Moving Etiquette: How Much to Tip the Movers

Tipping may come as second nature when visiting restaurants, but what about tipping your movers?

Remember that the movers are handling all of your belongings during a move, and tipping is a straightforward way to show your appreciation. But, since tipping etiquette can be awkward and confusing, here are some tips to decide what's appropriate to tip your moving help and how to go about it. 

Thanking them during the move 

First things first--because moving is very labor intensive, offering water or sports drinks to the workers is common decency and an easy way to show them that you're appreciative of their help.

Other customers offer to buy the workers lunch in lieu of a tip and others do both. If you decide to buy your moving crew lunch, ask them if they have a preference as they may have eaten plenty of pizza over the course of moving season. 

Tipping percentages need not apply
When tipping in a restaurant, many people use a percentage for the gratuity. Whether it's 18 percent or 20 percent of the total bill is up to the customer, but the same percentage can't realistically be used in a relocation scenario. For example, the difference between a $1,000 move and a $10,000 move is usually the distance travelled and not necessarily how long the movers loaded and unloaded the truck. Instead you should tip based on the time they worked. 

This scale is generally considered fair:

• 4 hours: $10-$15/mover
• 8 hours: $20-$25/mover

If you have narrow staircases, a lot of heavy furniture or they did an exceptionally great job, adding on accordingly to the amount for each mover is recommended. 

When it comes time to actually tip the movers, hand the tip to each individual mover instead of giving the sum to a foreman or manager. Tipping each mover individually will show that you recognized their work and effort. Also, be sure to tip the movers equally!

Tipping long distance movers
As noted above, the main difference between a $1,000 move and a $10,000 move is distance. For a move that takes multiple days, or spans across provinces, tips range between $50-$200. If your moving company managed to drive across three provinces in a snowstorm without delay, then perhaps they deserve a bit more. 

Ultimately, tipping your movers is a personal choice and is not required by any stretch of the imagination. It's simply a way to show your helpers how hard they've worked and how much you appreciate it.