Tipping is a common practice all over the United States, and while you may know how tipping works in bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, what about tipping movers? Like many other industries that are known for tipping, it’s always a good idea to tip movers based on the job they’re doing and how well they do it.
That said, you might be curious about when to tip movers. For example, do you tip movers when they load or unload your things? Or perhaps you tip them at the end of both? If you’re asking yourself these questions, don’t go anywhere because we have the answers.
Do You Have to Tip Movers?
First things first, you might be curious about whether or not you even have to tip movers, especially if they weren’t the best crew. Legally, no, you don’t have to tip movers. Nobody will come to your home and arrest you if you don’t give your movers a tip.
While you don’t have to tip movers, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. It’s always a good idea to tip movers when they do a good job, especially if it’s a challenging move that takes several hours.
That said, if movers do a bad job, damage your belongings, or are rude to you, then you don’t have to worry about tipping them as much.
How Much Should You Tip Movers?
You should tip movers around $4 to $10 per hour per mover. If you have two movers and they worked for four hours, for example, a $16 to $40 tip per mover is acceptable. If you don’t want to go based on the number of hours they worked, you can also use percentages. For example, you can tip movers five to fifteen percent of the bill for average service.
Factors that influence how much you should tip your movers include the distance they have to travel, how heavy your items are, and even the quality of service. It’s important to note that some companies may have rules about tipping, so always check that first before you consider leaving a tip, because the movers could get in trouble.
Do You Tip Movers When They Load or Unload?
When it comes to tipping movers, a good rule of thumb to follow is that you should tip them once the move is complete. Therefore, you’ll want to tip them after they unload your belongings. If you tip them before they unload your things, you may end up with unmotivated movers who aren’t as concerned about your items because they have already received a tip.
We’re not saying that all movers will do this, but it’s best to tip at the end just in case. If you want to make sure that’s never a possibility, make sure you work with reliable international moving companies to avoid problems.
Still, you can tip your movers when they load your things as well, especially if it’s for a cross-country move and you may have different movers. For example, if one group is loading your items in one state and another group is unloading them in a different state, you may want to tip the first group when they load and the second group when they unload.
If you’re unsure about how many crews you’ll be working with, it doesn’t hurt to call the moving company or ask the movers. This can prevent you from tipping too much to one crew or from accidentally tipping the same crew twice.
Final Thoughts on When to Tip Movers
Overall, it’s a good idea to tip your movers when they unload for the best results, especially for local moves where you’re working with the same crew of movers. That said, there are some exceptions, especially for interstate moves.
If you’ll be working with two different crews, you’ll want to tip each one, and that often requires tipping during the loading and unloading process, so keep that in mind as well.
At the end of the day, try not to stress about tipping and do your best to leave a tip that makes sense based on the quality of service and the amount of work that was done. If you ever have any questions about how many movers you’ll have or how many crews you’ll work with, always contact the moving company for more information.