Like many service-based industries, tipping in the moving industry is common and your hardworking moving crew will appreciate the gesture. However, while tipping your waiter or Uber driver is second-nature, there is some ambiguity around how much and when to tip your moving crew. Our guide below answers all of your questions and more to avoid an awkward encounter at the end of your move.
How Much Should I Tip My NYC Movers?
The general rule of thumb is to base your tip on the service-industry standard of 15-20% of your final bill. To estimate how much this will cost you we recommend requesting a free quote from your desired moving company and adding an additional 15-20%.
While there is an industry average to follow as a guide, there are five other factors to take into account when determining how much to tip your NYC movers.
- Quality of Service/Moving Crew
Naturally, if you are happy with your moving crew you will be more inclined to want to thank them with a tip. Some factors to consider when judging the quality of service include; being on time, openly communicating, working quickly and safely, helping you to set up your items, not damaging your belongings, and addressing any of your questions or concerns.
2. Difficulty of the Move
As the difficulty of your move increases you may want to consider increasing the amount you tip your moving crew. Perhaps you have a lot of delicate pieces of art to pack and move, several flights of stairs to navigate, or a number of heavy items to relocate. In these cases your movers will be required to work extra hard to get the job done with no damage incurred to your valuables.
3. Size of the Move
A helpful scale to follow when determining your tipping budget based on the size of your move is:
- 20% of the total bill for a large or long-distance move
- 15-20% of the total bill for a medium or small-sized move
For example, if you have a medium-sized move costing $2,000, you may want to consider leaving a $400 tip. Meanwhile a smaller, studio-sized apartment move for $800 would justify a $120 tip.
4. Move Distance
Often, long-distance relocations require the movers to be on the road for several days. If your moving crew is traveling a long-distance or cross-country you may want to tip them an additional percentage for this service.
5. Additional Services
If you’re asking the movers to move any difficult or fragile items like stationary bicycles, hot tubs, or pool tables, disassemble or reassemble your items, or pack for you, you may wish to reward them with a tip.
How to Handle the Tip
- When tipping your movers do so at the end of the move. That way you can know for sure how much you wish to tip your crew. Additionally, it will be a great end to a challenging day for the crew.
- If you are unsure who you should leave the tip with you can leave this up to the crew chief or tip the crew members individually. Alternatively, you could ask your move coordinator what the best practice is.
- If you cannot afford a tip but you are happy with the service, then leaving a positive review on platforms like Yelp or Google is always appreciated.
Are you planning a local or long-distance NYC move? Hire professional New York movers like Gentle Giant to take away the stress of the move! Check out our moving checklist for further information on how to prepare and use our free move estimate tool to determine the cost of your relocation. Additionally, you can view our locations, and the various services we offer including packing, piano moving, and more here.