What is a reasonable tip for a mover?
A general rule of thumb is to tip $4 to $5 per hour per mover or to tip between 5 and 10% of the total move cost. For example, if you are planning to spend $1,000 on your move, you might tip between $50 and $100 and divide it evenly between the team helping with your move.
In general, you should tip your movers $4-5 for each hour they helped you. So if your move only took 4 hours and you were impressed with the service, tipping 16-20 dollars to each mover is considered an appropriate amount to tip.
No matter the size of your move, it's a good idea to tip your movers. Tipping between $50 and $100 per crew member for a full-day, larger move is a good place to start. A $20 to $30 tip for each crew member is standard for smaller, local moves that take less time.
A half-day move (4 hours or less) – $20 per person. A full 8-hour day – $40 per person. 12 hours or more – $50-$60 per person.
You can choose to tip at the end of both workdays or give an entire tip after the job is completed. If you're hiring local crews at each end of a long-distance move and you decide to tip, consider tipping one crew after loading and the other when they finish unloading.
Honestly, cash is still the best way to offer a moving tip.
So if you forgot to run by the ATM, these options may help: Some large moving companies have a line to include your tip in the bill. If this is the case, it's fine to pay the tip with the same card you're using to pay the moving company.
But when your movers provide great service, we recommend you tip as a way of saying thanks. Always tip each mover individually according to their performance and attitude during the move. Don't give the entire tip to the foreman to distribute, as they may not share the funds with the entire crew.
Local movers in your area love to move quickly and efficiently, so take it from me, it's definitely not a weird thing to help your own mover… but not by lifting anything! Helping them in other ways is more than just a load off their backs: the faster they can get done, the more money you will save.
A tip of 5 to 10 percent is often recommended, and this amount should be given to the entire moving team via the foreman. For example, if you've paid $2000 for your moving services, consider tipping anywhere from $100 to $200.
While you don't have to buy movers lunch, it's considered proper etiquette to offer food to your hired workers if the move takes longer than 4-5 hours. Thus said, your movers can still turn down your kind offer simply because they have brought their own lunch knowing that they will be working a long shift.
Do you pay movers before or after?
The short answer is NO, you do NOT pay movers before the move. However, you may still need to pay a deposit if such is requested by the mover, and you can choose to tip your hired workers if you're satisfied with their work.
For the wait staff at sit-down restaurants, the tip should be 15 to 20 percent of the pretax bill. Tips are not necessary when you pick up your order or at fast-food restaurants.

Back story- I said $20/person was good, wife said needed to be $40 (at least) but wanted to give more. Considering it wasn't just one team doing the whole job, we met in the middle at $40/person.
Removal men should never request or ask for a tip, even if they have provided an extra service as a goodwill gesture. Tipping is always down to the discretion of the customer. A tip should always be provided out of choice, rather than obligation. You should tip the removals company because you want to.
A good rule of thumb is to tip movers 5-10% of the total cost of the move. So, if your move costs $3,000 in total, you would tip your movers $150-$300. Still, factors like the length of your move and quality of service play into how much you should tip movers. We'll get into that in a moment.
You can tip your driver once your trip is complete. Tips are neither expected nor required. After a trip has ended, you have 30 days to add a tip in the app, on riders.uber.com, or from your emailed trip receipt.
I delivered many, many pianos over the years. Tipping was very common and appreciated, though I know the customer experience can very significantly. Because of that variation in quality, it's hard to say tipping piano movers is conventional and expected.
...
Potentially Dangerous Items
- Gasoline.
- Oxygen bottles.
- Lighter fluid.
- Matches.
- Propane cylinders.
- Nail polish remover.
- Paints and paint thinners.
- Fireworks.
Before booking, it's a good idea to gather quotes from multiple movers to compare prices and services. Mayflower is owned by UniGroup, the same corporation that owns the major moving company United Van Lines. Both Mayflower and United use the same online moving quote tool and have similar pricing.
How Much Should You Tip? The industry standard in New York City is to tip 15-20% of the total moving bill, or $20-100 per mover, assuming it was a job well done. Some situations that might call for a higher tip include: moving delicate and pricey items.
Do you tip two men and a truck?
Tips: You aren't required to tip, and the movers won't ask for one. But it is generally considered customary to tip movers 5 to 10 percent of the total cost of the move, especially for a job well done.
Typically, gratuity is 15-20% of the total price of your move. However, when hiring long distance movers, you will need to tip to both moving crews. A good way to understand how to tip them is to divide the total price of the move in two (to account for both crews) and calculate gratuity based on that.
- Clean. ...
- Purchase packing supplies. ...
- Label boxes wisely. ...
- Check in with your moving company. ...
- Prepare your appliances. ...
- Pack a “first night” box. ...
- Gather important paperwork… and keep it in a safe place!
Yes, you can leave clothes in the dresser when moving, but you will need to remove the drawers from the dresser, as we are unable to move dressers with clothes in them. If you decide to go this route, you will then want to wrap your drawers in plastic to help keep items from falling out.
Assuming that everything is ready and the moving truck is less than 50 feet away from your house (or first-floor apartment), 2 professional movers can load: a 10-foot truck in about an hour. a 16-foot truck in about 2 hours. a 20-foot truck in about 3 hours.
- Bananas.
- Lean meats.
- Nuts / Trail mix.
- Whole wheat bagels.
- Sandwiches on whole wheat bread.
- Fresh fruits – options like watermelon or oranges also help with hydration.
Food & Drinks
The general consensus is that at the very least, you are expected to provide your movers with cold, bottled water or a jug with plastic or paper cups, if you prefer. In addition to bottled water, it's a nice courtesy to have additional cold drinks on hand like Gatorade or lemonade.
While you are under absolutely no obligation to feed the movers, having food for them to eat can make the move go a lot quicker. Pizza and sandwiches are always favorites. Don't serve food that's too rich or your movers will be ready to take a nap.
Friday has long been the most popular day to move house. Moving day statistics drawn from removals quotes from the past 10 years (2011-2021), reveal that 28% of movers opt to move on a Friday. Saturday is the second most popular day to move (16%), followed by Monday (15%).
The short answer to this question is that it's cheaper to move on a weekday — Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Simply put, most moving companies offer better rates during the week because they aren't as busy then.
Can you pay movers with a credit card?
Use a credit card
Fortunately, many moving companies accept credit cards. If your mover does, you'll need to make sure you have enough available credit to pay for the expenses you can't cover on your own.
“One mover said the industry standard was 5%, which is pretty reasonable—if a crew of two movers move you for $500-$750, you might tip a total of $25 to $40, or $10 to $20 for each mover depending on the quality of the move,” Bisney said. The quality of the move should also factor into your decision on how much to tip.
Local movers in your area love to move quickly and efficiently, so take it from me, it's definitely not a weird thing to help your own mover… but not by lifting anything! Helping them in other ways is more than just a load off their backs: the faster they can get done, the more money you will save.
But when your movers provide great service, we recommend you tip as a way of saying thanks. Always tip each mover individually according to their performance and attitude during the move. Don't give the entire tip to the foreman to distribute, as they may not share the funds with the entire crew.
Tips: You aren't required to tip, and the movers won't ask for one. But it is generally considered customary to tip movers 5 to 10 percent of the total cost of the move, especially for a job well done.
If your total bill is $200 and you want to tip 15%, work out the tip by multiplying the total bill by 0.15. You can then add this amount to your bill when it comes to pay. Simple. Or alternatively, you can multiply the bill excluding service by 1.15 (assuming you want to leave that same 15% tip).
20% is the REAL standard for tips
Industry insider: common consensus says 15-20% is considered a normal tip, but honestly any amount less than 20% is considered a bad tip. If I (or the other servers I worked with) got less, we wondered what we did wrong.
While you don't have to buy movers lunch, it's considered proper etiquette to offer food to your hired workers if the move takes longer than 4-5 hours. Thus said, your movers can still turn down your kind offer simply because they have brought their own lunch knowing that they will be working a long shift.
Yes, you can leave clothes in the dresser when moving, but you will need to remove the drawers from the dresser, as we are unable to move dressers with clothes in them. If you decide to go this route, you will then want to wrap your drawers in plastic to help keep items from falling out.
...
Potentially Dangerous Items
- Gasoline.
- Oxygen bottles.
- Lighter fluid.
- Matches.
- Propane cylinders.
- Nail polish remover.
- Paints and paint thinners.
- Fireworks.
Can you tip movers with a check?
Some large moving companies have a line to include your tip in the bill. If this is the case, it's fine to pay the tip with the same card you're using to pay the moving company. If you need to record the payment, then tipping movers with a check is acceptable.
Dolly falls short for loading-only services
Dolly strongly encourages you to tip your Dolly helpers. We recommend tipping about $20 per helper in our guide to tipping your mover.
The short answer is NO, you do NOT pay movers before the move. However, you may still need to pay a deposit if such is requested by the mover, and you can choose to tip your hired workers if you're satisfied with their work.
Ideally, two months before your move date. Worse case, at least four weeks, but know that if you only have a month or less before your move, you'll have a limited choice of movers. Most good movers are booked two to three months out.
To calculate the cost of a local move, you'll need to take the Number of Hours estimated to complete the move and multiply that by the Hourly Rate the moving company charges. You may also have to add on additional charges for things like Travel Time, Packing Materials, and Tips for the movers if you so choose.
You can tip your driver once your trip is complete. Tips are neither expected nor required. After a trip has ended, you have 30 days to add a tip in the app, on riders.uber.com, or from your emailed trip receipt.