To tip or not to tip painters, plumbers and other home-service providers?

[Omaha Steve]

X post in Labor

http://www.omaha.com/article/20140426/MONEY/140429177/1685#to-tip-or-not-to-tip-painters-plumbers-and-other-home-service-providers

By Paige Yowell

It's home improvement season, so more of us are likely to be hiring help. But have you ever wondered whether you should tip the repairman, painter or plumber who does an exceptionally good job?

A recent survey by a Nashville, Tenn.-based startup, Your Green Pal, an online tool that connects homeowners with lawn care service providers, shows that tipping home service providers is not the norm in the largest metro areas.

Your Green Pal co-founder Bryan Clayton said the survey was conducted using Google searches, Craigslist and Angie's List in the top 15 metro areas. Employees surveyed 1,000 different businesses in 10 different categories, from painters to landscape artists, and asked them, “Do your customers ever tip you?” and asked for the smallest tip, largest tip and average tip each business had received.

Clayton said the survey focused on smaller businesses to get the most accurate feedback. “We wanted to make sure we were (talking to) the guy who was going to show up” on the job, he said.

FULL story at link.

[CrispyQ]

1. If they do a good job & are friendly to my husband,

who will follow them around, not let them out of his site & ask a ton of questions, I tip them very well.

[handmade34]

2. this guy

removed my beloved old elm tree that died last year... for only $400... better believe I tipped him!




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[notadmblnd]

3. What I go by....

If the person performing the service for me works as an independent contractor for someone else, then they are more than likely being paid minimum wage and I tip them.

For example, the hair stylist who is working in salon but does not own that salon. She/he gets tipped.

My housekeeper who is sent to me via a cleaning company such as Molly Maids, they get a tip.

[socialist_n_TN]

4. I don't really tip........

my lawn care guy (too old to do it myself anymore), but I did raise what I paid him unsolicited because he did such a good job that first summer. I did the same thing with the lady that cuts my hair. She's really good to me and does a good job. She's the boss, but is an "owner-operator". It's just her. Always tip at restaurants.

Of course, I'm not really wealthy either, so money has always been in short supply for me. If I had more than enough, I might do more tipping.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. I tipped the guys who put in the new carpet

we got in the master bedroom. Group of three young guys, I'm guessing they were subcontracted by the carpet store, so I gave them what I had in my wallet ($27) to go grab lunch after they finished it up. (I'm in Ohio, where cost of living is relatively low, so they actually could get lunch for 3 on that, heh.)

[Demit]

6. My plumbers charge $100 an hour. No, I don't tip them.

Hairdressers & restaurant waitstaff, ok. Otherwise, I rely on construction & other home repair professionals to set their price, then I pay it. I worked as a freelance graphic designer & never in the world dreamed that anyone would think I'd expect a tip for my services, beyond what was on my invoice.

[tularetom]

7. Yes and no

If I am quoted a price by the person who is actually going to do the work, I have to assume he is being fair with himself and I wouldn't even think of leaving a tip.

On the other hand, if the people performing the service are worker bees for the guy who gave me the bid, yeah, I'd give them a few bucks.

Back in the day I was able to barter carpentry work for other home construction or repair services. Never thought about a tip either way.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. the plumber contractor charges $45 just to drive to the door

and since he is the only game in town, I figure his high charges are sufficient.
OTOH, the roofer has always showed up promptly in an emergency, quoted low prices, sometimes is willing to take less.
HIM I tip.
He got paid back quite well when I replaced the roof, we went back and forth over the price, he came within 100.00 of another bid I had, so he got the job, cause I know him and his work.
Plus I know he will show up promptly when I need him to fix anything....

The guy who does the yard gets an extra 10 over his fee, again because I think he charges too little for the work he does,
and again because he will show up promptly when needed. ( not showing up to work is a bad habit around here).


Haircuts...I tip, cause I think she charges too little for the time she spends on my appointments.
Other than the plumber, prices are very very low around here, I tend to tip all but big contractors.

[angstlessk]

9. When we moved to Detroit, we knew no one

so we asked the person at the U-Haul if they knew anyone who could help us unload our truck, she found two men to help and we paid her, but also tipped the men, in case she she kept most of the money she charged.

Also, in VA we hired men to help us pack the truck...from a temp agency. We also tipped them AND bought Pizza for lunch.