Our whole-kitchen cabinets were delivered at noon on a day the temperature was about 95 degrees. I delivered lots of cold water to drink. They asked if they could use the set tub to wash their faces (of course!). I thanked them. Cash money? Never occurred to me. Same for the guy who delivered 13 boxes of bamboo flooring.

As a dealer I tip em all the time, how much depends on size of order, work involved and how much I have on me as some days I don't remember to get cash :)

From what I can tell it is not "expected" ("you know you don't have to..", but they do appreciate it.

I do this in part as insurance; for the day the client can't take a delivery and we have to reroute or I am late getting to the site and they can start without me so it's business. I also tip the UPS and Fedex guys at the holidays.

OTOH- My dad taught me to tip, a signature of his sometimes with cash, sometimes with an apple turnover- a cheap and easy way to spread a little joy.

Cold or warm beverages (season appropriate) and a snack is always appreciated. They've usually been on the road for several days, unless you are really close to the factory and are their first stop. And they get tired of truck stop food and cranky people. You'd be surprised at how some people treat the delivery guys---like they're afraid they're going to contaminate their home. Just saying "thank you" and being nice to them also goes along way as well.

We did tip and offered cold drinks. Two delivery guys where very accommodating and put the cabinets where we wanted them to. I think about $20 each. They where polite the whole time. If they had not been as accommodating and only placed them in the garage we would not have tipped.

I didn't even think to tip them. Or the counter installers. Now I feel guilty......

Any deliveries I've had lately the guys are done and gone very fast. I have never tipped but if I can catch them as they run out the door, I will offer a drink.

It's probably regional. I live in the NYC metro area and we tip for deliveries that require some serious effort (cabinets, appliances, furniture). However, I grew up in MI and we did not tip for deliveries.

"-like they're afraid they're going to contaminate their home. "

More like afraid they are going to break, smash or tromp dirt or mud all over the floors. Things they seem to enjoy! lol I'd be willing to let them use the bathroom, if necessary, but since they do their business all over the toilet and floor, that's history. You have to draw the line somewhere!

I tipped the counter guys for some reason. Even though they were impatient and kind of rude. Heard them laughing afterwards, I think because it was too low so they thought it was funny. So, never again. Sorry I did.

I don't really think it's appropriate. If it's a sweltering day or long hard hours, a beverage is a nice enough gesture, imo. Lots of people have difficult or tiring jobs, no tips involved.

This post was edited by snookums2 on Wed, May 8, 13 at 22:17

Well I didnt tip. They filled my dining room to the hilt with cabinet boxes. It took about 15 minutes. They did their job and left. They were not especially friendly, but not rude either. I kept out of their way.

My late husband was a generous tipper, esp. delivery people. I don't tip the FedEx or UPS person, but do consider it when people bring large things into my home that require installation time and know-how. I tipped the fridge guys, even though it went quickly and smoothly, maybe because of that. I tipped the Crate & Barrel guy when he delivered my heavy (and completely unassembled) media center. He even said, you don't have to do that, but he did keep the money. I keep it ready, just in case. If someone is rude or surly, to myself I justify not tipping.

I would tip $10 - $20 each, depending on how many cabinets you are having delivered. I always tip when furniture is delivered, too--usually about $10 unless they have to do something unusual or a large, heavy item.

I wish there were some clear guidelines for this and I would play along. After they left, I wondered if I should have tipped my vanity counter installers. I mean, I love how my counter turned out, but it was only 2x5 with no seams and a simple 4" backsplash.

Trebruchet, surely you can shed some light on this for us.

I tip everyone. When we had our new stove and washer and dryer delivered they got $50 each. Sure they had a lift on their truck and only had to come up two steps, but I come from a blue collar family. I know how hard they work and do not want to do it myself so I see that as a service to me that I am willing to pay for.

I tip everyone, too ... deliveries, appliance installers, service providers, construction workers ... everybody gets tipped. I agree with IowaCommute ... it's hard work and a tip goes a long way towards improving their day. IMO, though, $50 each is a VERY generous tip for an appliance delivery and I'm sure those guys were thrilled to get it! I'd tip along the lines of $10.00 each for that, as well as for other small jobs like linelle's small countertop install. If only one guy was doing it, I'd likely give him $20.

i didn't tip the cabinet guys as they were also the installers and the kitchen company. i didn't tip the granite fabricators.
i did tip the refrig and stove delivery guys when i bought from HD. partly because they were super careful and damaged nothing and partly because they hooked up water line for the frig and gas connect for the stove (2 separate deliveries) they saved me hiring someone else to do the connections so i figured they deserved some "cash money" ( love that phrase) i think i tipped $50 each time as there were 2 people so $25 a piece.

I tipped the appliance delivery guys (2 deliveries) $20 each. They brought the appliances in to the dining room, unboxed them, waited while I and my GC inspected them and then took the trash away. I was quite impressed.

My cabinet guy was retained by my GC as part of my overall Reno project so I didn't tip him.

My project ran through the holidays so I did give my on site project manager a gift certificate to a local restaurant.

Tipping is so overdone in the US that it's become ridiculous. Sure you tip waiters who are allowed to be paid less than minimum wage - but tipping high paid professionals who are just doing their job has gotten out of hand.

When I had a TV delivered, the guy handed me a clipboard to sign for delivery with a bunch of $20 bills under the clip. Hint, hint! Guess how much he got :-)

Tipping for exceptional service, over and above the norm, is what tips are supposed to be reserved for. I laugh when I see articles and TV segments about how much you are "expected" to tip various professionals.

I probably tip too often, and I do believe that tipping someone for doing their job is redundant (the concept of it). But I sometimes confuse "above and beyond" with "what should have occurred anyway" because I go into these delivery situations expecting something to go wrong. When nothing goes wrong, I think, "WOW! That was GREAT service!" It actually was standard service, by my bar was set so low.

"Trebruchet, surely you can shed some light on this for us."

After I sold my countertop business, I went to work for another fabricator as the Service Manager. It was more like picking up after the kids, but I digress.

In the nearly three years of my employment, I was the most-tipped employee they'd ever had and I made sure my boss, the owner, knew it, although I got the impression that he thought the money should somehow go to him.

I never asked or even hinted about getting a tip, but it was very flattering. Bragging to the owner was worth much more than the money was.

We always tip for exceptional service, cabinet delivery, appliance delivery, counter peopleâ¦.and of course we get the FedEx, UPS guys, mailman and garbage man during the holiday seasons

I also tip the person at full service gas when it is very hot, very cold, snowy, pouring rain etcâ¦.anyone who is saving me from being out in the elements pumping gas deserves a couple dollars

I think if you feel compelled to tip then you tip and there is nothing wrong with that. I dont think tipping is overdone I think service has become underdone so when I think someone has helped me in someway I tip, and I like doing that.

"When nothing goes wrong, I think, "WOW! That was GREAT service!" It actually was standard service, by my bar was set so low."

Lol, sad but true. I do think it's a bit weird that tipping is seen as appropriate for some services but not others. Most people seem to work hard at their jobs, but not everyone gets tipped regularly or even EVER. "Normal" service or "exceptional" service makes no difference to me in tipping, as I have come to see what used to be normal service as exceptional. In fact, I can't remember the last time I received exceptional service. Maybe I should rethink my tipping practices.

I don't think we tipped for any deliveries. Some things were delivered to our kitchen GC's warehouse and he brought them to us. For anything major like cabinets arriving he generally had someone on site to receive them and make sure things were in order and put where he wanted them.

Our family room remodel GC was almost always there himself to receive anything major or when any major work was being started up or finishing.

It usually was the GC or the GC's people dealing with the other contractors or delivery folks.

How do you tip your FedEx or UPS people? It doesn't seem to be the same driver all the time. There are a bunch of drivers. They usually put the package on our doorstep (or sometimes just inside the entry courtyard gate) perhaps ring the door bell and leave quickly. Even if I'm close to the door when the bell rings I usually only catch a glimpse of them. (I think UPS and FedEx monitor how efficiently they are delivering so they don't hang around unless they need a signature and even then the don't hang around long.) So the only way I could tip them once or twice a year would be to leave an envelop on the porch, hope they see it and hope that it is going to one who frequently delivers to us.

Wow I have to say I'm shocked at how many people say they didn't tip. We tip waitresses who bring light plates of food, tip cab drivers for driving us somewhere, hairdressers for doing our hair, etc. You mean to tell me you can't give $20 to each guy who lugged in seriously heavy cabinets/furniture, up lord knows how many stairs, etc.? You people are CHEAP.

LOL Erin. I am a good tipper (I think so anyway), but there isn't a rule on this subject. Our job is not cheap or easy. Cabinet installers were here 2 full days and had to deal with a bit of drama. I knew they would return as well to tune hinges, drill hardware, etc -- 2 guys - $50 each. The 3 guys who installed caesarstone perimeter and marble island. Again a bit of drama as I made them wait until their supervisor arrived because they seemed a bit confused. They also had to drill a lot more holes than the usual job (3 sink faucets, a knife insert square, an electrical outlet square) $40 each and $50 to the supervisor. Electrician - $50. Plumber $50. Wall finish guys will get $40 each most likely. Tiler around $50 maybe. Appliance installation is maybe this week and I have $ set aside for that part, but it depends on the amount of work, which I don't think will be much. So - around $60K job (not including appliances, sinks, faucets) and around $600 tips - 1%.

ETA -- Forgot that I gave cabinet painter lead $200 and asked to split with his guys as he saw fit.

It's got nothing to do with being cheap in my opinion. Wait staff are paid below minimum wage - tips are expected to make up the difference. The "staff" who worked on our home work for a company and are paid for the work they do. I just think tipping has gotten way out of hand.

Yes, lots of people work hard or tedious or strenuous or all of the above jobs and do not get tips. Lots of people don't make a lot of money and don't get tipped. Lots don't have great working conditions and don't get tipped. Why these people feel entitled to tips just for doing their jobs - worse yet, to do a good job - is beyond me. Let the employers give them a bigger cut of their profits if it is a problem. We pay enough for things.

Their household might even be bringing in more than the customer's does, too, to be piling on that they aren't being paid enough or deserve more for doing a good job.

snookums2, remind me to never deliver cabinets to your house, please.

No problem!

FWIW - not one person I have ever tipped for doing work on my houses has given me the impression they thought they were entitled to anything. No "hanging around with a hand out" behaviors. I did not feel forced to pay them a little extra for treating me, my home, and my things with care. Today, guys are redoing the kitchen ceiling. It is a pretty big job with a lot of angles, speakers, can lights, and pendant lights. They even noted a settling crack in an area far from the work and fixed that, which meant more texturing and painting for them. They were careful to protect the floor and Dexterized the room very nicely to protect everything. I appreciate their work and want them to know. I guess I could give them each a Hallmark card...hahaha.

" I guess I could give them each a Hallmark card...hahaha."

Or you could just pay them all those thousands of dollars and thank them. That would be more than a lot, if not most, people get for all their hard work.

Yes. Well. The OP (old post, I didn't realize) asked how much to tip and was it expected. As I stated earlier, there isn't a rule but I shared our practice. If someone chooses to not tip because some other people don't even get a thank you for doing a great job, so be it. I don't understand the angry vibes...

It's from listening to people in the business on GW endlessly complain about their cheap and otherwise PITA customers. You don't have to read around here very long.

That's great you have another $1000 for tipping. They love that you are promoting such a practice! Helping to train the masses, they want more, more more.

A lot of people don't understand all this coddling. It's a job like any other. They get paid well. Why should they get tipped.

Snookums2 you're kind of an ass. I am remodeling my kitchen and hired a junk removal service to haul away all the old cabinets. They sent two 20-something guys who probably get $15-20 bucks an hour if that and they spent about 2 hours very carefully going up and down 3 flights of my stairs to haul away heavy cabinetry. I gave them $100 knowing that in about 5-10 years they're probably not going to be able to do the job because their backs are shot to shit.

ah. well then. if it makes you happy - I don't plan on tipping the GC or the cabinet maker. They are the ones we have directly paid and paid well. We made a deal and agreed on the price. I wouldn't tip a KD either if that is what we are now talking about. See -- there are no rules. I am quite old and was taught to tip workers (not the company owners) who provided excellent service. No one but my parents trained me that.

My family is from a rural area where tipping was very limited, usually only wait staff. In addition, only employees were tipped so if the person owned or managed the business, tipping was not expected. My business partner is an urban/suburban guy and he tips people I wouldn't even have thought to tip. He remembers working as a laborer, doing the heavy and ugly work for minimum money and a chance to learn some new skills. Tipping the laborer doesn't cost much; $10 is a nice bonus to someone earning minimum wage.

Whenever we hire out for a major project, he distributes tips to the workers if he's happy with the service provided or feels that any problems were only management faults. He doesn't believe in stiffing the poor guy doing the labor when the company screws up and the person at the job site becomes the whipping boy. However, he is also quick to point out issues with service or expectations not being met and asks for appropriate corrective action.

Excellent service can be another ballgame. That is not what people usually get these days, however. Those days are gone. People just doing their job, even if they did a good job, I don't see how they are somehow above the rest of us and deserve a tip just for working. We are not talking about waiters and waitresses who, apparently, get below minimum and tips make up for whatever luxuries their employers do not want to sacrifice in order to pay them themselves. A lot of these people make good money, even if they think they don't.

I do work that is 100 times harder than any cabinet delivery person. I do not get tips, nor do I expect them. I also get paid quite a bit less as a female.

I had one of the granite installers drop off the largest sink cut-out for me, he had to drive 15 mins. out of his way to do it. I gave hime $20 for his effort. In every other case I dealt with the business owner who got their invoice paid.

A whole 15 minutes. Wow. That is really impressive. Sounds like he did a whole lot of whining so that you knew how hard he had to work and he got his tip.

You can't be serious, rofl!

Now I want to know what you do as well Snookums! We've hired a few women apprentice carpenters, and they work very hard, carrying their own wood and generally being their own helper as needed. Do you mean that type of hard work? Women don't want to hire on as a labourer, like digging and jack hammering, in general for us. Now that is hard work! Or is it the health industry? My niece has to move 200 lbs seniors from bed to bath and lift them for various reasons. She often is completely sore and exhausted. No tips for her either. If I guess right do I get a prize? ;)

We give out bonuses for good work to our employees. We don't ever get tips ourselves though. We give a tip at certain places like our daughter's wedding. Everyone gave excellent service. The service industry does seem to be the place to tip someone. I was a waitress way back when and lived on my tips. My wages were abysmal.

Snookums, LOL, I asked him to do it! I thought it only fair...

Well, that's another story ;-)

I am still wondering about the 100x harder job. Coal mining?

Snookums - you are plainly out of touch if you don't know that waitstaff make less than min. wage , and think their employers dole out any luxuries to them. In fact , don't know any employers that hand out luxuries to the worker bees. Their perogerative of course, but don't chide people that

Most of the people I see with the no/low tip attitude are in banking/finance and just have no concept about service . None. You know, the same folks with the mandatory fees and % on your accounts and portfolios whether they perform or not - and when they do they just get more automatically. And the ones that hold your funds to "verify" before you can access them , but start charging you the minute you borrow a penny form them. No verification necessary.

I agree with weisman that tipping has gotten outa kilter in some areas and with snookums that younger generation are coddled and have questionable work ethics. But, I also agree that some people are asses when it comes to dealing with workers in the service industry. I mean , under snookums take the slaves shouldn't have complained, they had all their meals , housing, clothes , and transportation all provided for them , wanting more or extras just made them ungracious ???

Tips , bribes , cold beer , donuts , and homemade pies and cookies have greased the wheels of civilazation for centuries. You folks in the country don't call it tipping, you call it helping you neighbor , pitchin in, pass the hat....

It's simply the grease that makes the wheels turn.

Snooki, saying you work harder than a working stiff but refusing to say what you do lacks any credibility whatsoever. Probably because you'd get called out for it not being so.

@Xedos

“ you
are plainly out of touch if you don't know that waitstaff make less than min.
wage , and think their employers dole out any luxuries to them. In fact , don't
know any employers that hand out luxuries to the worker bees. “

Talk about being out of touch. At least read and
understand what I wrote before jumping all over me. What I said was that tipping is
appropriate for wait staff who, apparently, make low/below minimum wage – not for
everyone under the sun just for doing their jobs. That’s gotten out of hand. No, I don’t understand why so many workers feel
they are somehow more deserving or work harder than others so are entitled to tips. As far as I can see, a lot of these people
are making good money even if they don’t think they are. I also said that employers should give up
some of their profit margin - their own personal luxuries - to pay their employees
better if they are actually underpaid. That
is, not expect their customers to pick up part of their payroll expense with
tips. We pay very high prices as it is
and they seem to be doing quite well by it.

"under
snookums take the slaves shouldn't have complained, they had all their meals ,
housing, clothes , and transportation all provided for them , wanting more or
extras just made them ungracious ???

Excuse me, but that is your take, not mine. Stop misrepresenting me.

No, I don't think everyone deserves a tip just because they did their
job (which I think is a valid and reasonable complaint these days, not to mention common). It’s a ridiculous concept. Tipping expectations are out of control. What, do you think the rest of us have money
trees growing in the back yard? You assume we all make more than you?

My comment about jobs 100 times harder refers to the many occupations
that require a college education (sometimes extensive) and entail a lot of hard, long hours, extra work and/or continued education, along with huge responsibility. Often, those jobs don’t pay more, or much
more, than the good wages you complain about.
There are no tips. Extra hours
don’t necessarily reap additional pay more less overtime wages. It’s just part of the job. I don’t know why people would assume I was referring
to physical labor.

I’ve done physical labor, too, and my body suffered for it. No tips were involved (sometimes no pay
either). I never would have expected
such a thing. I thought the money was very
good. Apparently I was uninformed,
lol.

Frankly, I think it can be rather insulting to tip someone for
doing their job. It can come across as patronizing
and condescending. Often it is, for that
matter.

“I
agree with weisman that tipping has gotten outa kilter in some areas and with
snookums that younger generation are coddled and have questionable work ethics. “

Then we are in agreement about the poor work ethics today.
That is basically what I was saying. I really don’t have a problem with tipping,
per se, just when it’s not warranted or people are making good money. We all have service jobs.

I happen to ‘tip’ the people I work for! Because I am grateful and enjoy both my job and
working for them. (Actually, that is not always the case, lol, but
I do it anyway).

Oh, and ErinWalsh30 - You set this whole fiasco off by dragging up a
1-1/2 year old thread to scream at people for being CHEAP? - and then call me names? How ironic.

Snooki - now I am truly intrigued. Not only do you believe your work is 100x harder than one who delivers kitchen cabinets, you tell us that you tip those who employ you. I am so curious.

Snookums, if you APPARENTLY didn't know waitstaff make below minimum wage you ARE out of touch.

There is nothing about the appearance of their pay scale. Perhaps that's not what you meant, but it's what you wrote. Maybe you should also re-read your comment because what YOU wrote was: " I do work that is 100 times harder than any cabinet delivery person "

That's a comment about YOU , not folks with hard jobs in general . And I don't think anyone assumed you were talking about labor jobs , but some of those require long educational periods as well as continuing Ed too . I don't see where either one has a bearing on the practice of tipping or that anyone with a job like airline pilot or personnel mgr. isn't stressful. Is driving a cab in Rome stressful ? Do they get tipped ? Should they ? Is it 100x more stressful than your ivory palace neighborhood hairdresser who customarily gets tipped? Ok may only 68x more stressful.

I also disagree that most of these people are expecting tips. Of course some are but it's a small portion. What in the world do you give tip your bosses for ? Talk about outa touch - unless you're trying to climb the corp. ladder - and that's not going to be an appropriate GW discussion.

My experience has also been that good tippers are not those with money to burn or expense accounts, but rather self made men and women . Of course I know some cheapskate expense acnt. types and generous trust funders. So again, not everyone can be cast .

Clearly this thread struck a nerve with you, but your participation was solely voluntary, and you could have not posted at anytime. So stop crowing at Erin .

i'll also bet you've never asked a renovator or delivery person or ??? to move this or change that, or be especially careful of this that ? And before you say it's part of his job, think again - their job is to do what their boss instructs - which is often not in alignment with what YOU want or expect or paid for. And your change of mind on the fly is not built into the deal or price - even if you think it should be - nor is the grunt being compensated for that change . That's why a lot of these people tip. It's a social engineering tool for the grey area , of which there is a lot of.