How much $$ to tip a piano mover?? Need fast answer!

[Kellydelly]

If you are hiring these men to move your piano then why would you need to tip them $30 each?

I agree, $30 each would have been overkill, $10 each buys them a nice lunch or a cheap dinner .

 

[LSmith]

Given you're not sure about the piano itself, I'd have some tens and a $20 or two discreetly someplace - put $10s in one pocket and $20s in another if you don't want to stick it all in another room and ask them to wait a moment, and just wait and see what the deal is.

If it's nothing much, they just carry it in, unscrew and replace a leg and are done in 20 minutes or whatever? $10 each.

If it turns out to be a monster that they end up taking doors off hinges, dissembling things or looking at your windows funny, have to wrestle badly with, and spend a lot of time working on? douple up.

This is exactly how I decide how I am going to tip. Right down to the different amounts in different pockets!

Some of these people work over and above and I feel I should give accordingly.

 

[cornflake]

If you are hiring these men to move your piano then why would you need to tip them $30 each?

Most of the time, you're hiring a piano moving (or whatever) company, not the movers themselves.

The movers themselves, like other delivery people, get a basic wage and especially in the case of something like movers, work *very* hard.

Someone comes over and hands me something, that's a basic tip.

Some guys getting paid $9 an hour or whatever come over carrying large, unwieldy items, handle them carefully, end up having to spend a lot of extra time taking things apart, strugging, etc., that's a large tip. Yes, it's their job, most people tip. Same as it's the food delivery person's job, yet they get a tip. Same as the dry cleaning guy and etc.

 

[Bob NC]

This is exactly how I decide how I am going to tip. Right down to the different amounts in different pockets!

I used to do the different pockets thing too, until I tipped the valet at the GF $10 to park my car.

 

[tvguy]

Was it a keyboard? Seriously, I can see not tipping the owner of the business if he did it himself, but when there's someone helping I would tip the helper.

A spinet, so yes, it is small. I have 2 neighbors who are contractors, and they say they can't get even "helpers" to work for less than $30 an hour, which is amazing given the unemployment rate, but anyone on unemployment doesn't want to jeopordize their benefits by working anything less than a permananet, full time job.

 

[minniebride]

I ended up paying all 3 guys $20 each for tip. I felt they did a really great job!! Moved it from my parents house (plus 2 chairs that my mom said they did not charge extra for), drove 3 hours to get them to us, called in the morning to find out if I would be home all day, called again when they were 40 min away, and they were all so nice and friendly and professional. I felt really comfortable with the tip I gave.

 

[shoney]

I used to do the different pockets thing too, until I tipped the valet at the GF $10 to park my car.

LOL

Reminds me of something my husband did many years ago...before he was hubby (We were teenagers!)...

We were at a local automotive place and he was getting a flat fixed, but he asked for extra things to be done (don't remember exactly). He put a couple of bucks in one pocket to tip the guy.
When he got into the car, he handed the guy the tip. We started driving away and the man was running, jumping and yelling....I said "I think that guys want to tell you something"

He handed DH a wod of cash and said "I don't think you meant to give me this"

Thank goodness for honesty!

 

[yoopermom]

My DM has a beautiful grand piano that I can't wait to inherit someday, but I can't *imagine* the cost of moving it and having it retuned. The worst part...

If we're still in this house, DH will have to put on an addition, because we have no room for it !

But I love it, and have wonderful memories of laying under it listening to her play when I was a child, so it's not going anywhere else...

Terri

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My DM has a beautiful grand piano that I can't wait to inherit someday, but I can't *imagine* the cost of moving it and having it retuned. The worst part...

If we're still in this house, DH will have to put on an addition, because we have no room for it !

But I love it, and have wonderful memories of laying under it listening to her play when I was a child, so it's not going anywhere else...

Terri

I know you didn't mean for it to sound like you can't wait for her to, well, pass on, but I did get a chuckle out of it.

 

[cornflake]

I ended up paying all 3 guys $20 each for tip. I felt they did a really great job!! Moved it from my parents house (plus 2 chairs that my mom said they did not charge extra for), drove 3 hours to get them to us, called in the morning to find out if I would be home all day, called again when they were 40 min away, and they were all so nice and friendly and professional. I felt really comfortable with the tip I gave.

Glad it worked out! They sound great, very customer-service oriented.

 

[sbell111]

Why does everyone need to be tipped? The last time we moved, we contracted with a specialty moving company to move our two pianos. They gave us a price to move them and we paid them the contracted amount. I'm not seeing how a tip on top of that is necessary.

Next Monday, I'm taking the Jeep in to get some work done. The shop gave me a quote for the job. That's how much I'll be paying them.

We're having some rooms in our house painted. The painter submitted a bid for the work. That's how much we'll be paying him.

 

[tvguy]

Why does everyone need to be tipped? The last time we moved, we contracted with a specialty moving company to move our two pianos. They gave us a price to move them and we paid them the contracted amount. I'm not seeing how a tip on top of that is necessary.

Next Monday, I'm taking the Jeep n to get some work done. The shop gave me a quote for the job. That's how much I'll be paying them,

We're having some rooms in our house painted. The painter submitted a bid for the work. That's how much we'll be paying him.

My daughter just started working in a locally owned frozen treat place.......you know those tip cups you see in similar such restaurants? Prohibited and grounds for firing at this place.

 

[Deb in IA]

Why does everyone need to be tipped? The last time we moved, we contracted with a specialty moving company to move our two pianos. They gave us a price to move them and we paid them the contracted amount. I'm not seeing how a tip on top of that is necessary.

Next Monday, I'm taking the Jeep n to get some work done. The shop gave me a quote for the job. That's how much I'll be paying them,

We're having some rooms in our house painted. The painter submitted a bid for the work. That's how much we'll be paying him.

I agree!!!

 

[scbelleatheart]

My DM has a beautiful grand piano that I can't wait to inherit someday, but I can't *imagine* the cost of moving it and having it retuned. The worst part...

If we're still in this house, DH will have to put on an addition, because we have no room for it !

But I love it, and have wonderful memories of laying under it listening to her play when I was a child, so it's not going anywhere else...

Terri

You cannot replace those memories. I grew up with a voice/piano teacher next door. I woke up each morning to music. I would kill for a baby grand. Enjoy it!

 

[yoopermom]

You cannot replace those memories. I grew up with a voice/piano teacher next door. I woke up each morning to music. I would kill for a baby grand. Enjoy it!

This is actually a regular grand (not baby nor concert) so we REALLY need more room . I love Christmas songs on it and DH requests "Great Balls of FIRE" every bday.

Terri

 

[cornflake]

This is actually a regular grand (not baby nor concert) so we REALLY need more room . I love Christmas songs on it and DH requests "Great Balls of FIRE" every bday.

Terri

You could just build a little sunroom or something for it - french doors to the outside so it can get in, heh. Remember - reinforce the floors for a grand!

 

[sbell111]

While a piano in a sunroom is visually appealing, it is super bad for the piano. The shifts in temperature and humidity will result in a constant need for tuning and could actually warp the soundboard, effectively destroying the instrument.

 

[yoopermom]

While a piano in a sunroom is visually appealing, it is super bad for the piano. The shifts in temperature and humidity will result in a constant need for tuning and could actually warp the soundboard, effectively destroying the instrument.

Right, that's so true, unfortunately! When DM had her current condo designed, she had them leave out the bookshelves and fireplace in the living room, just so the piano can have the cool, dark corner farthest from the windows...heck, I'd probably have to put in central air for it, since it wouldn't like me having the windows open .

Now back to OP's discussion, sorry....

Terri

 

[cornflake]

I'm think we maybe have different definitions of sunroom or something, as there's no reason it'd have any more fluctuating humidity or temperatures than the rest of the house, to me. You were talking about building an addition. To me, a sunroom is a room that tends to have more windows and people often use for sitting, reading, put the tv in, etc. No reason you couldn't put a piano.

Like so -

 

[sbell111]

I'm think we maybe have different definitions of sunroom or something, as there's no reason it'd have any more fluctuating humidity or temperatures than the rest of the house, to me. You were talking about building an addition. To me, a sunroom is a room that tends to have more windows and people often use for sitting, reading, put the tv in, etc. No reason you couldn't put a piano.

Like so -

<SNIP>

Based on your pictures, it appears that we have the same definition of 'sunroom'. As I previously stated, it is certainly a visually compelling place to locate a piano. However, due to the multitude of glass and french doors, those rooms are bad places to put a piano. Between the increased sunlight and the temperature and humidity fluctuations common in those areas, it's not good for the piano.

I suppose that it really depends on what the piano is for. If it's a beautiful piece of furniture to showcase that awesome room, then one should go for it. If the piano is to be a working musical instrument that may be passed down for future generations to actually play, a sunroom might not be the best spot.

(It should be noted that I don't actually care where any internet stranger places his/her actual piano.)