Picture this. You have just moved from your cozy studio apartment in Rittenhouse Square to a new 1-bedroom apartment in the picturesque Chestnut Hill neighborhood. Every room in your new abode is full of moving boxes and furniture. Your movers have unloaded the last piece of furniture from the truck and placed the last box in its assigned room. Moving day is finally over! As your hard working movers begin gathering their tools and prepare to make their journey back to the warehouse, you stop. You realize that you want to thank your Philly movers with a tip. But, you have questions. “How much is the right amount to tip?” “Who should I hand the tip to?” “Is cash okay? Venmo?”
Do you want to avoid an awkward situation like this? We’ve got you! The following guide answers all of your tipping etiquette questions and more.
How Much Should I Tip My Philadelphia Movers?
Moving is a service-based industry so it makes sense that when tipping your movers you should follow the service-industry standard of 15-20%. Generally, a tip of 15-18% indicates an average experience, while 20%+ indicates an above average or great service experience. So, if you are really happy with your movers and it is within your budget, you may want to consider tipping your movers 20% of your final bill. To estimate how much the tip will cost you we recommend requesting a free quote from your desired moving company and adding an additional 15-20%.
Aside from using the service-industry standard as your guide, there are five other important factors to take into account when determining how much to tip your Philadelphia movers.
1. Quality of Service
It sounds to reason that the better the moving service you receive, the higher the tip will be for your Philly movers. When considering the quality of service you may want to look at the following factors:
- Timeliness – Did your movers arrive at the time they said they would?
- Communication – Do feel your movers have communicated well with you throughout the process? E.g. communicating their ETA to you, sharing any issues that arise during the move, etc.
- Working quickly and safely – Have your movers remained busy and moved quickly on the job? Have they handled your belongings with the same care you would?
- Not damaging your items – Are all of your belongings in the same condition they were before the move?
- Addressing your concerns or questions – Did the movers take the time to answer your questions and listen to your concerns?
2. Difficulty of the Move
The difficulty of a move can vary based on a number of factors. Sometimes movers may be required to climb several flights of stairs. There may be a large number of specialty items like stationary bikes, framed artwork, and delicate chandeliers to move. Street access may be difficult and require movers to walk a longer distance from the truck to your home. Whatever the case me be, you may wish to thank your movers with a higher tip.
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
Interstate relocations typically require movers to be on the road for several days. If your moving crew is traveling 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 want to thank them with a tip at the end of the move.
How Should You 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 Philly move? Hire professional Philadelphia 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 the various services we offer including packing, piano moving, and more.