Your movers have spent hours lugging your belongings from the moving truck to your new car. Your friend asks you how big your tip for movers will be, and you look at them like a deer in headlights. The thought hadn't crossed your mind.
Research shows that Americans have been tipping service workers less during the past three years. Only 10% of people in 2023 said they tipped home service providers.
Are you unsure of how much to tip movers? Is tipping long-distance movers even required? Let's explore the average tip for movers and other moving company tips.
Should You Tip Movers?
Absolutely. Moving is strenuous work even when people do it daily. Moving companies appreciate tips, particularly when clients are satisfied with their work.
Tips are optional, but not tipping your movers might convey that you weren't happy with their services. Your moving company will welcome your tip if you had an excellent experience with them and everything went as planned.
When to Tip and When Not to Tip
Don't feel pressured to tip your mover if their service isn't good. Tip only if the movers meet your expectations.
Larger tips are warranted for extraordinary service, where your movers exceed your expectations. A bigger tip may be a couple of dollars more than you'd typically tip a mover.
A mover might go above and beyond by taking extreme care to avoid damaging your items. This may involve taping your sofa recliner's cord to the couch to prevent ruining the cord while the couch is in transit.
Skip the tip if the movers arrive late with no apology or explanation. Other reasons to avoid the tip are if the mover is disrespectful and damages your belongings.
Average Tip For Movers
How much should you be tipping the movers when moving from state to state? The customary tip for a moving company is at least ten percent of your moving bill. Clients usually don't tip more than 20%.
How Much to Tip Movers
Your movers' tip amount is your choice, but how much a person tips is generally based on how long their move takes. Suppose your move takes four hours. Twenty dollars per person should suffice when tipping the movers.
What if your relocation takes eight hours? Consider giving each person a $40 tip. Increase this amount to between $50 and $60 each for a 12-hour move.
Tipping Long-Distance Movers
How much should you tip long-distance movers? Tip each mover between $50 and $60 - the amount you'd tip them after a 12-hour move.
Tipping a long-distance mover generously is especially fair if your long-distance move is complicated. Let's say your movers have to go down and up numerous stairs to move your furniture or put your items in boxes because you weren't ready for them in time. Acknowledge their good deeds by giving them a bigger tip.
Consider the conditions they had to move your items in, too. Moving is challenging when dealing with ice, freezing temperatures, a 90-degree-Fahrenheit temperature, or 100% humidity. Pay your movers extra for weathering the elements to make your move successful.
How to Pay a Tip For Movers
Most moving clients pay their movers after their moves are complete and their bills are settled. You may give the tip to each person individually or have the driver split the tip among the moving team.
Are you worried that your tip for movers won't get to the right hands if you give the money to a single team member? Stick with tipping the movers individually.
Other Moving Company Tips
A few other tips can help you ensure a smooth moving experience. Create a checklist for moving across the country if you're moving 2,000 miles away. This checklist should include the following:
- Planning your relocation 60 days in advance
- Creating a moving budget
- Decluttering your home before the move
- Packing items early
- Cancelling or transferring subscriptions
- Making travel and hotel arrangements as needed
Are you trying to move in one day? Book your moving company weeks before your target moving day to ensure they'll be available.
Pack everything you don't need daily as soon as possible, at least one week before moving day. This will make your move day less stressful.
Create a bag of essential items to keep with you during the move so you'll always have access to them. These items may range from toiletries to medications and your phone charger.
Remember that the cheapest ways to move locally include moving your items with a rental truck or hiring "labor-only" help. Labor-only movers will help you lift heavy items into your vehicle and leave the rest of the move to you.
Use a moving cost calculator to determine how much a moving company will cost you compared with using labor-only movers or a rental truck. Hiring an experienced professional mover will cost more but result in an easier move.
Auto Shipping Costs
What if you need to ship a car to another state as part of your move? Reputable auto transport companies offer cross-country car shipping services, so contact a shipping company immediately.
An auto transport service can also help if you need to sell a car in 2023 before moving. They'll arrange to pick up the vehicle from your home and transport it to your buyer if they're in another city or state.
Use a car shipping calculator to determine your auto shipping costs. Your price will depend on the vehicle's model, make, and size. Other factors include your shipping timeline and distance.
Vehicle transport costs are typically between $700 and $1,050 if you're shipping a car a few hundred miles away. Auto transport companies charge between $600 and $4,100 if your vehicle is going at least 1,300 miles away.
How We Can Help With Auto Shipping
Are you wondering how much to tip movers? The average tip for movers is at least 10% of the moving bill. Tipping long-distance movers $50 per person is recommended, but how much people pay for moving company tips is ultimately up to them.
Do you need to ship a car to your new home? Nexus Auto Transport can help you ship a car to another state during your move. We'd gladly take your vehicle a few hundred miles or 2,000 miles away.
Our customers have praised us for our competitive pricing and punctuality. Get a free quote today!