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Tipping Workers

16 years ago

We are nearing the end of our kitchen remodel. The two guys our general contractor uses on his jobs were wonderful. Both arrived with a smile and a hello each morning. Both listen well, are competent, do great work, keep the workplace clean and are genuinely nice people.

Is it a common practice to give a gift (perhaps a nice bottle of Champagne or wine) or a monetary tip when the job is done?

What about the general contractor whom we saw each morning to go over our wishes and concerns.

Jodi

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Comments (4)

mrs_tlc
16 years ago
Good question Jodi. I am from the NE and we tip workers up there, so I asked hubby the same thing today because the granite installers have been here all day and doing a great job. He is from Kansas/I'm from the NE.......I would tip $25/ea. probably/He says no tip....that that's their bosses job if he wants to give them a bonus because we have paid enough.
fran1523
16 years ago
I did not tip the GC or his assistant, but I did give $20 each to the four workers who hauled that slab of granite up the stairs to my kitchen. They arrived in the midst of a snowstorm and then did some additional cutting and polishing on my back deck and front walk (no garage). They didn't have a decent jacket or pair of gloves among them. Of course, they couldn't speak English either.
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I don't tip, not in cash anyway. I once gave the crew leader who installed our siding a letter of recommendation to help him get a jump start on his side business. He's a good guy, has done other work for me at rentals through his boss/my preferred contractor. He was so happy with that letter, he walked around here beaming for days. It was a good feeling ;) I will always call their boss if they've done a good job. You'd be amazed at how many owners get a tone like they're bracing themselves for a complaint, then their tone turns to surprise and genuine appreciation when they hear it's a compliment. Figure there's not enough compliments spread around the world today. ;) Other than that, plenty of coffee, water, Gatorade if it's hot out, etc. some homemade treats. We don't use contractors much, tho, since we are heavy DIYers.
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I am pretty irritated - the two installers who just left my house practically asked for a tip. I wasn't planning to tip them but after some awkward hanging out in the kitchen waiting for a tip and then asking if I had change for a $20 because they needed to split up a tip from yesterday ("some people must not realize that there are two of us!") I began to panic because I never carry cash and thought I didn't have any. I remembered that I did have some money and gave them each a $20. I could see how they operated - one left while the other did his song and dance. When I gave the second one his $20 he later put it on the counter for the other to see so he did not have to do his routine (too late). $3,700 for a countertop and now an extra $40 for doing the job for which they receive a paycheck anyway. Am I old fashioned that thinking tipping is for waitstaff, pizza delivery guys, and others who make less than minimum wage? Sure I would tip for going above and beyond, but this was a pretty standard job. They did a nice job, but my perception is ruined based on their attitude. All the way to work I was thinking about putting a tip cup on my desk. That and kicking myself for not having cash when the refrigerator man (who really went above and beyond) navigated my big fridge through every room in my house. UGHH! Okay, done venting.
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This was a chain restaurant, & the bill for 2 dinners was just under $40. Servers in those places aren't "professional" waiters who are likely to make good incomes. They're likely young people trying to support themselves or pay school expenses. "Professional" waiters work at places where dinner for 2 would be $150 or more, & where no diner would dare leave a chintzy tip. which has...what?...to do with punishing a harried waitress for forgetting or not realizing that she should have brought smaller bills.
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A written review, able to be published on his website with professional pictures of the job, would make any builder insanely happy. Find a good real estate photographer and arrange a shoot for the end. Make sure the photo rights to publish in multiple media forms are transferred to the builder, even if the photographer retains the copyright. Great idea. My builder isn't a young guy but wants to keep working for another 3-5 years. He has no internet presence and his wife and I are always on him about it. A professional shoot of the house would be perfect. Thanks, Sophie. For the dirty hands doing the actual work, yes, tips and a note of praise is gratefully accepted. Think of it as the Valentines cards you handed out in school. You can’t leave anyone out, but if it’s all in envelopes, no one has to share if theirs had an extra special note or $50 in it. I like this idea too. I think I'll limit it to the workers themselves, not the owners of the various companies, though, (i.e. the actual painters, not the guy giving the orders and collecting the huge fees etc.). We live in a very high priced building market and these guys are making a bundle but most of their employees are hourly without benefits.
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vwhippiechick
16 years ago
I wanted to tip the two men who installed our cabinets because their work was wonderful, they were cheerful and friendly, and cleaned up after themselves. However my husband said that they were subcontractors and like mrs_tlc's husband, he said that we had already paid them. I did fix them lunch both days they were working on our kitchen.
november
16 years ago
We had been planning to give our GC and his two main guys gift certificates to the really nice restaurant in town (they all have wives/fiancees). The GC's family goes to our pool and his kids go to our kids' school - he's definitely a peer rather than "just" a contractor. But you know what? He asked for the last payment before they finished the punch list, and we felt awkward saying no to him, and it's now been over two weeks. I know they'll finish the job, but there will be no tip.

For the guys who did the drywall and paint over a weekend, I bought them pizza, and we also got food for the roofing guys.

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