We talked to local moving companie and, national moving companies, and askded how much to tip movers, and we received a variety of answers, from no tip being expected to 5% of the total bill.
Most sources, including the sales associate we spoke to at TransAmerican Van Lines, a national moving company, indicated that tipping movers was not expected and was up to the customer.
The salesperson at a local moving company said that the industry standard was 5%, which seems reasonable -- if a crew of two movers move you in town for $500-$750, you might tip a total of $25-$35, or $10-$20 for each mover depending on the quality of the move.
Some people suggest quickly inspecting how carefully items were moved into your new home and determining the tip after that. Other people say they offer the movers cold drinks, especially on a hot day, and a gesture like that can be greatly appreciated.
Usually a crew of 2-4 workers are involved in a move, and we asked how we should distribute the tips among the crew, especially if a foreman is in charge of the move. We were told that the proper etiquette is to give the tip individually to each mover. If one or two people work especially hard, you can give them a slightly larger tip, but otherwise, the companies suggest splitting the tip equally -- the foremen and more experienced movers are probably already paid more per hour.
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One of our readers asks:
What if the bill is $25,000? & 2 people do the whole job in 5 days? i.e. pack, load & deliver from calif to mass
iTipping: For cross-country moves, the major moving companies we spoke to have said that tipping is not required and is not expected, and is up to the customer. When an employee is relocating for a job and the company is paying for the entire move, the new employer will often instruct the new employee that they're not expected to tip, since it's all been paid for. If the movers do a good job, most moving companies permit their employees to accept tips, and we think anything would be appreciated. Typical ranges run $40-$200 per person for a multi-day move. Because policies vary from firm to firm, for a move of this size, if you intend to tip, we recommend contacting the moving company's main office and asking about their tipping guidelines.
One of our readers writes:
I've been a Mover for 22 years and have dealt with all kinds of customers and recieved a variation of tips. It really comes down to your comfort level.The moving experience is already stressful,and I consider it part of my job to take the worry out of the move.The reason for this is that a professional mover does not just move heavy things,but deals with the total job.Tipping is greatly appreciated ,it is a way of giving extra thanks for a job well done.Also ,no alcohol should be given as a tip,it is not allowed in commercial vehicles and most companies will fire it's employees for having it.
One of our readers writes:
I've been a Mover for 22 years and have dealt with all kinds of customers and recieved a variation of tips. It really comes down to your comfort level.The moving experience is already stressful,and I consider it part of my job to take the worry out of the move.The reason for this is that a professional mover does not just move heavy things,but deals with the total job.Tipping is greatly appreciated ,it is a way of giving extra thanks for a job well done.Also ,no alcohol should be given as a tip,it is not allowed in commercial vehicles and most companies will fire it's employees for having it.
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