Do You Tip Removals Men??

RosyGirl

We'll be moving house in a few weeks from one side of the country to the other...this drive will take 5 hours for me, and five hours each way for the removals company who will have to turn around and head back the way they came after unloading all my furniture etc.

I'm not sure if you're supposed to tip the men doing the heavy work or not. I'd be inclined to tip, especially as it's such a long old day for them, and since there'll be a lot of stairs involved.

What are other peoples' experiences of this? I can only find information on UK forum sites. If you're supposed to tip, then how much would be considered acceptable. Money's getting tight, but I don't want to come across as a total cheapskate!

snubbleste

No.

The_Conductor

You're paying them for their services.
Why would you expect to tip on top of this?
Presumably you have been quoted on the basis of the nature of the job- so a few stairs etc- are nothing out of the ordinary.
I really don't get this American thing that is creeping in over here- if you're paying someone a reasonable wage for a reasonable day's work- what or why do they need a topup?
In the US- waiters/bar staff etc- appear to often not be paid at all by the business owner- so I can understand why they'd have an expectation of tips. Here in Ireland- that is not the case.

Its a weird American tradition- that I have no idea why its creeping in here.

gosplan

The_Conductor wrote: »

You're paying them for their services.
Why would you expect to tip on top of this?
Presumably you have been quoted on the basis of the nature of the job- so a few stairs etc- are nothing out of the ordinary.
I really don't get this American thing that is creeping in over here- if you're paying someone a reasonable wage for a reasonable day's work- what or why do they need a topup?
In the US- waiters/bar staff etc- appear to often not be paid at all by the business owner- so I can understand why they'd have an expectation of tips. Here in Ireland- that is not the case.

Its a weird American tradition- that I have no idea why its creeping in here.

It's so they'll like us (weird Irish hang-up).

The_Conductor

You're never going to meet them again.
If they've been driving for hours and helping you bring stuff up stairs etc- give them a cup of tea and a sandwich- its a nice friendly way to say thankyou.
This tipping lark is gone too far.

dudara

I wouldn't tip, but I'd make sure they had plenty of tea & biscuits or a sandwich. Plenty other ways to show your gratitude.

galljga1

I would and have done and I am from Cavan.

km991148

dudara wrote: »

Plenty other ways to show your gratitude.

ermm..


seriously tho - I find myself asking this more and more often - were does it stop - online shopping (tesco etc) delivery drivers for example? Takeaway del drivers usually get something, as do Taxis - but would you even dream of doing it with DHL/an post etc?

Tipping here is weird - and getting weirder!

holly_johnson

dudara wrote: »

I wouldn't tip, but I'd make sure they had plenty of tea & biscuits or a sandwich. Plenty other ways to show your gratitude.

+1 If you supply them with tea & nice biscuits they are far more likely to take care with fragile items. When I engaged a removal company I kept them full of hot brews & toffypops and they thanked me profusely plus assembled items such as my then baby's cot for free

Mrs OBumble

I did the last time I moved, because the lads did an epic job packing my stuff into a storage unit that was just large enough to take it all. They worked hard, their boss's price for the work was competitive, meaning their pay wouldn't have been that great. The tip was small compared to the overall price, and it made their day.

I was moving out in a country with a tipping culture like Irelands, but where you take all your stuff with you, so tea and biscuits was not an option: kettle and biscuit tin were emptied and packed well before the movers got there.

Clearlier

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I was moving out in a country with a tipping culture like Irelands, but where you take all your stuff with you, so tea and biscuits was not an option: kettle and biscuit tin were emptied and packed well before the movers got there.

Rookie mistake . Kettles and a few cups are LIFO items!

I have tipped when I got good service and not tipped when I got poor service. I spent two summers working as a mover for an international firm in Paris when I was a student. North Americans routinely tipped large amounts, everyone else was hit and miss.

CatFromHue

I think that's the point though. Tipping is a North American cultural thing, it's not here so why do it?

Mrs OBumble

Clearlier wrote: »

Rookie mistake . Kettles and a few cups are LIFO items!

Not if you're going into a storage unit they're not!

endacl

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Not if you're going into a storage unit they're not!

You moved into a storage unit?!?

:pac:

dori_dormer

We've tipped movers, they were here 2 days and were really nice lads. But then we weren't paying for the service ( my husbands company was). Gave them a tenner each.

Also left the kettle til last as well as a few cups! Got some muffins and pastries when I went to the shop for my own lunch. And bought them coffee on the last day ( they aren't allowed leave the location apparently so only had sandwiches in the can for themselves)

Probably would have left out the tip if we were paying ourselves.

Victor

Tips are for personal service over and above the required.

holly_johnson wrote: »

+1 If you supply them with tea & nice biscuits they are far more likely to take care with fragile items. When I engaged a removal company I kept them full of hot brews & toffypops and they thanked me profusely plus assembled items such as my then baby's cot for free

Hard cash isn't always the best motivator. Taking care of the moving team mentally (don't mess them around) and physically (availability of food and drink) is as important.

Be organised, with everything already in the boxes. Have boxes and rooms labelled. There are few things that annoy movers more than people interfering with boxes as they are being moved / are already on the truck or having to move / re-move boxes that have been delivered.

Get a check list of dos and dont's from the moving company.

pauliebdub

No, tipping is not an Irish or European custom so I wouldn't do it.

Pawwed Rig

It would never even have occurred to me to tip them.

MileyReilly

dori_dormer wrote: »

We've tipped movers, they were here 2 days and were really nice lads. But then we weren't paying for the service ( my husbands company was). Gave them a tenner each.

Also left the kettle til last as well as a few cups! Got some muffins and pastries when I went to the shop for my own lunch. And bought them coffee on the last day ( they aren't allowed leave the location apparently so only had sandwiches in the can for themselves)

Probably would have left out the tip if we were paying ourselves.

Only a tenner each and you weren't even paying them. Jesus.

BetterThanThou

You're never "supposed" to tip anyone, tipping is totally up to you, if you think they're a bunch of nice lads and they did a nice job, throw them a bit of cash if you want. If you don't think they did a good job or had a bad attitude, I'd recommend not tipping them. You should never feel obliged to tip, it's to show appreciation for good service, not some mandatory thing.

pawrick

Last time a used a removal service I tipped the guy and gave him a hand. I had 5 flights of stairs and although I didn't have a lot of stuff (no furniture) the stairs was a killer going up and down so I thought he deserved a tip. I'd always be inclined to give a rip anyhow but vary it depending on the work required.