question! Well, that’s true, but then again – why do you bother tipping waiters or waitresses, cab drivers, plumbers, restaurant or hotel valets or bellhops who happen to provide an excellent service? Isn’t tipping is a good way to show whoever is employed in the service industry that they are doing a great job and should continue to do so?

Tipping is a standard way to show your gratitude. Thus said, in no way should tipping your movers be considered something that you have to do. While many people get genuinely worried whether they should tip their movers or not at the end of the move, the answer cannot be any more straightforward than that: just ask yourself if you’re happy with the moving service you just received. It’s that simple.

Here are a few pointers to help you make up your mind whether your movers deserve to be tipped or not:

Have your movers arrived on time?
Have your movers been kind, friendly, and sociable?
Have your movers acted professionally from the moment they have stepped inside in your home?
Have your movers treated your possessions with care and attention?
Have your movers done what is necessary to avoid property damage?
Have your movers worked hard from start to finish?

If not, please let us know. In RELYBEL Moving Company we do everything we can to provide our consumers with the best quality moving services. That's why your objective feedback is so valuable. You can share your experience with us on Yelp, Google, Facebook.

Is it rude not to tip movers? No, it isn’t.

How much to tip movers?

Here’s the best answer to the question that might have been bothering you for some time: how much to tip your movers should be based entirely on their job performance, your level of satisfaction and your budget. In other words, use your best judgment under the presented circumstances to come up with the proper amount to tip movers.

Tip your movers what you believe is fair:

more significant tips if they really did an outstanding job or had to work under tighter conditions (long flights of stairs, narrow corridors, heavy and enormous furniture pieces, etc.),
standard tips if they did an excellent job protecting, carrying and loading your household items with care,
no tips if you think they didn't deserve it.

One thing is clear – you will hear various pieces of advice on how much to tip movers. Unlike most industries in the service sector, tips based on percentages won’t work well in the moving industry. For example, the standard tipping practice in restaurants is 15-20% of the final bill. However, should you tip your movers 20% of your final moving bill, you might be okay with the tipping amount, but you might also be giving your hired crew a fortune depending on just how much your final bill turns out to be.

Here’s a universal tipping formula that will help you know how much to tip movers when you’re moving short distance:

If your movers do a satisfactory job, consider tipping them $4-$5/hour per mover. For instance, if a team of 3 local movers works 8 hours to complete your short distance move, then you will end up tipping each mover $40/day which is a decent, appropriate and pretty standard tip for movers.
If your movers do an outstanding job and you’re pleased with the way they handled your move, then you may be willing to reward their efforts in the range of $6-$7/hour per mover, or even $8/hour per mover. Of course, you can always add a bit more cash if you can afford it and you’re more than satisfied with their services.

Again, use your best judgment to determine how much the tip should be.

It’s not only about the money.

It’s not always about the money, is it? Remember that your moving crew does not consist of charged robots unfamiliar with the concepts of fatigue, thirst, or hunger. Sooner or later, the strangers in your own home will start to tire, they will get thirsty and hungry, and their work efficiency will drop as a result.

Nobody is blessed with limitless energy – not even the top-rated RELYBEL professional movers who are currently packing and moving your household items. Sometimes playing the role of a considerable host can mean more to them than any monetary tips you offer them at the end of the day.

How to treat movers? Keep their mood and energy level high enough throughout the house move.

Offer refreshing beverages to your workers: cold drinking water or sodas during the summer period, and tea, coffee or hot chocolate during the winter. Stick to non-alcoholic drinks as RELYBEL Moving Company has a policy against drinking alcohol before, during, or after a job is completed.
If the move tends to take many hours to complete, offer your professional helpers snacks, sandwiches, or even think about treating them with pizza for lunch. Alternatively, considering how often they get offered pizza, maybe you are willing to ask them what they would like to have for lunch to renew their energy?
Get a bathroom ready for them and make sure it’s equipped with enough liquid soap and disposable paper towels.
Finally, if you’re satisfied with the way the movers handled your household move from Day 1, then do find 10 minutes in your busy schedule to do them a huge favor: to share the successful partnership with the world by writing a moving review about the quality services. It’s never a bad idea to ask the names of the movers whom you noticed to work the hardest, and then to praise their commendable efforts by mentioning their names in the moving review – you can be sure that they will appreciate it.